Wal-Martization of the American mind?

okie wrote:

Cycloptichorn wrote:
okie wrote:
I know at least a couple Walmart employees and they tend to be happier working for Walmart than other places they've worked. I'm sure this varies. But I'm curious why you believe Walmart is any more of an environmental disaster than other stores?

Other big-box stores are bad as well, but Walmart has a spectacularly poor record of cleanliness. The huge parking lots that these stores have encourage gigantic amounts of toxin runoff into the local water table when it rains and actively harm aquifers and local life around them.

The stores themselves are usually quite poorly ventilated and over time build up high levels of particulates in the air. This isn't a problem for Walmart more so then other stores, but a problem with many big-box stores, and they are the biggest.

It takes extra money to design one's store to be more friendly to the surrounding environs - and extra money isn't part of the business model.

Cycloptichorn

That is whacky post, cyclops. Unbelievable really.

What is unbelievable about this post?

Cycloptichorn

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Well, its a pretty ignorant post. In the first place, your beloved government has layers and layers of regulations for building stores, and local governments have all kinds of regulations and zoning laws, plus building inspectors, plus the buildings must be positioned for proper runoff, etc. If you are unhappy with modern civilization, which includes buildings, then I don't see how you are going to change it. We don't live in caves anymore. And if you want parking lots remain dirt instead of pavement, then you are fighting an uphill battle, just one example of one of your complaints.

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okie wrote:

Well, its a pretty ignorant post. In the first place, your beloved government has layers and layers of regulations for building stores, and local governments have all kinds of regulations and zoning laws, plus building inspectors, plus the buildings must be positioned for proper runoff, etc. If you are unhappy with modern civilization, which includes buildings, then I don't see how you are going to change it. We don't live in caves anymore. And if you want parking lots remain dirt instead of pavement, then you are fighting an uphill battle, just one example of one of your complaints.

What a ridiculous thing to write. In truth, there are clean and dirty ways to design stores and parking lots; Walmart doesn't pay extra to do it the clean way.

You blame everything on the gov't, which I should remind you, is YOUR government as well. Where I live, here in Berkeley, we don't allow stores with big enough parking lots to cause bad environmental runoff - and everyone gets by perfectly fine without them.

Cycloptichorn

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That figures. I should have known you live in the Peoples Republic of Berkeley. So your environment is better there because your parking lots are built different? I wouldn't bet on it cyclops. So enlighten me on the environmentally friendly way to build a parking lot.

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Sometimes People's Republic is used sarcastically to refer to any predominantly left-wing or liberal area, especially those cities or states with a large, leftist, university population. The usage probably derives from the late 1960s, when The People's Republic of Berkeley (California) was used to describe the site of the radical Free Speech Movement. Similarly, the cities of Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; Michigan; Toronto, Ontario; Cambridge, Massachusetts and Madison, Wisconsin are nicknamed The People's Republic of Austin, The People's Republic of Boulder, The People's Republic of Michigan, The People's Republic of Toronto, The People's Republic of Cambridge and The People's Republic of Madison, respectively, for their left-wing reputations. Attribution of the moniker is particularly prevalent in cases where a municipality represents an island of liberal politics within a more conservative, especially rural, area. Despite the derisive manner in which the term is used, some have come to adopt it, usually in an ironic manner. For example, there is a pub in Cambridge dubbed People's Republik, complete with faux-Cyrillic type on its storefront.

In the 1970s, industrial areas in the north of England were known as the People's (or Socialist) Republic of South Yorkshire." Wadham College, part of the University of Oxford has been called the "People's Republic of Wadham," as a result of its reputation for radicalism.

The city of Cork, Ireland is often jocularly referred to as "The People's Republic of Cork,".. The People's Republic of Cork is a part of a lucrative enterprise that manufactures popular t-shirts as well as a rather trivial website where middle class people write in fake demotic.

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okie wrote:

That figures. I should have known you live in the Peoples Republic of Berkeley. So your environment is better there because your parking lots are built different? I wouldn't bet on it cyclops. So enlighten me on the environmentally friendly way to build a parking lot.

You could have looked at the 'location' under my name for over a year now and known the same thing. I haven't made any secret of it; and why should I? It's an absolutely beautiful place, clean, great weather, good food, nice people, lots of employment opportunities. You can knock on it all you like and it won't change the fact that it's a superior place to live then where 90% of Americans live, guaranteed.

Here's a good place to start learning about parking lots and runoff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_lot

Then go here:

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lcr/LGIEN2002-0017.html

Our environment is better here, because people care about it.

Cycloptichorn

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dyslexia wrote:

Sometimes People's Republic is used sarcastically to refer to any predominantly left-wing or liberal area, especially those cities or states with a large, leftist, university population. The usage probably derives from the late 1960s, when The People's Republic of Berkeley (California) was used to describe the site of the radical Free Speech Movement. Similarly, the cities of Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; Michigan; Toronto, Ontario; Cambridge, Massachusetts and Madison, Wisconsin are nicknamed The People's Republic of Austin, The People's Republic of Boulder, The People's Republic of Michigan, The People's Republic of Toronto, The People's Republic of Cambridge and The People's Republic of Madison, respectively, for their left-wing reputations. Attribution of the moniker is particularly prevalent in cases where a municipality represents an island of liberal politics within a more conservative, especially rural, area. Despite the derisive manner in which the term is used, some have come to adopt it, usually in an ironic manner. For example, there is a pub in Cambridge dubbed People's Republik, complete with faux-Cyrillic type on its storefront.

