Honestly, do those who entertain at Walmart shareholders' meetings ...

Honestly, do those who entertain at Walmart shareholders? meetings really deserve all the press coverage they receive?

Posted by Richard Drake on Sun, May 19, 2013 at 11:34 AM

Local media - especially television news, which greets each new Walmart press release as though it were manna from Heaven - has never had a particularly critical eye when it comes to the behemoth of the retail world.

Never is that adulation more in play than during the annual shareholders? meeting, when thousands of Walmart employees are trundled together to hear inspiring messages of hope and faith from those at the top of the Walmart food chain, and be entrained by various entertainers.

The pep talks from top management never fail to make it onto the news, as if somehow the folks at Walmart have said said something new, and wondrous.

But the performers? Really? Honestly?

It has always been sort of difficult to take someone like past Walmart entertainer Celine Dion seriously at the best of times, especially after the grotesque performance she gave on Larry King a few years ago, when she warbled a few lines to inspire the folks who were stuck in New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina.

That most of them didn?t have electricity, and probably weren?t listening to her song of hope went completely over her head.

Leaving the unfortunate Ms. Dion aside, this year's shareholders? meeting will be chock-full of such entertainers - who will receive top coverage from Walmart?s handmaidens in the media.

But just imagine how much cheering might fill Bud Walton Arena should Walmart decide to follow the example of competitor Costco, and pay a starting wage of $11.50, or if the Walton family decided to take a stand to raise the minimum wage in this country.

Now, that would be worthy of front page news.

******

Quote of the Day

I never knew how soothing trees are - many trees and patches of open sunlight, and tree presences; it is almost like having another being. - D.H. Lawrence

