Re: Surging shoppers kill New York Wal-Mart employee

[Guest guest]

This kind of thing happens just about every year, and I agree: it is disgusting. Its not like they are rushing in to get bread during a shortage or something like that. They are just running to buy junk. I don't buy from Walmart if I can at all avoid doing so. However, since shopping options are extremely limited in this town, it is pretty much Walmart or the internet. A few local shops have things and there are the local groceries of course.

Walmart is full of Chinese made garbage. How can a US worker compete with someone who is paid $120 a month without benefits? That's not what Adam would consider Free Trade, because Free Trade was supposed to be work between equals.

Seeing the herd ramming and shoving and hurting people just to get things on sale really disturbs me about the masses of humanity. I've already gotten my shopping done mostly. The rest I'm going to order on the internet. Probably going to make one last run next week because there are some things that I need to actually physically inspect before making a choice.

In a message dated 11/28/2008 2:30:25 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

It's terrible what happened to the employee of course. But in a pathetic sort of way, it's humorous to think that all these people should be in such a rush to buy such shoddy, Chinese merchandise and further outsource American jobs overseas even as they whine about having no money due to a shrinking American economy.One person has died over this hypocrisy and many have been injured. Will this happen again? And how long will it take for people to take a look at themselves and see what they have become?AdministratorLife should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com.

[Guest guest]

That's a good question. A wild mania tends to surround the "chosen" toys each year. One hears stories of parents getting into fist fights over these things, which is rather uncalled for. Maybe kids in this kind of family would see such a thing as proof of how much the parent cared for them. I've known a few families where the parents told their kids to fight for whatever they wanted. Yes, they were unpleasant people.

I'll admit to wanting a Wii when it first came out but I didn't breakmy neck to get one. Instead, I called a local game store and asked if they were getting any. The clerk told me that they would get three in every few days and the next delivery was about 11 AM the next day. So about 10 AM I was there and was number 2 in line for one. Number three walked in a few minutes later. A few others were turned away and left without causing a scene, probably because they were told the time, date and condition of the next delivery. I suppose that's an advantage of living in the smallish city and not a megalopolis.

In a message dated 11/28/2008 3:13:19 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

I wonder what these folks are going to tell their kids this Christmas:"I spilled someone else's blood to get you this toy, so you'd better play with it. Merry Christmas, and the peace of Christ be with you during this season of joy and festivity."AdministratorLife should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com.

[Guest guest]

It's terrible what happened to the employee of course.

But in a pathetic sort of way, it's humorous to think that all these

people should be in such a rush to buy such shoddy, Chinese

merchandise and further outsource American jobs overseas even as they

whine about having no money due to a shrinking American economy.

One person has died over this hypocrisy and many have been injured.

Will this happen again? And how long will it take for people to take

a look at themselves and see what they have become?

Administrator

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081128/us/usreport_us_usa_holidaysa

les_death_1

Surging shoppers kill New York Wal-Mart employee

2 hours, 32 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Wal-Mart employee in New York state's Long

Island died on Friday when a throng of shoppers surged into the store

and physically broke down the doors, a police spokesman said.

The 34-year-old man was at the entrance of the Valley Stream Walmart

store when it opened at 5 a.m. local time and was knocked to the

ground, the police report said.

The exact cause of death was still to be determined by a medical

examiner.

Four shoppers, including a 28-year-old pregnant woman, were also

taken to local hospitals for injuries sustained in the incident,

police said.

The Friday after America's Thanksgiving holiday is known as Black

Friday and marks what is traditionally the busiest retail day of the

year, kicking off the Christmas shopping season.

U.S. stores across the country opened in the early hours of Friday to

offer discounts to consumers hit by a contracting economy. Hundreds

of shoppers waited on line before dawn at some locations to secure

deals on holiday gifts.

