Don't Shop at Wal-Mart

“Expect there to be a shift and WalMart will now be the Libbie GOOD GUY.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/06/30/wal_mart_backs_employer_health_insurance_mandate/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news

Wal-Mart was joined by a major labor union that sometimes has criticized the company's relatively stingy employee benefits.

Wal-Mart lately has tried to improve employee relations, and has hired some prominent Democrats to broaden its political base. One of them, executive vice president Leslie Dach, said Wal-Mart feels the current U.S. health care system is unsustainable, and an employer insurance mandate is a cost that businesses should accept.

SEIU's Stern praised Wal-Mart and said: "Everyone, including employers, must share responsibility in guaranteeing every working American quality, affordable insurance."”

“Hey Mutt, do you actually backpack???


Hahahahahahaha

You must have started early today, Rosey. Or are you still going from last night?
last edited: 7/01/09 8:09:48 AM”

“OH man, I love tee-totalers! Or wait, you're the straight-edge type, 'cause, ya know, that's the cooooool thing to do. I can respect that.

But let's get back to the matter at hand, backpacking and you're apparent lack of partaking in that activity. It's really no wonder you're confused by the word since you don't seem to do it and no one here can verify that you do it. How did you end up here anyway, Mutt?”

“Has anyone ever seen it in person?”

“That's great, Mutt. So, you post a different post, realize it made you look like a twerp, I respond and call you out for the poseur you are, and you replace the weak post with some minor corrections to try and save face.

Classic!!!

So, um, when was the last time you strapped on a pack and hit the trail?”

“I'm not a tee-totaler, Rosey. I just know how to relax after work and have a good time without booze.

Oh, and no, I haven't been backpacking for a while. I have familial responsibilities that have precluded my indulgence in personal desires/hobbies. But you don't have a problem ditching your family for the trail, do you?”

“I will freely say that I get out very rarely, but I still try to get out from time to time. What I find odd here is that tilt is piling on the "do you backpack" question train. I assume that he has backpacked at some point, but I have never seen it, or seen him post on anything about trips he has been on.”

“That's good, Mutt. Same here. Sometimes I enjoy beer, sometimes other activities take presedence.

Nah, I really don't do any ditching of my family. But since you feel inclined to be a cock and bring my family into this, backpacking is a family activity for us. We enjoy it together. Sorry it's never been that way for yours.

So when, exactly, was the last time you actually hit the trail Mutt? Any details?
last edited: 7/01/09 8:29:15 AM”

“oh I have witnesses, LOL

I didn't know hyway was mutt's butt-boy. �Not too surprising, though.”

“when was the last time you backpacked, tilt?

Nice name calling. You lose.”

“This obesity love affaire that we Americans seem to have, it's the one greatest factor that we cannot afford Hillary's national healthcare coverage. You cannot imagine the giant costs in healthcare that fat ppl cause, and the human body is an amazing thing! It can tolerate this condition for many many years, particularly in a medical society like ours. (Of course, with the high number of poor, fat ppl we are already having to pay higher healthcosts, indirectly.) With this one single factor, the costs of a national healthcare plan are GROSSLY under-rated.

I do believe ppl have the right to smoke, and I believe ppl have the right to eat fast-food 5 or more times a week. But I should not be required to pay for your COPD or your fat problems after you've spent a life exorcising those American liberties. In America (thank you Dems) we think we can smoke and bloat like a tick, AND THEN fully expect to get full healthcare costs provided by the government (which naturally comes out of our pockets).

OMG, don't get me started on fat kids! We are hugely (no pun intended) failing in this regard as a nation and as a society.”

“amen naked ape!”

“Sometimes I enjoy beer, sometimes other activities take presedence.

I'm guessing that's code for pot. You really make me thankful that I can get "high" on life, and that I don't subject my family to addiction.

But since you feel inclined to be a cock and bring my family into this

I'm talking about you, not your family.

