February 16, 2005

WalMart is the United States of the Retail Universe

What I mean by that is, if you've got an axe to grind, a stand to take, or a problem to solve, then automatically blame the US WalMart and dream up some way to make them pay your way.

The great state of Montana, where men are men and sheep are nervous, is the latest in a long list of whiney little bitches when it comes to WalMart.

As an incentive for these "big box stores'' to pay a living wage to their workers, Sen. Ken Toole's Senate Bill 272 would impose a gross proceeds tax on these companies. They would be exempt from the tax if they paid their employees an entry level wage of at least $22,000 a year, counting both pay and benefits and if less than half of their workers were part-time.

Follow that link and read the whole sordid scam.

My standard question to WalMart haters is this: at what point does a company become so successful that they've become evil?

WalMart has been kicking the retail world's ass for a while now, like K-Mart before them, and Sears before them, and Macy's before them, and on and on. Some day, some chain will come up with a better way for the times and WalMart will become another former top-dog.

And for every gripe there is about them, the answer is the same: they're doing exactly what they need to do to compete. You don't become dominant (or even successful) by not being "right". The number of people who shop there, the amount of sales they generate and the mind-boggling number of people they employ all mean one thing. THEY ARE DOING IT RIGHT. Don't like 'em? No problem, go shop somewhere else. That's the beauty of the free market. Of course, you'll pay more, but sometimes taking a stand involves more than announcing your principles. And while you're in that Mom & Pop store, ask 'em how many folks they employ, how much they pay, and what kind of benefits they offer their hired help.

WalMart (and MicroSoft for that matter), aren't evil, just very successful.

I hope that Montana passes their stupid tax, and I hope WalMart says screw it and shuts down every last store in the state. Then, just like in Canada, you'll hear the whiney little bitches bleating about how unfair it is. And they'll be missing the point that I saw someone make recently (sorry, can't remember where), if WalMart is bad, then if they leave it's a good thing. Right?

Thanks to DynamoBuzz for the pointer, although I oughta smack him for making my blood pressure rise like that.

Posted by: Ted at 08:41 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

1 and if less than half of their workers were part-time.

...and put half of their employees out of work.

Ted! Haven't seen you riled up like this in a while. That's some damn good posting!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at February 17, 2005 02:26 AM (rwn/7)

2 I've always hated Wally World, but not for their corporate policy - for their clientele. If I see another mullet in my life, it'll be too soon.

Posted by: shank at February 17, 2005 08:48 AM (+H1yK)

3 The minimum wage in Montana is $5.15/hr. If you worked 40 hours a week that amounts to only $10,712 annually. WalMart is actually paying $3,000 over the minimum wage for a 32 hr week!

If $5.15/hr isn't enough to live on in Montana, WalMart isn't the problem!

Posted by: RC at February 17, 2005 12:16 PM (5mz24)

4 I don't care what anyone says I love Wal-Mart both as an ex-contractor who used to work for them and as a customer.They have always been super towards me.Most people I know have enjoyed working for them.If you don't wanna work there then just don't.It's not like you don't have plenty of other choices.If you don't have other choices then it's probably not the fault of anyone but your local government or perhaps yourself.
I would also like to commend Wal-Mart for helping to put the union menace in it's place.

Posted by: Russ at February 17, 2005 10:31 PM (Y9aSc)

5 Don't know if you ever saw it on the news or not but we in FR have had our own drawn out Wal-Mart fight.It wasn't that nobody(well almost) wanted them but they just didn't want them in that spot.That I have to agree with.I sure wouldn't build there.
The last county/town elections saw the ousting of everyone who supported Wal-Mart.They where all replaced with morons who displayed no other credentials than being able to say "No Wal-Mart!"I hope like hell it comes back to kick them all right in the nads.

Posted by: Russ at February 17, 2005 10:40 PM (Y9aSc)

6 Some of us Montanans vehemently oppose this legislation. Idiots. Like others, I rarely shop at Wal-Mart, but I completely support W-M policies, hiring, management, and existence.

And the sheep are doing fine, by the way.

Posted by: david at February 19, 2005 03:21 PM (ZVhuO)

7 Hey David, glad to hear about the sheep. Hell, as a native Californian (from the Bay Area, no less!) you can imagine the ribbing I put up with.

We had a minor WalMart uproar in this area. Plans were announced that a store would be built and "citizen action groups" instantly sprang into action to prevent it. Their main objection was that having a WalMart that close to their gated communities would lower their property values. Only one problem - WalMart owned the land long before the developers started their construction. The judge threw it all out because the hoity-toity residents should've been ticked at the developer for not telling them the whole story, not WalMart.

