The Wal-Mart You Don't Know

Fast Company magazine ^ | november 2003 | charles fishman

[FITZ]

Points were never very difficult to fix --- if your car wouldn't start it was one of the first things to look at and you could pretty much guess a gap to set if they were closed. If they went bad they were cheap to replace.

[_Jim]

no reason to demonize the technology as "crap".

And YES - it was crap .. crudely cast components - as compared to machining required today to get FI as reliable and as accurate as it is today compared to 'carbs' ...

THEN we can talk about the improved transmissions - with lock-up torque converters for increased fuel efficiency no less!

The AM-FM synthesized OEM car radios versus the AM-band only string-driven/no readout reluctance (inductor) tuned radios like Delco used to make in the 60's (and into the 80's)...

[_Jim]

Points were never very difficult to fix

THAT'S exactly what I want in my life - more time spent on vehicle maintenance!

YOU also overlook the increase in efficiency (efficeint operation) that a *smarter* ignition system can provide - my 1972 Plymoyth Satellite Sebring was equipped with one of Chyslers *transistorized* ignition systems (NOT computerized - in 1972!) and nor one lick of troubel with it (It had a head gasket issue - non-related to the ignition system) ...

Points also 'float' at high RPM ... elect 'point' systems don't have that problem (like my old Honda NightHawk 650 that would rev to 10K RPM) ...

[TopQuark]

The Founding Fathers could have gone with an Aristocratic system

Possibly because you have seen no other, you attribute power to money alone. The system against which our Fathers stood up was not money but hereditary power. To the contrary, it was always admired in this country that you could pull yourself up by acquiring money.

Some of the problems in this country exist precisely of the victoryo of socialists over elites. Elites are not bad --- the immobile ones, based on hereditary rules are -- but elites are not bad in thesmselves. In fact it is the elites that provide the grounding for the society: educated elites, spiritual elites, etc.

Socialists have hijacked this words and made it sound universally bad. They have done the same in Soviet Russia. You should be very alarmed at your attitude and towards "elites." And please do not hide behind the Founders if you yourself aspire to socialist ideals: your stance against wealth is just that.

for a few elites at the top to have all the power.

That is how it is supposed to be: you do not want the country to be run by "mediocrity at the bottom." What differentiated us from Europe was the composition of the elite, and not its existence.

To keep a middle class, there has to be a political system similar to what the US was set up to be.

Has it ever occurred to you that it was the middle class that was the main supporter of Hitler? He has won precisely because the nobility was weakened. Think about that some time when you listen to the umpapa band.

[_Jim]

My current vehicle has over 200,000 miles on it

I think my old '72 Ply had been rolled over on the odo once before I bought it - and I proceeded to pound that car for 75,000 miles more before selling it to a ahhh ... friend who needed cheap transportation (I wasn't driving it much - the A/C had failed) ...

I did a number of long (1,000 mile or so) 80 - 90 MPH runs on the interstates with that car - bear in mind this was that sleek Satellite like Richard Petty used to drive for NASCAR ...

[Twinkie]

I met a lady the other day who said she hadn't been to
Wal Mart in 9 yrs. I envied her. We go 3 or 4 times
a week. - Wal Mart has aggravated me on several accounts.
First, a few years ago, it was coming a storm & the
power went out. My elderly mother was in the store & they
herded all the customers to the front & locked them out in
the air-lock area. They couldn't go out in the lightning,
hail & pouring rain, so they were stuck in there with all
that nice plate glass all around them. My mother was sort
of headstrong & slid back through the front door before
they could lock her out. Everyone else was stuck & she
would have been as well if she hadn't been fast. You see,
clearly their customers were "shoplifters" and deserved to
die if necessary to insure their bottom line. They couldn't
be trusted in the dark. - Then you have those gallon jars
of pickles stuck on the most convenient shelf. Old people
are almost forced to struggle with the heavy jars because
they can't reach the smaller sizes on high shelves. - Then
there are the teeny boppers who have control of the PA
system & ride it LOUD & FREQUENTLY. - Wal Mart is an
addiction & I think we need a rehab center!

