Monday, December 18, 2006
Heck, I Get Sick Just Thinking About Shopping There
Haz-Mat Called to Wal-Mart because "seven Wal-mart employees suffered symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, even difficulty breathing."
Am I reaching? Sure. Why not? You want good news about Wal-Mart? Go read their happy slappy paid for bloggers.
How about a quick round up of news stories about localities or persons protesting the building, invasion and presence of Wal-Marts?
From Florida: Wal-Mart runs into a spirited 'David' and New Wal-Mart Stirs Up Arguments.
In Wal-Mart's "homeland" of Arkansas, Protesters Hit Wal-Mart.
From Texas, Wal-Mart Supercenter A Go, Fight To Continue and Council takes no action on Super Wal-Mart.
From Indianapolis, Protesters demonstrate outside north west side Wal-Mart
And from India India's 40 million shopkeepers brace for Wal-Mart effect
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, hazmat, sick, vomiting
Friday, December 15, 2006
In I Learnt It By Watching You News
Am I reaching? Sure. Why not? You want good news about Wal-Mart? Go read their happy slappy paid for bloggers.
How about a quick round up of news stories about localities or persons protesting the building, invasion and presence of Wal-Marts?
From Florida: Wal-Mart runs into a spirited 'David' and New Wal-Mart Stirs Up Arguments.
In Wal-Mart's "homeland" of Arkansas, Protesters Hit Wal-Mart.
From Texas, Wal-Mart Supercenter A Go, Fight To Continue and Council takes no action on Super Wal-Mart.
From Indianapolis, Protesters demonstrate outside north west side Wal-Mart
And from India India's 40 million shopkeepers brace for Wal-Mart effect
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, hazmat, sick, vomiting
Friday, December 15, 2006
Del.icio.us It
Digg It!In I Learnt It By Watching You News
Wal-Mart suppliers face abuse accusations
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Unfettered Access to Exploitive Low Costs
China Labor Watch said a survey of 15 Wal-Mart suppliers found that some pay as little as half the minimum daily wage, require mandatory overtime or provide no health insurance. It said one company provided a single bathroom for 2,000 employees.I wonder where they could have gotten those labor practice ideas from?
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Unfettered Access to Exploitive Low Costs
Wal-Mart move adds to retailer staffing woes by going to an always open model. Wal-Mart is trying to capture as much of the holiday retail market as possible (which I cannot fault them for) but they're doing it without considering the effects it will actually have. Staffing a store for 24 hour a day access isn't cheap because many have to be paid extra to do so and the sales numbers are, generally, pretty low. And really, who goes Christmas shopping at 4 in the morning?
The risks and costs associated with the 24 hour model are going to outweigh whatever incrementally higher sales they make. It would be more sensible to extend hours rather than stay open all night. But sensibility and Wal-Mart haven't met in a long, long time.
Monday, December 11, 2006
A Good Start But Why Only One House?
The risks and costs associated with the 24 hour model are going to outweigh whatever incrementally higher sales they make. It would be more sensible to extend hours rather than stay open all night. But sensibility and Wal-Mart haven't met in a long, long time.
Monday, December 11, 2006
A Good Start But Why Only One House?
Wal-Mart donates new Christmas lights to neighborhood lawns robbed of displays.
Some vandals, likely some Bah-humbuggery kids, cut Christmas lights and stole lawn decorations off lawns in Framingham, Mass. But Wal-Mart has donated lights and an inflatable snowman to one of the homes.
Which is nice and all but I have to ask why they only choose to help one home out? And why did they pick that one house among an entire neighborhood?
Wal-Mart's reputation is a turnoff, despite the lure of low prices
Some vandals, likely some Bah-humbuggery kids, cut Christmas lights and stole lawn decorations off lawns in Framingham, Mass. But Wal-Mart has donated lights and an inflatable snowman to one of the homes.
Which is nice and all but I have to ask why they only choose to help one home out? And why did they pick that one house among an entire neighborhood?
Wal-Mart's reputation is a turnoff, despite the lure of low prices
You won't find this shopper in the aisles of Wal-Mart
Here is
And you won't find this shopper in one either, for precisely the same reasons.