You can imagine how much I enjoyed that.

Posted by: Ted at February 19, 2005 04:52 PM (ZjSa7)

8 I don't understand any good reason to defend Walmart on philosophical grounds. Maybe if you own the hacienda you have the free time to think of bogus arguments to defend your villainy. Then one day the workers find other uses for the tools.

Posted by: zombielogic at August 30, 2005 03:44 AM (+KTZf)

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A Sad Day

Here endeth the Nog Watch.

For those of you who may have an emotional investment, take solace by the fact that our Nog was truly the Methuselah of nogdom.

There has been a small, private closed-container ceremony.

Posted by: Ted at 12:43 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

New Blog Showcase

When a blogger first starts out, one of the hardest things to do is getting noticed (except for me of course. I sprang from Blogger's loins fully formed and wrapped in a tamale husk, at least that's my story this week and I'm sticking to it).

Sorry for the sidetrack... As I was saying, it's difficult to get that jump start on traffic (spelling is hard too, especially words like vacuum, which I always misspell vacume for some stupid reason).

Oops, there I go again (although Monty Python did this same basic gag much better in the opening credits of Holy Grail, don't you think?).

Ahem. Find someone less tiresome to read at the New Blog Showcase. Your sanity will thank you.

Posted by: Ted at 06:04 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

It might explain the "lurking in shadows" quirk too

My wife noticed I had a stray hair on my head sticking straight out like an antenna, so I was forced to admit that when I was younger I'd been bitten by a radioactive spider. Unfortunately, it wasn't all that radioactive, so instead of being able to shoot webs from my hands, I just get really sweaty palms.

She said it was too bad I didn't get that "eat your mate" habit too.

Posted by: Ted at 05:58 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Player's Union blinks, fans miss it for yawning

Today they will finally take this miserable corpse of a hockey season off of life support.

Posted by: Ted at 05:31 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

February 15, 2005

Gates revisited

I mentioned the new artwork in New York's Central Park, and also noted that Cindy had promised pictures. See for yourself here (pre) and here (complete).

Munu's Michele has more pictures and her take on Gates as well.

Posted by: Ted at 11:46 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

But will it make my go cart fly like Super Mario's?

From Dustbury, a pointer to the latest in great gadgets, IMHO.

JSC Speed has introduced something called the TurboXS DTEC, which takes one ordinary Nintendo Game Boy Advance (not included) and turns it into an actual automotive-diagnostic device. The various modules allow you to read turbo boost, exhaust temperature, intake air temperature, and RPMs; future modules will include detonation sensors and skidpad readings in g.

If you're a gearhead, then you're probably drooling. For the rest of us, we can simply admire the elegant crossover of technologies.

Posted by: Ted at 11:29 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Crystal Claire Glass

That's the name one of my old Air Force buddies claimed he was going to hang on a daughter.

So besides being a fairly good chunk of Google bait, it makes a dandy lead to this wicked cool online toy: The Baby Name Wizard. Go play with it and be impressed.

Thanks to Rodger (the 300th most popular boys name in the 1940's) via Spoons (which is inexplicably missing from the database) for pointing this one out. The drawing link is worth seeing too.

Posted by: Ted at 05:36 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

The joys of parenthood

That title is *not* being sarcastic. For all the trials and tribulations and unexpected crises that come about with little ones, it all fades to insignificance with one smile. And when a child smiles, they smile with everything they've got.

Robert has been kiddie-blogging recently (gee, I wonder why?).

Rich has too.

All links worth reading, because kids are natural-born Monty Python skit generating machines.

Posted by: Ted at 05:13 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Flip Wilson used to say "Don't fight the feeling"

Somehow along the line, one of the occasionally recurring themes on Rocket Jones has become bondage related posts. I'll admit that I haven't tried very hard to change that (translation: I've run with it).

So in keeping with that hereby-declared fine tradition, I proudly present The Comic Book Bondage Cover of the Day.

Posted by: Ted at 04:34 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

February 14, 2005

Happy Valentine's Day!

From Rocket Jones - this will stay up top all day, scroll down for fresh nonsense.

Spank you, spank you very much (sorry, couldn't resist).

Have a wonderful day, because we all deserve it!

Posted by: Ted at 11:20 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

She loves me thiiiiiiiiiiis much!

My wife has to work late tonight, which really sucks. But being the shallow type of guy I am, she made sure to ease the sting with gifts. Lots of Valentine gifts.