Representatives at Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, were not

immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Michele Gershberg; Editing by Trotta and

Maler)

[Guest guest]

" Seeing the herd ramming and shoving and hurting people just to get

things on sale really disturbs me about the masses of humanity. "

I wonder what these folks are going to tell their kids this Christmas:

" I spilled someone else's blood to get you this toy, so you'd better

play with it. Merry Christmas, and the peace of Christ be with you

during this season of joy and festivity. "

Administrator

[Guest guest]

This is just a spoof for a chuckle over the inanity of it all. Also, I cleaned the apartment yesterday for "Thanksgiving", and didn't buy a thing. Not with the price of food! And it felt good, also considering how they torture the turkeys before killing them. I am starting my own traditions -- of no more holidays!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Since BigBox Retailers Haven't Learned Anything Since 2006

(a re-run while I am out of town) "Operation Rescue Advent" Blows Out BigBox Retailer's Holiday MuzakScranton, PA: It all began with one too many November renditions of "Jingle Bell Rock.""When I heard that inane drivel for the tenth time by November 25th, I knew I had to do something...and I knew I wasn't alone," stated former "meek old woman" Gravern.Mrs. Gravern went to

St. Aloysius Church on the feast of Christ the King, and coordinated a group of people enjoying coffee and donuts to go march on the local Asia-Mart. Quickly naming themselves "Operation Rescue Advent," they chained themselves to the cart carrels in the crowded parking lot; and against the blaring secular Holiday Muzak, they began to sing "We Gather Together" at the top of their lungs.That attracted scant attention, but things went awry when a couple of the younger participants broke their chains, went inside the store, and blew a fuse that disabled the intercom blaring the Muzak. Shoppers suddenly looked more alert and, shaking their heads, decided to go home without buying anything. Townsend, public relations commander for the regional Asia-Mart, responded to the protestors, saying "I just don't get it. We already buckled to market sensibilities by calling it Christmas again. We just want to celebrate good cheer, indulgence, and

increased sales. We are on record as liking Christmas."Mrs. Gravern, who had acquired a megaphone in the parking lot, shouted "It's Advent, not Christmas. In fact, it isn't even Advent until Sunday, December 3rd! It's just...November!" Scattered people in the parking lot spontaneously broke into applause.The protesters, meanwhile, launched into a hearty rendition of "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come."Mrs. Gravern is encouraging all who are interested to come and protest tomorrow, and to bring your Thanksgiving leftovers to pass.--I.C.Originally found here.

Pannychis

[Guest guest]

wrote: " ... <snip> ... I wonder what these folks are going to

tell their kids this Christmas: 'I spilled someone else's blood to get

you this toy, so you'd better play with it. Merry Christmas, and the

peace of Christ be with you during this season of joy and

festivity.' ... <snip> ... "

Of course they won't say THAT, !

It's obvious you haven't witnessed as many poor parents as I in all

your years of living on this earth.

Here's what those parents will say to their children: " Someone died so

you could get that#$*%^$#% toy so you had better appreciate it or

you're going to be the next %)$(%#$(*^% to die over that $#)(%#$() %

toy! " :-o

Raven

[Guest guest]

wrote: " ... <snip> ... A wild mania tends to surround

the " chosen " toys each year. One hears stories of parents getting

into fist fights over these things, which is rather uncalled for ...

<snip> ... "

I have a new (13 years old) teenager and he is still very impulsive

when it comes to jumping at the 'next' hot item to hit the market

where his perseverative interests are concerned.

I, on the other hand, have a more relaxed viewpoint with regards to

hot items that have to do with my perseverative interests.

If I am meant to have said item, it will be there waiting for me to

purchase whether I run right out and get it the moment it hits the

shelves or I wait a few weeks or months or, in a couple cases, years,

before actually making the purchase.

If the item is not there, I might be disappointed for a moment or two

until I realize that it wasn't mine to purchase in the first place

anyway so it shouldn't upset me so that it isn't there for me to look

when I pop round the shop.

I am hoping to get this concept through to Cub in short order. I

really don't want to watch him become one of the many unwashed masses

who shop like a herd of frightened cattle at the sound of the

words " OPEN FOR BUSINESS! "

Raven

[Guest guest]

mskitty wrote: " ... <snip> ... I am starting my own traditions -- of

no more holidays! ... <snip> ... "

I think holidays can be observed respectfully without buying into the

commercialism and cruelty that has come to be associated with holidays

over the past 50 years.

