That we could see this occur everywhere... wait it did just up the street.  Franchises have been denied, and others are bailing from lack of business.

phreddy wrote:

for local governments to decide that franchise food is just too bourgeois' for their town's image is a bunch of bullshit.

Because people with a taste for butt fugly have so few options?

In Sandwich and where I live, local government is a twice a year town meeting of registered voters. It's messy, insulting and sometimes fun.

phreddy wrote:

Dmtdust wrote:

That we could see this occur everywhere... wait it did just up the street.  Franchises have been denied, and others are bailing from lack of business.

Bailing from lack of business is just fine.  But, for local governments to decide that franchise food is just too bourgeois' for their town's image is a bunch of bullshit.  What next, ban salt because the chefs don't want you ruining their "perfect" dishes? (see fnord's thread).

Nothing to do with the local council/gov't... Community organizers, thanx!  Also have kept Walfart out our area as well.

ah297900 wrote:

phreddy wrote:

Bailing from lack of business is just fine.  But, for local governments to decide that franchise food is just too bourgeois' for their town's image is a bunch of bullshit.  What next, ban salt because the chefs don't want you ruining their "perfect" dishes? (see fnord's thread).

1) Franchise restaurants are decidedly less bourgeois than locally owned ones.

2) Local governments have always decided which businesses can move where to protect their image. This is called "zoning." Zoning is why they can't open a strip club next to a kindergarten, and why they can't open a tire factory next door to your house.

Phwedd is unclear on the term "bourgeois".

Fled,

When the FEMA Re-Education Camps come, I know who I am nominating... Yes, we have successfully pushed back several of these incursions.

doesyourpussyhurt wrote:

It is my experience that the class of people who visit Walmart and McDonalds are not the same as the class of people who prefer a fine dining experience.

Unfortunately the Walmart class of people expects the gubernment to take care of them and will sue if the salt on their super-sized McD's fries is a contributing factor to their heart attack, these are the same people who see waiting in line at the Olive Garden as an acceptable activity for the wedding rehearsal dinner.

Of course McOliveGarden Corp will happily add addictive and unhealthy ingredients to their menu fare to better their bottom line, which is why franchise's and corporate chains must be managed via legislation.

To tie it all in, we have learned that genetics determine human preferences and activities (such as Queeriality).  This also then determines that the WalMartites have had their fate sealed by genetics also.  Ergo they are destined to eat harmful foods and beat their wives.  No point in trying to change them or rehabilitate them after they are convicted.

However we can minimize our costs via smart legislation.  So, we should determine what can be added to their foods to lower our health care cost and we should eliminate the concept of parole so they don't accidentally hurt one of us.

Last edited by Emmeran (2010-03-11 23:11:57)

I got you to use a dictionary!  My day is made!

Taint wrote:

Dmtdust wrote:

I got you to use a dictionary!  My day is made!

And, yet, he still doesn't understand the meaning of the word.

There is that.  I think my sponsoring of him to the Re-Education Camp may help a bit. May a hundred flowers blossom!

GooberMcNutly wrote:

Where are you going to buy your toilet paper, some boutique?

This brings up another good point: while I'm happy to see downtowns thriving, a downtown full of artsy boutiques, cutting edge galleries, and fabulous little dining spots is essentially useless to the people who live in that community. Not that any of those place shouldn't be there, but I've lived in a few small towns (Stowe and Burlington, Vermont and Sonora, California, for example) where the downtown was gentrified and now you can't find toilet paper, drug stores, or hardware stories anywhere expect the edges of town, and they're usually the big box stores.

George, you are not quoting me, you are quoting: Goober.  Keep up. Please.

GooberMcNutly wrote:

doesyourpussyhurt wrote:

It is my experience that the class of people who visit Walmart and McDonalds are not the same as the class of people who prefer a fine dining experience.