In the 1970s, industrial areas in the north of England were known as the People's (or Socialist) Republic of South Yorkshire." Wadham College, part of the University of Oxford has been called the "People's Republic of Wadham," as a result of its reputation for radicalism.

The city of Cork, Ireland is often jocularly referred to as "The People's Republic of Cork,".. The People's Republic of Cork is a part of a lucrative enterprise that manufactures popular t-shirts as well as a rather trivial website where middle class people write in fake demotic.

It denotes areas that are sympathetic to communist ideas, dys, which helps you if you need a summary.

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okie wrote:

dyslexia wrote:
Sometimes People's Republic is used sarcastically to refer to any predominantly left-wing or liberal area, especially those cities or states with a large, leftist, university population. The usage probably derives from the late 1960s, when The People's Republic of Berkeley (California) was used to describe the site of the radical Free Speech Movement. Similarly, the cities of Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; Michigan; Toronto, Ontario; Cambridge, Massachusetts and Madison, Wisconsin are nicknamed The People's Republic of Austin, The People's Republic of Boulder, The People's Republic of Michigan, The People's Republic of Toronto, The People's Republic of Cambridge and The People's Republic of Madison, respectively, for their left-wing reputations. Attribution of the moniker is particularly prevalent in cases where a municipality represents an island of liberal politics within a more conservative, especially rural, area. Despite the derisive manner in which the term is used, some have come to adopt it, usually in an ironic manner. For example, there is a pub in Cambridge dubbed People's Republik, complete with faux-Cyrillic type on its storefront.

In the 1970s, industrial areas in the north of England were known as the People's (or Socialist) Republic of South Yorkshire." Wadham College, part of the University of Oxford has been called the "People's Republic of Wadham," as a result of its reputation for radicalism.

The city of Cork, Ireland is often jocularly referred to as "The People's Republic of Cork,".. The People's Republic of Cork is a part of a lucrative enterprise that manufactures popular t-shirts as well as a rather trivial website where middle class people write in fake demotic.

It denotes areas that are sympathetic to communist ideas, dys, which helps you if you need a summary.

What a bunch of BS.

Cycloptichorn

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They don't need parking lots in Berkeley because they can just drive over to Oakland and use theirs. What is that, a 10 minute drive from Berkeley?

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Cycloptichorn wrote:

okie wrote:
That figures. I should have known you live in the Peoples Republic of Berkeley. So your environment is better there because your parking lots are built different? I wouldn't bet on it cyclops. So enlighten me on the environmentally friendly way to build a parking lot.

You could have looked at the 'location' under my name for over a year now and known the same thing. I haven't made any secret of it; and why should I? It's an absolutely beautiful place, clean, great weather, good food, nice people, lots of employment opportunities. You can knock on it all you like and it won't change the fact that it's a superior place to live then where 90% of Americans live, guaranteed.

Here's a good place to start learning about parking lots and runoff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_lot

Then go here:

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lcr/LGIEN2002-0017.html

Our environment is better here, because people care about it.

Cycloptichorn

I'm sure Berkeley is a nice area. Too many people for me, so I doubt the environment is all that great. I have noticed Berkeley, yes, but I temporarily spaced it, I just knew you lived in California.

In regard to parking lots, whats the difference between the water flowing into one drainage from a large parking lot, vs cars parked on gravel? And I'm sure you are aware of numerous oil seeps naturally occuring in California? Have you cleaned those up yet? And what about the asphalt that the roads are paved with? Have you outlawed those yet?

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Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:
It denotes areas that are sympathetic to communist ideas, dys, which helps you if you need a summary.

What a bunch of BS.

Cycloptichorn

Well, it is an exaggeration of course, but it has an element of truth for these areas. I knew a guy that went to school at Berkeley and he was a communist in heart for a long time, until he finally came to his senses later in life. We all know universities, numerous professors to be specific, some especially, spout their anti-capitalist views onto the students.

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okie wrote:

Cycloptichorn wrote:
It denotes areas that are sympathetic to communist ideas, dys, which helps you if you need a summary.

What a bunch of BS.

Cycloptichorn

Well, it is an exaggeration of course, but it has an element of truth for these areas. I knew a guy that went to school at Berkeley and he was a communist in heart for a long time, until he finally came to his senses later in life.[/quote]

Nothing like the 'I knew a guy theory' for labeling a place.

Impervious ground cover concentrates bad runoffs and emissions into an extremely small area, and increases the amounts of pollution which run into our lakes, streams and drinking water tremendously.