I can understand your reasons for wanting to start a tradition of no

more holidays. :-)

That being said, I would miss the TRUE reasons for celebrating special

occasions so I would not be able to follow your new tradition. :-(

Raven

[Guest guest]

I'm becoming very jaded these days, raven. I believe people have convinced themselves that there *are* "true" reasons for holidays.

All the holidays are made up, including hallmark sentiments about reasons for them.

Mark my words: there will come a time, with the state of the world and this country, when people will no longer have "reasons" to convince themselves that there is something to be "celebrated" by made-up holidays. On a more positive note: at that time in the future, perhaps then -- with the illusions disspelled -- they will celebrate the holiday of Reality. A Reality born of Higher Consciousness and Ascension, when there is something Real to celebrate.

Until that day comes, I'll watch all the suckers spend their dwindling cash on buying useless things because the media tells them so, even "Thanksgiving" turkeys (the price of food: on the news one woman got mugged for her groceries, including her turkey), and watch them race to and fro in this malestrom of insanity they call the American Way, or the American Dream, or Illusion. Let them shop til they literally drop -- and they do! With the Wal-Mart employee at the Valley Stream mall -- I've been to that mall a few times, I know just where it is.

And telling people in Macy commercials and others that their door open at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. is an invitation of them running into car jackers and muggers that early in the morning too!

I throw in the towel -- let them have their holidays. Let them live inside their Matrix of Hell.

mskitty " ... <snip> ... I am starting my own traditions -- of no more holidays! ... <snip> ... "I think holidays can be observed respectfully without buying into the commercialism and cruelty that has come to be associated with holidays over the past 50 years.I can understand your reasons for wanting to start a tradition of no more holidays. :-)That being said, I would miss the TRUE reasons for celebrating special occasions so I would not be able to follow your new tradition. :-(Raven

[Guest guest]

I'm not defending the commercialism of Thanksgiving in the least, but rather, I

am at odds

with your statement that a thanksgiving turkey is one of the " useless things

because the

media tells them so " because, frankly, that's very far from the truth.

Here's the talking turkey on buying turkeys: for what you get in terms of

nutrition

(assuming you don't massacre the thing after it has previously been killed!)

turkey is

rather low in fat, and very high in nutrition compared to most meats, and

furthermore, is

also one of the cheapest meats per pound, when you can find it. Ground turkey

is very

lean, and also tends to be cheaper per pound than most forms of beef: if you

know how to

cook with it, it's great stuff to have.

How cheap is turkey? I guess that depends on whether or not you've got the

thought you

need to buy one of the more expensive brands or not. If you get a house brand

turkey,

you can get it very cheap, at least, definitely around this time of year.

Though I live by

myself, I decided this year to actually spring for a turkey, because it was hard

to turn down

such a bargain. The Safeway store brand turkey, without the special, was going

for 99

cents per pound: with a minimum $25 dollar purchase of additional stuff, the

special had

it at 39 cents a pound: I challenge you to find meat that cheap otherwise!

Clearly, I'll be

eating turkey for awhile, and will be freezing a certain portion of cooked

turkey.

Oh, while in the US, turkey isn't eaten too much as a whole animal served for

dinner more

than perhaps twice a year in most families, in Mexico, it's the most common meat

for

many things, including the meat in Mole (not sure how to type the right

character on this

Mac for the e) which is (for those that haven't had it before) evidence that

chocolate and

peppers work nicely together in food, and is a rather common dish, perhaps as

common

there as all the mutations of what we call Chili in the US. My first experience

with the dish

was at wedding receptions for those originating from south of the US border, who

were in

Indianapolis, Indiana, which has a rather large Latino population that's growing

larger.

Perhaps I'll use my large supply of turkey meat (couldn't get as small of a bird

as desired,

due to shopping about 1 a.m. Thanksgiving morning) to make myself a batch...

" ... <snip> ... I am starting my own traditions -- of

> no more holidays! ... <snip> ... "

>

> I think holidays can be observed respectfully without buying into the

> commercialism and cruelty that has come to be associated with holidays

> over the past 50 years.

