I think making a big hot button statement on a big hot button issue like health care reform in this particular political climate has a bigger impact than just being the allegedly loudmouthed wife of a presidential candidate who you're opposed to. and it may be silly, but lately the escalation of rage from some people who oppose health care has been frankly disturbing. didn't some guy just bring a gun and a sign saying "It's time to water the tree of liberty" to an obama town hall meeting, insinuating that assassination of the president is just aces? Did he get arrested? no, he got a lot of airtime on all the cable political shows though.in relation to that, deciding not to shop at an overpriced specialty grocery store after the owner publicly aligned himself with that side of the sand line isn't that mochable.
So you want to come off like all those conservatives boycotting Disney and Heinz ketchup?I'm not trying to come off like anything. I'm far too lazy to boycott much of anything. I like my bacon and my coffee. As for raw milk, it skeeves me out. I know it's one of the hot food trends of the moment because of it's health benefits blah blah, but it seems to risky to me. Even if you know where it comes from and that it's a clean facility etc.
I don't know of anyone who takes what he says seriously, though. Especially after the Yahoo! Finance/Wild Oats debacle. He's a nutjob who happens to have started a massively successful supermarket chain. If he starts monkeying around with the food, then I'll consider it.This also shouldn't be too much of a shock because he's pretty open about his libertarian leanings.
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
While I don't agree with the statements of the CEO, it's not enough to keep me from shopping at his stores. There's one about a block from our apartment, and I shop there for their produce and various other items they carry that I can't find anywhere else. I do not shop there because I subscribe to any particular political philosophy held by the person who runs the company, whom I'll never see or speak to
I definitely don't disagree with that, Fallin, but his implication is that his produce will extend our life span. Which, yes, is very self serving. I'm off to TJ's for some Unburied Treasure now. Excuse me.
I bet her FUPA's name is Shane, like the gunslinger/drifter of literature.--HappyTummy
I'll confess that we haven't shopped there for awhile either, mainly for the reasons Mouse cited (though I didn't know about the raw milk thing), so this is just another reason for me to dislike them. I'm a dippy liberal that doesn't shop at Wal-Mart either, and I started drinking more Pepsi products when they announced they were offering full benefits to their gay employees' partners, so yeah. I do make brand choices based on the policies of companies and opinions of their owners, and I'll continue to do so. If I had no other option than Whole Foods for produce or something, I'm sure I'd continue to shop there, but there are plenty of other places for me to go, so I see no need to give them my money.
and it may be silly, but lately the escalation of rage from some people who oppose health care has been frankly disturbing. didn't some guy just bring a gun and a sign saying "It's time to water the tree of liberty" to an obama town hall meeting, insinuating that assassination of the president is just aces? Did he get arrested? no, he got a lot of airtime on all the cable political shows though.in relation to that, deciding not to shop at an overpriced specialty grocery store after the owner publicly aligned himself with that side of the sand line isn't that mochable. Common. In no way did this dude's article disagreeing with Obama's healthcare plan and offering fairly reasonable alternatives align him with crazy pro-assassination nuts.
I should note that I've been inside a Whole Foods approximately 4 times ever. So it's not like they'll miss me as a regular customer. It does make me wonder about his views on global warming, haha.
I bet her FUPA's name is Shane, like the gunslinger/drifter of literature.--HappyTummy
So, I am guessing raw milk is straight from the cow? Are the health benefits magnified if you take it directly from the teet, like a keg stand? I'd like to think so.
For less then ten cents a day, you can feed a hungry child.
WF does sell raw milk. I bought some the other day. However, the raw milk in the US has to be aged 30 days. (In Europe it does not) This is because in 30 days the more harmful baceria is killed off since it is non-pasteurized.
I don't know the ins and outs of this too well, WF must sell it in states where it is legal. In Ohio and KY, it is not legal to sell it in retail as I understand it. You have to buy a share of a cow to legally get access to raw milk.
my point is more about public perception than his actually being aligned. Plus I was just reading about all those instances and how a lot of people think that the GOP not decrying these crazypants is kind of like tacitly accepting their behavior.
Unless Mouse is talking about something else, basically WFM will keep selling raw milk despite the risks/link to several reported illnesses. Which, again, as long as it's labeled properly and consumers know the risks, I don't see the issue.Fallin, today is like Twilight Zone day.
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
I think it's fine to boycott stores based on union policies (although being from a small rural town where Wal-Mart offers really good jobs, I have a different opinion on the evil empire) and human rights. I think what strikes me as odd about this is that I think it's really easy to have very reasoned, legitimate disagreements with Obama on things like healthcare and ecomonic stimulus. Those disagreements don't make those people asssholes anymore than thinking Bush was wrong on terrorist policies made me an unpatriotic bleeding heart who wanted to let Al Qeada destroy the US. The extremes in politics right now really bother me.
Sorry, I'm not finding the same articles I was reading, but my membory is that WF has been behind a lot of the push (especially in California) to legally market raw milk. I'm sorry, but I don't think there's any evidence that it's healthier that's not based on woo and the truth is even with clean facilities it's frickin dangerous. But people see it at WF, assume it must be safe because it's become mainstream and feed it to their kids. Locally grown organic fruits and veggies are good for you, yes, and better for the planet than a lot of things we consume, but it's not gonna make anyone disease-free into their 90s unless their genes were going to do that anyway. I take issue with these kinds of claims because I think it leads to a climate where the chronically ill get blamed for their own conditions, which also leads to a climate where, hmmm, it starts seeming okay that they get denied decent healthcare.
