On Wallmart and interesting encounter

[nadinbrzezinski]

So I went to my local Supermarket (Happens to be Union), to buy lunch

I also got some of the tea we like, and this lady comes over

"You'd better not taken the last of them, I love this."

"Nope, they also have them in the two litter bottle."

"Well they're cheaper at Walmart!" She said proudly

"I don't shop at Walmart." Look of surprise, "Becuase of their labor policies and their antiunion stance."

"Well we don't go there often, but they are still cheaper" She said sheepishly and walked away.

It was funny, as if she was embarrased of her previous announcement once I said why we don't go to wally mart.

I think this exchange that happened oh ten minutes ago, is tellng. People are starting to get social prssure from their groups of friends about the false savings at Wally Mart

Perhaps ... the sales at Wally Mart are starting to reflect this (they have been lower than expected)

[Uben]

1. Good for you

I think if people really knew how much they paid to subsidize Walmart workers, they wouldn't shop there either.

[PDJane]

2. I am hoping so............

Wall Mart has some of the worst practices I've ever seen. Moreover, the stuff there isn't all that much better or cheaper than can be obtained elsewhere, at least in Canada.

[Squatch]

3. I still shop at Walmart occasionaly.

Why?

1) It's only a mile from my house.

2) It's cheaper.

Crucify me.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Will not crucify you

do as you wish...

My mom also shops at Wally Mart, but unlike you, where she lives (mexico city) there truly is no choice

Three of the four major chains are owned by walmart, as well as one major restaurant chain

That is what they wish for the US... with their sucky labor policies

[Squatch]

6. Thanks for your permission.

:thumbsup:

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. You don't need it

it is still a free country

[Squatch]

9. Then don't offer it.

"do as you wish"

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Then don't try to justify your shopping habits

as I said, do as you wish.

If you can find things you like there, go ahead

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. And thanks again for needing to justify your shopping habits

did you truly need to say, don't crucify me?

[Squatch]

You're right. I should have run my response by you before I posted.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. I am going by your response

YOU SET THE TONE

You said, don't crucify me

I am not, I told you go do as you wish

If you want to buy there, fine, you do not need to justify this to me

you complain about sanctimoniounsness, you set that tone

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. No I made a statement to the lady

WE DO NOT SHOP AT WALMART

If that is sanctimonious to you, well then it is

:-)

[Squatch]

29. Your deriving pleasure from her embarrassment IS the

damned *definition* of sanctimonious.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. I did not say that I did

but if you think I did, well I did

It was an unexpected reaction

Again, I will make this crystal clear for you

I said WE DO NOT SHOP AT WALMART, and gave my reasons

If she was embarrassed by it, this is HER PROBLEM

Just as it is YOUR problem if you need to justify YOUR shopping habits to me

Is this now CRYSTAL CLEAR TO YOU?

Or are you going to continue to make a mountain out of a molehill and also call me sanctimonious and an asshole while at it?

By the way, if you do not engage people in conversation and share facts (wally mart's labor policies DO SUCK) even if they get embarrassed, how exactly do you expect to change the country?

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Yes it was funny

Again the reaction was funny... not expected but funny

Do you usually go around threads trying to find ways to justify your shopping habits?

If you do, you are failing horribly

Oh and life has funny moments, in the most unexpected of places

I could post some in the middle of a multi casualty incident, but then you'd think I am cruel

[Squatch]

40. If you find yourself in the bottom of a hole, what should you do?

STOP DIGGING!

"Do you usually go around threads trying to find ways to justify your shopping habits?"

I should ask you the SAME question. From YOUR opening post, in which you STARTED this ENTIRE conversation:

"I don't shop at Walmart...Becuase of their labor policies and their antiunion stance."

[nadinbrzezinski]

42. Keep digging

here, backhoe, will be faster for you

You are the one who seems to need to justify your shopping habits, not me

Perhaps you feel embarrassed by them too

Here backhoe

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.snowpars.com/products/backhoes/&h=619&w=800&sz=113&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=iVmjepiIZ1LW-M:&tbnh=111&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbackhoe%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

Plenty to choose from

[Catherine Vincent]

48. I'm puzzled by the conversation between you two.

I don't understand how you two ended up arguing when it didn't start out that way. :crazy: :hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. Parsing of words

that is how

Aparently having a friendly conversatiion at a supermarket on a thorny issue seems to be not politically correct... and should never be done, for the sake of social peace

[HCE SuiGeneris]

73. I find the dialog incredibly entertaining.

Just a corner of the big tent. :evilgrin:

[uppityperson]

87. This is a really odd dialog here. wtf?

You seem to be looking to take offense, do you have a bigger problem with this poster or why are you doing this?