rsdrake@cox.net

'); } else if (jQuery(this).attr("id") == "sortSelect"){ jQuery("#BlogComments .sortSpinner").show(); } var url = "/StreetJazz/archives/2013/05/19/honestly-do-those-who-entertain-at-walmart-shareholders-meetings-really-deserve-all-the-press-coverage-they-receive"; var myStart = jQuery(this).attr("id") == "sortSelect" ? "1" : jQuery(this).attr("rel"); var showAllComments = jQuery(this).attr("id") == "showAllComments" ? "yes" : "no"; if (!myStart) var myStart = "1"; var mySort = jQuery("#sortSelect").val() || "asc"; var params = { sort: mySort, ajaxComponent: componentId, startIndex: myStart, showAll: showAllComments }; jQuery.ajax({ url: url, data: (params), success: function (data) { jQuery("#"+componentId+"_PaginationBottom").remove(); jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent .brandNewComment").remove(); jQuery("#BlogComments .sortSpinner").hide(); if (myStart == "1") jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent").html(data); else jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent").append(data); } }); }; function removeEdit(oid){ if (oid){ var cont = jQuery("#BlogComments-comment-"+oid).closest(".brandNewComment"); cont.find(".newCommentOptions").fadeOut("fast", function(){ jQuery(this).remove(); }); } } function getComment(oid){ var url = "/StreetJazz/archives/2013/05/19/honestly-do-those-who-entertain-at-walmart-shareholders-meetings-really-deserve-all-the-press-coverage-they-receive"; if (oid){ var params = { ajaxComponent: componentId, commentOid: oid }; jQuery.ajax({ url: url, data: (params), success: function (data) { if (!jQuery.trim(jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent").html())){ jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent").append(data).find(".brandNewComment").fadeIn("fast"); } else { jQuery("#"+componentId+"_commentContent").children("div.comment, div.brandNewComment").filter(":last").after(data).parent().find(".brandNewComment").fadeIn("fast"); } var t=setTimeout(function(){removeEdit(oid)},300000); var myTotal = parseInt(jQuery("#comments_total").text(), 10); myTotal++; updateCommentTotals(false,myTotal); } }); } } function doLikeComment(e){ e.preventDefault(); if (!this.clicked){ var oid = jQuery(this).attr("data-commentOid"); jQuery("#BlogComments #"+oid+"_likeLinks a").addClass("dimmed").css("opacity","0.4").each(function(){this.clicked = true;}); var myCurrentLikes = jQuery("#"+oid+"_rating_likes").html() || 0; var myCurrentDislikes = jQuery("#"+oid+"_rating_dislikes").html() || 0; var thisRating = jQuery(this).attr("rel"); if (thisRating == "Like"){ myCurrentLikes = parseFloat(myCurrentLikes)+1; } else { myCurrentDislikes = parseFloat(myCurrentDislikes)+1; } var myNewLine = '' + myCurrentLikes + ' like'; if (myCurrentLikes != 1) { myNewLine += 's'; } myNewLine += ', ' + '' + myCurrentDislikes + ' dislike'; if (myCurrentDislikes != 1) { myNewLine += "s"; } jQuery("#"+oid+"_rating_sub").html(myNewLine); jQuery("#"+oid+"_rating_sub").show(); var params = { oid: oid, rating: thisRating }; jQuery.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Tools/AjaxLike", type: "POST", data: (params), success: function (data) { jQuery("#"+oid+"_rating_sub").html(data); if (thisRating == "Like"){ jQuery("#BlogComments #"+oid+"_likeLinks a.dislike").removeClass("dimmed").css("opacity","1").each(function(){this.clicked = false;}); } else { jQuery("#BlogComments #"+oid+"_likeLinks a.like").removeClass("dimmed").css("opacity","1").each(function(){this.clicked = false;}); } } }); } } function reportComment(e){ e.preventDefault(); e.stopPropagation(); var oid = jQuery(this).attr("rel"); var elem = jQuery("#"+oid+"_report"); elem.click(function(e){e.stopPropagation();}) if (!elem.is(":visible")){ jQuery("#BlogComments .reportCommentContainer").hide(); if (elem.is(":empty")){ var params = { oid: oid, ajaxComponent: "ReportComment" }; jQuery.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Tools/ReportComment", data: (params), success: function (data) { elem.html(data); elem.fadeIn("fast"); } }); } else { elem.fadeIn("fast"); } } // attach close event handler to the html jQuery("html").one("click", function(){ jQuery("#BlogComments .reportCommentContainer:visible").hide(); }); } function closeReport(obj){ jQuery(obj).closest(".reportCommentContainer").fadeOut("fast"); } function submitReport(e){ var params = jQuery(e).closest("form").serialize()+"&ajaxComponent=ReportComment"; jQuery.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Tools/ReportComment", type: "POST", data: (params), success: function (data) { jQuery(e).closest(".reportCommentContainer").html(data); } }); } (function($) { var subscribed=false; function showFollowPanel(e){ e.preventDefault(); myPanel = $(this).parent().next(".togglePanel"); myPanel.fadeIn("fast"); } function doSubscribe(obj){ var myPanel = obj.parent().next(".togglePanel"); myPanel.fadeIn("fast"); if (!subscribed){ var myLink = obj.parent(); var myLoader = myPanel.children(".loading"); var myUpdater = myPanel.children(".ajaxUpdater"); var params = { object: myPanel.attr("data-toolsoid"), macro: myPanel.attr("data-toolsajaxmacro"), url: window.location }; $.