China-Made Goods Hard to Avoid

I admit that I am not happy with “everything” being made in China but look at a couple of things --

It is NOT Wal-Mart, who is the full culprit.

Our government going back to Nixon, “toyed” with the China Government, giving all kinds of “secrets”.  Bill Clinton did the same --so we have to blame both parties.

Now to the main gist of my post.  Why don’t the companies who make products in the USA put it in large letters on their products.  When they advertise why don’t they loudly proclaim it. 

I have tried to buy American products and I can’t always find that prominately proclaimed on the packaging.  Tell the
customer, yes you might pay more, but you are getting a better product (not always for sure) made in this country.
Stand behind it and be proud of the product.

Though as I have posted before, the 3 elements of why the
manufacturing is leaving the US, is Big Government, Big
Unions and Big Corporations, all three entities saturated in greed at the expense of the masses.

Has WMW even listed on this site products made in the USA,
regardless if it is union made or not????

<i>...listed on this site products made in the USA...<i>

If you click on the “What is Required” link on that site, the requirements for something “Made in the USA” aren’t particularly strict. You might (maybe even likely) get something made by a foreign company or made with foreign ingredients. That’s like a Toyota plant in the US or a Boeing airplane assembled from sourced components.  It’d be great if there were easy answers.

Really, WalMartwatch!

Don’t you think 7 new blog threads in one day is a bit excessive?

It’d be great if there were easy answers.

True enough, tjc, but to my way of thinking buying something “assembled” in the US by American workers is preferable to something 100% foreign made.

There’s not much chance of knowing for sure where something comes from as long as consumers are willing to accept this:

Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported

Origin of Components: USA and/or Imported

And/or? That really nails it down.

Ken V,

“ but to my way of thinking buying something “assembled” in the US by American workers is preferable to something 100% foreign made.”

And, what is it, that makes you think that an American worker is SO much better than a foreign worker?  Aren’t many American workers, former foreign workers?

Don’t hurt yourself trying to think, RDS!

Much of the “logic” you attempt to post here RDS, falls in the category of the old… “if a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it still make a noise?

Screwedby WM

You posted an age old question—now give us the answer,
does it make a sound or not?  I do know the answer.

And, what is it, that makes you think that an American worker is SO much better than a foreign worker?  Aren’t many American workers, former foreign workers?

RDS in
Tuesday, July 03 at 11:24 AM

Stated like Judas himself RDS. Look how common and easy it is to betray the interest of America’s working class with endless WalMart worship propaganda efforts. Global Labor Arbitrage benefits the Waltons at #.35/hr labor in China, not the U.S. workforce. The ‘love of money’ attitude prevails over the manufacturing and job interest of your fellow Americans.
RDS doesn’t give a crap and paid WalMart propaganda trolling is the reason. What a patriot.

WalMart- The Waltons want to thank all the American lost manufacturing job suckers in the great sending of their jobs overseas. They made 10s of billions at labor’s expense. WalMart/Walton capitalism for the benefit of the few.

And, what is it, that makes you think that an American worker is SO much better than a foreign worker? 

RDS in
Tuesday, July 03 at 11:24 AM

So are the foreign workers better than you were Bob?
Should you have taken a pay cut to compete with them?

R E M E M B E R
J O N Q U I E R E
Q U E B E C
Home of Walmart Worker Abuse
We will never forget what you did Walmart.
Never

R E M E M B E R
J A C K S O N V I L L E
T E X A S
Home of Walmart Worker Abuse

Alex,

“So are the foreign workers better than you were Bob?
Should you have taken a pay cut to compete with them?”

I didn’t say they were better, I just said they were no worse!!  And, if it meant my job, you bet I would be willing to take a pay cut, a smaller amount of money, is better than NO money at all!! 

Now, to an American worker, a Canadian worker is a foreign worker, are you saying that Canadian workers ‘assemble’ things worse than American workers?  Fact is, there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ workers all over the world, even in America!!

That is just what everyone needs. More plastic crap from China to put in your garage and then pay for storage. Buy quality and save your money for the nice products that will last. Trashmart is filling up the garbage dumps!! Ecology with a Chinese Al Gore smile.

