Free Tanning, Free Haircuts and Wal-Mart..

Mallory recently got a new job working at the salon where we all get our hair done. Now aside from her pay she gets free unlimited tanning, free hair cuts and only has to pay something like $10 for color. HELLO? Where do I sign up? Now in the first place, Mallory doesn't tan. Not in a bed, not outside, not in a train, not in a plane. She has beautiful porcelain skin. Me, on the other hand, when not tan look like death. There's really no nice way to put it. Prior to my disfigurement I lived in tanning beds unless it was summer and then I would be out in the sun. Skin cancer be damned. Something's going to kill me and when I die I would like to be as tan as possible Actually, Mallory has instructions to wheel me into a spray tan upon my demise. Point is this perk is totally wasted on her. As for the cuts and color, she recently got highlights and looks great so at least that part is not going to waste. Color me green, my friends, which is, of course, better then deathly pale.

As for Wal-Mart. I watched a documentary last night on this retail giant and let me tell you I am besides myself. The way they treat their "associates" is a crime. They have actually lost some class action lawsuits brought upon by former employees to the tune of $150 million. We don't have a Wal-Mart in my county and I can actually say that I have not been in one for probably 8 years but if the occasion should arise I am here to tell you that I would NEVER step inside one again. Those "low prices" are at the expense of their employees. And really, how low are their prices? Are they lower than K-Mart or drugstore chains? I honestly don't know but I know that if you pay attention to sales at other stores I'm sure you can come very close to matching their price. If you have time I would recomend that you either watch the documentary or maybe do a Google search for more information and make your own decison. It's amazing that in the year 2008 we still have these companies who disregard basic employee rights. Let me just tell you that this company has been sited for not paying overtime, having people work off of the clock, directing new hires to social services programs because they don't pay a living wage and many more infractions. Aside from taking away the pride people feel in working and being able to support their family, Wal-Mart is advising employees to sign up for the dole. As a result, Wal-Mart employees have cost the Untited States over $1.5 billion in federal and state subsidised programs. Incredible when you consider that last year they had sales in excess of $240 BILLION!!! I am in no way blaming Wal-Mart employees, to the contrary, I think we should hold a company accountable when they are not only the cause of a financial drain on our society, in most cases they receive tax incentives and other "favors" to build their stores. When you are armed with all of this information that $2 shirt doesn't seem so cheap does it?