WAL MART

[SassyMama]

You can find both good and bad in pretty much anyone or anything. I've also found that you can't please everyone 100% of the time. What confounds me is anyone that says that they would not longer support a particular corps or the activity if WalMart becomes a corporate sponsor for DCI. That is a right and priviledge of those individuals that feel that way. I personally hate the fact that WalMart is importing so much, and that many of it's employees don't have really good health care policies. But at least they provide a health care system. Many of us are sitting out here without health care plans because the monthly payment for health care is more than the mortgage payment. Which is the lesser of the evils?

If WalMart were to give discounts to the corps when they pull into town or be a corporate sponsor it is to the final benefit of a corps. Isn't that what is important rather than your own personal biased feelings?

Dang, I just get so frustrated when people in general make blanket statements that seemingly to me are biased and tunnel-visioned. Please no one take it personally, and if my statement offends anyone, then I offer my apologies to you in advance.

[Lance]

I often confound people. Sorry to frustrate you with my biased tunnel-vision, or however you put it.

Check, please.

[boilerman_05]

Many of you have probably seen this before but I thought i might help lighten the mood...

Things To Try At Wal-Mart When You Are Bored!

1. Get boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they don't realize it.

2. Set all the alarm clocks to go off at ten minute intervals throughout the day.

3. Make a trail of orange juice on the floor, leading to the rest rooms.

4. Walk up to an employee and tell him in an official tone, "I think we've got a Code 3 in house wares," and see what happens.

5. Tune all the radios to a polka station; then turn them all off and turn the volumes to "10."

6. Challenge other customers to duels with tubes of gift wrap.

7. Put M&M's on layaway.

8. Move "Caution: Wet Floor" signs to carpeted areas.

9. Set up a tent in the camping department; tell others you'll only invite them in if they bring pillows from Bed and Bath.

10. When someone asks if you need help, begin to cry and ask, "Why won't you people just leave me alone?"

11. Look right into the security camera, and use it as a mirror while you pick your nose.

12. Take up an entire aisle in Toys by setting up a full scale battlefield with G.I. Joes vs. the X-Men.

13. Ask other customers if they have any Grey Poupon.

14. While handling guns in the hunting department, suddenly ask the clerk if he knows where the anti-depressants are.

15. Switch the men's and women's signs on the doors of the rest rooms.

16. Dart around suspiciously while humming the theme from "Mission Impossible."

17. Set up a "Valet Parking" sign in front of the store.

18. In the auto department, practice your "Madonna" look with various funnels.

19. Hide in the clothing racks and when people browse through, say things like "pick me! pick me!!"

20. When an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, assume the fetal position and scream, "No, no! It's those voices again!"

21. If the store has a food court, buy a soft drink; explain that you don't get out much, and ask if they can put a little umbrella in it. And last, but not least...

22. Go into the dressing room and yell real loud..."Hey, we're out of toilet paper in here!"

23. Get 2 shopping carts, 2 garbage can lids, and 2 brooms... the isles make great jousting arenas.

[felixh]

You can find both good and bad in pretty much anyone or anything. I've also found that you can't please everyone 100% of the time. What confounds me is anyone that says that they would not longer support a particular corps or the activity if WalMart becomes a corporate sponsor for DCI. That is a right and priviledge of those individuals that feel that way. I personally hate the fact that WalMart is importing so much, and that many of it's employees don't have really good health care policies. But at least they provide a health care system. Many of us are sitting out here without health care plans because the monthly payment for health care is more than the mortgage payment. Which is the lesser of the evils?

If WalMart were to give discounts to the corps when they pull into town or be a corporate sponsor it is to the final benefit of a corps. Isn't that what is important rather than your own personal biased feelings?

Dang, I just get so frustrated when people in general make blanket statements that seemingly to me are biased and tunnel-visioned. Please no one take it personally, and if my statement offends anyone, then I offer my apologies to you in advance.