So when, exactly, was the last time you actually hit the trail Mutt? Any details?

Stalk much? The last time that was more than a day hike I was in the Cedar Creek section of the MTNF, hiking over dissected terrain, making camp atop a 150+ ft bluff overlooking the convergence of two small streams. It's a nicely varied and fairly lightly used area in Mid Missouri. http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/marktwain/maps/location_map.php”

“Well said, Naked. Let me ask you this: where do you draw the line for pre-existing conditions? I think this is a huge issue with medical insurance. Too fat, you smoke, you ate outta too much aluminum cooking ware on the trail and now you have alzheimers? You didn't wear sunscreen and now you have skin cancer? You bombed down too many mountains on your bike and now your back is blown out? It's a hard question to ask because the people that need health care aren't the ones who are perfectly healthy.”

“About five weeks ago, before it got hot.

Everytime I hear about one of your trips it's a combination car-camp and eating contest.”

“So, Mutt saying : "But you don't have a problem ditching your family for the trail, do you?" is not bringing my family into the discussion? Your reading comprehension is lacking. Sometimes its best just to not let others know what you are thinking.

I don't subject my family to addiction. Neither do I. Please stop slandering.


Thank you for "verifying" that you have taken one hike in your lifetime.”

“Made to order:

WEDNESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Watching food ads on TV leads to a boost in snacking among children and adults, increasing the risk of weight gain, U.S. researchers say.

Yale University researchers conducted a series of experiments to test the effects of food commercials on television. One test found that children aged 7 to 11 who watched a half-hour cartoon that included food commercials ate 45 percent more snack food while watching the show than children who watched the same cartoon with non-food commercials.

That increased amount of snacking would lead to a weight gain of nearly 10 pounds a year, unless it was countered by decreased intake of other foods or increased physical activity, the researchers said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090701/hl_hsn/tvadstriggermindlesseating

and this:


CHICAGO (Reuters) � Obesity rates continued to climb in the past year with 23 U.S. states reporting adults in their states are fatter now than they were a year ago, two advocacy groups said on Wednesday.

Two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight, and the groups warned that the U.S. obesity epidemic could derail efforts by lawmakers to reform the nation's health system.

"Our health care costs have grown along with our waist lines," said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's health, which released the report along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090701/us_nm/us_obesity_usa
last edited: 7/01/09 9:18:53 AM”

“Silly”

“It has a lot to do also with people not having the skills to cook any more. I know people that eat nothing that isn't in a box or a can.”

““About five weeks ago, before it got hot.

Everytime I hear about one of your trips it's a combination car-camp and eating contest.”
Tllt
12:04:10 PM
7/01/09

Not everytime.

I was only asking you, because you seem to like to ask that question or join in when its asked by someone else. I was just wondering if it was a case of the pot calling out the kettle since you don't seem to like to use this place to talk about backpacking.

And to head you off, I already said I rarely backpack anymore so you don't need to point that out. i have done it twice already myself. The point here is that you are calling out someone else, yet you rarely post any interesting camping stories be they backpacking or car camping.”

“OH, only asking. � Right.

Nope. � Not my job to entertain you, is it? � Perhaps I should post recipes.

It's been a while, but I've been on group trips. � As previously mentioned I don't think anyone can confirm that your little buddy mutt actually exists, much less engages in outdoor activities of any kind. � He's all ASCII.”

“LOL, sorry, didn't know that everyone who posts trip reports is doing it for my sole benefit.

Ooh recipes would be great. I cook from them at home. never use them on camping trips though; fancy meals isn't what I go camping for. What cooking forum do you frequent most? I bet it has a busy feugo section?”

“It's been years since t*ltypoo's been on a backpacking trip.
Since when has that stopped him from teling the backpackers what to do?
He's very well known for "you as I say, not as I do".”

