merchants_suck dafremen (This goes out to all the Well-To-Dooz who thought I was a hater..) I'm getting some feedback about the open_letter_to_Walmartifoxica that was posted on various sites. I'm a little alarmed, (although for some reason not too surprised) at how many people have bought into the whole them vs. us "rich people versus poor people" crap on both sides of the fence. First off, there is NOTHING wrong with having money. My father has worked very hard for a very long time (around 40 some odd years) to charge a nice hourly rate to have money to invest in things that in turn have given him at least higher quality time when he has any at all to relax. (Workaholic...) Secondly, not all poor people are jealous. That's absurd. I'm not jealous of anyone who has things. I've had things, I could have things. I choose not to have much more than i need. I've tried that lifestyle and it's not for me. I prefer to hone my appreciation for the things I have. Thirdly, to the really really misinformed (although you know, that if you took the time to write me, I do care for you immensely but..cmon) who just said things like: "Merchants suck!!" and "Power to the People!" Hey, I appreciate your enthusiasm, please don't lose that. But Merchants are the people TOO and they are a very logical way in which society saves itself time and resources for other things. If 100 people needed say, the ore that's available in Bolivia, and each made a separate trip to get the ore that they needed, that would be 100 trips. Each would spend who knows how many days out of their 100 lives taking the trip. Then they'd each pay a higher price, because the suppliers like bulk buyers, who help them turn their money around quicker. By sending ONE person, a merchant, on that trip, society as a whole saves a lot of time and money that is then expended elsewhere into the common effort. The merchant buys enough to serve the needs of 100 or more people..and so pockets a fair portion of society's savings in the form of his profits. (We won't go into how merchants keep prices from dropping through the floor by insisting on making a decent profit. Their greedy tendencies are actually fighting oversupply and deflation by stocking up when prices are low..keeping the surplus off the market and prices up. Look ma! Never read an economics book either. Zzzzz) So don't be so hard on people just for being merchants..many work hard for the money and provide major benefit to us all. And please, people of money..isn't it enough that working class slobs slave away their entire lives for a tenth of the money that their efforts bring on the open market? Isn't it enough that in the end, it is people who hold wealth that benefit from their efforts? Do they really have to like it too? Think about it. Stop assuming that they're jealous, stop assuming they're going to rob you. Even in the poorest neighborhoods, folks maintain a modicum of pride(all their own) that is offended by people quickly locking their car doors and reacting as though they had seen a terrorist just because a shabbily dressed person enters their "good" neighborhood. Most of the lower middle class and poor aren't thieves, and I hate to say it, but many of those who are, simply grew up watching this system and deduced that it was all about self interest..as advertised by unfeeling capitalism gone stupid. So don't hate on them too much..they're just living the lie like some rich folks are on the opposite end of the economic ladder. About open_letter_to_walmartifoxica: No, I'm not really talking about whether someone is a business person or not. Or whether they are a government employee or not. I'm talking about the people that can look someone in the eye and quote policy to screw them rather than taking the extra effort to solve the problem and maybe have a more equitable outcome, if not a solution. It's not unreasonable for people to expect a company or their country to treat them as people. The people running the company or gorvernment should never allow it to become such a faceless entity that people's needs come after profits or privilege. That's when the detriment caused by a PARTICULAR entity is greater than any benefit derived. If a business spreads the diseases of greed, indifference and ego in the name of making a buck, they are a blight upon the face of society and do not deserve the great privileges and power which society lends its leaders in the name of progress. That's what I'm talking about. That goes for the media, business leaders and each and every one of us too. Hope that clears things up. 071130 what's it to you? who go blather from