>

> I can understand your reasons for wanting to start a tradition of no

> more holidays. :-)

>

> That being said, I would miss the TRUE reasons for celebrating special

> occasions so I would not be able to follow your new tradition. :-(

>

> Raven

>

[Guest guest]

Indeed, that has always been the great secret, that free trade needs a

minimum wage imposed by law, it's not laissez-faire neoliberalism.

>

That's not what Adam

> would consider Free Trade, because Free Trade was supposed to be

work between

> equals.

>

[Guest guest]

That minimum wage is best set by natural forces of what something costs to be

made plus

whatever the workers of an area are willing to settle on: silly arbitrary

minimum wages almost

always hurt everyone involved in practice. When a wage isn't market-driven and

performance-based on efficiency, you effectively end up with communism and all

that goes

with it, and we all know how well that's worked out.

> >

> That's not what Adam

> > would consider Free Trade, because Free Trade was supposed to be

> work between

> > equals.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

mskitty wrote: " ... <snip> ... All the holidays are made up,

including hallmark sentiments about reasons for them ... <snip> ... "

While all the holidays are made up the celebrations aren't

necessarily made up.

mskitty wrote: " ... <snip> ... Mark my words: there will come a

time, with the state of the world and this country, when people will

no longer have " reasons " to convince themselves that there is

something to be " celebrated " by made-up holidays ... <snip> ... "

Perhaps you and I have a different understanding of what a

celebration is and what the reasons are for having them. A true

celebration always has a reason regardless of how lavish or humble

the celebration.

Christmas doesn't have to be an elaborate affair with large meals,

hordes of people, presents piled high and deep around the Christmas

tree and more.

Christmas is Christmas and the reason for celebrating it is has to do

with honoring the reason of " Christ-mas " existing. It can be done

quietly and simply, without fanfare, without fancy foods, without

brightly wrapped commercialism and WITH purpose and reverence.

Christmas isn't a made-up holiday for everyone. Neither is Easter.

To that end, Hannukah isn't a made-up holiday and neither is Eid.

In other words, the driving force behind celebrating anything should

be the heart of the matter and not the smoke-and-mirrors with which

advertising agencies decide to obscure it.

mskitty wrote: " ... <snip> ... On a more positive note: at that

time in the future, perhaps then -- with the illusions disspelled --

they will celebrate the holiday of Reality. A Reality born of Higher

Consciousness and Ascension, when there is something Real to

celebrate ... <snip> ... "

Christ and/or G*d and/or Allah et al are very REAL to a number of

people in this world, mskitty. I don't think it's fair for any of us

to negate or marginalize or dismiss what is real to them especially

in terms of the individual's spirituality. If it is sincere, then it

is real to them. This is THEIR Higher Consciousness.

I also support those who choose to have NO spirituality per se. If

they wish to celebrate the Holiday of Reality then by all means they

should be allowed to do so without fear of repercussion.

All that being said, I believe that people ought to keep the holidays

in the way that best suits them without pushing the privilege of

doing so on the rights of others.

At Christmastime, it's ridiculous for non-Christians to insist that

Christmas trees cannot be displayed at airports (as was done in

Seattle last year) and that Christmas Carols cannot be sung at

school 'holiday' concerts (as is being done in public schools these

days) and that people cannot greet others (including staff greeting

customers) with a cheerful and heartfelt, " Merry Christmas. "

The same goes for the way people react and overreact to Eid and

Hannukah and Rosh Hoshanna and Kwanzaa et al.

mskitty wrote: " ... <snip> ... I throw in the towel -- let them have

their holidays. Let them live inside their Matrix of Hell ...

<snip> ... "

Ah, but therein lies the thing. No one has to live inside a " Matrix

of Hell " wherein the holidays are concerned. One can choose to

observe the holidays in ways that are reverent and respectful while

veering far away from the commercialism that mars the reasons for the

holiday in the first place.

Raven

[Guest guest]

I guess one can say, as to holidays, etc., that it all boils down to this, which occurred to me just now as I was watching "Going My Way" with Bing Crosby as the singing priest, and also mulling over your words about holidays, raven:

Philippians 4:8-9Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you

The state of this world gets to me often, and I forget.

mskitty