[BOSSHOG]

10. I shop there as well for many reasons

but probably the most significant is the grocery stores in the area seldom have what they advertise on sale and ya really got to check the expiration dates on the stuff on their shelves after ya brush off the dust. I make it a point to shop at the grocery stores but most often I come away disappointed and that ain't Wal-Marts fault and I know they are not paying their people any more then Wal-Mart does (in South Mississippi.)

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. My question, will sound silly

was this the case before Katrina as well?

You know why I ask this, right?

[BOSSHOG]

19. I must say

the grocery stores now are much better then they were before Katrina. Prior to the storm they were horrendous, dirty, poorly stocked, inattentive employees, just a mess. They have improved somewhat but I think they have plateaued.

And the local Wal-Mart was the first (and for a long time, the only) store open after Katrina. They set up generators and let about 20 customers in at a time to get food, cash only. They also threw their doors open to Police and firemen and national guardsmen in New Orleans shortly after the storm to get whatever they wanted for free. I'm not crazy about the bigness of Wal-Mart but they do what they do very well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Yes they do

I ask because it changes from state to state

Remember, Wally Mart started in the South, and what you are describing explains their horrendous growth in the South, and why they became so popular

They have more trouble competing in the West, since at least Cali is NOT a right to work state, and my local store is very well stocked and clean... and it has always been

This means Wally has had to do more of an effort to capture market share and why communities here are even less crazy about them

In other words Mr Walton filled a need.

[BOSSHOG]

31. I worked for Wal-Mart

from 70 to 72 in High School in Arkansas. Mr Sam would come down to our store about three times a year and hold a pep rally. Every Saturday Morning we'd come in early and put up the "Made in America" signs. No Superstores then. And at that time, as a young naive lad, I thought "Right to Work" was cool. My first taste of conservative spin. I'd love for a retailer to clean their clock. I'm drawn to other retailers hoping I find progress; but seldom do. I marvel at how much effort is put into losing business to Wal-Mart.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. I agree wiht you

No doubt there.

That is why we need to get unions all over the country, and other progresive policies

I also know Sam was nto that bad, but his kids... oh boy that is a whole different story

You see Sam started the business... his kids feel they have a right to it.

[intheflow]

18. Wal-Mart also has food items I can't get at the local supermarkets.

As a transplant, there are some Mexican spices I came to rely on in my cooking that I can't find at Winn-Dixie or Food Tiger. And it's true, the wages suck no matter which food store you shop at.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Hmm know what you mean

have you tried online?

I don't have that problem but then again I live by the border, adn the local supermakert does carry them

As to wages, the local store is still Union... they are trying all they can to bust the union, but for the moment they are

So their wages and benefits are better than Wally Mart... the other reason I shop at Union stores

;-)

And when they went on strike, I went out of my way to go to other stores, not wally, but other stores that though not union, take care of their workers... or at least better than Wally

[intheflow]

37. I'm returning to Denver in about a month.

Then I can go back to shopping the unionized King Soopers or Safeways that also carry all the spices my body craves. (Although--alas! They don't carry Cafe du Monde Beignet mix!)

[BOSSHOG]

24. I got way too much time on my hands

way up north here in Pearl River County, so I do alot of comparison shopping cause I like to mess around in the kitchen. And I find some stuff in Winn-Dixie I can't find at Wal-Mart but Wal-Mart sure has a lot of stuff to mess around with in the kitchen. I go to Winn-Dixie often because I want to spread my meager pension around town, but most of the time I leave disappointed.

