For some reason, Walmart has become the whipping boy for so many who feel that their practices are unethical at best and illegal at worst.

But ask yourself:

Are you as vocal and curious about the other companies that you do business with?

The last chain restaurant you went to - do they offer health insurance for their staff? Do they employ illegal staff?

The last big-box home improvement store you went to - are you sure those lightbulbs were made in the USA?

The last gas station you went to - is the guy behind the register offered benefits despite the HUGE profits oil companies are enjoying right now?

Your cell phone - probably made in China or Taiwan...want to give that up?

My point is - Walmart has become the target (no pun intended) due to its success, and probably should be investigated. But we make choices everyday that have the potential to be just as challenging as shopping at WalMart if you don't investigate them. Be careful of your hypocrisy because its an easy trap to fall into.

The trouble is - we are all so busy in our lives that we don't / can't take the time to look into every single potential issue that exists.

If you don't like it, don't shop there. But then when you climb into your car and get gas, talking on your phone on the way to a restaurant, stopping by Home Depot on the way there...think....Walmart isn't the only boogeyman.

chain restaurant employees are supposed to be cute college students putting themselves through school, not people with kids of their own and mortgages.

Not every job should be a career. There has to be stepping stones.

Interesting.

I have been in the restaurant biz for 17 years, at every level and now at the corporate level.

There are many folks who provide for families in our industry, and don't look at it as a stepping stone, for their own reasons.

Number one industry for men and women without college degrees. Not everyone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer, either.

Spare me. You know I'm talking about the wait staff, and you know that most of them are part-time, young, and high-turnover.

Anyone not in the high-turnover positions probably does want health insurance, but I suspect the kids serving me 99% of the time I eat out are not insured, and are instead going to school.

I suspect that many businesses which don't offer a great deal of upside to employees would be averse to staying closed every weekday until school lets out.

How very true. Also, Sam Walton has stiff competition with Jobs of Apple Computers.