...you bet I would be willing to take a pay cut, a smaller amount of money..

That, in a nutshell, is the rationale for the “race to the bottom”.  Too bad the ‘haves’ don’t share your sentiments, RDS. Things could be getting better instead of worse. The choice is yours.

An Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy report estimates that if “minimum wage had risen at the same pace as CEO pay since 1990, it would be worth $22.61 today

“That, in a nutshell, is the rationale for the “race to the bottom”. ~ Ken V.”

So, are you saying, that if you were an autoworker making $65.00 an hour (wages and benefits) and they said it was either take a cut to $55.00 an hour (wage and benefits), or they were going to close down the plant and you would be out of a job, you would say, “No way, I’m not getting into your ‘race to the bottom’ senerio, I’ll lose my job before I will take a cut in pay?

That’s part of the outsourcing problem, people here have over priced themselves in the labor market and never want to correct it, instead, they want MORE!!  The second part, is that we are moving into a different AGE!!

So, are you saying...

I’m saying putting workers in the position where they have to take less to remain employed is going in the wrong direction.

...people here have over priced themselves in the labor market...

It’s difficult not to be over-priced when you’re competing with slaves.

I wait for the day some enterprising country (like India) realizes US upper-level management is way over-priced and that cost-conscious companies would gladly outsource their business leaders. Then you’ll hear the pig squeal!

Ken V,

“I’m saying putting workers in the position where they have to take less to remain employed is going in the wrong direction.”

Whoever said here, that American workers need to take a cut in pay?  All that has ever been said was they don’t need BIG raises!!

“It’s difficult not to be over-priced when you’re competing with slaves.”

Do you think that people were saying that about the U.S., when the average wage here was 25 cents an hour in the early 40’s, (Oh, the U.S. has slave labor)?  You have to put things in perspective, those countries are basically entering the industrial age, and we are moving out of it!!

“Whoever said here, that American workers need to take a cut in pay?  All that has ever been said was they don’t need BIG raises!!”

Sam Walton you imbecile-

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wal-Mart#_note-
iswalmartgood

“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” PBS. November 16, 2004. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.

WalMart- Our products are sold from a Chinese manufacturing base that pays $.35/hr in 2007. We betrayed American workers and gave most of the money to the Waltons. Global Labor Arbitrage is great for the few pigs at the trough. This is RDS patriotism WalMart style.

Advice for Ken V

Rather than wasting your energy trying to get through to RDS, while you’re out hugging a tree, you might find it more emotionally satisfying to have a good talk with a rock?

RDS,

You said - “Do you think that people were saying that about the U.S., when the average wage here was 25 cents an hour in the early 40’s?  You have to put things in perspective, those countries are basically entering the industrial age, and we are moving out of it!!”

To break it down for the simpletons with tunnel-vision, out there--money spends differently in developing countries than in the U.S., and Western Europe...why else do you think a lot of retiring Americans move to places like Mexico and the Philippines?

Bill

“Do you think that people were saying that about the U.S., when the average wage here was 25 cents an hour in the early 40’s, (Oh, the U.S. has slave labor)?  You have to put things in perspective, those countries are basically entering the industrial age, and we are moving out of it!!”
RDS economic bullshit methodology-

Translation-

We are so desperate to avoid, evade, distort, deny, disclaim the fact that American manufacturing and good paying jobs have been betrayed by WalMart imports with $.35/hr Chinese labor that we must reference $.25/hr labor in the 1940s to have it all make sense. Nothing like putting things in perspective to give aroma stink therapy cover again for WalMart the low wage leader. Like Sam said-

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wal-Mart#_note-
iswalmartgood

“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” PBS. November 16, 2004. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.

WalMart- We are not just impoverishment paying jobs! We are trying to send anything overseas for that $.35/hr Chinese labor. The Waltons thank you for subscribing to undermining your neighbor and your fellow Americans. After all it is OK with RDS and Bill and Nick and the other WalMart worship patriot ‘love of money’ slobs.

