When your friends want to do things you can’t afford

Have you ever had to decline a social engagement because it was too expensive? Did you conceal the reason for not attending from your friends? An article on Slate examines what to do when your wealthier friends invite you to do more expensive things. Should you tell them your reasons for not joining the party, or is talking about money still one of the few social taboos we have left? Read it to find out and weigh in. 

Christy Clark recently won British Columbia’s provincial Liberal leadership race and became premier, and she’s not the only woman making political waves at the provincial level. There are two other sitting female premiers (in Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador) and twelve other women running for provincial office. MacLean’s hails the influx of “high-calibre women candidates” as a possible trend – one that we sure hope continues. 

Why is it that the clothing in our wardrobes usually ranges at least three or four sizes? A recent article on Jezebel ponders a number of possibilities – weight loss/gain, bloating, proportions, seasonal shifts – but ultimately assigns blame to the massive garment industry failure that is standard sizing. I mean seriously, can’t an eight just be an eight, for crying out loud? And don’t even get us started on bridesmaid dresses. 

It’s time to stop hating MacDonald’s for being number one, and start hating them for the atrocities they pass off as food, because as of today, MacDonald’s is the number two fast food chain in the world. Who bumped off the Hamburgler and Ronald? It’s Subway and his no-longer-portly spokesman, Jared. That’s right, Subway had 33,749 stores globally at the end of last year, with MacDonald’s falling short at 32,737.  

American women are injecting themselves with hCG pregnancy hormones and adhering to a strict 500-calories-a-day diet as part of a new weight loss fad that is sweeping the nation. Those who subscribe to the method say the hormones help dieters lose weight in the right places without feeling tired or hungry. Those who oppose the method – and there are many – say the injections simply have a placebo effect, that they can cause heart problems, and that the 500 calorie limit mimics anorexia.