Don't Shop at Wal-Mart

“I agree they should not remain neutral - nevertheless, they are not "pro-Christian"”

“maybe theyre episcopalian”

“How can Wal-mart be Christian when it warships a smiley face? If it were Christian would the symbol be a cross or a Jesus fish?”

“LOL Crash”

“"it warships" ??????



LOL
last edited: 11/09/06 10:43:12 AM”

“christian

warships

christian warships

yea, that somehow goes together”

““Somebody on this site was trying to tell me and others that Wal-Mart is pro-Christian."

It was Reformed Lurker who said they claimed to be a christian company and he wanted them to have to pay 10% for saying so.”

“blast the infidels! repent or die!”

“

Here's Brother Maynard with the Holy Hand Grenade.”

““"it warships" ??????



LOL
last edited: 11/09/06 11:43:12 AM”
StoveStomper
11:39:18 AM
No, no Stovey. More like this:

”

“slashing high prices and high seas”

“Personally I get tired of businesses being expected to support anything. I'd much prefer a company not try to please every little group and just do what they are there to do, sell stuff.

I don't care if a place supports or opposes gay marriage. I care about how much the salad is this week.”

“2 teens charged with setting off homemade bombs in Wal-Mart
November 26, 2006

SKOWHEGAN, Maine --Two teenage boys were arrested late Saturday night and charged with setting off two homemade bombs inside a Wal-Mart that was filled with holiday shoppers.

Hundreds of customers were evacuated from the store when the bombs detonated Saturday afternoon, one in the toy section and the other in the pet food area.

At least eight people were treated by emergency medical technicians or at a nearby hospital for irritation to their eyes and throat or ringing in their ears, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety.

The 15-year-old juveniles, whose names were not released because of their age, were taken into custody after photos from the store's security cameras were shown on late night television newscasts.

The parents of one of the boys recognized the photos and met with investigators at the Skowhegan police station, McCausland said.

Investigators also said they had identified the two boys after showing the photos to teenagers at a local McDonald's.

Both boys were charged with criminal use of explosives and released early Sunday morning to the custody of their parents.

McCausland said the boys had made three additional explosive devices and placed one on the roof of a downtown business and two on the lawn of a residence. Those three bombs, none of which had detonated, were being retrieved by investigators, he said.

Wal-Mart was reopening as scheduled Sunday morning, manager Dale Brann said.



http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/11/26/2_teens_charged_with_setting_off_homemade_bombs_in_wal_mart/”

“Yeah eeevil WalMart.......just lowered the price of meds to $4.00...LOL”

“That only benefits the Christian-rich, XL400236.

By the way, what does "XL400236" mean?”

“

A lot of Truth to this.”

“








”

“http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/18/asia/AS_FIN_China_Wal_Mart.php

I love it when Walmart and the Chinese Communist Party have joint press releases.”

“Free markets! Free markets!”

“LOL
The commies are pouring out of the woodwork.”

“Super wall Mart going up in town. Michigan's unemployment is very high. The building industry is really hurting. The local ironworkewrs are picketing the Wall Mart site. Why? Because Wall Mart hired workers from Kentucky instead of the state and area that they're actually building the store. Poor ironworkers. I bet they won't be wall mart shoppers.”

“Like Unions allow free speech....”

“Conservatives outgive liberals in every measurable way.

Charity is good for your health.

Religious people are more charitable -- including with secular donations -- than secularists.

People who drink alcohol moderately are more charitable than those who don't drink.

*******************************************

http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/brieaddy111406.html

Philanthropy Expert Says Conservatives Are More Generous

BY FRANK BRIEADDY
c.2006 Newhouse News Service

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse University professor Arthur C. Brooks is about to become the darling of the religious right wing in America -- and it's making him nervous.

The child of academics, raised in a liberal household and educated in the liberal arts, Brooks has written a book that concludes religious conservatives donate far more money than secular liberals to all sorts of charitable activities, irrespective of income.

In the book, to be released later this month, he cites extensive data analysis to demonstrate that values advocated by conservatives -- from church attendance and two-parent families to the Protestant work ethic and a distaste for government-funded social services -- make conservatives more generous than liberals.

The book, titled "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism" (Basic Books, $26), is due for release Nov. 24.

When it comes to helping the needy, Brooks writes: "For too long, liberals have been claiming they are the most virtuous members of American society. Although they usually give less to charity, they have nevertheless lambasted conservatives for their callousness in the face of social injustice."

Months before those words came off the press, news of his research reached the producers of ABC's "20/20." They filmed extensive interviews with Brooks to be aired next month in a one-hour special dealing with charity and philanthropy.