The Strange Land of Bobillnick

SDV:

Did I ever tell you about that strange land called Bobillnick?  In Bobillnick they all communicate using Walspeak and interpret the world around them by using Boblogic.  To understand Boblogic you just have to understand that up is down, wrong is right, and bad really means good.

This is why you so often see RDS and Nick strutting around saying, “I’m bad!” “I’m bad!”

Seriously...I think you guys should consider an offer like Wal-Mart’s One Minute Funeral Service.  You are perfect candidates.  Can you imagine the serenity or peace of mind you will have knowing that you turned to Wal-Mart when it comes time to leave this Happy Hyper-Consuming Ball called Earth, and head for that Big Discount Store in the sky?  Just imagine-- cars zooming in and out of another Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot over your dead body! It’s the ultimate gift that ALL Wal-Mart shoppers would die to get. (pun intended) Maybe if you act quickly, Wal-Mart would even give you a family discount.  That way you can have your Aunt Mabel, Uncle Willy, all your cousins, and other loved ones buried beside you as you R.I.P. (Does that stand for Rot In Parkinglot?)

Yeah...I Read You Loud and Clear, Bill!

“...why else do you think a lot of retiring Americans move to places like Mexico and the Philippines?”

Ohh...now I get it Bill!!  In other words, all those cheapskate “average” Americans like yourself think America is an OK place to hang around while making a living and while getting fatter financially and otherwise due to the imports made by Chinese, Bangladesh, and Mexican slave laborers that help you to “stretch your dollars farther” when you shop at Wal-Mart. Then when it comes time to retire and give something back, it’s “Goodbye America,” leaving the rest of the taxpayers that stay behind to foot the bill.  Is that it?

If you think the places you mentioned are so great, why don’t you become a tax paying citizen in those countries and do us all a favor and leave NOW?  It was people like you who were saying during the Vietnam War, “America...Love it or Leave it!”

SDV,

“Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”

I don’t know, but I’ve read this a number of times and guess what, I see NOWHERE, where it says anything about CUTTING WAGES!!  Does anyone out there see it?

“good paying jobs”

Isn’t that saying ‘good paying jobs = overpaid jobs on the world market’?  What other countries pay wages higher than the U.S. for the same work?

“RDS economic bullshit methodology-”

Translation- I don’t accept history and reality, I would rather make up the past and consider reality to be abstract and to be replaced by SDV’s idea of reality!!

Bill,

Don’t you know that everything in the world is equal to the U.S., except wages that is?

It is hard to get some people to look at reality and actually recall the past correctly!!  I know when I worked for $1.25 an hour in the 60’s, I in no way thought I was a slave!!  I know when I talk about the past, to my grandchildren, they don’t believe it either, because to them, things have always been the way they are now!!  My 10 year old grandson even asked me one time, what kind of video games I played when I was his age!!

The WalMart crew is giving new meaning to the word quisling.
You have captured it all very nicely Screwed. Unfortunately the Bentonville blogger slobs would rather beat the crap out of some petty theft suspect and kill him on the hot parking lot pavement before they bury themselves under it. Justice WalMart style.

This is why you so often see RDS and Nick strutting around saying, “I’m bad!” “I’m bad!”

“...why else do you think a lot of retiring Americans move to places like Mexico and the Philippines?”
Bill running out on his fellow Americans-

Great moralists and patriotic quislings wanting to get out of dodge for a few bucks. The WalMart patriotic business model infection overtakes America’s culture quislings. Goodbye Bill and don’t let the door hit you in the head while you run out on your fellow Americans. Typically fitting the definition of a WalMart patriot.

The WalMart patriotic business model...

You have to give Sam Walton credit. As a retailer he had no problem putting a price tag on his patriotism. 10% of cost, I believe it was.

“...why else do you think a lot of retiring Americans move to places like Mexico and the Philippines?”

Or Arkansas, RDS? I wonder what would happen to the booming economy of Arkansas if Wal-Mart moved HO to Beijing?  But then, that possibility has already occurred to you, huh, RDS?

I’M Sure RDS is Polishing His Mandarin Dialect Right Now

“...that possibility has already occurred to you, huh, RDS?”

