So I found several problems with my post after I thought about things for a bit. I'll be revising it shortly and posting a conversation I had with my friend Chris. But rather than post it here, where many of my sports reading public might not care, I'll be continuing the conversation over at my other blog, "Random Stuff," which you can find here.
More sports related stuff coming shortly! In the meantime, check out the conversation with my friend Chris over at the other blog.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wal-mart
A recent story I read on CNN.com confirms what many have said for a long time - the walmart corporation is a selfless piece of crap that no one should support. Now I know this has nothing to do with sports, but I think people sometimes need to realize (me included) that there are so many things out there more important than sports score, your favorite team, and teams you hate.
If you have a chance, read this sad story about a woman who worked for Walmart. After leaving work one day, she was in a horrible car accident, not her fault, and suffered horrible brain damage. The truck company involved was sued by this woman's family and received about $417,000 after legal fees. They put that money in a trust fund to pay for the woman's high yearly medical bills. Walmart's insurance policy paid out $470,000 in medical bills up to the point of the lawsuit. But Walmart's insurance policy, in fine print, says that if an employee receives a settlement from an accident, Walmart has the right to recoup any medical expenses back from the injured party. Three years after the accident, that is exactly what those pricks did. So you're now left with a family, who's son was just killed in Iraq, that can barely afford to pay their medical bills because of Walmart essentially took away their settlement, which was to serve as a trust fund, so they could recover $400,000. Mind you, Walmart doesn't have to recoup those past medical expenses, but they chose to anyway. Even during this extreme circumstance. And why? So they could be "fair" to everyone who participates in the plan. Although I often feel that if people don't like the policies of their employer, they should try to change jobs, you often can't say that when it comes to Walmart. The Walmart corporation represents everything that can be wrong with a capitalist society. The normal rules of capitalism don't apply when it comes to Walmart. They normally put any competition around them out of business because they can undercut everyone to the point where no on can compete. In essence, they often create a mini-monopoly in their area, leaving people with little choice in terms of where they can purchase many of their foods, household products and clothes. They use there size to basically create an anti-capitalism, monopoly zone where the capitalism ideals and benefits of consumer choice go out the window. Now this isn't the case in many places, because they area where the store is located actually has more consumers than Walmart can serve, so other businesses can still provide competition, so Walmart doesn't achieve their mini-monopoly effect. But in small towns, where the population is small, the township has little choice but to shop, work, and live by the rules of Walmart. And people in those towns often shop at Walmart because their prices are so low!
Well, for those of use who do have other options, you can do your part. Don't shop at Walmart. I don't know about you, but I'd rather pay more for a product because I know if I did go to Walmart to save a few bucks, it would just be contributing more to those pricks and tell them that what they did to this poor woman is okay. I know my not going there makes little difference to them, but this blog entry is a way for me to try and engage others to do the same. If you decide to boycott Walmart, tell 5 friends about it as well and get them to join you. And then have them ask 5 people to do the same. As I said, I know this is a digression from what I normally write about, but please, copy this blog and ask other to join you in trying to take away $400,000 worth of business to make up for what Walkmart took back from this poor woman and her family.
If you have a chance, read this sad story about a woman who worked for Walmart. After leaving work one day, she was in a horrible car accident, not her fault, and suffered horrible brain damage. The truck company involved was sued by this woman's family and received about $417,000 after legal fees. They put that money in a trust fund to pay for the woman's high yearly medical bills. Walmart's insurance policy paid out $470,000 in medical bills up to the point of the lawsuit. But Walmart's insurance policy, in fine print, says that if an employee receives a settlement from an accident, Walmart has the right to recoup any medical expenses back from the injured party. Three years after the accident, that is exactly what those pricks did. So you're now left with a family, who's son was just killed in Iraq, that can barely afford to pay their medical bills because of Walmart essentially took away their settlement, which was to serve as a trust fund, so they could recover $400,000. Mind you, Walmart doesn't have to recoup those past medical expenses, but they chose to anyway. Even during this extreme circumstance. And why? So they could be "fair" to everyone who participates in the plan. Although I often feel that if people don't like the policies of their employer, they should try to change jobs, you often can't say that when it comes to Walmart. The Walmart corporation represents everything that can be wrong with a capitalist society. The normal rules of capitalism don't apply when it comes to Walmart. They normally put any competition around them out of business because they can undercut everyone to the point where no on can compete. In essence, they often create a mini-monopoly in their area, leaving people with little choice in terms of where they can purchase many of their foods, household products and clothes. They use there size to basically create an anti-capitalism, monopoly zone where the capitalism ideals and benefits of consumer choice go out the window. Now this isn't the case in many places, because they area where the store is located actually has more consumers than Walmart can serve, so other businesses can still provide competition, so Walmart doesn't achieve their mini-monopoly effect. But in small towns, where the population is small, the township has little choice but to shop, work, and live by the rules of Walmart. And people in those towns often shop at Walmart because their prices are so low!