“�chili, I agree that advertising prods a lot of the choices that we make. But I don't think its advertising that sets trends. Advertising follows it to make sure whoever they are promoting gets their piece of the pie. Look at green cars, automakers weren't advertising about the wonders of green cars until high gas prices caused an increase desire for green cars. Then it became a useful selling point for automakers who wanted to get customers who wanted 'green' cars.

rosey, I agree with you 100% on that, but will add that its also become somewhat acceptable to be fat (movie theaters have seats for fat people, etc)�
hyway
8:06:17 AM
7/01/09


The book "The Tipping Point" made some very interesting observations on fads. However, continued change is much different.”

“�It's been years since t*ltypoo's been on a backpacking trip.
Since when has that stopped him from teling the backpackers what to do?
He's very well known for "you as I say, not as I do".�
Stovie
3:39:31 PM
7/01/09


amen to that. He got ALL riled up when i suggested a few months back that the users should actually contribute something of relevance (i.e. backpacking TRs or pics) to the site.”

“will add that its also become somewhat acceptable to be fat (movie theaters have seats for fat people, etc)�
hyway
8:06:17 AM
7/01/09

just because commercial enterprises accomodate overweight people doesn't mean it's acceptable. It just means they recognize that overweight people have money to spend like anybody else.”

“ya'll stop bein' ugly and help me with a gear problem!!!”

“RA should know there are photography clubs all over the 'Net if that's what he's into. He made the point earlier that Hikin' Mike posts lots of pictures. Maybe he simply doesn't know that Mike is a professional photographer, and a damn good one.

I'm not a photographer.

Man, I am sooo very sorry about that! I don't know what happened. When I arrived you weren't here screening people and guarding the entrance. I came right in. Maybe you should've gotten here four or five years earlier and set up shop ----

I don't know how Matt would've reacted to that, though.


The are sites for writers, too. Check 'em out.

There are even sites for mountainclimbing. Those stories may not seem like anything special posted there compared to a regular backpacking site, but what the heck.

It sounds like what you Really want to do is to start keeping tabs on who 'contributes' to your satisfaction and who Doesn't so you can have a little witch hunt every now and then. You could vote the people off the island who won't do what you say. Wouldn't that be fun?

I'm sure your buddies here would love to get in on that....

What? They don't post trip reports either?”

“Oh-oh, looks like another T*lt m-e-l-t-d-o-w-n! LMAO!”

“Ever notice that as more and more people peg T*lt for the fraud that he is, he gets nastier and nastier?”

“Have you met tilt?”

“who cares? :)”

“"Well said, Naked. Let me ask you this: where do you draw the line for pre-existing conditions? roseymonster"

Yeah man that's a DOO-Z! I do believe in reasonable arguments for some pre-existing conditions. Shewt all the dang books say get your insurances and healthcare WHEN YOU'RE HEALTHY. It is a very huge issue with med insurance companies, as it should be. But if no one knows about it yet, they cannot legally refute liability coverage (in a just world anyhow).”

“I would like to see us go back to a time when getting health insurance was inconvenient and ya had to get a physical. Wanna eat like shyt and be 400lbs? That's fine, but you are the one who gets to pay. Not the whole group. You wanna smoke? That's fine, get ready to pay double premiums. Now that would motivate some people.”

“You mean like when you used to have to turn in actual paperwork for a home loan and have an actual cash deposit of 15-20% and had to actually show that your income was sufficient to pay back the loan. What, do you think relaxing silly requirements like that would have much of a detrimental effect on the housing market and the economy overall? Hmmmm, hey wait, you may be on to something here, Nigal.”

“Naw! Personal responsibility and accountability may work but it might make someone feel bad or feel unequal. We can't have that.”

“People are so mean to poor little innocent t*lt.”

“There ain't anybody innocent here in TT”

“�I would like to see us go back to a time when getting health insurance was inconvenient and ya had to get a physical. Wanna eat like shyt and be 400lbs? That's fine, but you are the one who gets to pay. Not the whole group. You wanna smoke? That's fine, get ready to pay double premiums. Now that would motivate some people.�
Nigal
2:10:58 AM
7/02/09

You guys are wrongfully assuming that it is the fat, lazy people that jack up insurance.

