No New Ideas Needed

A McDonald’s in Norway
Picture credit: Ken

It all started out innocently enough.

I was going through my email this morning and saw a new petition for McDonald’s.

This particular petition was about something that I personally have been nagging them about for years, or every single time that I went there, which by the way, in the past few years has been less and less.

I do not like meat or hamburgers and have repeatedly suggested to them that they might want to consider making some sort of meatless or veggie burger, as several of their competitors have already done.

Even better, to introduce a few Organic items!

Each and every time I was met with the same blank stare and ” ok, we will suggest it…”

In California, we who don’t like meat are not a minority, we are a strong group with many voices in high places, like the countless celebrities who also choose not to eat animals and love Organic Foods.

This petition was written by a woman in California who was asking a huge company, which at the present time is all over the news for its financial woes, to consider making a meatless burger.

The Company is cutting their Dollar meals, shuffling their vast menu, and has had a somewhat dismal showing for the past two years, many say.

They have had issues with China and meat and a variety of other embarrassing issues.

None has been very good for their image.

So, I was delighted to go and see this new petition and to absolutely sign it and support it.

However, when I got there, it seems that the desired numbers had already been reached.

Well, that’s very good news and there was also a letter from the author with suggestions for other things to do in support of the Petition and all the necessary details were included in it.

As I don’t do Twitter and wanted to go beyond just posting it on my FB page, I then, as suggested, called the company directly.

What happened next is the honest truth, you cannot make this stuff up.

I dialed the number, it rang and a pleasant computer asked me to make a choice of directions to be transferred to next.

I listened to all of the different choices and finally selected ” suggest new ideas.”

This is the response, or answer that the computer gave me, I swear on my beloved Grandmother.

” I’m sorry, but McDonald’s does not accept any new ideas from anyone who does not work for the company.”

End quote!

Umm, McDonald’s, I think I see the problem and why your sales and profits may be going down the proverbial drain.

You obviously do not listen, nor care what your customers think.

And you don’t want any ” new ideas “ from those who just happen to pay your salaries.

Always low prices, but at what cost?

Posted by Gator Woman

A now typical Walmart Store
Picture credit: Walmart Corporation

For the number one retailer in America and largest Corporation in the world, Walmart, is not really very popular.

Sam Walton who founded the Company in 1962, had a great theory, buy cheap and sell a lot.

Or to quote Wikipedia:

Walmart 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.”

So, then to recap, this Billionaire’s business plan was to pay his employees as little as possible, with the fewest benefits.

Mr. Walton and his Company, Walmart were very, very successful at doing this until his death in 1992, at the age of 74.

When he died, Sam Walton was worth approximately $23 Billion.

We all know why we go to this store, don’t we, to save money, especially those with fixed or low incomes.

But often as I am driving home after shopping, I almost feel dirty, for going there.

I have just supported his tyrannical place with my purchase, therefore giving it my approval.

There are so many reasons that we, you and me and millions of us who shop at Walmart, don’t like this Store, or the Company, or the way that they do business.

The True Cost of Those Low Prices

So here are just a few of the reasons that I have come up with, I know that you will all add your own below:

Unlivable Low Wages for their employees.

Corporation wide failure to promote females.

Deplorable treatment and working Environment for Employees, which in turn causes a high turn over.

Until only recently, a complete refusal to participate in any form of charitable donations.

Buying and selling nearly exclusively with China, to the detriment of millions of American businesses and workers.

Deliberately putting any and all of their competition out of business, by underpricing them.

Countless Environmental damages adding up to millions at their facilities.

The slave labor, or sweat shops where they buy goods from in other countries.

Annoyingly Empty shelves, while stock sits on the floor in carts.

Never can find an employee to ask a question.

Opposition to Unions are an ongoing source of conflicts across the world.

Health Care for employees is poor, to non-existent.

Employees being forced to Work off the Clock has been widely charged.

Vengeful firings, or wrongful terminations, of any who may oppose any company policies.

Hiring and hiding undocumented workers, repeatedly.

More reasons we don’t like Walmart

Walmart’s history of rejecting any and all merchandise that may offend their “Bible Belt key customer base,” while treating their employees like virtual slaves, this is not very Christian!

When a Walmart comes to a town, crime goes up.
(At our Central Florida Walmarts, there have been many robberies, even murders)

Many Walmart Employees are paid so little, that they actually can be on welfare at the same time.

Walmart’s trade deficit with China has cost over 200,000 American jobs.

Continuously demands the lowest price from their suppliers, even at the risk of forcing them out of business.

Kraft Foods had to shut down 39 plants and fire over 13,000 employees for this very reason.

Have more to add to this list, go for it.

Places to learn more:

Criticism of Walmart

Walmart’s Labor Practices Backfire

Research: Crime Stats, Staffing Problems Plague Walmart

Walmart abuses aren’t just a problem for workers. They’re a problem for the rule of law.

Walmart’s Human Trafficking Problem

Walmart Linked To Higher Crime Rates: Study

Does Walmart Have Restocking Problems?

Walmart’s Problem: More Stores, Fewer Employees

The List

Posted by Gator Woman

Yes, Wikipedia is huge, but they do try to get it right.

This new Blog will attempt to enlighten the reader, as if we need to have more to worry about, about those Companies worldwide who have little, or no regard, for the health or well being of its customers.

That would be you and me.

What it comes down to is this, we are paying these companies without conscience, to kill us.

They produce products that they know very well are either toxic, or at the very least not safe, or healthy to consume.

This includes, all of us Humans, all of the planet’s living creatures and of course our beloved pets.

China’s lethal Jerky treats come to mind and they will still be sold in some pet food stores, like Petco, until the Fall!

Hello, we are paying them to do this to us.

Now, just in case you have been away on Holiday, or perhaps checked out for the beginning of this year, a perfect example of exactly how much we can do when we put our minds to it, was the Blogger who recently exposed Sub Way, for the not very tasty, rubber mat ingredient, azodiacarbonamide
in their bread.

If you watch their new ads carefully now, they actually say, “we no longer have this ingredient in our bread.”

Score one for us!

And a huge thank you to the tenacious Blogger who made this happen.

So, as this Blog progresses, these are the kinds of stories we need to continue working on and at.

Together we can force these Corporate Bullies, these ruthless, amoral, greedy, gluttonous Companies to change.

It has already begun~

Now for the Initial List, please do comment and offer your suggestions for it:

(Several of you have already sent suggestions and they are included)

Monsanto – DONE!

Bayer – DONE!

Wal Mart – DONE!

Facebook – DONE!