[tech3149]

35. I don't think any of the reasonable among us would even try to crucify you

I moved back to my home state about seven years ago and chose my apartment based on the location (I can get anything I need within a 2 mile radius) and the likelihood that my furniture would survive the move. Even though Wally World falls in that circle of shopping for sustenance, I've only been there once. I might be able to stretch my buying power by going to Wally World, but I'm not willing to short-change my neighbors for my own benefit. Your choice is something you have to deal with. I don't have the authority to tell you how to live your life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Nobody is

which is kind of funny

[SammyWinstonJack]

69. So long as you don't drive a Tahoe to Walmart..........

:evilgrin: :rofl:

[Buzz Clik]

5. It's a lot of things...

Walmart does carry some things for lower prices than the equivalent at other stores.

They also carry total crap that is worthless at any price.

They force wonderful, locally owned stores out of business.

They have resturctured the entire system of providing goods that, although sometimes saves money, results in the loss of entire businesses.

If it was simply the union stance or labor policies, I think most folks would shrug it off and save the money. With all these cumulative blows, however, the Walmart image is getting quite tarnished.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Yep, but the labor and union policies are far better known

than other issues. I coudl have gone into the use of public health care by workers since they cannot afford anything else, or their lack of advancement of women... true glass ceilng

But in this what was it, two minute encounter, I had to choose the best known

And as I said, she went from proud to truly embarrased

[napi21]

15. Yep, and their #1 supplier isn't helping them at all!

All this contaminated stuff from China, including the baby bibs and kids toys are sold at WM! I'm hoping the FDA or SOME Gov't agency demands 100""% inspection of EVERYTHING that comes into any port from China. And when something is found to be contaminated, it should be destroyed...NOT sent back to them only to have them send it back into a different port!

That sure would put a kink in WM's business plan by slowing down deliveries and completely destroying some of them!

[trotsky]

39. Agreed, and so if someone asks me why I don't shop there...

I just give the generic "because of their lousy business practices" reason. If they want to know more, I share.

[AlCzervik]

13. The Wal-mart in my town is hella nasty, really unclean.

i don't shop there anyhow but if i was a Wal-mart shopper i would avoid that store at all costs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. I was in one during the SpringBreak

went visiting family in Mexico City, and Superama is owned by Wallmart (No choice truly). I noticed that the place is clean and is well stocked

it is also in a well to do neighborhood.

Then we started talking with family about how and what is stocked were in the city, and the levels of cleanliness

The ones in poorer areas had diffirent stock and were not as clean

I wonder if there is a similar reason for your experience as there is in Mexico City... after all corporations tend to behave in a similar way regardless of where they are

[AlCzervik]

21. i don't know, the rest of the stores in that plaza are all kept up and there is a ginormous

automall across the street so mostly that area is nice.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Then probably it is the local manager

Thanks

[Clark2008]

41. That's what I was thinking reading this thread.

Our grocery stores are much cleaner and offer much more variety than our Wally Worlds. But, then again, our Wally Worlds are all located outside of the city limits (couldn't BARE to pay city taxes - boo hoo) and they're a waste of my time and energy to get to. Plus, being in the county, they cater to county residents who, by and large, aren't as ethnic as city residents; therefore, their stock-in-trade is more fattening foods (lardish) rather than the Mediterranean, Mexican and Arabic foods I can get a supermarkets nearer to the university.

Of course, knowing what I know about Wal-Mart, I wouldn't darken their doors, anyway, but I didn't much before I knew all of this. They're depressing places to shop, I don't end up saving any money since the product is so cheaply made it tears up in record time (or shrinks in the case of clothing) causing me to have to spend to replace the item and they're far out of my way.

Oh well, to each his/her own. :)

[donco6]

63. I just posted the same thing. Scary nasty. n/t

[MissB]

20. There are at least a dozen other stores closer than MaoMart.

I have no reason to run across town to save a few bucks at MaoMart. But I totally understand how a place like that would be appealing to small town rural America.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

30. Walmart isn't cheaper.

They have the appearance of being cheaper, but their stuff is on average as pricey, or more pricey, then the stuff at any big box store.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

38. It's the closest store to me but I try to avoid it. I switched to Costco from Sam's Club too.

I sleep a lot better at night now....

