Friday, November 29, 2013

AMERICANS CELEBRATE SHOPIDAYS

BYE BYE THANKSGIVING
Johann Wagener 11-29-13

We should have seen this coming years ago. "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?"

Retailers have successfully transformed Thanksgiving into "Grey Thursday" followed by "Black Friday."

The 24/7 media has fallen into line and devote almost every hour reporting on "sales" and more "sales" and the millions of shoppers spending millions of dollars, none of which is even remotely related to the holiday we used to celebrate.



“This year, no turkey, no dinner,” one shopper said.

“I’m working on Black Friday so I decided to come early and get the shopping over and done with,” said shopper Michelle Sylvester.

MALL MAULS: ATTENTION HOLIDAY SHOPPERS!

STAND YOUR GROUND!
Johann Wagener 11-29-13


Spending your holidays being mauled in malls is not what the retailers want anyone to see.

The ads and marketing omit disclaimers warning shoppers "you may be in danger when shopping during grey and black Thur-Fri. For your own protection we recommend Kevlar vests and tasers."

The shopping frenzy surrounding Black Friday has already led to a number of violent incidents across the country.

Starting as early as Thursday night, shootings and stabbings have been reported at retailers in several states. Among the most violent episodes happened yesterday at a Kohl's in Romeovile, Ill., when an alleged shoplifter dragged a police officer from his car before being shot in the arm by other law enforcement officers present at the scene, The Chicago Tribune reports.

A shooting was also reported Thursday night in Las Vegas. Two assailants reportedly attempted to steal a TV from a man who had recently purchased it. After arguing, theman was shot in the leg before the attacker sped off in his car, leaving the TV behind, CBS News 8 reports. In an email sent to The Huffington Post, Kohl's said it was "cooperating with the authorities leading the investigation" into the incident.

A police officer in Rialto, Calif., was also injured Thursday night when a fight broke out at a local Walmart.

In Virginia, a man was allegedly slashed with a knife during an altercation with another shopper over a parking space at a Walmart.


A stabbing was reported early Friday morning in Carlsbad, Calif. The victim in that case was stabbed in the stomach at the entrance of a mall, according to NBC San Diego.

Multiple instances of milder forms of violence, such as pushing and shoving over merchandise, have also been reported. Videos showing the frenzy over the deals have been shared on social media and various websites:


DEAR MR BLANKFEIN; GOD IS CALLING!

DID YOU KNOW?
Johann Wagener 11-29-13


Did you know that one in five of the nation’s children is living below the poverty line? One in 45 is homeless. 

What are their lives really like? Our 2012 film Poor Kids gave some of these children a voice and a chance to speak for themselves.

If I understood you correctly when you said "I am doing God's work" Still 'God's work'? Blankfein defends Goldman when making comments like this:

Blankfein defended the payment of bonuses to employees at Goldman Sachs by arguing that it was necessary to "keep the firm together."

(Read more: Goldman CEO on risk: Worst 'absolutely will happen'

"If we hadn't paid our people we wouldn't have had a stable population at the firm," he said. "I work at the company. I don't own it. I'm not entitled to blow it up" by not paying bonuses.

"I would say to Occupy Wall Street, that business has helped lift more people out of poverty than philanthropy," Blankfein said in a Wednesday afternoon panel at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

Philanthropy can "fill the gaps" where profit motives don't suffice to improve the lives of the poor. But it's role is "supplementary." The "bulk of it"—raising people out of poverty—is done by business, he said.

"We should educate the public more about how business and its core activities have lifted people out of poverty," Blankfein said.

In another remark likely to generate controversy, Blankfein praised the U.S. for having "accepted a higher unemployment rate" over the past few years, even as it bailed out the banks. Labor market flexibility—reflected in the ability of U.S. companies to fire workers—is one of the reasons the U.S. is doing so well despite many headwinds in the economy, he said.

"The United States is in a position where the banks are recapitalized and companies are more efficient, not because they kept people on but because they let them go. It was a social decision we made," Blankfein said.

Blankfein said that although his focus is on Republicans "right now," some blame must be placed on the Obama administration for its early behavior.

