27 MAR 05: THE BELLY OF THE BEAST

"Wal-Mart is evil," I overheard a co-worker say the other day. Considering this man doesn't live anywhere near the proposed SuperCenter in Midland, this was quite a statement....

Wal-Mart certainly has become a no-middle-ground name in U.S. society. People either love it or they hate it. But here's my question: If Wal-Mart has so many customers, and fights so hard to keep prices low - why is the inflation rate slowly going up?

Regular blog readers know I've steered clear of Wal-Mart for about a year - ever since the arrests of illegal immigrant workers, at stores in Valley and other areas. After all, the church I attend teaches obedience to the law. Of course, my congregation also has several admitted "American Idol" viewers, and idolatry is against the commandments.

But with Wal-Mart settling the illegal immigrant hiring case about a week ago for $11 million, I decided to end my long personal boycott. The related boycott against Kmart will end once Martha Stewart shows me she's not wearing that ankle bracelet anymore.

I'd only been to Wal-Mart twice in more than a year, and that was because my tires were under warranty there for free rotations. Friday afternoon I returned to the Phenix City SuperCenter to shop for groceries - and as full as the parking lot was, they probably never missed me one bit.

I was barely out of my car when a little boy came up to me holding an envelope. "Want to help the Heart Association?" Oh no - is a PEX bus bringing beggars to Wal-Mart from downtown Columbus?

Moments later the little boy was joined by a little girl, and someone I presumed was their mother. They said they were collecting money for the American Heart Association, as a project for their school in Smiths Station. Somehow they could win prizes such as bicycles - and I suppose the grand prize was a home defibrillator.

"We can ask for money in the parking lot, but not inside the store," the mother explained. So apparently Wal-Mart treats all panhandlers evenly....

Mainly due to years of run-ins with beggars in Georgia, I carry as little cash in my wallet as possible. On this Friday, I had only two dollars -- and not knowing what else to do, I put one in a child's envelope. It either was that, or take the boy inside and buy him a bicycle for 50 or 60 dollars.

(I expressed my frustration with beggars in general to the mother. What if someone came up to me, trying to get something to eat? It's either death or a heart attack - and neither is a very good option.)

But as I walked inside Wal-Mart, I was shaking my head over what I'd encountered - so I decided to head immediately to the customer service desk, to verify the beggars' claims. Maybe I should simply have trusted what they said. After all, there was no sign of a carnival in the parking lot.

The trip to customer service turned into another jaw-dropper - as there was a line stretching all the way to the end of the office. Shouldn't this line wait until Monday, after the heads are ripped off all the giant bunnies?

A man with a two-way radio was standing at the customer service entrance, so I asked him if he knew anything about the Smiths Station Heart Association parking-lot fundraiser. He promised to contact security about it. No one approached me when I left - so maybe the family was chased away to Home Depot.

Not worrying any more about it, I started grocery shopping at a packed Wal-Mart. This was "Good Friday" - but for this store, it was more like "great" or "spectacular...."

If there's a busier grocery store in the Columbus area than the Wal-Mart SuperCenter, I haven't found it. At the end of some aisles, I had to wait on three or four carts to exit before going in. You'd think they'd put up one-way signs for us occasional shoppers.

As I rolled to the end of one aisle, a VERY full cart turned in right in front of me - with a woman walking in front, and a young man pushing behind. I think the woman apologized as she said, "Now you know why I won't let him drive a car."

Because this is a Wal-Mart first and a grocery store, some of the items I needed were scattered around the giant store. The food has its own segment, but the shampoo was practically at the opposite end. And those shopping carts simply are too small for buying a couple of new tires for my car.

Near the checkout lanes, a couple of young men at a table tried to sign me up for a "Wal-Mart Discover Card." I've had a Discover Card for years, but I haven't used it in years because other credit cards give me better perks. Besides, since Sears invented the Discover Card, isn't this robbery?

For all the crowds and small aggravations, Wal-Mart has some food values you won't find at most other supermarkets. A pound of turkey sausage costs $1.06, two-liter soda is 58 cents -- but a bakery offering "chocolate cinnamon biscuits"?! Sometimes a store can go a little too far....