One of the reasons I left a small company in East TN for a Billion Dollar company that transferred me to BFE Mississippi was because of insurance.

In the small company, we had one person get pregnant and have complications, another that had a heart problem (non smoker, in good physical shape, yep, it happens folks) and the result was the insurance premiums went through the roof the next year.

Your group history sets the group premium. Broken legs, accidents, cancer treatments, etc affect the rates as much as "obese" people.

It is really narrow minded to think smoker and overweight people are the ones who tanked health care in this country. Granted, those issues don't help, but they are not the root cause.

Wouldn't it be a lot more simple and refine your arguemnets more just to continue to blame it on the lawyers? That is just as much a crock, but it doesn't take quite as long to list as a reason.
last edited: 7/02/09 7:52:46 AM”

“I blame it on insurance companies writing blank checks to irresponsible doctors back in the day. It was allowing doctors to set their own price to care for people who weren't paying the bill that forced HMOs to start bringing in bean counters to control the skyrocketing numbers. If doctors policed themselves we might not be as deep as we are in this hole.

I can't speak for most professional organizations, but groups like Professional Engineers and Architects police their own and protect their "brand" over the individuals. They routinely remove the professional certification for engineers working outside their expertise. They post the names of these people and even the ones who have kept their license but was reprimanded. Doctors organizations don't do that. They seem to act more in the interest of protecting the individuals over protecting the "brand". Its a rare occasion when they make public their reprimands.”

“



Wow ---- Spinning in his grave, no doubt.

”

“Nice summation, hyway.”

“Poor foolish t*lt.”

“There is no doubt WalMart changed directions upon Sam's death.

But seeing as how they have moved to the World's largest company, I am pretty sure the stockholders don't see the change as a bad thing.”

“No sirree chili. You didn't hear me quite right. I said that porkers "WOULD SKYROCKET OUR HEALTHCARE IF IT WERE NATIONALIZED". Even now they are a grave burden. THE root cause... nah, I'd guess corporate stupidity and lawyer greed, a nice combo of the 2, would make for a better root cause.

OK chili, I just read this again.... :

"You guys are wrongfully assuming that it is the fat, lazy people that jack up insurance. chili36"

As a friend, it is my duty to let you know to get your glasses renewed tomorrow, a new prescription will make those huge fuzzy blobs into clear ppl. Also, to set the record straight, I never said a negative thang about lazy ppl.”

“I wasn't trying to say all the problems with health insurance was do to unhealthy people Chili. But at the same time I do think we, as individuals, should shoulder more of the responsibility for our health choices. The whole system is a three legged stool (insurance company, doctor, and patient). Each one of these legs needs to be fixed. Insurance companies need to stop short changing docs, docs need to stop doubling prices in order to end up with the standard they want and we patients need to step up and own our health decisions we control.”

“Short term gain for a relative few vs. long term loss for so many more. That's the point.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/


More recently I've been pondering the question: � Is Wall Street good for America?

Nevermind the rank criminality and the payoffs to politicians for the dismantling of safety controls to wildly increase profit for a VERY few, the pursuit of short term gains at any cost is ultimately self-defeating.”

“Don't worry t*lt. Your mama will keep on taking care of you even if Wall Street does go belly up.”

“Nigal, I concur with that completely.

NA, I probably read that post too quickly. It appeared that the thrust of your assertion was that obese people would single handedly jack up insurance. I have to admit, I embelished with the word "lazy".”

“Beautifully stated Nigal ! Amen to every single word.

(edit: to chili) More or less, you got the thrust of my opinion dead on. LOL with your colorful embelishment ..... shewt we all like to do it!!
last edited: 7/03/09 10:07:13 AM”