I call BS. Every race, creed, income level and any other demographic you can pick is represented equally at Wally World. I ran into a client there the other day and he is a Jewish businessman who makes millions a year. It's just that there are a lot more poor and middle class than uber rich out there, and the rich don't really wear their Brooks Brothers suits when running errands, so spotting them at the Big Box is harder.

Where are you going to buy your toilet paper, some boutique?

Given a choice, I would shop at Costco any day over Wal-Mart for toilet paper and other mundane necessities.  Their prices are comparable, and they pay their employees much better wages and benefits; this company isn’t run on the principle of raping the employees to put most of the money that comes in into a billionaire family’s pockets.  There’s something wrong with a major corporation like Wal-Mart paying full time workers so poorly that they qualify for food stamps and other forms of taxpayer charity. 

Until recently I was making several trips per year to the nearest major metropolitan area to stock up on paper goods and whatnot at Costco just to avoid Wal-Mart.  Partner™’s health is such these days that he can’t handle an all day excursion, and our income is lower because of my staying home to take care of him; therefore I find it necessary to ignore my principles and shop at Wal-Mart.  There’s nothing wrong with getting the best price you can for the items you purchase, but it was my observation when I lived in areas where Wal-Mart had competition that rich bargain hunters with any class and social consciousness refused to do their bargain hunting at Wal-Mart.

phreddy wrote:

What I don't like is the unholy alliance of wealthy residents, old boy business owners, and yuppies banding together to keep out "money grubbing corporations".

What if they don't want franchises moving in because it would destroy the Old World charm of their downtown, which brings in the tourist money that makes up a large part of the local economy?

ah297900 wrote:

phreddy wrote:

What I don't like is the unholy alliance of wealthy residents, old boy business owners, and yuppies banding together to keep out "money grubbing corporations".

What if they don't want franchises moving in because it would destroy the Old World charm of their downtown, which brings in the tourist money that makes up a large part of the local economy?

That's fine if the people in the town really want to live in Disneyland.  The people I know who have lived in tourist towns and weren't employed in that industry, pretty much hate tourists, hate the traffic, hate the parking situation, and especially hate the fact that they can't buy sandpaper within 15 miles of home.

Bitch and moan all you want about Wally World.  How many mom and pop retail operations have profit sharing, employee stock ownership plans, 401k plans, health insurance and paid sick leave?  You know, all the stuff people working at Wal-Mart at least 28 hours a week have.  It's not a great job, but then retail pretty much never is.

What I hate is the goddamn similarity franchises cause. Every place looks like every other place. I range Highway 101 from Santa Barbara to Salinas, occasionally I5 up to Sacramento, and it all looks the fucking same from the freeway. The same beige bricks, neon, and same stores in the malls, etc. Here a Home Depot, there a Costco, everywhere a McDonalds.

I do like to get on the side roads and find me a small town cafe. Nine out of ten, better than fast food.

Dmtdust wrote:

How many Mom and Pop Stores teach their employees how to get welfare and foodstamps so they can continue to underpay them?  Thanks, oh brainless one.

Either way retail isn't the best of jobs, it's been a long time since I worked retail for a reason.  What I said about it is still true.  Having worked both types of places I'd rather work for Wally.  When I quit the place I had a years worth of money in profit sharing and stock.  If you, with your vast intellect, come up with a solution let me know.

Dmtdust wrote:

My vast intellect is always working on it.  I am hatching plans of watershed revolution and partition as I type.

Look, I'm fine with revolution and justice and all that, as long as 1) Karl Rove is publicly flayed and fed to rats (pay-per-view is OK) and 2) I don't have to pay more for my coffee.

I hate to break it to you, but Starbuck's is not coffee.  It is what you get after you boil old auto parts for a week.  God I hate that shit.

Dunkin' Donuts is okay.

Yes, Walmart the compassionate, the corporate wonder: http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/03/wa … nt_for.php

​Despite medical marijuana being legal in Michigan, WalMart has fired a cancer patient and former employee of the year who tested positive for the drug, which was recommended by his doctor.