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. We have shopped at Costco for years

and I fully agree... funny that company started in Cali

They are not union but treat their employees good enough that they don't want to

(Or at least that is what I think is going on)

[Critters2]

88. I just don't do big boxes at all

I can find everything I need at locally-owned grocery or hardware stores or Walgreen's, all within walking distance of my house. I don't even like the bigness of the big boxes. If I want two or three things, I don't want to have to wander all over creation, after parking a mile away. There are too many good reasons to shop elsewhere. So, I do.

[CrispyQ]

45. Arghh!!!

My truck battery went dead about a year ago. I went to a local shop to buy a new one. He told me I could save $10-15 if I went to Walmart. I smiled & said very nicely, "I don't support Walmart. They destroy small local businesses like yours & their labor policies are awful. I'm happy to pay $10 extra for the good of my community."

So last week I took my truck in to the same shop for a tune-up. I said, "I've been here before."

The owner said, "Oh yes! I remember you. You don't shop & Walmart because you prefer to support local businesses."

"That's right! I'm surprised you remember" I said.

"Oh I wouldn't forget you. Do you still have those radical bumper stickers in the back window?"

"Sure do!" I replied.

"I told my wife about you & she was really impressed that someone would actually spend more & not shop at Walmart."

For all the good it does. The local Walmart is deserting their old space & building a new super center. They have placed incredible limitations & restrictions on who will be allowed to lease the old space -- can't have any competition, you know. The old space, which already has an abandoned grocery store next to it, will now be twice the eyesore that it currently is. :banghead:

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Classic example

yep, they do that

Well truth be told people ask me, why don't you print your game books in China? I mean your profit margin is lower

"In the long term I want Americans to have a job. if they don't who in the hell will buy my books?"

Perhaps this is starting to sink in

As to Wally... I don't know if your local city council can do something about it

Might be worth a try... gentrification policies could be used against Wally as well

:-)

[Critters2]

89. They did the same thing here. Now the empty Wal-Mart is

next to the empty K-Mart. It's Wal-Mart's special way of supporting communities.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

50. I Think You Completely Misinterpreted The Conversation.

I do not think she was embarrassed at all. I think she thought you were a bit weird for confronting her in such a way and her additional response was one due to feeling awkward and spooked out by ya, not out of feeling embarrassed.

I know you may not like me saying so, but I can't help but think that my explanation is far more likely to be what was really going through her head.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. Perhaps but the seed of

their policies were planted in her head

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

52. No They Weren't. I Think The Only Impact You Had Was Giving Her Something To Tell Her Husband At

dinnertime, about how this weird dude freaked her out in the supermarket. If you think you actually made an impact on her or gave her something to think about, I think you need to pause your ego and look at this a bit more objectively; cause I'm almost certain that you had zero impact on her and she'll probably be at walmart tomorrow.

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. Well perhaps

but I know people FEAR these conversations

I am sure at one time people were freaked out over slavery and civil rights

So to each its own

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

54. People Don't Like Weird Strangers Preaching To Them Aggressively. Do You Blame Them?

I certainly don't.

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. I guess talking about social justice

and corporate policies is wrong

So how exactly do you think previous generations did this?

Yes hand bills were somewhat effective

But also conversations like this one, out of the blue in stores with perfect strangers

If you believe otherwise, fine.

But I will NOT stop telling people what I think when the opportunity presents itself

Silence is what they live for, those who control the power structure

You are free to remain silent, I will not, as long is this remains somewhat of a free country. That is to be debated too.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

56. I Didn't Say You Couldn't. Feel Free To. I Just Thought It Was Funny That You Actually Thought You

embarrassed her. I think that was your ego talking instead of your objectivity. That's not meant as a criticism either; just an observation.

I don't think for a second that she was embarrassed and think instead that she probably thought you a fool. That doesn't mean you should stop trying or stop talking, whether or not I do or don't agree with you or your tactics, it just means that afterwards don't be so quick to pat yourself on the back as if you actually broke through to the person or something.

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Don't expect to break into somebody

whether they walked away in embarrassment and will try to find out

Or thought me weird, is not for you or me to know

But reality is these conversations have to occur

And after this thread, I believe many people are afraid of talking or stating their opinions

Remember, I did not bring up Walmart, she did.

If she had told me that she likes guest workers, I would have told her that the program is a new form of slavery

But I fear people are just afraid of talking... PERIOD

And that is a whole different ball of wax, and a problem

[shimmergal]

68. Actually, to me the whole exchange

seems out of line.