The fact that ABC will focus on the political, rather than cultural, aspects of his book frightens him less than the potential for a call from Bill O'Reilly, Fox News' hard-hitting conservative commentator.

"I can say no if I want to," he said.

The truth, Brooks says, is that if an interview with O'Reilly means furthering his message that America needs more charity -- especially from those who call themselves liberal -- he'd probably do it.

For the record, Brooks, 42, has been registered in the past as a Democrat, then a Republican, but now lists himself as independent, explaining, "I have no comfortable political home."

Since 2003 he has been director of nonprofit studies for Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

He has lectured in Spain and Russia and makes about 50 appearances a year at professional conferences around the world.

Outside professional circles, he's best known for his regular op-ed columns in The Wall Street Journal (13 over the past 18 months) on topics that stray a bit from his philanthropy expertise.

One noted that people who drink alcohol moderately are more successful and charitable than those who don't (like him). Another observed that liberals are having fewer babies than conservatives, which will reduce liberals' impact on politics over time because children generally mimic their parents.

Brooks is a behavioral economist by training who researches the relationship between what people do -- aside from their paid work -- why they do it, and its economic impact.

He's a number cruncher who relied primarily on 10 databases assembled over the past decade, mostly from scientific surveys. The data are adjusted for variables such as age, gender, race and income to draw fine-point conclusions.

His Wall Street Journal pieces are researched, but a little light. His book, he says, is carefully documented to withstand the scrutiny of other academics, which he said he encourages.

The book's basic findings are that conservatives who practice religion, live in traditional nuclear families and reject the notion that the government should engage in income redistribution are the most generous Americans, by any measure.

Conversely, secular liberals who believe fervently in government entitlement programs give far less to charity. They want everyone's tax dollars to support charitable causes and are reluctant to write checks to those causes, even when governments don't provide them with enough money.

Such an attitude, he writes, not only shortchanges the nonprofits but also diminishes the positive fallout of giving, including personal health, wealth and happiness for the donor and overall economic growth. All of this, he said, he backs up with statistical analysis.

"These are not the sort of conclusions I ever thought I would reach when I started looking at charitable giving in graduate school, 10 years ago," he writes in the introduction. "I have to admit I probably would have hated what I have to say in this book."

Still, he says it forcefully, pointing out that liberals give less than conservatives in every way imaginable, including volunteer hours and donated blood.

In an interview, Brooks says he recognizes the need for government entitlement programs, such as welfare. But in the book he finds fault with all sorts of government social spending, including entitlements.

Repeatedly he cites and disputes a line from a Ralph Nader speech to the NAACP in 2000: "A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity."

Leslie Lenkowsky, professor of public affairs and philanthropic studies at Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, has not read Brooks' book but is familiar with his research and findings. He says Brooks' impact could be as great as that of Harvard professor Robert D. Putnam, who wrote the 2000 best-seller "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community," setting off a national discussion about the decline of participation in group activities and its effect on society.

Harvey Mansfield, professor of government at Harvard University and 2004 recipient of the National Humanities Medal, does not know Brooks personally but has read the book.

"His main finding is quite startling, that the people who talk the most about caring actually fork over the least," he said. "But beyond this finding I thought his analysis was extremely good, especially for an economist. He thinks very well about the reason for this and reflects about politics and morals in a way most economists do their best to avoid."

Brooks says he started the book as an academic treatise, then tightened the documentation and punched up the prose when his colleagues and editor convinced him it would sell better and generate more discussion if he did.

To make his point forcefully, Brooks admits he cut out a lot of qualifying information.

"I know I'm going to get yelled at a lot with this book," he said. "But when you say something big and new, you're going to get yelled at."

SOME OF BROOKS' FINDINGS

Conservatives outgive liberals in every measurable way.

Charity is good for your health.

Religious people are more charitable -- including with secular donations -- than secularists.

People who drink alcohol moderately are more charitable than those who don't drink.

Nov. 14, 2006”

“Why did Walmart have to sell their German and Korean stores?”

“"“LOL
The commies are pouring out of the woodwork.”
StoveStomper
10:36:34 AM
12/20/06"


Wal-Mart sells good from Communist countries. This goes against Sam Walton's mantra of "America First". American capitalists are facilitating the sale of Communists goods to the American market.

Shop Wal-Mart and your money is in part going to Communists. Wal-Mart is responsible for around 10% of the Chinese exports in 2002 (http://www.kuratrading.com/PDF/Walmart1.pdf).

In addition, the claim of (good prices) is subject to debate. As a standard, cheap goods do not last as long as well made goods and need to be replaced twice as often. IMHO, while a person might think that buying a t-shirt at Wal-Mart is less expensive, they have to buy that replace that shirt before a well made one would.

