Here's my Sunday rant on two "extreme living" trends:
1. Extreme Flimsy Footwear: Once upon a time, flip-flops were cheap, rubber thongs that you bought at the drug store and only wore in the summer when you went to the beach or washed your car, or maybe wore in the locker room. Now flip-flops have become almost year-round, everyday footwear that I see everywhere: in airports, shopping malls, downtown DC, on the DC Metro, in restaurants, at ball games, etc. You'll even see them at the White House on an official visit with the President of the United States (see picture above, and news report here on the "flip-flop scandal" at the White House in 2005; so I guess I'm a little "late to the party" on this foot fashion controversy).
Update: "Hot weather is finally here, but with it, painful foot conditions. A common culprit? Those bbiquitous, thin flip-flops. They're colorful, cheap, convenient and trendy. But those who specialize in treating foot problems say they're terrible for feet because they offer neither support nor protection against trauma. They're also dangerous to wear while driving because they can get stuck under the gas pedal or the brake.
Dr. Joseph Stern, a Lower Mainland podiatrist who is president of the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association, said flip-flops should only be worn for short periods, "like from the house to the pool." (Vancouver Sun).
Update: "Hot weather is finally here, but with it, painful foot conditions. A common culprit? Those bbiquitous, thin flip-flops. They're colorful, cheap, convenient and trendy. But those who specialize in treating foot problems say they're terrible for feet because they offer neither support nor protection against trauma. They're also dangerous to wear while driving because they can get stuck under the gas pedal or the brake.
Dr. Joseph Stern, a Lower Mainland podiatrist who is president of the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association, said flip-flops should only be worn for short periods, "like from the house to the pool." (Vancouver Sun).
2. Extreme Over-sized Monster Strollers. Once upon a time, baby strollers were flimsy and lightweight with small wheels. Today, baby strollers have "gone Hummer" with huge wheels, heavy-duty construction, multiple storage compartments, with options like sidecars, sound systems, navigation, air conditioning, and outhouses. OK, I made up the part about the options, but the stroller pictured above illustrates the typical over-sized Monster Hummer stroller that has invaded Washington, D.C. in large numbers, especially in my neighborhood near the National Zoo - and they create havoc on crowded Metro trains, elevators and the escalators. Total "excess" in my opinion.
Suggestion: Could we maybe go a little less flimsy on our footwear, and a little more flimsy on our baby strollers?
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