He argued that the Obama administration acted as if it were in a parliamentary system early in its first term, when it controlled both the House and Senate. It didn't reach out to Republicans enough when passing health care reform, he argued. That set the tone for the GOP's defiant stance..

If the health care reform known as Obamacare had been passed with "more Republican support and concessions to earn it," the tone in Washington would be different now, he said.

Since you are the "poster child for the 1%" I can understand why you take the position you do on social issues and follow the Romney lead in discounting 47% or more of the population but, the following comments were particularly disturbing to me; because of the hypocrisy and arrogance they infer.

"I would say to Occupy Wall Street, that business has helped lift more people out of poverty than philanthropy," Blankfein said in a Wednesday afternoon panel at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

Philanthropy can "fill the gaps" where profit motives don't suffice to improve the lives of the poor. But it's role is "supplementary." The "bulk of it"—raising people out of poverty—is done by business, he said.

"We should educate the public more about how business and its core activities have lifted people out of poverty," Blankfein said.



So Lloyd, here's a great opportunity for you to "educate the public." Why not take a day off, jump into your limo and take a drive around "hometown" America and see how much work you are missing out on.

Frontline has even provided you with a map just in case you get lost in Greenwich or the Hamptons

In all, 41 states saw a rise in homelessness among school-aged children last year. Fifteen states reported a gain of at least 10 percent while another 10 states reported spikes of 20 percent or more. The map below breaks down the changes:








I believe that you and I would agree that this indeed would be doing "God's work, or are you referring to a different god that I am?

Thursday, November 28, 2013

I AM TONY ROHR; "JUST SAY NO!"

AN AMERICAN HERO!
Johann Wagener 11-28-13

I was not going to post today. It's a "holiday" and I wanted to take the day off.

That is, until I scrolled on what I call a "David and Goliath" story about a young man who singly took on a giant and lost, and then won, and then?

I don't like comparing this hero to "Joe the Plumber" but the media attention he's getting is similar. That's were similarity ends for me.

What impressed me about this person is that he is willing to "walk the talk" act on his convictions and morals, even if it means losing his job.  Firing someone for refusing to open a business on Thanksgiving is a crime against humanity even if there are no laws on the books in this morally decaying nation.

I am hoping that many more Tony Rohr's will take his lead and take a stand against those who would exploit and oppress people who hold themselves to a higher standard than just making a profit.

Maybe the time has come for American's (excluding the 1%) rethink their priorities when it comes to values, family, tradition rather than just blindly follow those who have little to no interest in America and whose priorities are nothing more than a bottom line.





A Pizza Hut manager has been fired after refusing to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. According toWSTB, Tony Rohr worked at the pizza chain for 10 years -- starting out as a cook before working his way up to being the manager of the Elkhart, Ind., location -- before being fired.

As WSTB reports, Rohr says he was told at a meeting with his bosses that opening on Thanksgiving was mandatory this year. "I said, 'Why can't we be the company that stands up and says we care about our employees, and they can have the day off?'" Rohr told WSTB. "Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they're closed in the whole year, and they're the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off and spend it with their families."

According to WSTB, Rohr’s bosses at Pizza Hut said he could sign a letter of resignation for his refusal to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving.

“I do not resign,” Rohr wrote in a letter to his boss. “However, I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company." He added, "I hope you realize that it is the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible."








Monday, November 25, 2013

AN AMERICAN UNSKILLED SLAVES PROFILE

ROMNEY'S 47%
Johann Wagener 11-25-13

To hear Republicans tell it, this is the profile someone in their ranks posted in one of the more prestigious blogs I go to.

Skills required to do 95% of the jobs in a fast food restaurant -

Show up on time
Leave on time
Don't steal
Be friendly
Be polite
Do what you are told
Make change

Unfortunately for the country, there is a large segment of American's who live in what Bill Maher refers to as "the bubble" and who actually believe that this BSC-BS is true.

