Timothy Noah points out what most people interested in the issue probably already know–that Wal-Mart doesn’t pay its employees very well.
Meanwhile, Frank Rich notes that if the public doesn’t approve of Wal-Mart’s labor practices, one couldn’t tell. For we continue to reward bad behavior by demanding the lowest prices on everything.
Yes, I’m guilty as charged. Not only is there that price factor, but Wal-Mart is also the closest store to the house. So I can be spotted there on occasion. Makes it harder to complain about the corporate practices, doesn’t it?
Corporate Responsibility
Fanaticism Of The Blog People
American Library Association president Michael Gorman confronts the “blog people” who challenged his criticism of Googlized research.
Sounds like an upcoming movie: “Revenge of the Blog People.”
Under The Knife
I was away from the computer/news most of the day, and upon returning I see that news TV is hot and heavy on the Pope’s throat surgery. From what I’ve seen, this story has two elements thus far:
(1) The Pope had a tracheotomy, and
(2) The powers that be have deemed it successful.
It takes less than a minute to adequately cover these points. The remainder of the continuous coverage is being consumed by general Pope talk and surgery fillers. Which, in my view, aren’t too interesting.
There’s only some much interest you can milk out of someone’s post-operative status. The newsies either need to elevate this story to a death watch or move to another story.
Your Music Listening Belongs To Us
Doing Shopping
I’ve fallen prey to the buying bug. After a couple summers of renewed interest in bicycling, I’ve determined that I need a newer bike. Well, I guess that depends on how one defines “need.” My 21-year-old Raleigh rides about as well as it did a year or two ago. But it’s not as fast or sexy as the new ones. And who doesn’t like fast or sexy? Besides, the old faithful has a weight issue, and extra pounds aren’t your friend when you’re headed up any of East Tennessee’s finer hills.
I haven’t decided what to buy yet; I’m leaning toward a carbon fiber frame with an ultegra-level components. Thus far I’ve looked at some Treks, Bianchis, Felts, and Giants. Hope to check out Specialized, Litespeed, and a couple other brands soon. My hunch is that within a given price range, the quality of a majority bikes is comparable. So test rides are primarily focused on fit and feel.
If it’s been a while since you priced road bikes. Or if, like me, you’re cheap, you might be surprised at the cost of these machines. So in addition to finding a bike I like, I’ve also been going through some rationalization exercises to justify a purchase. Here’s a few of the things I’ve come up with:
(1) Haven’t bought a bike in 20 years.
(2) The cost isn’t so bad if you amortize it over a number of years.
(3) I don’t spend a lot on entertainment/recreation.
(4) Cost isn’t so bad when you compare it to recreations such as golf and travel.
(5) An investment in health.
(6) You’re only “young” once.
(7) It’s fun.
I hope to complete this process soon. Warm weather is fast approaching.