Maria Finds

Some in the press say this is the new “Black Friday” (day after Thanksgiving sale) and it looks like After Christmas sale (starting December 26th) is shaping to be one that offers deeper discounts, on-the-spot price slashing and high end stores offering price cut off on designer duds.

From Saks Fifth Ave (where some pieces go for up to 80% price reduction) to inventory liquidation at Circuit City. This unprecedented deals are designed to lure bargain hunters.

So which places are offering great deals on merchandise?

Bloomingdales
Nationwide and Online
From December 26th to mid January, the retailer with the little brown bag will be offering an additional 60% discount on already marked down items from Juicy Couture to Ralph Lauren Home. See bloomingdales.com for more details.

Circuit City
Nationwide and Online
December 26th until supplies last. The bankrupt company has purchased way too much inventory and the excess needs to be liquidated. Consumers will find additional discounts on already marked down prices on electronics – laptops, flat screen TV and digital cameras. Visit circuitcity.com

Sears
Nationwide and Online

Along with home appliances, shoppers will see discounts on fine jewelry — up to 70 percent off — and certain models of treadmills, which will be discounted by up to 40 percent off. On New Year’s Day, further discounts will occur. For more information, visit sears.com.

Target
Nationwide and Online
Dec. 26, until supplies last. Women’s clothing designer Thakoon Panichgul’s GO International collection for Target hits stores Dec. 28, which means you’ll find previous GO designer Jonathan Saunder’s collection reduced by up to 90 percent. Other discounts include markdowns on appliances, Nintendo DS games and 50 percent off certain toys. For more information, visit target.com.

Wal-Mart
Nationwide and Online
Dec. 26, until supplies last. Despite the fact that it’s doing better than others — December sales are expected to increase by 3 percent in North America — this big-box still needs to rid itself of much 2008 inventory. Shoppers will see reductions of up to 80 percent off certain jewelry, appliances and toys, as well as Christmas decorations. For more information, visit walmart.com.

Macy’s
Nationwide and Online
December 26th to mid-January. The largest department-store chain in the country will offer shoppers clearance prices on fall items such as diamond earrings, bedding and appliances. Discounts will reach 75 percent off.  macys.com

Neiman Marcus
Nationwide and Online
December 26th to mid-January. The high-end department store’s “last call” sale begins Dec. 26, offering customers up to 80% off fall items from brands including TSE cashmere, John Varvatos menswear and Sferra linens.

Mood stabilizers, antibiotics, anti-convulsant, acetaminophen, ibuprofen – though deemed to be far below the levels of a medical dose, scientists are worried about long term human effects of this recent findings stemming from an Associated Press investigation and reporting.

AP conducted a five-month study of major metro areas from coast to coast and found that at least 41 million residents are affected by this.

Just how do these pharmaceutical drugs get into drinking water?

Traces of prescription medication passes through our body as waste and dumped into the sewage. In turn sewage water is treated before it is released into some lakes and water system. A lot of residential areas in the US gets their tap water supply from treated water coming from rivers, lakes and other water tributaries. In some areas, treated sewage water is directly reused as drinking water after passing through several filtration process. Oh yum!

Unfortunately, water treatment does not completely eliminate traces of prescription medication that has been released into the water source. And it is not only a concern for residents living in largely populated city centers, people drawing their drinking water from wells can also be affected. CNN has a great article on this health worries. In a New York Times article, they mentioned that scientists are concerned that pharmaceuticals in river water is responisble for the “feminization” of male fish. Evidence of pharmaceuticals’ ability to alter behavior or composition of wildlife ingesting minimal amounts of drug doses pose potential of long term harmful effect to humans who not only drink these waters but eat seafood swimming in such an environment. Though it has to be said that there has not been an extensive scientific research done as to the long-term real effects of the AP study.

Why such a phenomena, probably because Americans are medicating too much? There is a pill for every ache, pain or twitch we happen to have. You blink and voila, you have a medicine for that. CNN has also posted a map of states with known pharmaceuticals in their water source. Minnesota so far only posted for “caffeine”, shows you what’s important. Coffee perhaps to battle the cold? =)