So, for those who are willing to take a peek at reality it might serve our country better if they do a little fact checking;

Myth 2: Retail workers are unskilled 
Reality: 28% of retail workers (pdf) have completed some college, and 15% have a bachelor's degree or higher. Employers have deskilled a lot of the work, but  still report in surveys that they want employees with both soft and hard skills, including product knowledge, ability to relate to customers, and increasingly, familiarity with technology for assisting with online sales.




Saturday, November 23, 2013

THE UNSKILLED 47%
Johann Wagener 11-22-13


This is not about color, gender, or religious beliefs. It crosses over  these lines and specifically targets an "economic class" commonly referred to as the "unskilled."

When I posted this question on one of my favorite blogs "what is the job description of an unskilled worker?" this is one of the responses  I received that I thought expressed the views of many of the "free market enthusiasts"

Yes, there are unskilled workers. Or more appropriately, workers who have jobs that require no real skills.

Skills required to do 95% of the jobs in a fast food restaurant -

Show up on time
Leave on time
Don't steal
Be friendly
Be polite
Do what you are told
Make change

McDonald's creates profits by buying a case of hamburgers for $20, a case of buns for $5, and turning it into $200 worth of sandwiches. Turning $150 worth of syrup and $2 worth of water into $3,000 worth of soda.

Should McDonald's share more of their profits with their workers? Absolutely. Regardless of other factors, they do have employees and they should try to help those employees have decent lives. But from a pure business perspective, the value added to McDonald's business by labor is probably worth just about $8 an hour.


This also appears to be what many of the large retail outlets use as a job description for their employees in light of the way they are treated;

For example when it comes to holidays which are defined as; hol·i·day ˈhäliˌdā/ noun1.a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done"Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday"


President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day a national holiday in 1863.
Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on the final Thursday in November, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed it to fourth Thursday in November to ensure it wouldn't fall too close to Christmas.
synonyms: day of observance, festivalfeast dayfêtefiestacelebration,anniversaryjubileesaint's dayholy day
I posted this question on my favorite blog;

Is employers mandating that their employees work on national holidays a form of oppression?

and this is one of the responses;

You have the right not to be employed. Any retailer, restaurant, hotel, hospital, police force, has the right to operate any hours they choose and they can, and do, mandate their employees work whatever days they see fit. It should not be surprising to any adult that has shopped on a holiday that many retailers are open every day of the year. In case you should go brain dead when accepting a job with such a company, you can bet that you will be told in your interview that your failure to accept work on an assigned holiday will be treated as a resignation.

Walmart is again at the forefront of these innovations on how to celebrate holidays in America. One Walmart executive went so far as to say; (boy! he's really got a set of big one's)

"Wal-Mart associates are really excited to work that day, it's a pretty high energy day for associates as well." Walmart executive says employees are excited to work on Thanksgiving [Published Daily Kos - Nov 14 2013


I wonder if the families and friends of these gifted, talented, well paid, stalwarts of the corporate world were to announce that they would not be able to join them on Thanksgiving because they were so "excited" about going to work that day. I would like to be a door mouse so I could be there to hear their responses.

I'd be willing to bet my Thanksgiving turkey that this sentiment is being echoed behind closed boardroom doors all across America when the discussion turns to the 47%, but these folks are slick enough to not let anyone in on it; as one famous Republican did when he so eloquently said;

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what … who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims. … These are people who pay no income tax. … and so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
— Mitt Romney, remarks at private fundraiser, Boca Raton, Florida, May 17


Read more: Romney comment about 'dependent' 47 percent not his first misfire in Palm Beach County

That got a standing ovation from an audience that I'm guessing was made up of these corporate giants. Who else would be rich and dumb enough to fork up $50,000.00 for a meal just to listen to a very foolish politician to embarrass them and himself thanks to one of those "unskilled" workers who gave Americans a glimpse of what goes on behind those closed doors. I'm also guessing that the staff attending future events like this will be frisked and required to surrender their cell phones; though this might also be a violation of their rights. Still, no one seems to care much as long as it stays on the 47% side of the tracks.