There are less exploitive places to spend your holiday money, places that don't abuse their localities, that don't exploit the supply chain, that don't force workers to work overtime for no pay, that don't hold down suspected shoplifters on hot asphalt until they die from heat stroke, that don't invade communities with their homogeneous (i.e. there's nothing unique or special about crap you can buy in 10,000 Wal-Mart stores) schlock merchandise.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Wal-Mart Invading Austin Neighborhood
Here is
a reminder of Wal-Mart's further grip on the American consumer by offering low prices at a high cost to its employees and the community.The article cites Wal-Mart's history of exploitive business practices, its history of not providing adequate healthcare to its employees (the result of which is that their employee's children's medical expenses are passed along to all residents in the populance that has been "blessed" with the Wal-Mart) and allowing minors to operate hazardous machinery.
And you won't find this shopper in one either, for precisely the same reasons.
There are less exploitive places to spend your holiday money, places that don't abuse their localities, that don't exploit the supply chain, that don't force workers to work overtime for no pay, that don't hold down suspected shoplifters on hot asphalt until they die from heat stroke, that don't invade communities with their homogeneous (i.e. there's nothing unique or special about crap you can buy in 10,000 Wal-Mart stores) schlock merchandise.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Wal-Mart Invading Austin Neighborhood
The people for Responsible Growth for Northcross have an online petition that needs your help and signature (if you live in Austin, Texas), the deadline is December 14th so sign now and pass the link along.
What has happened is the city council gave Wal-Mart a license to demolish the mall at Northcross and to build a 220,000 square foot Wal-Mart Hell Center right next to homes and a neighborhood, which will basically drive those property values and the feel of the neighborhood into the ground. The council had been planning a referendum to re-consider the plan but has backed away because of fears and threats from Wal-Mart's lawyers.
The citizens for Responsible Growth say "We agree that Northcross Mall needs to be redeveloped. We welcome growth, but not to the detriment of our neighborhoods. Develop it neighborly. Develop it right."
And to that I say, right on! Development does not have to suck the livelihood out of a town, it can be used to enhance everyone's life and there's nothing but bleakness where Wal-Mart invades and lands.
Wal-Mart's motto should be, we're coming, whether you like it or not.
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, Northcross, Austin, petition, town council, unwanted
Monday, December 04, 2006
Not Even Banning Wal-Mart Can Stop Wal-Mart
What has happened is the city council gave Wal-Mart a license to demolish the mall at Northcross and to build a 220,000 square foot Wal-Mart Hell Center right next to homes and a neighborhood, which will basically drive those property values and the feel of the neighborhood into the ground. The council had been planning a referendum to re-consider the plan but has backed away because of fears and threats from Wal-Mart's lawyers.
The citizens for Responsible Growth say "We agree that Northcross Mall needs to be redeveloped. We welcome growth, but not to the detriment of our neighborhoods. Develop it neighborly. Develop it right."
And to that I say, right on! Development does not have to suck the livelihood out of a town, it can be used to enhance everyone's life and there's nothing but bleakness where Wal-Mart invades and lands.
Wal-Mart's motto should be, we're coming, whether you like it or not.
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, Northcross, Austin, petition, town council, unwanted
Monday, December 04, 2006
Not Even Banning Wal-Mart Can Stop Wal-Mart
S.D. council ban may not stop Wal-Mart because, you see, only 4 of the 18 San Diego area Wal-Marts are within the city limits. Which is what Wal-Mart does. If they aren't wanted in one area, they go right next door and sweet talk their way in there and the result is the same.
Local businesses suffer while another monster Wal-Mart eyesore is erected and sucks the life out of the community it lands in. And then it sucks the life out of the surrounding areas.
Wal-Mart is the vampiric bloodsucker of the retail universe. Getting into bed with Wal-Mart means you might just get bitten.
The only way to stop Wal-Mart is to continue avoiding it like the retail shithole it is.
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, San Diego, ban, unstoppable
Local businesses suffer while another monster Wal-Mart eyesore is erected and sucks the life out of the community it lands in. And then it sucks the life out of the surrounding areas.
Wal-Mart is the vampiric bloodsucker of the retail universe. Getting into bed with Wal-Mart means you might just get bitten.
The only way to stop Wal-Mart is to continue avoiding it like the retail shithole it is.
Tags: Wal-Mart, WalMart, San Diego, ban, unstoppable