Why stop with the “booming economy of Arkansas if Wal-Mart moved HO to Beijing,” Ken?

What would happen to the American economy if this scenario played itself out?  I know one thing, I’d get a big kick out of seeing Lee Scott get his marching orders someday from Chairman Wat Went Wong in the Communist Party, when America can’t pay it’s debt to China.

Ken V,

“Or Arkansas, RDS? I wonder what would happen to the booming economy of Arkansas if Wal-Mart moved HO to Beijing?  But then, that possibility has already occurred to you, huh, RDS?”

First, I don’t see that happening, but let’s say it did, okay?  I don’t see where that would have very much impact on the State of Arkansas, because the HQ has very little impact on the state, the operations would continue!!  Wasn’t ENRON located in Texas?  Did their demise, cause you to want to leave Texas?  Besides, Wal-Mart isn’t the only worldwide business in Arkansas!!  Remember who bought the Dallas Cowboys, he was from Arkansas and had little to do with Wal-Mart!!

RDS,

For the record, I do not advocate Wal-Mart moving the HQ overseas, but something you said had me thinking…

Enron wasn’t the only one leaving Houston--Halliburton is also headed for an offshore home in Dubai.

I would be curious to hear Ken’s take on this, as he says he’s from Texas…

Bill

SanDiegoView,

Nice “cheap shot” on my patriotism, shit-wit…

I served my country--what was the last thing you ever did for your country?

And no, doing time in the “anti-Wal-Mart Army” doesn’t count.

Bill

...because the HQ has very little impact on the state

Just when i think you’ve maxed out in your ability to write something stupid, you come along and surprise me again, RDS.

Little impact? Why is it you can get 100 flights a day in and out of Bentonville?  All those vendors with their obsequious corporate annexes are chopped liver?

And no, doing time in the “anti-Wal-Mart Army” doesn’t count.

Playing the “service to my country” card is so much fun. Does serving on a US Navy submarine* count?

RDS likes to play the “age” card. Now Nick joins in with the “military service” card. Do any of these tarot cards make them more believable?

*Submariners dive deeper and stay down longer. :o)

Ken,

“Does serving on a US Navy submarine count?”

Of course, it does...not a whole lot of people can lay claim to doing sub time...I respect that.

And you are also correct about NW Arkansas Regional Airport and the vendors--they pretty much drive that area (as was evidenced on a recent program on CNBC, which prompted me to come here).

That’s all--I’ve exceeded my compliment quota…

Bill

Wow Bill!, are you the patriotism police after WalMart worship flag waving economic cowardice? Oh I get it. It is time to play ‘I served my country one-upmanship’ over the internet. Betray your fellow Americans economically and then do a little keyboard chest thumping military service parade around the 4th of July. So running out on the U.S. with the WalMart traitor business model you so obviously bow down to Bill, running out on America’s manufacturing base is not so unpatriotic for you. You have a WalMart patriotism that stinks to high heaven and your unsubstantiated claims of ‘service to your country’ don’t cut it for an economics and patriotism argument. You shot yourself in the foot by shooting off your mouth singing for the WalMart/Chinese $.35/hr cheap labor business exercise at the expense of vast American jobs.

WalMart- The best financial friend the Chinese communist ever had. Bill doesn’t mind giving the People’s Liberation Army a pay raise while screwing America’s workforce. WalMart patriotism kissing the feet of Sam Walton’s empire built on labor exploitation, health care tax subsidies and Global Labor Arbitrage-

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton once said, “I pay low wages. I can take advantage of that. We’re going to be successful, but the basis is a very low-wage, low-benefit model of employment.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wal-Mart#_note-
iswalmartgood

“Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” PBS. November 16, 2004. Retrieved on February 24, 2007.

Bill you are a shit-wit quisling indeed.

Yeah, Bill, I had a feeling you were going to be a little more reasonable than the average bear. Careful or you’ll fall into the Someone/Mary paradox.

