It is winter in the Great Lakes region.  The mall parking lot is filled with cars while a few people skate on the neighbourhood rink. As I swish around, I wonder why people spend money on plastic stuff when they could be playing crack the whip.  I imagine announcing over the mall’s PA system, “Attention shoppers!  Your consumerism reinforces economic systems that plunder the earth, exploit workers, and enrich robber barons.  How about skating instead?”