I don't have a sarcastic, smug or clever photo to post this week, so I decided to post a pic of something my husband got for me yesterday instead.  It's a carved wooden brooch by Melbourne-based artist/designer Beci Orpin.  The whole thing is only about two inches tall, and it's cut from a single piece of wood, which (to me) makes the intricate cutting work pretty awesome.  I love it -- and that's why it's my Pic Of The Week.

This "Pic Of The Week" is of a post-Christmas mannequin display in the sprawling department store "House of Fraser" in Westfield Centre, London.  Throughout the large store every single plastic body was donning one of these red t-shirts signaling the store's sale.  And it wasn't just House of Fraser -- quite a few stores in Westfield had a similar idea.

It made me think:  Isn't it a bit embarrassing that even in this flailing economy big retail chains still have so much money that they can afford to create clothing for the sole purpose of advertising a sale on mannequins?  I don't mean to preach, but aren't there countries (and areas inside our own country) where people desperately need clean, decent clothing and textiles?  Yet here we are, glibly printing shirts just to dress life-size dolls for a week or two.

What do these stores do with all the shirts when the sales end?  Somehow I doubt they wash and fold them to save for the next big sale.  God forbid they re-use ANYthing, lest they look out of fashion.

Maybe we'll start seeing AP photos of homeless people in Third World nations sporting bright red "SALE" shirts.  Sadly, I don't think retail giants are that considerate. 

It's something to think about.

It's apparently true that there really IS something out there for every kind of person.  The above photo is of a real magazine I found on the mag racks of a large, local book store in Hammersmith, London.  It's called "More Teabag Folding," which begs the question: Was there ever an earlier publication called "Initial Teabag Folding?"

It was on clearance sale for 2 pounds 49 pence (on sale that's $3.62 American).  Not exactly cheap.  I guess people with unusual hobbies pay dearly for being different.

This was far more interesting than the latest covers of Elle or OK! -- and that's why it's my Pic Of The Week.