If a corps chooses to take money from Walmart it would not stop my support for the activity. But my choice to not shop at Walmart is just that, my choice. As I stated in a few posts back....where folks choose to shop and do business is strictly up to them....but my comments were not my feelings or bias,...they were documented facts on Walmarts track record, some of which you mentioned in your post. As far as your comment.."at least they provide a health care system."....it actually cost about the same as the health care plan you choose to go without.....I agree with your "tunnel vision" statement, but comments and opinions on Walmart are not tunnel vision....they are opinions. B)

Edited April 2, 2006 by felixh

[SassyMama]

Before we moved to Oregon, our old house in Southern California was within three blocks of a Stater Bros, an Albertson's, and a WalMart. Add a Jack in the Box, a Denny's, a Domino's, a Pizza Hut, and a Panda Express, and a Lowe's had just gone in the same center as the WalMart and had opened just before we moved.

So convenience was nearby for quite a few things. What I looked at was the price of goods. I guess that when I was buying cat food by the case at times at WalMart for about 30 cents a can when it was 45 cents a can for Friskies brand was worth my principle, or paying $3.89 or more for milk at Albertson's versus $2.99 or less at WalMart. Or perhaps spending over $6.00 for laundry detergent when I could get it at WalMart for just about $3.50. I'm sorry, but I'm going to cave on saving significant amounts of money that can be put to use elsewhere.

So, let's do a little scenario and then average it out here: Let's say that a corps average cost per day to feed everyone is a $1,000 x 60 days. We are talking $60,000 for the summer, which I figure is probably on the low side. Let's say that WalMart gives an additional 10% off the purchase. That's an additional $6,000 that the corps does not have to spend, or it would allow a corps to perhaps have a broader menu, maybe pay their staffers just a little more, reinvest in items for souvies....lots of things.

To me, for domestic items, when it's a matter of money staying in my wallet, I'm going to shop at WalMart when it's convenient. I'm just thankful there's a market called Winco which is about 2 1/2 miles from my house that even beats WalMart's prices on quite a few things :) When you are on a budget and a limited income, you try and save money where you can.

[aroura]

Walmart donates to community groups through their stores.Amounts vary from 50-1,000 dollars once or twice a year based on the dollar volumne the store generates.The also donate items and food in addition to cash donations.

They've been good to us for 5 years. :) < had to use it

I believe you when you say they "give to the community". But in actuallity its just a ploy to cover up what they really do.

Walmart's been known to apply for "Business Grants" from states for up to 300,000 when they set up a new store. How funny is it that that money is going to the richest corporation in the world, because I"m sure they need it. So theyre basically taking money away from small businesses who need it and other areas..such as edcuation (in some cases, town gave money to walmart to support their start up, but had to shut down schools because they didn' have enough money). OUCH. :sshh: :sshh: :sshh:

Yeah sorry to burst your bubble, but the amount they donate back to the community is NOTHING compared to what they take from it. <**>

[boilerman_05]

So a small town gave money to Walmart then closed a school because they didn't have enough money? That sounds like it's the towns fault, not Walmarts. You act like the town had to give money to Walmart.

[boilerman_05]

Ohh, and I made a thread about Walmart in the bored forums. This way this topic can get back to corps funding and we can talk politics and such over there. If you don't have access to the bored forum just go here and ask for access.

[deftguy]

You can find both good and bad in pretty much anyone or anything. I've also found that you can't please everyone 100% of the time. What confounds me is anyone that says that they would not longer support a particular corps or the activity if WalMart becomes a corporate sponsor for DCI. That is a right and priviledge of those individuals that feel that way. I personally hate the fact that WalMart is importing so much, and that many of it's employees don't have really good health care policies. But at least they provide a health care system. Many of us are sitting out here without health care plans because the monthly payment for health care is more than the mortgage payment. Which is the lesser of the evils?

If WalMart were to give discounts to the corps when they pull into town or be a corporate sponsor it is to the final benefit of a corps. Isn't that what is important rather than your own personal biased feelings?

Dang, I just get so frustrated when people in general make blanket statements that seemingly to me are biased and tunnel-visioned. Please no one take it personally, and if my statement offends anyone, then I offer my apologies to you in advance.