Well, for those of use who do have other options, you can do your part. Don't shop at Walmart. I don't know about you, but I'd rather pay more for a product because I know if I did go to Walmart to save a few bucks, it would just be contributing more to those pricks and tell them that what they did to this poor woman is okay. I know my not going there makes little difference to them, but this blog entry is a way for me to try and engage others to do the same. If you decide to boycott Walmart, tell 5 friends about it as well and get them to join you. And then have them ask 5 people to do the same. As I said, I know this is a digression from what I normally write about, but please, copy this blog and ask other to join you in trying to take away $400,000 worth of business to make up for what Walkmart took back from this poor woman and her family.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Welcome to Loserville, Population Duke and Georgetown
Since MD's NIT loss, I've been unable to talk about the Terps and thought I wouldn't really care about March Madness this year. Well, that wasn't the case, as I've been glued to the TV/internet for the past 4 days. More on that later. But I digress...
Life got a lot better for me and many Maryland fans after Georgetown and Duke both lost in the second round, to teams seeded significantly lower then them. Both of these teams losing was a huge disappointment if you're a Hoyas or Duke hoops fan but fantastic if you're a hater of those teams like myself. It's also great when you work in D.C. and many of your co-workers pick Georgetown or Duke to go far in your office pools.
More on these losses, MD's season, comparing Curry to Juan Dixon, and finally continuing with the ACC Student Section rankings in the coming days.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Cooked
Last night's game, as many games have this season, ripped my heart out of my chest, stomped on it, and then threw it into the trash. Maryland has been quite good this year at making their fan base go into a frenzy of madness...too bad they won't be giving those fans the opportunity to take part in the March variety of that madness...
As I told my girlfriend as we left the Comcast Center following the heart breaking loss to Clemson, Maryland's season is over. After the loss to Boston College last night in the opening round of the ACC's, Maryland can officially kiss the NCAA's goodbye. Honestly, I don't even think they deserve a trip to the NIT. Boston College just out hustled them, played more defense, and Maryland started playing scared and stopped attacking the basket. And to top if off, they turned the ball over 40,000 times in the second half. When MD went down by 10, I thought the game was over. But Gist pulled the team together and gave every bit of energy he had. In the course of a minute, MD went on a 7-0 run to pull them within 3. Too bad everyone else on the team didn't do the same and it was too little too late.
Md has a chance to get a second Junior College transfer but doesn't have the scholarship to offer. I'm hoping Eric Hayes decides to transfer, but a few other people might consider doing so as well.
As I told my girlfriend as we left the Comcast Center following the heart breaking loss to Clemson, Maryland's season is over. After the loss to Boston College last night in the opening round of the ACC's, Maryland can officially kiss the NCAA's goodbye. Honestly, I don't even think they deserve a trip to the NIT. Boston College just out hustled them, played more defense, and Maryland started playing scared and stopped attacking the basket. And to top if off, they turned the ball over 40,000 times in the second half. When MD went down by 10, I thought the game was over. But Gist pulled the team together and gave every bit of energy he had. In the course of a minute, MD went on a 7-0 run to pull them within 3. Too bad everyone else on the team didn't do the same and it was too little too late.
Md has a chance to get a second Junior College transfer but doesn't have the scholarship to offer. I'm hoping Eric Hayes decides to transfer, but a few other people might consider doing so as well.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, good bye (WE SUCK!)
(from Baltimoresun.com)
I interrupt this ACC student section ranking to bring you this post...Maryland is going to miss the NCAA Tourney for the 3rd time in the last 4 years. Unless we beat UVA (which I don't even think we'll do), and then do some damage in the ACC Tourney, we're headed to the NIT yet again.
Maryland had a 68-55 lead with 4:48 to go. We got outscored 18-2 to end the game. Unfreaking believable.
I'm normally super optimistic about things like this, but not anymore. I'm not going to get my hopes up and allow MD to crush them. My health can't take it anymore.
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