"I was terminated because I failed a drug screening," ex-WalMart employee Joseph Casias told WZZM-13.

In 2008, Casias was Associate of the Year at the WalMart store in Battle Creek, Mich., despite suffering from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor.
​
At his doctor's recommendation, Casias legally uses medical marijuana to ease his pain.

"It helps tremendously," Casias said. "I only use it to stop the pain. To make me feel more comfortable and active as a person."

Casias said he went to work every day during his five years at WalMart. "I gave them everything," he said. "One hundred and ten percent every day. Anything they asked me to do, I did. More than they asked me to do. Twelve to 14 hours a day."

Then Casias sprained his knee at work last November. During the routine drug screening that follows all workplace injuries, marijuana was detected in his system.

Casias showed WalMart managers his Michigan medical marijuana card, but was fired anyway.

"I was told they do not accept or honor my medical marijuana card," Casias said.

Casias said he never smoked marijuana before going to work.

"No, I never came to work under the influence, ever," he said. "I don't think it's fair. Because I have a medical condition I can't work and provide for my family?"

"In states such as Michigan, where prescriptions for marijuana can be obtained, an employer can still enforce a policy that requires termination of employment following a positive drug screen," said WalMart spokesman Greg Rossiter from company headquarters.

"We believe our policy complies with the law, and we support decisions based on the policy," Rossiter said.

Casias has been collecting unemployment compensation since getting sacked in November, but this week he said he was notified that now WalMart is even challenging his eligibility for benefits.

"It's not fair," he said.

I know I won't be shopping at WalMart anytime soon. Who's with me?

Taint wrote:

Dmtdust wrote:

I know I won't be shopping at WalMart anytime soon. Who's with me?

Walmart always has been a shitty company preying on its customers and the communities it moves into. There are no Walmarts in San Francisco, so not shopping there is rather a moot point as far I'm concerned.

I don't shop there because it's too chaotic and the shoppers don't smell good. I like Internet shopping, which by its very nature has the same effect on local businesses as do the big boxes.  I assume Taint and Dusty and everyone who believes big corporations are stealing local business don't shop on the Internet.  That's true, isn't it?

I purchase very little over the Internet and - like Dusty - I bought a book from Amazon once. When I buy anything, I like to see it beforehand. When I buy books, and I buy a great many books, I buy them from locally owned bookstores. I like bookstores; I like being in a room full of books, full of people who share my love of books. I can talk to the employees about the books and frequently get good recommendations - and anecdotes - from them. Communities without bookstores are sterile. In my neighborhood alone are two bookstores I wander in and out of several times per week, just to be inside them and see what's going on. The employees know me.

I buy the vast majority of my groceries at small, locally owned produce stores, butchers, and grocers. The owners know me, know my tastes, make helpful suggestions, and respond quickly to my own requests. I also shop a local farmers' market pretty regularly, as well.

The one type of item I do buy online is computer equipment. When I have to make decisions about computers, I feel much more comfortable having plenty of information to read and that's most accessible on line. Otherwise, what's available on line that I can't find around San Francisco?

Like Dusty, I don't believe all corporations are bad, and I work and write for a few of them. But if I have the opportunity to use my money in a way that I believe benefits not only me but my community, why would I do it any other way?

phreddy wrote:

I don't shop [Walmart] because it's too chaotic and the shoppers don't smell good. I like Internet shopping, which by its very nature has the same effect on local businesses as do the big boxes.

I agree. Then again, I don't like shopping, period, at least not since I lived in Latin America and most of the markets I frequented were open air and demanded haggling, which I enjoy.

In this country, shopping seems designed exclusively for hunter-gatherer obsessed women. Forced to shop retail, if I can't find something on the net, I get it an go. It's endurance, down to my last pair of underwear, never recreation. And I'm poor enough, I haven't the luxury of deciding who gets my business.