Actually these statements are very tunnel vision and a little selfish as well. Its a different kind of tunnel vision, more like if I save a few bucks personally, it doesn't matter if a million or so America based jobs go to China. It doesn't matter that the middle class is shrinking to nonexistance and OUR country standard of living is dropping, it doesn't matter that companies that supply Walmart are folding, or are financially in danger threatening more job loss. As long as I have MY savings, then what happens to other Americans is their business. This kind of attitude is a disease, and it is spreading everywhere.

There is no such thing as a lesser of two evils. Evil is evil. When you make $6.6 BILLION dollars in PROFIT, handing out a few little goodies to a little drum corps is absolutely nothing. Especially when it helps deflect attention on the fact that 34 states are suing you for your violations of labor laws, there is a huge class action suit on behalf of women for discrimination, and the environmental protection agency just settled with them because they were poisoning the water. (there is alot more problems) They have $6.6 BILLION dollars in PROFIT and more than half of its employees cannot afford the health insurance that they offer because they don't get paid enough. $6.6 BILLION dollars in profit and 38% of your employees are on medicaid and medicare so they can have health care for their children. $6.6 BILLION dollars and a growing number of counties cannot afford to fund their health care system because it is overburden with Walmart employees using the services. This is not propaganda, or anyones biases, this is fact, facts that you guys don't mind overlooking just to get a few cheap trinkets from them. When is someone going to stand up for something in this country? The reason Walmart donates to communities and charitable organizations is not because of some heartfelt philanthropic desire, they do it to counter the damage that they do, and to attempt to fix a broken public image.

Too many of Americans will sell their souls to the devil just to save a few bucks(or get a few bucks), and that is a shame. We have become a disposal people, filling up our waste areas with cheaply made chinese goods that were not made to last. We are doing business with governments that are dictatorships, or communist just so we can drive our SUV and get a cheap DVD player. We don't care about quality, our environment, or buying American anymore, even though Americans benefit directly from such practices. You are thinking about a little money for a drum corps when this company contributes highly to the detriment of this country.

So I say go get you dollar savings, and go solicit money from them. You may be helping a corps, but you are hurting the larger picture by doing so. If you feel that you can go to bed at night knowing that maybe your neighbor, a close friend, or some American you don't know, has just lost his job because the company he or she worked for couldn't turn a profit suppling the cheap evil devil with products to sell cheaply. Or that some kid is uninsured because his mother or father works for Walmart and cannot afford the health insurance they provide. If you can live with that, or anyone in drum corps can, support their sponorship of DCI. However, if they take their money, they'll never get mine, that's for sure.

Did you know that when a supplier commits to suppling Walmart, the first thing Walmart tells them to do is to setup shop in China? That is a fact I found out from talking to a former CEO of a company that supplies Walmart.

Did you know we have a HUGE trade deficit with China, and Walmart is one of the reason why? Not the only reason, but a major reason.

Did you know that for every one job Walmart creates, 3-5 retail jobs are lost in any given community?

As I have said in a earlier post, I walked into learning about Walmart with a completely open mind. I walked away ######, disgusted, felt deceived by Walmart, and disappointed with the cheap sheeple we call the American consumer.

To boilerman. No it was not the community's fault. Walmart promised them a huge sales tax base that the community really needed for public services. Walmart never delivered on that promise, just like they haven't for many communities all over this country that have let them set up shop with their promises.

Before people take pot shots at unions remember that you have a 5 day work week because of unions. You have the two week paid vacation because of unions. You have excellent working conditions(safe, clean) at your job because of unions. A living wage, health benefits

Sorry for the long winded rant, but I guess I am just frustrated by how much people are willing to overlook just to get so little.

Lastly, just to add a little balance to my comments. If more business learned from Walmarts distribution model, more American business would be thriving. They are a well oiled business machine, and as more companies become streamlined, and cost efficient like Walmart is, the healthier they will be.

[aroura]

Well youre prolly right, it probably is the towns fault. But I bet it has a lot more to do with Walmart using their lawyers and managers to find loopholes in towns to get funding which was intended to go to small businesses...how classy of them.

So a small town gave money to Walmart then closed a school because they didn't have enough money? That sounds like it's the towns fault, not Walmarts. You act like the town had to give money to Walmart.