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Macros/ToolsAjax", data: (params), type: "POST", dataType: "html", success: function (data) { subscribed = true; if (myUpdater){ myUpdater.html(data); myLoader.fadeOut("fast", function(){ myUpdater.fadeIn("fast", function(){ setTimeout(function(){ myPanel.fadeOut("fast"); }, 3000); }); }); } else { myPanel.fadeOut("fast"); } } }); } } function activateSubscribe(e){ e.preventDefault(); var myObj = $(this); var isAuthenticated = Foundation.SessionManager.sharedSessionManager().isAuthenticated(); if (!isAuthenticated){ new Foundation.Login.Dialog({ "feelingShy": false, "callback": function(){doSubscribe(myObj);} }); return false; } else { // Proceed doSubscribe(myObj); } } function deleteComment(e){ e.preventDefault(); var thisComment = $(this); var params = { macro: "deleteComment", comment: thisComment.attr("data-comment") }; $.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Macros/ToolsAjax", data: (params), type: "POST", dataType: "html", success: function (data) { thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").fadeOut("fast", function(){ $(this).remove(); var myTotal = parseInt(jQuery("#comments_total").text(), 10); myTotal--;console.log(myTotal); updateCommentTotals(false,myTotal); }); } }); } function editComment(e){ e.preventDefault(); var thisComment = $(this); var commentCont = thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").find(".description"); var commentTemp = thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").find(".commentTemp"); var commentText = commentTemp.html(); var toolbar = thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").find(".commentToolbar"); commentCont.next(".commentEditCont").remove(); commentCont.after(''); toolbar.fadeOut("fast"); commentCont.fadeOut("fast", function(){ commentCont.next(".commentEditCont").fadeIn("fast"); }); $(".brandNewComment textarea.expandableBox").autoBoxResize(); } function editCommentSave(e){ e.preventDefault(); var thisComment = $(this); var editCont = thisComment.closest(".commentEditCont"); var commentTemp = thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").find(".commentTemp"); var newText = thisComment.prevAll("textarea").val(); var toolbar = thisComment.closest(".brandNewComment").find(".commentToolbar"); var params = { macro: "editComment", comment: thisComment.attr("data-comment"), commentText: newText }; $.ajax({ url: "/gyrobase/Macros/ToolsAjax", data: (params), type: "POST", dataType: "html", success: function (data) { editCont.fadeOut("fast", function(){ editCont.prev(".description").html($.trim(data)); commentTemp.html(newText); editCont.prev(".description").fadeIn("fast"); toolbar.fadeIn("fast"); }); } }); } function editCommentCancel(e){ e.preventDefault(); var editCont = $(this).closest(".commentEditCont"); var toolbar = $(this).closest(".brandNewComment").find(".commentToolbar"); editCont.fadeOut("fast", function(){ editCont.prev(".description").fadeIn("fast"); toolbar.fadeIn("fast"); editCont.remove(); }); } $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".bottomOptionBar a#doSubscribe", activateSubscribe); $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".bottomOptionBar a.togglePanelClose", function(){$(this).parent().fadeOut("fast"); return false;}); $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".brandNewComment a.commentDeleteLink", deleteComment); $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".brandNewComment a.commentEditLink", editComment); $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".brandNewComment a.doneEditLink", editCommentSave); $("#BlogComments").on('click', ".brandNewComment a.cancelEditLink", editCommentCancel); })(jQuery); jQuery(document).ready(function($){ $("#BlogComments").on('click', '#showMoreComments,#showAllComments', getMoreComments); $("#BlogComments #sortSelect").change(getMoreComments); getMoreComments(); new Foundation.PostCommentComponent(componentId); var nc = Foundation.NotificationCenter.sharedNotificationCenter(); nc.observe("comment:added", function (e) { var comment = e.data; getComment(comment.get("oid")); // clear rating if (jQuery(".commentFormRating").length!=0){ jQuery(".commentFormRating input[name='reviewRating']").val(""); jQuery(".commentFormRating .goldStarContainer").css("left", zeroPos+"px"); } }); var subscribeCheckBox = $("#BlogComments_commentSubscribe"); subscribeCheckBox.prop("checked", getCookie("subscribeToThread") === "true" ? true : false); subscribeCheckBox.change(function (e) { var subscribeToThread = $(this).prop("checked"); setCookie("subscribeToThread", subscribeToThread ? "true" : "false", 30); }); var shareFacebookBox = $("#BlogComments_postCommentToFacebook"); shareFacebookBox.prop("checked", getCookie("shareOnFacebook") === "true" ? true : false); shareFacebookBox.change(function (e) { var shareOnFacebook = $(this).prop("checked"); setCookie("shareOnFacebook", shareOnFacebook ? "true" : "false", 30); }); $("#BlogComments").on('click', 'a.likeLink', doLikeComment); $("#BlogComments").on('click', 'a.reportCommentLink', reportComment); });

Source: http://www.arktimes.com/StreetJazz/archives/2013/05/19/honestly-do-those-who-entertain-at-walmart-shareholders-meetings-really-deserve-all-the-press-coverage-they-receive

tebow tyler bray tyler bray Marcus Lattimore lakers Tyrann Mathieu nfl draft grades