Quick Hits Tuesday #4

Female trekking guides in Nepal are filling a niche in the male-dominated field of mountaineering. The three Chetri sisters, who run a restaurant in the foothills of the Annapurnas, encountered many female customers returning from long treks who complained of being harassed by their male guides. "So many women came back with bad experiences, they would be alone on the mountain with these men and they were very vulnerable. We knew what we needed to do," one sister said. The Chetris began training local women in mountaineering, trek safety, and women's empowerment, and now operate the Three Sisters trekking agency, with over 60 guides, all female, on staff or on call. In doing so they have had to tackle cultural taboos against women wearing pants and wives earning more than their husbands, and local beliefs that women are bad luck on the mountain. These in addition the perennial chestnuts that women lack the physical strength or mental toughness to do hard things like, you know, climb mountains. Three Sisters guides earn about $10 per day, more than twice what they could earn working in agriculture, one of the only fields traditionally open to women. Put that on my list of things to do the next time I am in Nepal. Someday!

You're only getting that Valentine's Day-themed singing teddy bear so you don't get pissed off, not because it was thoughtfully selected for you. Researchers have found that framing last-minute purchases in the negative (If you don't buy her something expensive, there's no way you're getting laid) rather than in the positive (She will love this pink-and-red tchotchke) can lead purchasers to pay a premium in a bid to avoid disaster. Purchasers buying well in advance responded better to positive ads, but didn't pay as much of a premium for the product or service. Shiner, if you are reading this, I would rather receive nothing than any form of singing bear.

Free Money Finance posts a question from a reader who wonders what she should do now that she's learned her fiance has a mountain of debt. A lot of discussion in the comments, some of which is completely stupid and/or judgmental and some of which is very thoughtful and, I hope, helpful. My favorite non-idiotic comment is from Independent George who prefaces his advice with: "I mean no disrespect, but, honestly, this entire situation sounds like a Jane Austen novel..." which manages with one literary reference to convey the seriousness of the situation while sympathetically acknowledging the heart-driven nature of decisions like this. Less favorite is the anon who drops that s/he went to Harvard Law and then proceeds to give crappy legal advice. Represent.

Alternet has a piece on Women Who Go Gray and Stay Sexy. Not strictly about finance (uh, they save on hair dye?) but a nice sort-of counterpoint to the article I posted about earlier this week on Passing As Young. I remember both of my grandmothers having beautiful hair, one soft gray and the a natural bright white. I should be so lucky!

Geezeo has an interview with Him and Her from Make Love, Not Debt about couple finances and how blogging together has helped them have hard conversations about money.