In case you haven't been able to understand what I'm saying and are thinking that I must be one of those BSC socialists-communists pigs I am including a short list of the Big Retailers who are "requiring" that workers spend  the better part of Thanksgiving and the day after with them rather than their families which I'm certain they are not at all excited about.

In fact one of the Big 8; Kmart's plan to be open for 41 straight hours beginning at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning is drawing criticism. At this Kmart store in Connecticut, shoppers wait in line to take advantage of sales on Thanksgiving Day



I can't fault those standing in line which I know represent the Romney 47% because I, along with other American of good conscience, realize that these people are not excited about stand in line (some even camping out) but desperate to find a way to afford providing for themselves and their families. 

A noble and admirable act on their part given that these retailers will only drop their grossly inflated profit driven prices on Holidays which they know targets the low income and impoverished.  

I am left to wonder why the people in these lines haven't thought on just staying home for; let's say a week and not buy anything at one of these Big 8 retailers and see what happens then. 

I'm certain there will be a lot of wailing from mostly free-market Republicans that will say this is going to kill jobs, and blah, blah, blah.

What they are not saying is that these jobs are keeping their employees below the poverty line which not only oppresses them and their families, but require American taxpayers to subsidize them while at the same time chains like Walmart are piling up the profits;

Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. "Buy American" banners are prominently placed throughout its stores; however, the majority of its goods are made outside the U.S. and often in sweatshops. Critics believe that Wal-Mart opens stores to saturate the marketplace and clear out the competition, then closes the stores and leaves them sitting empty. Freedom of speech issues also come into play. Musicians are at the mercy of Wal-Mart's stringent content rules, forcing many to create "sanitized" versions of their albums specifically for the discount chain. The sentiment behind Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's promise of a "better life for all" belies questionable business practices - many that have been challenged by employees, unions, environmentalists, recording artists and human rights organizations. Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. "Buy American" banners are prominently placed throughout its stores; however, the majority of its goods are made outside the U.S. and often in sweatshops. Critics believe that Wal-Mart opens stores to saturate the marketplace and clear out the competition, then closes the stores and leaves them sitting empty. Freedom of speech issues also come into play. Musicians are at the mercy of Wal-Mart's stringent content rules, forcing many to create "sanitized" versions of their albums specifically for the discount chain. The sentiment behind Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's promise of a "better life for all" belies questionable business practices - many that have been challenged by employees, unions, environmentalists, recording artists and human rights organizations.

What boggles my mind is that Americans are the first to condemn countries like China for their slave-like business practices: which by the way has no effect on our doing business with them) but barely make a whimper about what is gong on inside our own borders. 

Take Walmart, for example one of the giants in the retail industry as these stats reveal;

Forbes magazine, polling business executives (not employees) has ranked Wal-Mart among the best 100 corporations to work for. Yet the employees on average take home pay of under $250 a week. The salary for full-time employees (called "associates") is $6 to $7.50 an hour for 28-40 hours a week, which is typical in the discount retail industry. This pay scale places employees with families below the poverty line, with the majority of employees' children qualifying for free lunch at school. When closely examined, this amounts to a form of corporate welfare, as the taxpayer subsidizes the low salaries. One-third are part-time employees - limited to less than 28 hours of work per week - and are not eligible for benefits.

Walmart has come up with a brilliant strategy to avoid repercussions from Americans who begin to question these slave-labor business practices; and I must admit this is indeed brilliant. Give that CEO another $ million
in bonuses if he's able to successfully pull this off;



I've been left with one conclusion to reconcile as to why this kind of corporate violation of human rights can go on right under our noses. It's that many Americans are in a state of "denial" which is usually the prime reaction to trauma that is too  much for an average person to endure. It is usually driven by "fear" which Republicans are very good at instilling with buzz words and talking points about "losing jobs" or destroying, the economy, being invaded by migrants who pick our fruits and vegetables, or bringing down America. All very effective distractions designed to keep many American in a state of paranoia and paralysis that they are unable to see what is actually going on behind the scenes.

