GRRRRR Carnival

[GoinCruisin]

Well, that's a little bit of stereotyping... So, what is the income bracket cap for those to shop at Wal-Mart? Cruising is not THAT expensive... many can afford it much more today than in years past. Balcony cabins on Carnival are NOT that expensive... I can tell you for a fact that MANY people in professional fields do indeed go to Wal Mart... although I prefer Target :p

[selucrey]

[quote name='smeesq']Please. I loathe Walmart and NEVER go near their stores. I love Carnival, and am scheduled for the Miracle in Jan.

My family(7 to 10 people at a time) cruise A LOT, at least twice a year, with one cruise being over either New Years or Christmas. We always have balcony cabins. I don't think the people who must shop (or work) at a Walmart could afford it. We cruise on Carnival because they have a more upbeat, fun atmosphere, far superior food, and most fellow passengers are more interested in enjoying themselves than impressing anyone else. My family group is comprised of professionals (2 PhD's, 1 MD, 2 RN's and I'm an attorney), all college educated well-read, polite people. I've met a lot of similar people on Carnival.[/QUOTE]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Your group sounds a lot like mine but we do shop at WalMart. Quality items at a good price.Why not?:rolleyes: [/color][/size][/font]

[BottledRed]

[quote name='selucrey'][font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Your group sounds a lot like mine but we do shop at WalMart. Quality items at a good price.Why not?:rolleyes: [/color][/size][/font][/QUOTE]
Exactly! Man, I make $50+ but still shop at Walmart. They're open 24/7, you know :cool:

[hstrybuf]

Wal Mart cruisers? Puhleeze! I can shop at Wal Mart or Coach or any of the other thousands of stores in my area. If I can get the same thing at Wal Mart for a lower price, why spend more money just for a label or to say that you shop the upscale stores? More cruise money for me!

[nb1mom]

Wow, I cruise on Carnival, shop at Wal-Mart (no McDonalds, thank you)....AND....I have all my teeth.

[carmel]

Wanna know why I went to WalMart this past Saturday? I bought baby booties, blankets, flannel footie-pajamas and flannel crib sheets to send over to the orphanages in the country where my daughters were born.

I'm sure that when winter hits, these kids - whose orphanages are so poor that they have to stretch the baby formula with sugar water - won't care one freaking bit if their blanket is from WalMart or Macy's. My guess is that they are just glad to be warm.

Think about that before you cast WalMart in a bad light. I would rather buy 4 cheaper blankets and keep four babies warm than one expensive blanket and make an orphanage worker choose who gets it.

[selucrey]

[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Thumbs up to a fellow Walmart shopper.:D [/color][/size][/font]

[smeesq]

[quote name='selucrey'][font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Your group sounds a lot like mine but we do shop at WalMart. Quality items at a good price.Why not?:rolleyes: [/color][/size][/font][/QUOTE]

Because Walmart has terrible personnel policies, treat their employees-esp. women- badly, and sell a lot of cheap c--p from China that undermines our industries in this country. Usually when they come into a small community they put a lot of small local businesses out of business. Anyway, thats why I don't shop there.

Obviously, there's a big difference between HAVING to shop or work at Walmart, because you have no other options, and choosing to do so. I still think its unlikely that the employees at my local Walmart are cruising on ANY ship, Carnival, RCCL or any other.

[L2J]

[quote name='smeesq']and sell a lot of cheap c--p from China that undermines our industries in this country.

Obviously, there's a big difference between HAVING to shop or work at Walmart, because you have no other options, and choosing to do so. I still think its unlikely that the employees at my local Walmart are cruising on ANY ship, Carnival, RCCL or any other.[/QUOTE]
Yeah well you'd be hard pressed to find any cheap crap that's not made in China.

Hmmm.....I see this going south very quickly.

Anyone care to join me for some popcorn? Pull up a lounger :D

[selucrey]

[quote name='smeesq']Because Walmart has terrible personnel policies, treat their employees-esp. women- badly, and sell a lot of cheap c--p from China that undermines our industries in this country. Usually when they come into a small community they put a lot of small local businesses out of business. Anyway, thats why I don't shop there.