(It’s gruesome to watch!:o)

I am so damn tired of you people coming in here with other Wal Mart’s garbage. ~ Stella (on returns)

Bill,

“So running out on the U.S. with the WalMart traitor business model you so obviously bow down to Bill, running out on America’s manufacturing base is not so unpatriotic for you. ~ SDV”

Isn’t it nice of him to turn on you?  Guess he hasn’t heard, that we are moving OUT of the Industrial Age (manufacturing)!!  He, like the people in the past, hate to see things change, just like the farmers during the Agricultural Age, hated to see that pass and the Industrial Age come in!!

All through history, there have been people like this, they were the ones telling the patriots, not to upset England, before the Revolutionary war, they were the ones who yelled “get a horse” at people in automobiles and the ones that said “If man were meant to fly, he would have been born with wings”, these were all ANTI people, anti progress, with messages of DOOM!!

“Little impact? Why is it you can get 100 flights a day in and out of Bentonville?  All those vendors with their obsequious corporate annexes are chopped liver? ~ Ken V.”

First, I doubt that they would close the buyers offices, as they still do have a lot of American vendors!!  And, second, it is only them that claim the HQ will move!!  The only reason I see that they might move, is if the anti people put pressure on the government to put the screws to Wal-Mart!!

“Enron wasn’t the only one leaving Houston--Halliburton is also headed for an offshore home in Dubai.

I would be curious to hear Ken’s take on this, as he says he’s from Texas…”

Notice how Ken V. didn’t respond to this?

RDS Strikes Again

“...because the HQ has very little impact on the state”

I was going to jump on this...but I see Ken beat me to it!  The stupidity of your post is obvious to all and speaks volumes about you RDS.  But then you follow it with yet another:

“First, I doubt that they would close the buyers offices...”

Yeah, I’m pretty sure the people of Seattle felt the same way and never thought Boeing would leave for Chicago, Illinois.

Why wouldn’t they close the buying offices in Bentonville if the HO moved to China?  Since most of the majority of Wal-Mart’s procurement/manufacturing is done in China there would be few reasons to have buying offices here.

You have no right to criticize the posts of SDV or anyone else RDS, until you remove both of your feet from your mouth!

Notice how Ken V. didn’t respond to this?

To begin with I like to avoid being side-tracked from the topic of Wal-Mart to politics. Second, is anyone surprised that Haliburton is bailing out of Texas/US as the Bush/Cheney debacle winds to a close?

By the time this admistration leaves office there will be nothing and no one left to hold responsible. Anyone seen Don Rumsfeld lately?

How did electing (twice) an Oil President compare to a Prez getting a bj in the oval office? (As I recall the news made the price of gas go down!:o)

**Don’t start slipping already, Bill. You believe I was in the Navy but question if I live in Texas.  Wha???

Check with the War Room, Bill. They know who I am and where I live! ((((trembles))):o)

Ken V,

Nice sidestepping of the question and spinning it to the Bush Administration!!  The question was , “Did Enron and Halliburton leaving Texas destroy the state”?

Arkansas is more than just Wal-Mart!!

Screwedby,

Did American Motors leaving Milwaukee and Kenosha, Wi., destroy either of those cities or the state?  It was said that if AMC ever left Kenosha, the city would die, have you ever been to Kenosha lately, it’s far from dead, in fact, it’s growing?

...spinning it to the Bush Administration!!

In your cloistered world-view, RDS, you may be able to separate the Bush/Cheney team from Halliburton, but I can’t.

Attempting to compare Texas and Arkansas on any level is ludicrous.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

SanDiegoView,

You said something along the lines of “America’s manufacturing base””.

Hate to break the bad news to you, buddy boy, but this country’s manufacturing base eroded long before clowns like you ever knew Wal-Mart existed.

Before it was “made in China”, it was all “made in Japan” (until manufacturing in that country became more expensive than our own).

You’ll “get it” someday—and when you do, I will be there to laugh in your face...promise!

Bill

Ken,

If I didn’t know better, I would guess you have some sort of obsession that I am someone else besides “just me”.

I saw where you lumped my name in paranthesis next to RDS and Nick, as if I was one of those two.

I can assure you I am neither.