If one were to look this is what they would find; Top 10 World’s Biggest Retail Giants 2013
is the undisputed retail leader in North America and tops the global list of retailers, but the company’s international operations in 15 countries outside the United States generate just under 25 percent of annual sales. Their Slogan “Save Money, Live Better” is very customer friendly. The company is the world’s third largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list. The company employs nearly 2 million people and is the biggest private employer worldwide. Wal-Mart has 8,900 stores spanning 15 countries under 55 different names. In India, it operates under the name “Best-Price”.

As Wal-mart grew rapidly into the world’s largest corporation, people started criticizing its impact on local stores, particularly small towns with “mom and pop” type stores. Even studies suggested that such an expansion would lead to shutting down of small town shops and local businesses. This was also one of the primary reasons several economies were initially hesitant in allowing them to open up their stores in their country.

The primary reason why Wal-mart is famous is because of the considerably low prices offered and that is the reason for its huge base of loyal customers. This truly reflects the “Low prices, always” advertising slogan that Wal-Mart started with. An interesting fact is that a survey suggested that the average income of a customer who shops at Wal-mart is much below the calculated national average. And if that’s surprising then the next fact is a shocker, about one-fifth of them lack a bank account.


Interesting Fact - A poll was conducted after the 2004 US Presidential Elections, which revealed that 76% of voters who shopped at Wal-mart atleast once a week had voted for George.W.Bush, while the rest 23% supported John Kerry. This revealed that in comparison to other voters, Wal-mart shoppers were most politically conservative.


My concern for future generations is that the ranks of Walmart shoppers will continue to grow even larger.


Share of self-described middle-class adults who say it’s more difficult now than a decade ago for middle-class people to maintain their standard of living: 85

Percentage of Americans that consider themselves to be “lower class” (the highest percentage ever):8.4

Percentage increase in salary growth for the median worker from 1979 to 2012: 5

Percentage drop in average real income per family since 2007: 8.3

The median net worth of a family in 2010: $77,300
and in 2007: $126,400

Percentage of Americans that are unemployed/underemployed rate: 14

Number of states in which poverty rates rose between 2007 and 2010: 46

Approximate poverty rate from 2009 to 2012: 15

The last time it remained at or above 15 percent for three years running: 1965

To me that has a lot to do in answering why Americans would prefer to stand in lines; reminiscent of soup lines in the Great Depression years,  Depression-era Soup Kitchens


As for those Americans who might still be able freely choose how they want to spend Thanksgiving , being the idiot that I am, I'd ask;

What would be more enjoyable for you and family? Jumping in you crossover and hurrying down to your nearest Walmart or Mega-Mall to spend Thanksgiving pushing your way through crowds of people?

You might also want to remember the army of "unskilled" workers tending to your needs are not there because they are excited, but rather because they are afraid of losing the only thing that probably stands between them and the streets. A below poverty level job provided them by one of the 21st Century slave masters who would rather oppress them than to send them home with a turkey to share with their families on Thanksgiving.




Retailers open this Thanksgiving 

Aurora Farms Premium Outlets: Opening at 8 p.m.
Best Buy: 6 p.m.
Big Lots: 7 a.m.
Dollar General: 7 a.m.
Gander Mountain: 8 a.m.
Kmart: 6 a.m.
Kohl's: 8 p.m.
JCPenney: 8 p.m.
Lodi Station Outlets: 10 p.m.
Macy's: 8 p.m.
Office Depot: 8 p.m.
OfficeMax: 8 p.m.
Sears: 8 p.m.
Staples: 8 p.m.
Target: 8 p.m.
Toys "R" Us: 5 p.m.
Walmart: 6 p.m.




I'll leave the rest up to decide what to do on Thanksgiving. I know what I'll be doing after looking up the word "holiday" in the dictionary.

hol·i·day ˈhäliˌdā/ noun a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done

I'll just save my shopping for next week and visit one of the retailers that were respectful of the American people and our holidays to place those values before profits;

My hope is that there are enough Americans out there that want to share their holidays with families and friends, that will be willing to send a message by just staying home on Thanksgiving and demand better pay for worker and lower prices from the Walton family and friends on the days that follow.