Wal-Mart didn't win the price race in everything. After I checked out, I drove down U.S. 280 to Walgreens for better prices on milk, orange juice and microwave popcorn. But I drove right by Winn-Dixie - making me one of the many reasons why that company is in bankruptcy court.

So has Wal-Mart won me back? It depends on how the news in coming weeks goes. Wal-Mart faces a stack of other lawsuits, such as sex discrimination in hiring. And if they start selling Michael Jackson dolls, I'll really have a problem....

E-MAIL UPDATE: Uh-oh - a reader wants to let me have it:

I can't believe you let the 12th street rag do a better job of covering the March 22nd Columbus Council strategy session at the Trade Center. They actually had two articles about it. One concerned the entire affair, while one was devoted to the exchange between police major Rowe and Councilors Pugh and Suber. You only devoted one paragraph to the latter and it missed the whole unusual exchange between these three people. There seemed to be more there than there was with the T. V. News 3 articles. Boring (after the first 500 paragraphs)!

Oh dear - my apologies for letting you down. Hopefully you're sending a similar e-mail to Playgrounds Magazine and the Columbus Times.

If you're counting on me for "better coverage" than the Ledger-Enquirer, I fear I'll let you down a lot. After all, the newspaper has many reporters, a staff of photographers and an advertising team bringing in money for all of that. I have - well, have you noticed my note about PayPal donations?

Perhaps my reporting on the WRBL pregnancy discrimination case spoiled some readers, or gave them wrong ideas. This blog does NOT promise "coverage you can count on." That's quite obvious, because I didn't count 500 paragraphs in last Wednesday's post before the police came up.

Keep in mind the Ledger-Enquirer never showed up at the WRBL discrimination trial. The newspaper covers what it chooses, while I look for things you might not find there. And I'd like to think page for page, I offer more one-liners than Kaffie Sledge.

To be honest, I didn't know the Columbus Council was going to have that seven-hour session at the Trade Center last week. Even if I had known, I might not have attended - because who knows how many questions Nathan Suber might have asked ME?!

Maybe this will make up for our lack of coverage -- an extensive e-mail on last week's Council meeting from "IsOurCitySafe":

The following is in reference to Wednesday's (3/23/05) article on page C4 of the Columbus Ledger Enquirer titled Police presentation cut short after testy exchanges.

Police Maj. Charlie Rowe, filling in for Police Chief Ricky Boren, came to the session to present needs on filling vacancies and increased demands on patrol officers, but it was cut short after a testy exchange with two councilors.

In the middle of the presentation, Suber asked a question, which Rowe answered, and then Councilor Evelyn Turner Pugh asked a question. Rowe took a deep breath and dropped his shoulders in a sign of exasperation.

Turner asked, "You don't want me asking questions?"

Rowe said the questions disrupted the "continuity of the presentation" and thought questions would be reserved until the end. After the city manager whispered in Rowe's ear, the officer continued his briefing.

Rowe said the department needed additional officers to patrol the northern part of town. Suber asked whether the department thought about reallocating its resources to cover that area. Rowe then showed more signs of irritation, while Suber said he was getting frustrated because it seems Rowe didn't like councilors asking questions.

Mayor Bob Poydasheff suggested continuing the conversation after Boren returns to town. Hugley, who just finished whispering in Rowe's ear again, said Rowe would continue the presentation. Rowe began answering the question, but then asked while looking in Suber's direction, "Did I say something wrong?"

Suber looked around to see if Rowe was talking to him and replied, "Who me?"

"You dropped your head," Rowe said to Suber.

"I think we need to move on to who ever is next," Suber said.

Hugley agreed. "The police department will come back to you at a work session when the chief is present."

Rowe then left the lectern and later left with the other representatives from the police department who were present.

Poydasheff, Suber and Hugley said they did not understand why the major reacted the way he did.

In my opinion, the reason Major Rowe reacted the way he did is because our fine city councilors ask stupid questions and make stupid comments. If they would wait until the presentation is over with, most of their questions will probably be answered. I can imagine how frustrating it might be speaking to adults who act like children and interrupt while you are trying to make points and stay focused.