And now, you say for me to check with the “war room” (I doubt those guys are listed in the Bentonville phone book).

Come to think of it, I have never been to Bentonville (but after spending quality time with you guys, I just may make a trip ther

As to who I could be, I may be one of your co-workers (assuming you have a regular job), one of your neighbors, or even one of your relatives.

But then again, I may just be some new guy you never knew.

Screwed,

“I’m pretty sure the people of Seattle felt the same way and never thought Boeing would leave for Chicago, Illinois.”

For the record, only the corporate brass from Boeing made the move from Seattle to Chicago (which was deemed a “neutral” location after their big merger with St. Louis-based McDonnell-Douglas).

The plant facilties at Seattle, Long Beach, and St. Louis are all alive and well (and doing remarkably well in the face of Airbus with Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner).

Bill

Bill,

“Come to think of it, I have never been to Bentonville (but after spending quality time with you guys, I just may make a trip ther “

As Mikey used to say in the commercial, “Try it, you’ll like it”!!  I used to live in Upper Wisconsin and visited the NW corner of Arkansas, where Bentonville is located and now I have lived here in Springdale, for 17 years now.  And, I wouldn’t even consider returning to Wisconsin!!

Ken V,

“Attempting to compare Texas and Arkansas on any level is ludicrous.”

You got that right, I’ve been to Texas and you couldn’t pay me to live there, my brother lived in Killeen for 3 years and left and I have a friend who lived in Fort Worth for 5 years and left!!

But, all that doesn’t answer the question, “Did Enron and Haliburton leaving Texas kill the state”?

“Did Enron and Haliburton leaving Texas kill the state”?

To begin with Enron didn’t leave the state. They were dragged off in shackles. As for Halliburton, I’m sure their leaving will cost the Houston economy, but to try to compare the impact on Texas with the impact of Wal-Mart on Arkansas is absurd.

Tell me, RDS, with all those planes flying in and out of Bentonville, what’s the air quality like there in Heaven?

P.S. If I didn’t know better...

Know better, Bill! I couldn’t care less who you are.

After reading a few of your posts, however, I would be willing to venture as guess as to what you are. You are what I like to call a pro Wal-Mart dilettante.  We get them here all the time.

Armed with a short report on the Beast of Bentonville, (MSNBC I believe you said it was) you ride in on a gossamer horse of self-importance expecting to defend Wal-Mart as the paragon of capitalism with nothing more than your brilliance. You come ill-prepared.

The only glimmer of hope for you came when you balked at a totally preposterous pro Wal-Mart statement. Apparently you’ve had time to reflect and have opted to take the Blue pill.

“You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.” ~ Morpheus

Are you sure you want to do this, Bill?

OH “Bill"---

“...you say for me to check with the “war room” (I doubt those guys are listed in the Bentonville phone book).”

You might want to try looking in Who’s Who in Washington, D.C, “Bill”.

There ya go “Bill!” If RDS recommends Arkansas, how bad could it be?
“I have lived here in Springdale, for 17 years now.

Thank you Ken V:

You finally identified the key to RDS’s condition.  He’s been sniffing that NW Arkansas air for too long!

“Tell me, RDS, with all those planes flying in and out of Bentonville, what’s the air quality like there in Heaven?”

Ken V,

“To begin with Enron didn’t leave the state. They were dragged off in shackles. As for Halliburton, I’m sure their leaving will cost the Houston economy, but to try to compare the impact on Texas with the impact of Wal-Mart on Arkansas is absurd.”

Who cares, Enron is GONE, isn’t it and Halliburton is talking about leaving right?

And, I also know about that TEXAS ego, it’s the greatest state in the country, right?  The state that bred the Enron officials and the Halliburton officials, and President Bush, so much to be proud of!!  And, “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys, who is it again that OWNS them, WOW, it’s Jerry Jones, and where is he from, why Arkansas of course!!

And, the air here is just fine, thank you!!

As for the question of Wal-Mart moving it’s HO, isn’t that just one of those “IF’S”, that you guys keep complaining about?

...so much to be proud of!!