 AAFES Exchange
Aeropostale
Ace Hardware
Bass Pro Shops
Bed, Bath, & Beyond
BJ's Wholesale Club
Costco
Fred's
GameStop
Gordmans
Half Price Books
Harbor Freight Tools
Havertys
Home Depot
JoAnn Fabrics
Lowe's
Menards
Nordstrom
PETCO
PetSmart
Radio Shack
Rite Aid
Sam's Club
Sportsmans Warehouse
Stein Mart
Tommy Hilfiger





Friday, November 22, 2013

PRESIDENT OBAMA IS A NIGGER!

THERE, I SAID IT
Johann Wagener 11-22-13


And now it's only a matter of getting over the nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I'm told by many self-proclaimed Constitutional scholars that referring to the President of the United States using this term; as distasteful and disgusting as it is, protected speech; much unlike yelling "fire" in a crowded theater (when there is no fire) , and must be defended at all costs lest we be stripped of a cherished freedom.

I'm also told by the "scholars" that when it comes to people in political office this right is sacrosanct; with the exception of threatening violence, and is merely "criticism."

When it comes to President Obama Republicans are in the forefront in defending free speech given their reactions and commentary when they or their base slur the President so I thought I would try to level the playing field;

I'd like to suggest that politicians, on either side of the political landscape, encourage their constituents to exercise their 1st  Amendment rights by referring  to their opponents using their ethnic backgrounds; See The racial slur database to look up your target

For example;

Ronald Reagan is a "bog-jumper"  "donkey"  "fire bush" (click for more)

George Bush is a "island monkey"  "rock spider" (click here for more)

Mitt Romney is a mix of "guffie" "fur licker"  "cross-dresser" "moron" (click for more)
Mitt Romney: Ethnic Ancestry Summary
40.6% England — Mostly Northwest England, partly W.Midlands.
18.8% Scotland
26.6% Colonial-Yankee
12.5% North-German
1.5-3% French, Acadian and possible Huguenot (see entries #5 and #7 far below)



I don't believe our Founding Fathers, even though a few of them referred to blacks as niggers and thought of them as only a half-of-a-person, thought (or even imagined) the right to free speech would lead Americans, down the path we are on. They were too much of a "gentleman."

I'd like to think that they expected future generations would be much more civil and patriotic given these rights, though it never occurred to them that, one day, a black man, would occupy the Oval office.

None  the less, I believe they had hoped for much more civility, respect for your fellow Americans; those were most likely  their aspirations.

As I wrap this up, I need to apologize if I offended anyone. It was not my intent.

I also realized that those that refer to the President using the "N" word are completely off base;

HE'S A "CALF" "COOKIES & CREAM" "CHROMIE" (click here for more)

And now that DNA testing is in the mix, I suspect there's many more Americans who are in for a big surprise; White supremacist would be black under America's one-drop rule

Just in case some of you don't know this; it doesn't wash off.

As an afterthought, I would add that I decided to use the complete word; N-I-G-G-E-R rather than just "N" in the headline because I think the latter is just a tactic used by those who want to avoid the issue of racism and address it head on. and not acquiesce by falling into line with a recent Supreme Court decision. ruling that racism no longer exists in America;  Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act but rather affirming racism is thriving, in a much more sophisticated form in these United States of America.

I also wondered how a black person, who is proud of the race, feels or thinks about being referred to as an "N"  knowing that the person mouthing that word has spelled it out in their mind?

I wonder why political leaders and media pundits think that by replacing the word "nigger"  with "N" is an effective, logical way to address racism in our society.

What must the next generation of blacks and whites be thinking when they ask; "mommy, what does the "N" word mean?"

Christians are well aware that the "sin" is committed in the thought not the expression of it. So how do they reconcile themselves with God on that one?

I also often wondered what would happen if an African-American were to proudly announce that'

"I'M AN AMERICAN NIGGER, AND DAMN PROUD OF IT"

How would a racist respond to that? In my profession they refer to it as "reverse psychology" which I interpret to mean that you "disarm" your attacker by using their own weapons against them.

Sounds like a plan to me. But then, I am just an idiot.