The Evil Corporate Monster

According to the The Wall Street Journal, there is legislation that would most likely pass if Sen. Barack Obama were to gain the presidency that could possibly affect Wal-Mart to a great degree. It is called the Employee Free Choice Act. Most importantly, this could make it easier for unions to come into Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart managers and executives have been talking to employees "educating" them on what would happen if they vote for Obama. I don't feel there is anything wrong with this. If it is my company, I will push whatever agenda I wish. All employees have the right to walk out of Wal-Mart and quit their jobs if they don't agree.

The most interesting thing is a belief that Wal-Mart employees need to be saved from their evil employers and the union is the answer.

I used to work for Wal-Mart. They are by far one of the better employers I have ever had. Good pay, good benefits, easy advancement, clean working conditions. What more can a union do for the employees? That is the purpose of a union, to give the employees a voice. To stand up for them.

Wal-Mart obviously does not want unions. It will only hurt them. But it will also hurt the employee. Unions cost money. That is why those who run unions want more members. Think about the amount of money the union would take in if they could unionize Wal-Mart. Vice versa, Wal-Mart makes more money if there are no unions.

photo: www.progressivechristiansuniting.org

So it comes down to what is best for the employee. What else could Wal-Mart provide for employees that they don't already? New cars for every employee? Maybe a house to live in too. Well IF the union does get that for you, Wal-Mart loses money. Then they layoff workers. Or they close stores. And nobody gets cars, houses and may even lose those quality benefits they started out with.

It does not seem that difficult to me.

The Big One

Los Angeles experienced a 5.4 magnitude earthquake today. I was watching the news and one reporter mentioned this may be a preview of what may soon be "the big one."

Here is an article from msnbc.com predicting "the big one" happening within 30 years from 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7832219/.

We can all remember how devastating Katrina was. Now imagine L.A. when "the big one" hits. I am sure there are many minds working hard at an emergency plan, but there is no way it will ever be enough. It was predicted that the levees would eventually give in Louisiana.

I took a geology class in college and my professor mentioned this same exact thing. Its going to happen. Its going to happen soon. And when it does, its going to be very bad. So why not leave?

Why do we insist on habiting places that make no sense. Why rebuild New Orleans. OK, there is heritage and tradition there. So what. Its below sea level. Move on. But instead, we will funnel billions of dollars to the region in order to "rebuild".

Certainly you can not pick up a city, especially L.A., and move it across the country. I understand this. It may take even more money to relocate businesses, homes, families. But bad things are going to happen there. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when.

Smoking

Ever seen Kingpin? Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid. Roy Munson (Harrelson) was a bowler who lost his hand and meets Amish Ishmael Boorg (Quaid) and tries to teach him to bowl like a pro. Pretty funny movie. There is a scene in the movie where they are riding in the car and Munson offers Ishmael a cigarette. Ishmael tells Munson how bad they are for him. Munson replies by explaining how the tobacco company would not want their customers to die because if they were dead, they could not make any money. Therefore they would not make a product that would kill them...

I have decided to quit smoking. So far, so good. I have only been tempted maybe once or twice. Friday night, Saturday morning I think I smoked about two packs. John Wayne used to smoke four to five packs a day. I have no idea how in the hell he did that. He would have to be smoking all the time. There are 24 hours in a day, your awake for about 16 of them. There are 20 cigarettes in a pack. 20 cigarettes times four packs a day, equals 80 cigarettes. That is about five cigarettes an hour. That means a cigarette every twenty minutes. It takes about ten minutes to smoke it. There is no way!! I don't believe it.

I had smoked so much I felt ill. This is not the first time such an event has occurred. Just about every time I get a few drinks in me I smoke a pack. Every smoker knows how much money he wastes. We know how bad it is for our health. We know we smell bad. We know the tobacco companies are trying to kill us. But it's hard. It's very hard. And we all hate being told to stop.

I worked with this guy who used to smoke and thought he was God's gift to mankind. He was so great because he was able to quit smoking and drinking and follow a divine path. Wonderful, to each is own. But don't tell me how I need to live my life. It just makes me want to smoke more. So if you know a smoker, leave them the hell alone. They will quit when they want.

Intelligence

Blogging is stupid...

On that note, I met someone last night that was extremely smart. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and moved here to work for a very large American defense contractor. Oh ya, she is 22!!! As I sit here thinking about what the hell I have been doing for the past ten years, many stupid decisions come to mind. None of which I would like to currently disclose. I am in my mid-twenties and I am only a junior in college. I defend this with the excuse that I started late.

As I reminisce about those early days out of high school, I think about what makes us intelligent. I believe there are many different types of intelligence. Nobody can know everything. Some, such as the girl I met, put importance on things like book smarts. Lebron James went into the NBA right out of high school. He did not have any interest in higher education and he seems to be doing fine. Maybe that's a bad example. I think you get the idea.

All day I have been thinking about that girl I had met and felt so depressed because I could only think about how much better she will make the world and how much of a burden I put on it. I have decided that I think about stuff too much! I believe that you will succeed in the things you apply yourself to. She applied herself to getting through school and earning high grades. I applied myself to some not so wholesome endeavors.

I may place so much importance on intelligence because I feel it ties to success. I know there are stupid people that are rich and smart people that have nothing. I understand this. But aren't your chances of success a little higher if your smarter?

I think the conclusion I have come to is a quote my mother used to always say. I should have just listened to Mom

"You can be anything you want to be, as long as you put your mind to it."-MOM

Fast Food

Headlines are pleading, "Are we in a recession?", "How bad will the economy get before it gets better." Some people out there are convinced we will be in the middle of a scene from Mad Max in a matter of months. I suppose we will see. But things can't possibly be that bad. We are banning growth in some parts of the country.

The L.A. Times has reported a Los Angeles City Council committee voted to ban any new fast-food restaurants from being built. Find the story here. First of all, the criteria that defines a "fast-food" restaurant is still being debated. But why do they get to chose? How come the city council gets to decide what food I am going to eat? Do they think this will deter people from eating fast-food? I am not sure what they are trying to accomplish. If you don't want to eat right, your not going to eat right.

"I'm hungry, I think I'll head down to McDonalds. What, they did not build that new one right by my house? I guess since I will have to drive a little farther I will just go to the grocery store and cook at home."

How many times has this ever happened to you? None. I guess as long as you take away options, there is no choice. But hey, "they" are just watching out for you.

You don't have to eat right. This is America and you can eat anything you want. Well, at least you used to be able to.

Beach Bum

This just in!!! Ty Coughlin is a scam!!! But you already know that, don't you. Yet somehow this guy is making money. He has paid for every single radio spot currently running on the air. I don't understand. Why in the world would someone buy into this? Maybe I am the one who is out on this one. Maybe I should make the call.

Either way those commercials he is running make me want to throw myself into a jet engine. It feels like someone is putting a Dewalt to my temple. Maybe this is due to my lack of sleep.

I hate you Ty Coughlin.