"The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab
Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG."
I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
Unless Mouse is talking about something else, basically WFM will keep selling raw milk despite the risks/link to several reported illnesses. Which, again, as long as it's labeled properly and consumers know the risks, I don't see the issue.So hands off our bodies and our control over fetuses but how dare WF leave the decision of what to put in our stomaches up to us? Am I missing something?
I still don't see the issue with the raw milk. Haven't people been drinking raw milk for ages? And just because a store carries the product, doesn't mean anyone is forcing you to buy it over the other milk. There are plenty of processed food items at other grocery stores that I choose not to purchase or consume because I find them disgusting and not beneficial to my health, but that doesn't mean I'll stop shopping at a store simply because they keep it on the shelf
I don't mind people boycotting a company for shady practices. I don't mind people boycotting a company because it leans in a different political direction than them. I don't mind people boycotting a company because the CEO posts nasty messages on their competitors' site. It's their perogative. I may side eye someone for their reasoning, but if they want to stop eating Krispy Kreme donuts because they think they give out free abortions with every donut, more power to them. They can boycott France because they don't like their accents. Whatever.I don't shop at WalMart because I think it's a crappy company who treats their employees badly. I won't give my money to Curves because the CEO will take that money and give it to organizations who I disagree with. Do I think that them not getting my business is going to change a damn thing? Hell naw. But it makes me feel better.
I still don't understand the argument mouse. SHould I boycott every gas station that sells cigarettes because they are harmful? And again, it is my understanding that they are selling raw milk aged 30 days, not fresh raw milk. I understand there is still risk involved, but from what I have read, that gives time for most of the bacteria to dissipate.
In all honesty, it's just stupid for the head of a major corporation to publically take a stance, pro or con, on a big political topic without thinking it would affect business. Whether it should or shouldn't, whether people are liberals or conservatives, hippo-crates or married to their beliefs, everybody knows that this is how it works. Plenty of people don't shop at Wal-Mart, and plenty of people will stop shopping at WF. And right or wrong, he probably knew this before making any kind of statement, and shame on him if he didn't. (personally, I'm in the 'too lazy to boycott' shrimpboat) Somewhat realted, I once got several lifted eyebrows from the stinky hippies in my office after sending out information regarding a corporate discount to Curves gym. I was not aware at the time that they are pro-life, and therefore are boycottworthy. They're as bad as ponflushers.
3 out of 4 dead babies agree! pepsi is better than coke! - EdithBouvierBeale
Lordy. Grow some balls and stop lurking. It's like stealing from the internet. Jesuschrist. -- AudreyHorne
I hate love and marriage. I got married so I could destroy these things from the inside. - NoisyPenguin
It's a good thing my circle of trust is as giant as my vagina. That only leaves a couple people out. - Cali
Whole Foods is kind of terrible with locally grown produce and usually have just a few items so they can leave up their giant "commitment to the local farmer" signs. Many of the times I've been to WF we haven't been able to get an orange from California. In California. No more than 40 miles from citrus farmers. But the oranges? Those were from South America.
Bethie, I agree about the final statements about diet, but mainly because it just seemed like a last-minute overly simplified tack-on. The topic could be its own column, or series of columns. I disagree with him that "recent" medical research shows the benefit of a plant-based diet. In fact, decades of some of the best, most sound nutrition research, peer-reviewed and controlled, show that increasing the portion of your diet that is plant-based will reduce your chances of getting a whole slew of chronic and degenerative diseases and conditions. Period. There is a lot we still don't know for sure about nutrition, but that is something that is locked down pretty solid. The China Study and the Framingham nurses study are just the two biggest pieces of research that show this.I would have to go back and read his column to see if he claims that ALL people will live to 100 disease-free if they eat organic apples. But I don't think that he did.
It's more that in order to sell their raw milk they engage in disinformation and use political clout and celebrity appeals to undermine actual food scientists and public health officials. I don't expect everyone has time to research every type of food they eat and I think a store with a reputation people trust has a responsibility to not tout dubious health benefits over consumer safety. Sure, enough kids get seriously sick and maybe people will stop buying it, WF will stop turning a profit on it and stop carrying it, and the invisible hand will do fuckall for those already damaged by it, but you might be lucky. I don't think free market capitalism should extend to food.
"The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab
Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG."
I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
Shamwow- Shamon.Cali- I agree with that, everyone has the freedom to boycott whoever or whatever they want. Andplusalso, health care reform is extremely important to me but I don't feel the need to boycott. I know no one's playing the WELL I CARE MORE! card but I still like to share my reasons.
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
Re: Toodles, Whole Foods
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
I bet her FUPA's name is Shane, like the gunslinger/drifter of literature.--HappyTummy
I bet her FUPA's name is Shane, like the gunslinger/drifter of literature.--HappyTummy
For less then ten cents a day, you can feed a hungry child.
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
"The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab
Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG." I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
"That chick wins at Penises, for sure." -- Fenton
3 out of 4 dead babies agree! pepsi is better than coke! - EdithBouvierBeale
Lordy. Grow some balls and stop lurking. It's like stealing from the internet. Jesuschrist. -- AudreyHorne
I hate love and marriage. I got married so I could destroy these things from the inside. - NoisyPenguin
It's a good thing my circle of trust is as giant as my vagina. That only leaves a couple people out. - Cali
"The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab
Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG." I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.