[FITZ]

I think what made the USA great was there was Capitalism for the many --- the middle class could trade their labor for money, they could buy homes, they could invest, they could participate in Capitalism. By having a few elites we'll have Capitalism for a few --- when the majority is denied Capitalism, they lose interest in protecting it for the very few who have it. I don't really care about elites or poor --- every country has some --- the third world has plenty of them --- it's only the middle class that makes us better.

[Petronski]

He refused to hire "stars" to advertise his store...

What about smiley-face guy? He's a star. So is 'Gingy,' their newest star.

[Willie Green]

The AM-FM synthesized OEM car radios versus the AM-band only string-driven/no readout reluctance (inductor) tuned radios like Delco used to make in the 60's (and into the 80's)...

LOL! Who are you trying to bullshoot now?

OEM sound systems have ALWAYS been crap compared to aftermarket replacements.
That's as true today as it ever has been.
And YOU KNOW IT!

[FITZ]

See --- some of those old cars with the old technology did very very well. I wonder how many of the cars coming off the conveyor belts today will roll over the odometer.

[_Jim]

LOL! Who are you trying to bullshoot now?

OEM sound systems have ALWAYS been crap

You must be one of those young, inexperienced boys *or* perhaps an older 'boy' with just a limited range of experience.

I have *personally* pulled AM transistor OEM Delco radios out of vehicles as a kid - for playing on the bench. A richer bass you could not have ... a more sensitive receiver you couyld not ask for ... I had one 8-track tape-equipped unit I wired a Mic into - for a crude PA sometime in my early teens ...

AS to the present Delco in my '94 Chevy Caprice - it's a PRETTY GOOD radio too. A *love* the digital tuner and am impressed with the work GM did to elimnate ignition noise from the AM broadcast band ..

[_Jim]

See --- some of those old cars with the old technology did very very well.

Do you heat with coal or cool with ice yet?

AS to cars, I am impressed with the performance of my 4.3L FI V-8 Caprice - I'd put it up against anything built 20 years earlier too ...

[_Jim]

I wonder how many of the cars coming off the conveyor belts today will roll over the odometer.

Do the owners perform required maintenance (at least)?

MOST importantly - the oil changes?

It also helps if one doesn't 'hot rod' some of these cars that won't take it, too. Like a Ford Taurus - they won't take year-in year-out 'beating' without CV joints becoming noisy or the transmission 'getting funny' (as me how I know this) ...

[Petronski]

Not fair, most odometers these days now go to a million, not a hundred-thousand.

[RaginCajunTrad]

"I wonder how many of the cars coming off the conveyor belts today will roll over the odometer."

Well, I don't know the whole history, but I currently drive a 1997 Merc Marquis with slightly less than 203,000 miles.

But I'd rather have a fully-restored, 64 1/2-66 Mustang, 67-69 Camaro or Firebird, or a Falcon or Corvair of almost any year. One day, maybe.

[FITZ]

Do you heat with coal or cool with ice yet?

No -- not yet but I do try to stick with more primitive technology for many things. Like my well-built (American made) hand can-opener which has been around for many years --- I once tried an electric one that lasted a few months. I'm stuck with an stove that doesn't have gas pilots --- but when I can I'll replace it with one that does --- the electric ignitors don't last and cost far too much to replace.

[FITZ]

My dad's got several Model A's --- still running great. I wouldn't ming getting one of those.

[Willie Green]

I had one 8-track tape-equipped unit

Woooooooooo... an 8-track!!!!
That musta been some kind of luv-taxi you were cruisin' in _Jimmy.
I bet the chicks just swooned when they saw your Betamax and MacIntosh computer too!

[_Jim]

I do try to stick with more primitive technology for many things.

You might appreciate this then - my sister gave me a little-used Microwave oven she had last Christmas - I have never had the desire/need to use or purchase one!

[_Jim]

You are one weird, inexperienced dude - dude.