Mr. Suber asked if the Police Department thought about reallocating its resources to cover the beats on the northern part of town. Well, duh, Mr. Suber, no matter how you set up the beats in Columbus...15-20 Police Officers on the street at one time is still 15-20 Police Officers on the street at one time. This comment makes me wonder if Mr. Suber thinks before he speaks. Its no secret that Mr. Suber does not like the Police Department and will do anything and everything in his power to keep the Police Department from progressing and growing to meet the needs of Columbus. I can only imagine how foul he will be when he really needs the Police at his home on Oakley Dr. and there aren't any Police to send. Oh I forgot, Mr. Suber doesn't want the Police at his home because they may be there to arrest his daughter for committing crimes he is attempting to sweep under the rug. Mr. Suber needs to be the first councilor to go at election time. He and the mayor need to be escorted out of the government center at the same time.

I can only imagine what the city manager was whispering in Major Rowe's ear. It was probably something to the effect of...just ignore him, he is talking out of his rear.

The Police are warning us that we are getting dangerously short on Officers to patrol the streets of Columbus. Our councilors are busy sitting on their thumbs and worrying about other things such as how Major Rowe acted during a presentation. I sure hope they get their priorities straight before this city turns into the wild west and citizens are required to patrol or the national guard has to be called in because our city government has no idea what its doing.

Thanks ,

Wade Sheridan

This message touches on a key issue in our city, which someone needs to settle once and for all. Are there any stupid questions, or aren't there?

Now I wish the blog HAD been at the Trade Center - because I'm left wondering if Columbus Council asked questions of other city officials during their presentations last week. If they did, then the questioning of Major Rowe was nothing unusual. If they didn't - well, maybe Chief Boren will show up with a Taser.

(If you think Major Rowe was irritated by Councilors asking questions, you should see some law officers dodge interviews with journalists. In some nearby counties, a homicide on Saturday isn't considered news until the Sheriff shows up in the office on Monday.)

So adults "act like children" when they interrupt people trying to make points? I take it Mr. Sheridan never watches cable TV news - because it's a rare hour when that doesn't happen there.

By the way, doesn't Columbus have "citizens' patrols" in parts of town now? It's the only way some housing projects keep drug dealers away....

This widespread e-mail from IsOurCitySafe brought another in response:

I want to hear what the dirty dozen say after they need the police and it takes an hour to get there. (HINT HINT) When big time corruption hits the department the blame will be at the feet of the DIRTY DOZEN.

Let's stop electing these people. The Fraternal Order of Partiers need to stop endorsing them also. When they come to the lodge tell them to get the heck on.

The Fraternal Order of WHAT?!?! Randy Robertson, I know you're a fan of this blog - but someone else wrote that e-mail, not me....

This public safety situation is starting to get really confusing. One e-mailer calls for a "police machine," then another one seems to openly predict "big time corruption" on the force - and we already know a local grand jury isn't likely to indict anybody in law enforcement....

(And for those of you who may be confused: I think the "Dirty Dozen" refers to the Columbus Council, Mayor and City Manager. It does NOT refer to the high prices t Dunkin Donuts.)

While you pause to sort all this out, we'll quickly check other weekend items:

+ Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox came to Columbus, and said the current rules for PeachCare insurance coverage are "very harsh." Families who are one day late with a payment can lose coverage for three months. So should we extend voting AFTER Election Day, too?

+ A Columbus church staged what WEAM radio called "an afternoon of soul-winning" outside a discount store on Buena Vista Road. Given the location, I guess this group was more concerned about people's lives than whether or not they can tithe.

+ A group from Evangel Temple rolled a 75-pound wooden cross down the length of the Riverwalk. From what I saw, the cross had a wheel on the bottom - apparently to illustrate the Bible verse that with Jesus, your burden truly IS light.

+ The Columbus Civic Center witnessed the first "triple double" in N.B.D.L. history - accomplished against the Riverdragons by Florida's Smush Parker. [True!] Shouldn't someone with a name like "Smush" be racing sled dogs in Alaska?

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