Obviously, there's a big difference between HAVING to shop or work at Walmart, because you have no other options, and choosing to do so. I still think its unlikely that the employees at my local Walmart are cruising on ANY ship, Carnival, RCCL or any other.[/QUOTE]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Have to agree with you for the most part but you will be hard-pressed to find anything 100% Made In America. I do know for a fact that some of the employees at my local Wally-World do cruise.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=#0000ff] After all, it has become so affordable that even the "common" man can afford it.:) [/color][/size][/font]

[smeesq]

[quote name='livtojump']Yeah well you'd be hard pressed to find any cheap crap that's not made in China.

Hmmm.....I see this going south very quickly.

Anyone care to join me for some popcorn? Pull up a lounger :D[/QUOTE]


Which kind of begs the question of why people want to buy cheap c--p no matter where its sold or made.

I prefer to support the people who produce products in MY community and MY country, and pay a little more, than support the shareholders of Walmart and workers in China. Also (to really heat up this forum) Walmart was the biggest single contributor to GWB in this last election (18 million dollars). So those of us with "blue state" tendencies consider that as well, in deciding where to shop. So its possible that being a pro or con Walmart person may, in fact, reveal something about the class and social status of people.

[halos]

[quote name='livtojump']Hmmm.....I see this going south very quickly.

Anyone care to join me for some popcorn? Pull up a lounger :D[/QUOTE]



LOL! Liv.....Robby started the thread, so it started as 'south' as it could get! ;) .....pass the popcorn please :D

[selucrey]

[quote name='smeesq']
My family group is comprised of professionals (2 PhD's, 1 MD, 2 RN's and [color=darkred]I'm[/color] [color=darkred]an[/color] [color=darkred]attorney[/color]), all college educated well-read, polite people. I've met a lot of similar people on Carnival.[/QUOTE]
[size=3][color=blue]Which one of the following are you?? Just need to get a handle on where you're coming from.[/color][/size]


[QUOTE]
21 year old college guy- VA
24 year old college guy-D.C.
25 single pretty career girl-Chicago
30 year old newly wed couple -Atlanta
two "elderly" sisters (50 and 50+) who are the maternal units of the above -VA and NC [/QUOTE]

[GoinCruisin]

[quote name='smeesq']Also (to really heat up this forum) Walmart was the biggest single contributor to GWB in this last election (18 million dollars). So those of us with "blue state" tendencies consider that as well, in deciding where to shop. So its possible that being a pro or con Walmart person may, in fact, reveal something about the class and social status of people.[/QUOTE]
Hmmm, now I might need to go spend some funds at Wal Mart! Class and social status? Really, I hardly think so... I can tell you that some of the wealthiest people in this country are also FRUGAL. I don't really give a FLIP where my toothpaste is made, and if Wal Mart is the closest place I can get it, I'm buying it there, period. I really don't think that anyone can demise whether someone is a Republican or Democrat based on where they buy their toiletries :rolleyes:

[glrounds]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=navy]Coleman sleeping bag at [b]Sports Chalet [/b](high end So Cal Sports Store) - - $129[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]Same model sleeping bag at [b]Big 5[/b] Sports Goods - $89[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]Same model sleeping bag at [b]Walmart[/b] - $39 ?[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]I love shopping at Walmart. Always wear Haggar slacks with a nice Nordstrom's blazer. Love the ambiance. [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]I can save money and brush up on my Spanish all in one trip ! ! :D [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[GoinCruisin]

Dan, I'm rolling over here doll! :D

[selucrey]

[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]I'm not bored anymore GC! :D [/color][/size][/font]

[carmel]

Take heart, Blue Staters, you can still buy Heinz ketchup at Walmart!

However, 50 of the 70 manufacturing plants are overseas, involving tens of thousands of jobs that pay a fraction of what Heinz pays US workers.

[glrounds]

[quote name='carmel']Take heart, Blue Staters, you can still buy Heinz ketchup at Walmart!