You’re subjective appraisal aside, RDS, Bill’s original statement:

Enron wasn’t the only one leaving Houston--Halliburton is also headed for an offshore home in Dubai.

I would be curious to hear Ken’s take on this, as he says he’s from Texas…

Correct me if I’m wrong but I interpreted Bill’s remarks to mean my ‘take’ on the economic ramifications of losing Enron and Halliburton. Like losing them would have an equivalent effect on Texas as Arkansas losing Wal-Mart.

My take is if you think these examples are analogous, you’re wrong.

Sure, losing a couple of high-dollar corporations isn’t helpful, but you have to put it in perspective.  Wal-Mart is big, but so is Texas. Dare I borrow the Bentonville rationale? A drop in the bucket.

State Rankings—Statistical Abstract of the United States
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY STATE IN CURRENT DOLLARS, 2005

Texas $982 (billion) Ranked #2

Arkansas $87 (billion) Ranked #34

In Texas we have the death penalty, and WE USE IT! If you come to Texas and kill someone, we’ll kill you back.  That’s our policy! ~ Ron White

Perhaps RDS Would Like to Check Out This Link Too!

Take a look at what your relocation to Arkansas got you RDS:

<a >Standard of Living by state</a>

Oh I hate when that happens!  Nevertheless, the link is good.

(You left out the “ after html:o)

Standard of Living by state

YUP!

Sometimes it’s the little things that are very significant!  Thanks, Ken!

North West Arkansas will skew that data for the state of Arkansas.  NWA almost needs to be treated as its own state.  When I tell someone where I am from I never say Arkansas, I always tell them North West Arkansas.

I agree with RDS that NWA is a great place to live.  Thats why so many people that are relocated here from Chicago, NY, NJ, Cali, TX… Stay here.  The job market is incredible and the area is beautiful.

Screwedby,

“Take a look at what your relocation to Arkansas got you RDS:”

So, what does all this mean:

Wisconsin: $69 95 $73
Texas:  $55 89 $61
Arkansas:  $48 87 $56

There is no legend to tell what these figures mean (thousands, etc.), does it mean that if a family of 4 in Wisconsin that has an income of $69, minus the cost of living factor, has a standard of living of $73 or $4 more than the U.S. average?  If so, then I in Arkansas, have: $48 minus 87 COL and a SOL of $56, or $8 more than the U.S. average!!  Therefore, I can afford to make LESS and still be ahead of where I would be had I stayed in Wisconsin, making the same amount of money!!  In other words, to have a SOL in Arkansas = to Wisconsin, all I would have to make is $65, compared to your $69!!

Maybe You’d Like to Gnaw on This, RDS

Education Level of the Manufacturing Workforce

Rank
11....Wisconsin 1.33
14....Texas 1.25
50....Arkansas 0.01

Look who’s dead last RDS!

Screwedby,

And, what does that have to do with Quality of Life and Cost of Living? 

Besides, how much education do you need to put a bolt in a hole, put a nut on it and tighten, which is what a lot of manufacturing jobs are, repetition?

Why would a college graduate take a position like that, is that what they went to college for, to end up on an assembly line?  All you proved, was that there are LESS jobs in fields other than manufacturing, for college grads in your state!!

Why would a college graduate take a position like that, is that what they went to college for, to end up on an assembly line?

Twenty years of schoolin’
And they put you on the day shift... ~ Bob Dylan

Your memory is short, RDS. You don’t remember the Phd’s baggin’ groceries after the tech bubble popped?

The ‘race to the bottom’ lowers all ships!  (except maybe the yachts at the very top.)

Ken V,

“Your memory is short, RDS. You don’t remember the Phd’s baggin’ groceries after the tech bubble popped?”

Well, I never went to college and never had to work ‘baggin’ groceries or had to work at McDonald’s or Wal-Mart!!  So, maybe I’m smarter than some of those college graduates!!  Sometimes ‘Life Experience Learning’ can be ‘better’ than ‘Book Learning’!!  One of my former bosses, was a multi-millionaire and owned the company, which he started with an ‘IDEA’, he quit school after 6th grade!!

