No new contract yet for unions and Walt Disney World

I go see the Cruise movies I think I will like and skip the ones I think I won't. Don't have the time or interest to get bogged down with what he does with his personal life. Or sports personalities, the folks that own the area restaurants or other businesses. Or how those businesses are run if they provide the goods/services that I want. To me there is just too much behind the scenes that we do not know about to get too concerned about certain things we do know.

LostKause said:
One would wonder why Chik-fil-A does so well, considering that they regularly cross-promote with Focus on the Family, who, according to Wikipedia, "takes a strong stance against homosexuality and same-sex marriage"

I mentioned that relationship once to a friend of mine who was eating a sandwich from CP's Chick-fil-A. His hilarious response was, "Eww, now my chicken sandwich tastes like tyranny and oppression."

The fact that Chick-fil-A supports groups that breed intolerance is why I don't ever eat there. And Target has been added to the ban list as well for the same reason, at the very least until they get a new CEO.

Brian Noble said:
But, Chris, here's the deal: a company has *no business* (excuse the pun) doing the "moral" thing unless it is also the "profitable" thing.

I understand 100% that that's the reality of the world we live in. I just don't believe it should be that way. I was listening to some John Lennon/Beatles music yesterday (required listening on the 30th anniversary of his death) and realized the utopia he describes in "Imagine" is pretty much exactly the kind of world I'd like to live in. So there's my liberal hippie perspective. :)

I stopped boycotting a long time ago when I realize that a corp. has no morals and there is no way I can know who or what my money is funding. If I know a group or organization is sponsoring a fundraiser for a cause I don't agree with, that's different, but K mart, Target, Walmart, and pretty much any retailer at the core is the same so refusing to shop at one makes no real difference and really doesn't amount to much mote than slacktivism.

I don't shop at Wal Mart, because I can't stand going into the place. It just seems dirty and over run with people who need to take a class on how to behave in public.

I was in there last year to have my contact lens exam, and I happened to be wearing my work clothes (Hospital-logo'd shirt with khakis and dress shoes). I walked to get a red bull and this woman starts whistling at me, and when I looked up, she yells "doesn't anybody work over here at the jewelry counter? Come'ere, I need some help, NOW!"

I shook my head, said, pointed to my logo on my shirt and politely said "Lady, I don't even work here".

I just try to avoid stuff like that/strange run-ins with strange people, and it seems to happen too often there.

I understand 100% that that's the reality of the world we live in. I just don't believe it should be that way. I was listening to some John Lennon/Beatles music yesterday (required listening on the 30th anniversary of his death) and realized the utopia he describes in "Imagine" is pretty much exactly the kind of world I'd like to live in. So there's my liberal hippie perspective. :)

Thank you... :)

TBH, the real problem I see is that any real activism takes a substantial sacrifice and most of us (me included) aren't willing to do that. I love the environment as much as the next guy, but take a bus? C'mon!

I don't shop at Wal-mart because I don't like it and I participate in national boycotts (a few years ago a group of national denominations of Christianity got together to boycott Taco Bell for buying tomatoes from farms that exploit immigrant workers and actually got them to change their policies) but as one person, I think the time and effort it would take to research, write letters, and make a stink can be used in better places like volunteering at the local public school.

I always found it kind of ironic that the guy who sang "Imagine no possessions" left behind a multi-million dollar estate, and continues to be (on his own and with his former bandmates) one of the highest grossing acts in the entertainment business. And yet, you go to events like the Fest for Beatles Fans where they have tables set up asking fans to donate to one of the Strawberry Fields projects. Maybe we should slap Yoko with a major tax bill, that evil, greedy rich bastard.

Another thing to think about Wal-mart is, that if Wal-mart weren't there, those people you don't like would be shopping in the places you do go.

RatherGoodBear said:

Another thing to think about Wal-mart is, that if Wal-mart weren't there, those people you don't like would be shopping in the places you do go.

That, sir, is the best comment you've ever made :-).

RatherGoodBear said:
Another thing to think about Wal-mart is, that if Wal-mart weren't there, those people you don't like would be shopping in the places you do go.

Not around here. Our Wal-Mart sucks so hard that those people trickle into the places I shop.

Lose/lose. ;)

I usually don't run into any undesirable shoppers at Walmart.com.

The Walmarts in my area are really clean and well maintained, and most of the the hillbillies who shop there aren't so different than anyone else. They are mostly hicks, but they aren't nearly as rude or obnoxious as shoppers in other parts ot the U.S. that I have lived.

Hands down the worst Walmart clientele I've ever seen is the one in Sandusky. I'll pick Meijer every time.

RatherGoodBear said:
I always found it kind of ironic that the guy who sang "Imagine no possessions" left behind a multi-million dollar estate, and continues to be (on his own and with his former bandmates) one of the highest grossing acts in the entertainment business.

There was some interesting discussion on NPR yesterday about that (specifically about Lennon and that song and his wealth). The conclusion was that he was an artist and just wrote what he felt when he felt it and didn't have trouble writing contradictory songs and having contradictory thoughts.

I suppose if you zoom the camera out a little bit, really all that means is we're all hypocrites (which I hope isn't a big surprise to anyone).

Sometimes I look back at lyrics that I write and wonder what made me feel that way at that time.

Although other times, I have found that the meaning behind the lyrics that I write don't come to being understood until the future, like some kind of hidden prophecy.

ApolloAndy said:

RatherGoodBear said:
I always found it kind of ironic that the guy who sang "Imagine no possessions" left behind a multi-million dollar estate, and continues to be (on his own and with his former bandmates) one of the highest grossing acts in the entertainment business.

There was some interesting discussion on NPR yesterday about that (specifically about Lennon and that song and his wealth). The conclusion was that he was an artist and just wrote what he felt when he felt it and didn't have trouble writing contradictory songs and having contradictory thoughts.

I suppose if you zoom the camera out a little bit, really all that means is we're all hypocrites (which I hope isn't a big surprise to anyone).

I know people who would be quite insulted that you referred to him as "just an artist." :) I spent my share of money on the Fab Four collectively and individually on vinyl, cassette, CDs, books, etc. I just think in general it's a naive and somewhat selfish idea: if only everyone else would change and think like me, the world would be a great place.

I generally don't mind my local Wal-mart. My biggest gripe is that of the 30 registers they have in the store, they never have more than 6 open at one time.

I'm pretty sure at least 70% of WalMart cash registers aren't even real. They're just cardboard cutouts.

RatherGoodBear said:
I generally don't mind my local Wal-mart. My biggest gripe is that of the 30 registers they have in the store, they never have more than 6 open at one time.

That's that psychology thing in play. If they only put in 6 registers and staffed them all, people would be ecstatic.

Never understood why stores do this - and they're all guilty of it. Even during the busiest times of the year (like right now) they run at maybe 50% and handle people just fine.

What's with the checkout overkill?

(suddenly, I'm Seinfeld)

Two words, Gonch...

Black Friday.

Having worked at Target for so many years in my younger years, The only time that I have ever seen every register being used was Black Friday.

It seems odd that they'd build to the capacity they experience less than 0.5% of the time they're open.

True, but that expenditure is for the most part a one time deal. When they know that they are going to need the capacity (i.e. the "holidays") they hire seasonal cashiers to handle the crush. The hardware is already there and plugged into the network. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the excess checkout capacity as far as the registers are concerned pay for themselves the first year. The week after New Years the seasonals get their pink slips and it's back to having maybe six registers open on a Saturday afternoon, and two, maybe three the rest of the time.