A couple of weeks ago a box from Amazon showed up at the house and inside was a 12-DVD set called "50 Horror Classics". That was my Valentine's Day gift, and I looked upon it, and it was good.*

Then, last night she presented me with a card, some candy and a copy of The Beast! I talked about the movie here (it's not a horror movie, it's a war movie), and after almost a year of looking in the bargain bins at WalMart for this title, she found it for me**.

I'm a lucky guy, and believe me, I know it.

* I already had about half of these movies in my library, but this collection will allow me to sell off or trade in several DVD's, and with whatever money that brings I plan to pick up this for starters.

** Highly recommended, and for less than $6.00, you can't go wrong.

Posted by: Ted at 11:54 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Must-See Video

Scenes of Election Day in Iraq, set to the Fanfare for the Common Man.

Thanks to Silflay Hraka for the pointer.

Posted by: Ted at 11:46 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

I think I'm going Japanese

This site let's you enter your name and it will translate it to Japanese katakana characters of various type styles. For instance, here's the caligraphy form of "Ted".

And the explanation as given by the site:

It is pronounced "TEDDO". (Consonants are pronounced more or less the same way as in English. "E" sounds like e in met. "O" sounds like o in old.)

That last line should read "O" as in elder statesman.

Posted by: Ted at 04:22 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

February 13, 2005

Launch Report - 2/12/05

Saturday was our monthly NOVAAR club launch at Great Meadow Equestrian Center in The Plains, Virginia. The weather was mostly sunny with some high clouds and the temperature climbed to around 50. The winds were calm in the morning but built all day until towards the end they were a steady 10-15 mph with much stronger gusts at times.

(the rest is in the extended entry)

Posted by: Ted at 01:53 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

A Valentine Series - 7

We're almost done with our romantic look at classic Hollywood moments, ala Rocket Jones.

Now, certain actors possess an undefinable presence. That unmistakable command of any situation, whether it's dealing with love, life or the bad guys. Even something as simple as giving a little fatherly mentoring was done with style and assurance.

The Duke definitely had presence.

(in the extended entry)

Posted by: Ted at 09:27 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Twelve feet deep

The ship is a catamaran that weighs one thousand tons, is almost as long as a football field, and can carry two helicopters. It's also able to operate in water as shallow as twelve feet.

That's the new Sea Fighter, which is a small-scale concept ship being tested right now. Techniques and technologies learned from Sea Fighter will be applied to the Navy's next-generation Littoral Combat Ship. The US Coast Guard is participating in the test program as well, because Sea Fighter might just become their new standard coastal patrol craft.

Murdoc Online has pictures and links.

Posted by: Ted at 08:35 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Victor and I have this weird mental simpatico thing going on this week

I posted the lyrics to Never My Love. Victor rags on The Association, who did a version of Never My Love. I post a picture of Luuka the Bear who went to the rocket launch with me. Victor has a bear portray me in his epic birthday tribute to Joe Don Baker.

It's funny as hell, and I really suggest that you... aw crap, let Victor finish the sentence.

(oh yeah, this is under the Cult Flicks category because it's Joe Don Baker's birthday and Victor has done a remarkable series of posts on the man and his career.)

Posted by: Ted at 07:45 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

February 12, 2005

Bear Spotting

Luuka attended today's rocket launch. There's a picture in the extended entry, and I'll post a launch report and more pictures tomorrow.

Posted by: Ted at 09:26 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

1 Did she get to light the fuse?

Posted by: Helen at February 13, 2005 03:25 AM (fL9DT)

2 We don't use fuses, that would be dangerous. *mandatory safety disclaimer for the BATFE*

Actually, she did sit at the launch table when the button was pushed. She is now an official "Steely-eyed Missile Bear".

Posted by: Ted at February 13, 2005 07:55 AM (ZjSa7)

3 Sorry I couldn't be there. Fighting off this lingering cold/flu thing. C'mon, springtime!

Posted by: Doug Pratt at February 13, 2005 08:42 AM (ia2zV)

4 She sat on the table while others did the work, eh? That must make her a *Union* Steely-eyed Missle Bear.

Posted by: Victor at February 13, 2005 12:01 PM (etHvD)

5 I know where you're coming from Doug, that bug kicked my butt for about two weeks before I started to feel anything near "better".

Posted by: Ted at February 14, 2005 07:59 AM (blNMI)

6 Nice name for the rocket.

Posted by: Simon at February 15, 2005 01:59 AM (UKqGy)

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Rocket Launch today

I'll probably post something more this evening or tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a picture from the last BattlePark launch (in the extended entry).

Posted by: Ted at 07:59 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

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