The woman started it--by saying don't take the last one, then informing him that the product was cheaper at WalMart.

People shouldn't assume a stranger would dash to WalMart to get something cheaper. Principles aside, as a somewhat disabled person often I simply can't face one more stop and wait in a check-out line, just to save a few pennies.

OTOH, I doubt the poster accomplished anything with his missionary response. Handing out flyers just outside the WalMart parking lot would probably be more effective.

However, I suspect WalMart's heading into an earnings trough, because the cost of gas is eating up all the money people would otherwise spend on their junk. Ironic, isn't it, if high gas pricees accomplish what all our agitation has failed to do?

[nadinbrzezinski]

71. At one time people had these exchanges

on many issues, slavery... (divided Boston by the way), a century later on civil rights

these days people are afraid to speak to each other

And missionary, hardly.

She gave her opinion, I gave my opinion.

It was an exchange of ideas, like it used to happen

The sad conclusion is... I doubt anything will change in this country any longer'

One chief reason... people are afraid of talking to each other

That is the basis for any culture to change

After this thread... I am about to give up

Why? If my side does not want to engage the other when the opportunity presents itself... nothing I repeat nothibng will change, ever

As to giving leaflets outside of Wally mart...

in their parking lot

Good fucking luck.

You will be escorted out so fast for trespassing THEIR property it ain't even funny

[tsuki]

82. I hate when people do that. "The how much does it cost--I can get

it cheaper" crowd reminds me of shopping in Portugal at an open air market. Although bargaining is a part of the process, I do not like it. Just tell me the price and I'll make up my mind, silently.

The loud mouth invited the response. Mine would have been more pointed.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

74. ...

Pot -- Kettle

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Nicole]

57. I don't think Wal-Mart sales dropped because of their policies.

I think sales dropped because the majority of their shoppers are spending that money on gas now.

A lot of people I know, me included, have cut back on buying. I was in Target last week & saw the shoppers there doing the same thing. More food & necessities filled the carts than clothing or fun stuff.

[Ikonoklast]

59. Retail shipping was down across the board in April

More than expected, to Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, all of them.

Target is one of our largest customers, and our start of the second quarter is usually an uptick in freight billing, but it actually flattened from March. Then it declined, until the last week of May.

Decreases in freight movement, other than seasonal items, is an indicator of an upcoming recession.

[nadinbrzezinski]

60. Bingo

and this one, my gut is teeling me, will be ugly

[Ikonoklast]

64. There is a direct correlation between rapidly increasing energy costs

Mostly when gasoline increases dramatically, or home heating costs. Money that might have been used to buy either food or other necessities is sucked out of the retail market. Whenever we see a uptick in energy costs, we know that the market for both hard and soft consumer products will stall.

Spending stays soft for a while, until either the energy market adjusts or people get used to the higher price and budget accordingly.

Retail consumable goods is somewhat recession-proof, but the competition is fierce on the shipping side in a declining retail market environment.

My billings are down close to 10% (in gross dollars) from this same time last year. That's a huge drop.

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. I understand

my sales are down as well, not that they were that high to begin with

And it is a luxury item

So let me see

Role Playing game or chicken and gas... the consumables win every day of the week

[Nicole]

61. I don't doubt it.

I don't know of anyone who shops more than necessary these days.

[donco6]

62. I just hate shopping at Wal-Mart.

I think I went there about 6 months ago. Why? - God knows - I think I needed batteries or something and it was the only place nearby that had them. But I totally regretted it. The store is filthy dirty. The service is abysmal. The aisles are cluttered and unkempt. I would never buy food there after seeing how dirty the floors are. Just overall YUCK!

And that's not even taking their union-busting and RW politics into account.

[nadinbrzezinski]

66. A nice study would be to

go to these stores across the country and compare their level of... cleanliness

[donco6]

67. And this is a relatively new store.

Yes, that would be interesting to see if it's systemic or just an aberration. I dunno.

[Common Sense Party]

76. I've been to Wal-Marts all over the MidWest and Mountain states

The vast majority are clean, way too big, orderly but hard for a directionally-challenged person like me to find things, staffed by polite-but-clueless teens and young adults, and usually only cluttered after 10 p.m. when they're re-stocking.