However, 50 of the 70 manufacturing plants are overseas, involving tens of thousands of jobs that pay a fraction of what Heinz pays US workers.[/QUOTE][i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=navy]Hilarious, [b]carmel [/b]! ! :D [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]And so very very true. A fact so often overlooked (intentionally?) by "blue staters".[/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]Incidentally, if you took that huge blue and red map we are all so familiar with these days and broke the color down by [b]counties[/b], it would have even [color=red]more [b]RED[/b] [/color][color=navy]in it ! ! :D [/color][/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080][b]"If you can't be kind . . . at least have the decency to be vague" [/b]anonymous :) [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[L2J]

[quote name='smeesq']Which kind of begs the question of why people want to buy cheap c--p no matter where its sold or made.

I prefer to support the people who produce products in MY community and MY country, and pay a little more, than support the shareholders of Walmart and workers in China. Also (to really heat up this forum) Walmart was the biggest single contributor to GWB in this last election (18 million dollars). So those of us with "blue state" tendencies consider that as well, in deciding where to shop. So its possible that being a pro or con Walmart person may, in fact, reveal something about the class and social status of people.[/QUOTE]
As has already been said...you'll be hard pressed to find "anything" that's 100% American made.

Well I'm glad to see the W.M. is making it's contributions wisely :D

[SheilaS]

I say anyone that wants to is cruising these days---probably Carnival, because they can usually get on the ship more economically.
It's all about priorities. We try to cruise once a year, but I don't drive a new car, shopping for anything but necessities is way down the list, and forget new carpet.
I have noticed- and I am generalizing here- that most people seem to find the money for things they really want. I see examples of it everywhere. The couple that can't buy milk for baby, somehow have cell phones with plenty of minutes. The man that can't buy insurance for his car, somehow has plenty of beer in the fridge. The woman that doesn't have money to go to the doctor for antibiotics somehow has a standing manicure appt every week. The kid that can't possibly come up with the money to buy a pencil to do his homework, somehow can scrape up enough to put in the coke machine. And this is my favorite because it is so close to my heart:p - the couple that can't pay their rent somehow has a brand new computer.
So, IMHO, you are wrong. People from every walk of life are cruising-even the kid behind the counter at the bakery. (She made payments to Carnival for months.):)
Sheila<------------is enjoying her popcorn:D

[glrounds]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=navy]So well said, [b]Sheila[/b]. Excellent post. :) [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[i][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#000080]Negates the line from the ole rock tune, "You don't always get what you [u]want[/u], but always get what you [u]need[/u]". :( [/color][/size][/font][/i]

[caroliemarie]

Let me tell you another side to Wal-Mart. Not all Wal-Marts are bad, just depends on the management. Of course with one of the countries largest company, you are bound to hear all the horror stories. I live in a small college town in the midwest. I am a 21 year old student at the college, living on my own, supporting myself. Even with our Wal-mart, we still have a large array of ma and pop shops still open. For college students there aren't a lot of options for evening and weekend jobs that will work around your schedule. Wal-mart bends over backwards to provide for the college students it employs in our town. This summer when I was having heart problems, my store was there for me, giving me time off, financial support, and family support. When an associate is in need, we run fundraisers to help them out, the company itself also pitches in. As for treating women badly, I am making more than most all of my male counterparts, and have received several promotions and just tranfered up to a very nice job in the store. No, not everything we sell is American made - show me a store that does. Our local store sponsors tons of charity events and all Wal-marts support the Children's Miracle Network. No, Wal-mart is not the perfect place in the world, but I couldn't imagine putting myself through college without them. And as far as Wal-mart workers not being able to afford cruising, this will be my third cruise. I am not a high class snob, nor will I ever be (thank God). I can and do shop at much nicer stores, as well as my wal-mart. It is always easier to target the large and successful company and believe all the negative about the company than to see the good of that company. When I started working at Wal-Mart I was not thrilled but since then I have realized that I could not be treated better anywhere else in town. I don't plan on working there all my life, in fact I will quit the day I get my degree, but the job serves the purpose.

[canucks4]

Ok guys....beat up that post!! (lurking & laughing)

[selucrey]

[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=blue]Carol, That was very well-stated. you seem wise beyond your years. One thing I like about Wally-World is that they have a matching funds program for non-profits.( Is this a local thing?) [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial Black][size=3][color=#0000ff]A side note...When Sam Walton was alive,Wal-mart was devoted to buying American whenever possible.[/color][/size][/font]