tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post3286128781106464351..comments2023-09-06T05:58:02.522-07:00Comments on Palousitics: "War against Wal-Mart? Not in our name"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-71690421013959374492007-08-21T21:18:00.000-07:002007-08-21T21:18:00.000-07:00Nic is being willfully ignorant or he is the bigge...Nic is being willfully ignorant or he is the biggest hypocrite ever. <BR/><BR/>It's one or the other because he spells too well to be stupid.April E. Cogginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940677956053695836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-60654314618313975022007-08-21T20:40:00.000-07:002007-08-21T20:40:00.000-07:00Yes, Nic in the past has made some legitimate, wel...Yes, Nic in the past has made some legitimate, well-considered points, but now just seems interested in being deliberately obtuse and playing Devil's Advocate. That's too badTom Forbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02080804561058476349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-66283216619318127752007-08-21T20:32:00.000-07:002007-08-21T20:32:00.000-07:00Nic, so in your world, politicians can and should ...Nic, so in your world, politicians can and should decide what stores should be allowed and what products can be purchased. In your world, that is considered "preference." Since we have a democracy, a legitimate campaign issue would be which stores should be allowed. And no, no, that wouldn't lead to special favors and bribes leading to a few approved retailers getting ultra-rich while the public gets less product and service. Oh wait, I think that revolutionery idea has been tried, then failed, with much misery in between. But history doesn't seem to deter the activists.April E. Cogginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940677956053695836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-4079693010772749182007-08-20T19:09:00.000-07:002007-08-20T19:09:00.000-07:00my logic is that both stores sell similar quality ...my logic is that both stores sell similar quality goods, at similar price points... So why would anyone think that choosing one store over another is the result of elitism? Just because some people prefer salmon over a happy meal doesn't necessarily make them elitist.Nichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04884645586554976389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-43430015270618705642007-08-20T12:21:00.000-07:002007-08-20T12:21:00.000-07:00Yes, the founder and owner of IKEA is Ingvar Kampr...Yes, the founder and owner of IKEA is Ingvar Kamprad from Sweden. Kamprad is one of the world's richest men (some have reported richer even than Bill Gates.) The Kamprad family is richer than even the Walton family.<BR/><BR/>Kamprad attended some pro-Nazi meetings in Sweden during his teens. Sam Walton's son was a Green Beret in Vietnam who won the Silver Star for bravery in combat.<BR/><BR/>IKEA is also privately-held by the Kamprad family. Talk about sending your dollars out of town. How about out of the country? Wal-Mart meanwhile is one of the most widely held stocks in the U.S. Millions of ordinary Americans share in its success.<BR/><BR/>But still, IKEA shares Portland's values.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I have nothing against IKEA. I have been going to IKEA for over twenty years, so I am something of an expert. The second IKEA in the U.S. opened in Dale City, VA in 1986, just a mile or so from where I used to live. <BR/><BR/>We have an IKEA chair and entertainment center in our living room right now. I just can't stand all the inconsistency and hypocrisy when people talk about Wal-Mart and IKEA.Tom Forbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02080804561058476349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-4000156181074576632007-08-20T11:58:00.000-07:002007-08-20T11:58:00.000-07:00I am sitting at my Ikea desk as you talk about the...I am sitting at my Ikea desk as you talk about their stuff being cheap. This desk rules.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I have been to Ikea, it is a (I believe) Sweedish based company. So our money doesn't even stay in the US...<BR/><BR/>Also, you cannot go to Ikea without seeing EVERYTHING! That is just the way it is. They put a path from the front doors to where you buy stuff.Scottyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587071399974432502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-66534625018285131232007-08-19T16:56:00.000-07:002007-08-19T16:56:00.000-07:00Uhhhh, sorry Nic. I'm not following your logic at...Uhhhh, sorry Nic. I'm not following your logic at all.<BR/><BR/>Just read how <A HREF="http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3239/7825" REL="nofollow">one Portland magazine</A> "jusitified" Ikea over Wal-Mart. The whole article is fallacious and illogical, but this one quote tells it all:<BR/><BR/><STRONG>CULTURAL CACHET</STRONG><BR/><BR/>IKEA offers salmon plates and Swedish meatballs in its cafeteria-style restaurants; Wal-Mart rents out space to McDonald's and Subway. IKEA toys include "Ratta," the stuffed rat, and "Krabba," the stuffed crab. Wal-Mart offers "Barbie's Jammin' Jeep Wrangler" and John Deere toy tractors. <BR/><BR/>Have you ever read a more elitist piece of claptrap?Tom Forbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02080804561058476349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-68711299890737260432007-08-19T14:32:00.000-07:002007-08-19T14:32:00.000-07:00I don't know about the quality of Ikea, but there ...I don't know about the quality of Ikea, but there must a pent up demand for reasonable prices in Portland. I drove by that Ikea Friday and Saturday and the place was PACKED.Bruce Heimbignerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12615394678431336846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-79449218488249682112007-08-19T13:21:00.000-07:002007-08-19T13:21:00.000-07:00I think the more interesting point is that people ...I think the more interesting point is that people are not against cheap, just against Wal-Mart. So, for Portland (or at least the powers that be in Portland) to let a crappy store like Ikea into the city, but not a crappy store like Wal-Mart, is not hypocrisy, just a matter of preference. Just because it's chic doesn't make it a liberal conspiracy against the poor.Nichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04884645586554976389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-18958603908890051822007-08-18T21:28:00.000-07:002007-08-18T21:28:00.000-07:00This story provides a summary April.And for Nic's ...This <A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2004-12-28-ikea-usat_x.htm" REL="nofollow">story</A> provides a summary April.<BR/><BR/>And for Nic's benefit, it is referred to in the story as "Ikea — known for selling yuppie-appeal home furnishings on the cheap." Cheap, yes, but chic.<BR/><BR/>There is a <STRONG>BEHEMOTH</STRONG> 350,000 sq. ft. Ikea over in Renton. By contrast, if they tried to open a Wal-Mart Supercenter that big that close to Seattle, people would be chaining themselves to bulldozers.Tom Forbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02080804561058476349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-50838283755528580322007-08-18T21:14:00.000-07:002007-08-18T21:14:00.000-07:00Nic, what is Ikea? See, I live in Pullman, Washing...Nic, what is Ikea? See, I live in Pullman, Washington and we don't have much exposure to the outside world.April E. Cogginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940677956053695836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13796804.post-39890266794610725972007-08-17T19:14:00.000-07:002007-08-17T19:14:00.000-07:00I don't think ikea qualifies as an elitist store. ...I don't think ikea qualifies as an elitist store. They sell pretty crappy stuff for pretty cheap. That's why ikea furniture adorns the dwellings of many a college student across the country... Ikea or Walmart, same difference.Nichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04884645586554976389noreply@blogger.com