When more porous parking technologies are used (not just gravel, either) there's much more of an opportunity for the various organisms and bacteria that live in the soil/ground to do a little natural cleaning. And some of the material is trapped in the soil, which isn't really doing anything but sitting there anyways; a little oil mixed in the soil doesn't hurt anything, but a whole ton of it pouring straight into the streams as runoff certainly does.

See here: http://www.stormwatercenter.net/Assorted%20Fact%20Sheets/Tool4_Site_Design/GreenParking.htm

I'm not going to bother with your Appeals to Extremes; the idea that you can live cleanly doesn't mean that you have to outlaw all modern technology, just use it wisely and with restraint. You might say, use modern technology conservatively.

Why is it, that Conservatives aren't Conservative about the environment?

Cycloptichorn

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Conservatives are not extreme. We do not advocate outlandish and unreasonable measures that do little good. We are in favor of reasonable conservation, and always have been.

One good example is all the devastating fires in the West are due to very poor forest management as a result of tree huggers.

We have strayed far afield from Walmartization, and I don't see much good coming from talking about your parking lot agenda.

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okie wrote:

We all know universities, numerous professors to be specific, some especially

Another jewel from the mind of okie.

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okie wrote:

Conservatives are not extreme. We do not advocate outlandish and unreasonable measures that do little good. We are in favor of reasonable conservation, and always have been.

One good example is all the devastating fires in the West are due to very poor forest management as a result of tree huggers.

We have strayed far afield from Walmartization, and I don't see much good coming from talking about your parking lot agenda.

Parking lot agenda? Jeez

Cycloptichorn

ps - I would point out that wild- and forest-fires are a natural part of the ecology out here, they have little to do with 'tree huggers.' Ridiculous **** you spout out at any time, yaknow?

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lol

dyslexia wrote:

The usage probably derives from the late 1960s, when The People's Republic of Berkeley (California) was used to describe the site of the radical Free Speech Movement.

okie wrote:

It denotes areas that are sympathetic to communist ideas, dys, which helps you if you need a summary.

free speech is fine until you start talking about changing things, dys. obviously you weren't really talking about free speech, you were abusing your free speech to promote fascism!

remember, "freedom" means never saying the government is doing it wrong. the only way we're ever going to have freedom is if we aren't too free with words. that's why in the 1960's, the police put a stop to that nonsense before other campuses fell like a domino effect... imagine if we had socialist colleges! they would almost be like public schools then!

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What is it?
"Conservatives are not extreme. We do not advocate outlandish and unreasonable measures that do little good. We are in favor of reasonable conservation, and always have been"

The term "conservative" has become a misnomer. What exactly is being conserved by policies of expansive militarism and environmental plundering? That is -- other than conserving policies of expansive militarism and environmental plundering?

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At the close of every year, Swans editors let their hair down and create the always tongue-in-cheek, often sacrilegious, and occasionally sarcastic predictions, grounded in the absurdities of the times. Sometimes they ring true. Case in point from the January 1, 2002 Predictions:

"All churches will relocate to Mall Inc., thus allowing Americans to indulge in their two favorite pastimes in one location. 'Shop till you drop to your knees and pray,' says Bush II. 'It's good for your soul, the economy and my re-anointment.'"

A New York Times article in the 'Religious Journal' section on March 2, 2002 boasted the headline, "Yes, God Is Everywhere, Even at the Local Mall."

"I remember the distraught elderly shopper who wheeled her empty Kmart cart from the store into our sanctuary," Mr. Knight said. "She had been informed that morning that her sister had died. In the midst of shopping, she found this place of solace and met the presence of God. It's a gift to be at a church where people drop in just to see what's going on."

Your sister dies, and you seek comfort in shopping. Left empty and empty-handed, you find absolution right there at the Mall. There's no price tag on solace, so feed your consumerist soul.

But will the Mall churches turn a profit? In the words of Francis Gildea, general manager of Plymouth Meeting Mall, PA: "A shopping center is a capitalist operation," Mr. Gildea said. "Trying to connect that with religion doesn't always mesh well. Do you charge God rent? I don't think so."

If God won't pay rent, there's another option: Ask him to look favorably on capitalism. According to Greenspan, the spiritual/economic recovery is among us, so keep shopping till you drop to your knees and pray.
http://www.swans.com/library/art8/xxx075.html

I still stick to the main subject of this thread.

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Ramafuchs wrote:

I still stick to the main subject of this thread.

Which is what? You continue to speak in poetic vagueries, which doesn't help your cause.

You seem to be unhappy with Walmart, or what they represent, which is capitalistic and competitive, so that people can go buy what they need at competitive prices? Whats wrong with that?

Do you want the government to install your vision of some kind of perfect business model, as if it exists? If not, I would suggest there are imperfections in stores out there and nobody is holding a gun to your head to shop there, so be happy.

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Okie
Without ifs and buts I respect your CONSERVATIVE views,
I hope you accept my happiness or unhappiness in this thread is justified.
I had quoted three different American sources and as a non-american i can avoid this kind of critical provocation.
Would you please take a stand about those three American authors who speak my language?

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Wal-Martization of the American mind?

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