Once again, RDS, I’m completely confused.  Are you for or against a college education?

Wal-Mart—a low-end store for the proletariat, not the bourgeoisie. ~ Natalie McNeal

Ken,

OK, I’ll bite...as Natalie McNeal is a reporter based in Miami, who died and made her the authority on stores?

Sometimes, Ken, I truly believe your ego suffers from an acute case of “keyboard diaherria"…

Bill

...her the authority on stores?

I dare say that dead or alive she was just as much an authority on Wal-Mart as you are.

There is more to life than “cheap underwear“. ~ The Peninsula Neighborhood Association

Shhhh… “Bill”

“Sometimes, Ken, I truly believe your ego suffers from an acute case of “keyboard diaherria"…

“Bill” I think you are confusing Ken with either of your two friends… RDS and Nick.

Shhh… be vewy, vewy, kwywit “Bill.” Your buddy Nick is twyin to reformulate his health plan for Amarewicka.

Ken V,

“Are you for or against a college education?”

I am for people going to college to get a degree to better themselves in life, but, I am against the idea that EVERYONE should go to college, mainly for the purpose of playing cards, having wild parties and girls posing for “College Girls Gone Wild”, as a means to evade growing up and having to get a job, while their parents support them for 4 more years and ending up working at McDonalds, asking “Would you like fries with that?, I’m skilled, I have a college education!!”.

“And, what does that have to do with Quality of Life and Cost of Living?’
RDS hypocrisy making the rounds again-

RDS,

You’re a WalMart worship imbecile remember? You are not to be mentioning ‘Cost of Living’… ever. It is forbidden by the WalMart/Edelman phrase and language manual. Next thing you know, you will be involved in concepts like ‘living wage’ and giving additional weight, notice and support to the reality about how low WalMart’s wages really are. You remind me of the guy who jumps into the dinghy with the thin wooden bottom even before you go visit Fredo.

...mainly for the purpose of playing cards, having wild parties and girls posing for “College Girls Gone Wild”...

You make it sound like it’s a bad thing???

(I guess this means you weren’t a fan of the spread Playboy did a couple of years back entitled: Women of Wal-Mart, huh?:o)

I’m not going to use the tired old cliche ‘get a life’, RDS, because you have one. It’s just terribly bleak!

Ken,

Do I detect a little “envy” in Texas?

RDS has said he’s retired.  Where I come from, that means that (other than Mrs. RDS), he doesn’t have to answer to anyone.  He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants...no worries about “the man”...jobs...anything…

If that’s your definition of “bleak”, not only do you suffer from some serious keyboard diaherria, but you might suffer from a case of mental constipation, too…

Bill

...keyboard diaherria...

I don’t mind you borrowing my material, Bill, but I have to insist you spell it correctly.

d-i-a-r-r-h-e-a

SDV,

“Next thing you know, you will be involved in concepts like ‘living wage’ and giving additional weight, notice and support to the reality about how low WalMart’s wages really are.”

You still have a problem distingushing between “Wages” and “Cost of Living”, don’t you?  If I made $10.00 an hour, and it cost me $200.00 a week to live, and YOU made $50.00 an hour and it cost you $2000.00 a week to live, and we both worked 40 hours per week, who is ahead of the game, you with your higher wage and higher COL, or me with my lower wage and lower COL?  Don’t forget, the COL is based on local “ability to pay”!!  Why do you think rents, gas prices and etc., are so different between California and Arkansas?

Now, maybe I’ll go fishing this afternoon or I might just take a nap!!

RDS,

The lack of comment on my message is proof:

Ken V in Texas is envious of you!

Enjoy…

Bill

http://19d3271e4596c11c2e4f595ca74a70cc-t.odsxfx.org 19d3271e4596c11c2e4f595ca74a70cc http://19d3271e4596c11c2e4f595ca74a70cc-b1.odsxfx.org 19d3271e4596c11c2e4f595ca74a70cc http://19d3271e4596c11c2e4f595ca74a70cc-b3.odsxfx.org 82f6f41a12f5d0f876f2f92d6541f238