Now, Where’s that Guillotine?
Posted: December 3, 2013 Filed under: #Occupy and We are the 99 percent!, open thread 17 Comments
Where are those confounded guillotines?
How Wal-Mart’s Chairman Burned Through Millions Of Dollars In A Matter Of Seconds From Business Insider
It took Wal-Mart Chairman Rob Walton a matter of seconds to burn through millions of dollars on a race track last year.
He was reportedly tearing around a corner in his rare Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe, one of five ever made, when he ran it off the track and wrecked it.
The car has been estimated to be worth as much as $15 million, according to The Los Angeles Times, and it likely cost him a couple million dollars to fix it.
The Waltons are without question one of the wealthiest families in the world. Forbes estimates that the net worth of just six of the family members is more than $144 billion, which is greater than the combined net worth of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Rob Walton’s father, Samuel Walton, founded Wal-Mart in 1962. The family now owns a 50.9% stake in the company that’s worth $131 billion and paid out $2.5 billion in dividends last year. The dividends alone would be enough to pay every one of Wal-Mart’s 1.3 million U.S. employees nearly $2,000 in cash.
As Business Insider reported last week, the Waltons have mostly kept their multi-billion-dollar lifestyles out of the public view.
Consider Rob Walton, for example: Besides houses in Aspen, Colo., and Paradise Valley, Ariz., at least a half dozen vintage cars, and the recent purchase of 1,500 acres of land in Hawaii for a planned resort, you would be hard-pressed to find many signs of his outrageous wealth.
and let’s not forget:
While the average wage of Wal-Mart associates is the subject of some dispute (OUR Walmart claims that most make less than $9 per hour, an estimate based on data from IBISWorld and Glassdoor.com, while Wal-Mart pegs the figure at $11.83), there’s little doubt that many of the store’s workers are stuck below the poverty line, currently $23,550 for a family of four.
A study by congressional Democrats suggested that low wages at a single Wal-Mart could be costing taxpayers as much as $900,000 per year, due to employees using programs like food stamps and Medicaid.
No, BB, it isn’t just you. There are just a lot of people in the world that need a lesson. Speaking of which …
Rush Limbaugh is going after Pope Francis just in time for the Christmas season.
The outspoken conservative pundit blasted the Pope this week after the pontiff released a new 50,000 word document, titled “Evangelli Gaudium” (The Joy of Gospel), calling for church reforms and criticizing certain ideas of capitalism.
Limbaugh, whose nationally syndicated radio show is no stranger to controversial rhetoric, called Francis’ latest statement “pure Marxism.”
Limbaugh’s own statement, titled “It’s Sad How Wrong Pope Francis Is (Unless It’s A Deliberate Mistranslation By Leftists)“ goes on to question whether the pontiff was actually the author of the document.
“It’s sad because this pope makes it very clear he doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to capitalism and socialism and so forth,” Limbaugh wrote.
Would you like to discuss who is waging the war on christian “values” now or should we just read Snowflake Snookie’s selling really badly kid’s book? Or perhaps watch Rick Santorum’s movie? Shop for gifts at Walmart?
Yes, there is a classwar, and 99.9% of us are losing it!!
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
JJ Lopez aka Minkoff Minx
NW Luna
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Tumbrel rides for the 1% are the sure cure.
Third Way assholes in the WSJ…
https://twitter.com/billmon1/statuses/407932304237924352
wsj is vile
The Third Way sucks swamp water, sellout scum!
Why the Third Way hates Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Most Female Journalists Have Been Threatened, Assaulted, or Harassed at Work. Why We Don’t Talk About It. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/03/sexual_harassment_in_journalism_a_new_study_shows_that_the_majority_of_female.html … via @slate
Three black teenagers handcuffed and arrested while waiting for a school bus in Rochester, NY.
They’ve been released now.
Charges dropped against teens arrested at bus stop
Really like your recent postings Dak. I’ve been thinking about the situation this country is in, and how my own family faced it back then, and how wicked things have come my way. Retiring, and having medical issues (both of us), and losing the only home we worked for over 35 years…………all gone to Wells Fargo.
The things most important are the kids, and grandkids now, doing and making things and loving it when the little ones tells me I am the wise granny. I’ve gotten real creative at crafting, and alot of time is spent gathering up the goods and making do with what I have to work with. I have been going through my “old Christmas stuff” and sharing the stories with the kids, why the little red velvet cat gets the honor of being placed on the tree first, and gg grandma made this for her tree, and now it will go to my grandchildren. I’ve shared photos, and read a few letters to them, here’s one I will share with you all.
4 Jan 1911
Guess you think you aren’t going to hear fro me any more. It’s been three months, but we’ve been busy, mama and papa, they are so tired at night, that they can write. Yesterday, mama and I went and made a garden. We dug it up and worked it. We sowed some lettuce, cabbage and radish seed. Papa brought two rolls of barbed wire so has been putting the wire around the side and front, and will turn the colts and cow in on the grass.
We faired well this Christmas. I will tell you what we all got. Mama got six water glasses from me, a fine linen table cloth, and a dozen napkins, and two doilies from Sadie. Pearl gave mama and papa a nice new clock, and papa got a dozen handkerchiefs from Oliver. Mama and I gave him a black tie and shaving pad. I got a pin jar from Anna, and some material to make a comforter. Mama and papa gave me a cup and saucer, and one dollar. Sadie gave me a box of paper to write letters. Aunt Bessie gave me 4 embroidered handkerchiefs, and Gladys gave me a song book, and George gave me a calendar, and the prettiest thing was from Leslie, she gave me the looking glass that goes with my set. And Otis gave me some paper dolls to dress.
All of got some nuts, and candy, and oranges. They were wrapped in the very pretty hair ribbons. We were all very much thankful for all the presents. I hope you all will come to a visit. We made some sour kraut. Don’t you all want to come and eat dinner with us. Two and half gallons of sour kraut goes for fifteen cents. Write and give us your news.
I long for the simple ways of life, and not all this stepping on people to get on with living.
Thank you for sharing that, Fannie. I have some letters my grandmother wrote. She had lots of grandchildren and wanted more. I understand that now. the older I get the more I realize that nothing matters more than family–especially making life better for the children. I don’t have kids of my own, but I’ve had the privilege of helping to bring up my nephews. They are so precious to me. Some days they are all that keeps me going.
I think you are the greatest BB………as a result of your involvement with your nephews, they will always look back with you in their hearts. Sometimes we all get so busy, that we don’t make the time for others, and we all need to reach out, even with the kids takes up a mountain of energy from you. I love to hear your sweet stories, and those from others too.
Ralph you wow me too, and Mouse I am always impressed with your concerns. I always look to the skydancers, they are all skyhigh.
Thank you, Fannie. The feeling is mutual.
Thank you Fannie. I enjoyed that a great deal and it brought my grandparents back to me like I was a child again. 🙂 I believe most of us long for a kinder and simpler world.
That was wonderful Fannie, Thank you
Beautiful post, Fannie. Your kindness, sincerity, and warmth always come through in your writing. Thank you for being part of this community.
That is so wonderful Fannie! I know how important grandparents can be! I have seen it in the lives of my girls and also I remember my dad’s parents and how important they were to me. They centered me on what us important in life.
Rush Limbaugh is definitely not happy about Pope Francis. It’s probably just a matter of time until Rush demands to see Pope Francis’ birth certificate.
LOL