There were exceptions, usually in bigger cities.

We used to live near and shop at the Wal-Mart near Rivergate Mall, north of Nashville. That place was always filthy, messy and the workers (and shoppers) rude.

[Jonathan50]

70. My sister in law and her husband were visiting recently.

He is forty two and just graduated from medical school after a previous career as a hospice nurse.

Bill is absolutely fanatical about shopping for the best price and visits Mall Wart quite a bit.

I brought it into the conversation one night that Mall Wart is destroying small town America. He agreed with me and, to my surprise, so did my sister in law.

Bill is going to be starting a practice in small town America in the next few years, after he finishes his clinicals and residency. He knows what Mall Wart is doing to small town America and yet he still continues to shop there regularly.

Bill is a good guy and plans on doing home visits for shut ins who have a very difficult time getting to the doctor.

I just don't get his attitude at all..

[nadinbrzezinski]

72. I do

it is the I will buy at the possibe best price I can, becuase that is my right

It is compartmentalization of issues.

he knows what it is doing, but in his mind he needs the best price

Until HE PERSONALLY pays the price, and the real cost of wally mart, he'll continue to shop there.

It is not him, it is quite a bit of the country

[HCE SuiGeneris]

75. Yes. The almighty fixation on immediate dollar cost without

remorse will continue to be the downfall of our (American) society.

[Jonathan50]

79. I didn't mean to come across as holier than thou..

I sometimes shop at Mall Wort, in fact I bought some rechargeable AA batteries there just a few days ago.

But I only do so when it is inconvenient to go elsewhere.

[gravity]

77. When it comes down to it, people want low prices

I don't like shopping there personally, but not everything Walmart does is evil.

If someone could afford a higher standard of living shopping at Walmart, then they will do it. I don't consider the people shopping there sheep. They are just looking for the best deal and not everyone has the luxury of shopping at nicer places. Part of the reason Walmart's sales were down were because of the high gas prices, which affect lower income people the most.

While some small businesses are made worst off by Walmart moving in, customers are made better off with the lower prices. There is both good and bad that comes with Walmart.

[nadinbrzezinski]

78. It is not just customers

there are real socials costs when it comes to Walmart

Ignoring those it to our own peril

the MODEL of walmart is not one that will be good for the country in the long run

You are not paying for lower prices... you are buying oh so much more

[gravity]

80. There are real social costs and benefits with Walmart

I'm not an expert on this so I can't comment which is greater, but it's not like everything they do is evil. Walmart provides goods to their customers more efficiently and at a lower price than it's competitors, which you have to weigh against the social costs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

83. And the social costs are higher

look under the hood, Walmart is NOT one of the good guys

Yes, there are coporations that are overall good, but there are corporations out there that are not. Walmart is not

The social costs in California for example, have been horrendous.


And when you buy their stuff you buy intot their methods of doing business

Their methods, and the way they treat employeers are a model that relies on keeping salaries low, well under living wages if possiblem and keeping women well under a glass ceiling

[Cleita]

81. I haven't been in there for a couple of years and I finally had

to go there because it's the only place that has a machine that stamps pet IDs. Well the machine was broken so I left. I haven't been back since. I'm trying to do the pet ID through the mail instead.

[nadinbrzezinski]

84. Some of the local large pet store chains

have the machines as well

[Cleita]

85. Not in my area. There is only one chain and it doesn't have the

machine, which is why I had to hold my nose and go into Wally World.

[nadinbrzezinski]

86. Ah, we chipped the birds... but that was us

I don't like rings on their legs, neither does the vet

;-)

[Codeine]

90. I've only shopped at Wal*Mart once.

It was a 24-hour store, and I needed a lawn chair/lounge-thingie at 1AM (meteor shower viewing.) What a strange fucking place that was! I must've seen four different people shop-lifting, half the night crew were out smoking in the parking lot, and they had turned off the music so it was deathly silent all over the store. The place was just a shambles, too -- junk all over the floor, product opened on the shelves, dust, dirty tiles; the whole place was a pigsty.

Later on I learned what a shitty company they are and was glad the place had creeped me out enough that I was avoiding it anyway.