Of course, this is in the most general terms; however, my research into the issue has reflected the strong possibly of cause-correlation between the consumption of cheap overseas goods and a shift in geo-political power between the US and China.”

“Q's posts allways sound to me like the 'adults' talking on the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. ;-)”

“"Super wall Mart going up in town. Michigan's unemployment is very high. The building industry is really hurting. The local ironworkewrs are picketing the Wall Mart site. Why? Because Wall Mart hired workers from Kentucky instead of the state and area that they're actually building the store. Poor ironworkers. I bet they won't be wall mart shoppers."


Yes, times are tough here in the big D. We've been through them before; I am hopeful that we will get through this one as well. People are still spending an awful lot of money around here, which is odd because of the amount of "for sale" signs around....”

“"“Q's posts allways sound to me like the 'adults' talking on the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. ;-)”
StoveStomper
11:10:05 AM
12/20/06"


Well, perhaps if you quit "la-la-ing" and removed your hands from your ears, you would hear what I was saying. =:-O”

“Dang!!! There it goes again! ;-)


Merry Christmas, Q. Hope you and your family have a good one.”

“"Merry Christmas, Q. Hope you and your family have a good one."


Same to you as well. So far, they keep getting better and better; I wish the same for you.”

“Yes, times are tough here in the big D. We've been through them before; I am hopeful that we will get through this one as well. People are still spending an awful lot of money around here, which is odd because of the amount of "for sale" signs around....”

A lot of it has to do with a trickle down effect. Higher taxes mean higher costs of living and higher prices on just about everything, yes? Isn't Michigan one of the highest cost of living states? Top 10 at least, yes? Kentucky, which is much, much freer and lesser taxed can make the better deals. Having said that I wish nothing but the best for your state as it benefits my own family as well.

Not to sound redundant but, FREE MARKETS! FREE MARKETS! If company A can do the job cheaper from another state cheaper than Company B from in state then Company A will win the contract.

Competition breads higher quality at better prices.
last edited: 12/20/06 10:29:18 AM”

“The rust belt ain't coming back people.
Retrain, reskill....(like Q is trying to do) the old Union jobs are gone for good.”

“Free Markets! Free Markets!

Cheap Communist Labor! Cheap Communist Labor!”

“http://petroleum.berkeley.edu/patzek/Harmful/Materials/federal_taxing_and_spending_bene.htm

That's a nice chart that shows how much each state receives in federal spending for each dollar spent by residents in federal taxation.

And it also does a nice job of color coding the red and blue states.

Generally speaking, the red states are feeding out of the government trough.

A free market would require spending to be relatively equal across the states.”

“reformed lurker hates poor people.”

“"A lot of it has to do with a trickle down effect. Higher taxes mean higher costs of living and higher prices on just about everything, yes? Isn't Michigan one of the highest cost of living states? Top 10 at least, yes?."

Some areas of Michigan are real cheap to live. The Metro area of Detroit has a real high standard of living, but that's changing.

What happened is that the union jobs sustained that high level of living standard. You have other jobs that rely on the union jobs (and the jobs of the white collar folks as well). The rule of thumb used to be (for a city like mine) was that one union jobs sustained almost 12 other jobs. For example, small business owners, people working in service related jobs, etc. When a union wage is lost, other people loose their jobs. That's the trickle down we have going on here.

Another example. The building industry is hurting, because white collar and union jobs are being lost. These employees and their wages, helped make the Metro area boom by spending money on remodling their homes, buying new ones (they have been through up homes in the outer rings of the Metro area for years now. What was selling like hotcakes, now sit dormant with the rest of the developed "neighbourhood".

Times are tough for D-town for a lot of reasons and mostly due to our own actions. There is a lot of good things happening here in the city, but loosing these jobs is killing the Metro area (and ironically, the good things are happening in the inner city).”

“Not to sound redundant but, FREE MARKETS! FREE MARKETS! If company A can do the job cheaper from another state cheaper than Company B from in state then Company A will win the contract.

Competition breads higher quality at better prices.
last edited: 12/20/06 11:29:18 AM”
Nigal

Sure and if a guy from India or a monkey from the pet store can do a job just as well as you or I and we stick with lowest price all the time we'll all be unemployed. Sometimes we need to look at the good we do in a community when we become a part of it. We need to give and take. But I probably would never make it in the corporate world. Eaten alive I'd be!”

“The unions have caused this mess. People need to stand up against the unions. If they're pickiting, assemble on the other side of the street and do the same.”

“Sure thing, Stovie.

In principle, I love the idea of the free market. If practiced, it would probably be a net benefit to the United States.

However, taxation, regulation and government spending within the United States and abroad distort the free market.

