Wal-Mart: They really *are* sleazebags (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on April 23, 2012 6:47 AM. The previous post in this blog was It's too late to turn back now. The next post in this blog is While we build the Mystery Train to Milwaukie.... Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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« It's too late to turn back now | Main | While we build the Mystery Train to Milwaukie... »

Monday, April 23, 2012

Wal-Mart: They really are sleazebags

This is going to make trouble for those guys for many years. May the 1% heads roll.

Posted at 6:47 AM | Permalink

Comments (13)

A wise old man once told me that there were two ways to "pay people off". One was money the other was the appearance of friendship. The latter seems to be the method of choice in our community.

Posted by David E Gilmore | April 23, 2012 7:51 AM

I have been told that practices like these are simply a cost of doing business in Mexico. It is impossible to get anything accomplished without tithing several layers of Government.

I'm sure it NEVER happens in Oregon.

Except for that one Portland parking meter guy: an anomaly for sure. And that food buyer for the Oregon State Prisons: another isolated incident.

Hardly worth mentioning.

Posted by Mister Tee | April 23, 2012 9:31 AM

executives focused more on damage control than on rooting out wrongdoing

Certainly that assertion can be made for just about every corporation on the planet. Its not just the "evil" Walmart.

Posted by Jon | April 23, 2012 10:05 AM

Why are you above commenters looking at this from the point of view sympathetic to the party that stood to make a lot of money by breaking laws and cheating?

Why would any of you make excuses for them? Do we no longer value furthering the rule of law around the world? Are you just cozy with this kind of filth? We have things like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for a reason. If WalMart had nothing to hide... they wouldn't have tried so hard to hide it.

Posted by Aaron | April 23, 2012 10:54 AM

Yet, when bribes and other scandalous dealings are a normal way of life here in P-town, with developers and light rail interests getting favored treatment at City Hall and average Joe citizen has to pay tens of thousands in "permit fees" just to build a patio on their property, nothing is said of it.

Last weekend I made a stop at IKEA. I thought to myself, "What the hell is the difference between cheap crap sold at WalMart, and cheap crap sold at Target, Fred Meyer, IKEA, H&M...?" Oh, the only difference is that Sam Adams hates WalMart, therefore WalMart is bad. H&M good. IKEA good. Same cheap Chinese made crap. Heck, it's OK for 20 Chinese kids to die to manufacture an iPhone, because it's an Apple product. It's OK for Apple to make insane profits. Because they're Apple...and it's OK to sell computers and phones that are several times more costly than the alternatives. But it is not OK for WalMart to actually use its power to sell items at a lower cost to the end consumer.

Posted by Erik H. | April 23, 2012 12:46 PM

I would say that IKEA has a track record of taking better care of their employees than WalMart does. And because they do not really sell many commodities a lot of the major complaints about WalMart just aren't applicable.

Apple... doesn't seem to be let off the hook. There was a ton of reporting about conditions in Taiwanese factories the last couple years, compared to their peers. You surely have a lot more stuff made by Foxconn than your Apple gear. If anything it seems they have a much higher bar due to the "cool" factor. Which is fine by me. Apple should do more and so should everyone else.

Posted by Aaron | April 23, 2012 1:44 PM

Bribing government officials to get stores built faster in Mexico? I think that probably says as much about Mexico as it does WalMart.

Posted by dg | April 23, 2012 2:45 PM

Heh - I was reading today that Apple wants Australia to redefine its 3G network to 4G because its 4g-compatible iPhones and iPads don't work on that country's 4G network.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57417780-501465/apple-wants-australia-to-redefine-3g-as-4g/

It's okay - it's not as though they're WalMart.

Posted by Max | April 23, 2012 4:47 PM

Heh - I was reading today that Apple wants Australia to redefine its 3G network to 4G because its 4g-compatible iPhones and iPads don't work on that country's 4G network.

Similar thing happened here in the US on AT&T. I have an iPhone 4S, and when iOS 5 was released, it strangely changed from showing "3G" to "4G". Since the 4S uses HSPA+, with everything perfect it can barely attain 4G speed, so they changed the display on AT&T 4S phones. But it is still a 3G network.

Posted by Jon | April 23, 2012 10:27 PM

Apple... doesn't seem to be let off the hook. There was a ton of reporting about conditions in Taiwanese factories the last couple years, compared to their peers.

Yes, there was. But nothing changed.

Posted by Jon | April 23, 2012 10:30 PM

Well, look here. Walmart's not the only one.

http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-profits/index.ssf/2012/04/nike_executive_in_china_gave_b.html

Posted by mcinor | April 24, 2012 11:41 PM

and more!

http://freebeacon.com/dreamworks-nightmare/

Posted by mcinor | April 26, 2012 12:54 PM

even more!

http://freebeacon.com/dreamworks-nightmare/

Posted by mcinor | April 26, 2012 1:10 PM

In Vino Veritas

Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007

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Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
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David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
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Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
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William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
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David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
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Road Work

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In 2003: 269