The free market does not really exist currently. And neither political party is in favor of a free market.”

“7% of the current private sector workforce is unionized.

So, I guess if those 7% got up and picketed, all the economic problems in the country would be solved.”

“"“The unions have caused this mess. People need to stand up against the unions. If they're pickiting, assemble on the other side of the street and do the same.”
moonglo
11:47:32 AM
12/20/06"


Outsourcing by Capitalists in order to maximize profits has cause the union wage to become "expensive". Union jobs are not the only ones being lost to Wal-Mart. Small businesses and other good paying non-union factory jobs are being lost as well.
last edited: 12/20/06 10:55:03 AM”

“I was talking about what caused the mess.

The situation in Sass's hometown was caused by unions.

That problem trickled to the rest of the local economy into the fmall businesses, before Wal-Mart entered the picture.”

“See, my perception is different. The workers Wallmart hired are still union, they just aren't from the area the building is going up in. The problem is that the company chose to hire elsewhere when there are people here who need to, and want to work. It is just a small example of how the company does not give to the community it sets up business in.

Problems aren't necessarily caused by unions. Sometimes they are solved by them. No one group is to blame for Michigan's problems. The auto industry hit a slump because of lack of a competitive product, not because of the folks building the cars.

Michigan has major problems because we put all our eggs in one basket.
last edited: 12/20/06 11:07:47 AM”

“The situation in Detroit has been caused because there was a fundamental change in the marketplace post-911 and the Big Three didn't have the product that people wanted to buy.

Ford and GM were perfectly willing and able to pay those salaries and benefits during the 1980s and 1990s.

But they stopped making actual cars in favor of trucks and SUVs.

Now, people don't want those vehicles and it will take a decade for those companies to regain their footing.”

“What happened is that the union jobs sustained that high level of living standard. You have other jobs that rely on the union jobs (and the jobs of the white collar folks as well). The rule of thumb used to be (for a city like mine) was that one union jobs sustained almost 12 other jobs. For example, small business owners, people working in service related jobs, etc. When a union wage is lost, other people loose their jobs. That's the trickle down we have going on here.

While I do believe in free markets I also believe in worker's rights to organize. However if these unions can not compete with the non union outfits they need to adapt or die. Large organizations have a history of not being able to adapt. But of course I do not want to make it sound like the ills of the world are the union's fault because I think unions do make but a small effect.

I feel good intelligent city leaders have a much greater effect on the way life in a town is.”

“"The situation in Sass's hometown was caused by unions."


That is an incorrect statement, as per the norm. I live in Sass's "town" and have for the last 37 years. When the economy was up, we were booming around here. Once the Chinese market opened up, our area's fate was sealed.

Cheap labor made the union wage expensive. That's the cause of it.”

“"“See, my perception is different. The workers Wallmart hired are still union, they just aren't from the area the building is going up in. The problem is that the company chose to hire elsewhere when there are people here who need to, and want to work. It is just a small example of how the company does not give to the community it sets up business in.
last edited: 12/20/06 12:02:55 PM”
Sassafras
12:01:11 PM
12/20/06"

I agree with that. However, remember with the three big Casinos going up, ironworker labor around here might be pinched. I have no ear in that work force, so I am limited in my comment.”

“Outsourcing by Capitalists in order to maximize profits has cause the union wage to become "expensive".

OK, I'm gonna say something to blow your mind and then I have to leave but we can have a great discussion about it sometime soon. Here we go...

Outsourcing is good for America!”

“hey Q and Rl, did you hear on the news last night that Kwami (sorry that's prolly spelled incorrectly) is going to focus his second term on the neighborhoods of Detroit? He said his first term was all about the superbowl. 'Bout time eh?”

“"While I do believe in free markets I also believe in worker's rights to organize. However if these unions can not compete with the non union outfits they need to adapt or die. Large organizations have a history of not being able to adapt. But of course I do not want to make it sound like the ills of the world are the union's fault because I think unions do make but a small effect."


I agree with the "adapt or die theory". However, one thing we have to look at is the lack of adherence to the rules of the WTO by China. China is able to subsidize their suppliers so that the good are so sheap, nobody can compete with them. Their markets are far from free as well. We are exporting thing like scrap paper and metal, and re-buying them as manufactured goods. We are supposed to have a free and open market with China. That is not the case. There have been a few lawsuits over the issue from American businesses, which ruled in their favor (American businesses).

Another thing. The worker in China does not make as much as the American worker; therefore they cannot afford what American goods are availible in their markets. That, combined with the fact that the worker in China saves on average 50% of their income (whereas, American hardly save any) and you can see little hope for the American good.
last edited: 12/20/06 11:17:26 AM”