My parents did that, they asked half of my salary,
Posted By: ?? on 2009-05-11
In Reply to: Would you charge 18yo rent? - Silly Girl
50 percent, although I never came home for lunch and bought it myself.
To date I dislike them for their idea of 'tough love' and told myself I will never do this to my children.
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half of your salary is too much. I sm
think it should be done based on what the kid is making. In our case, the kids made more than we did but they paid 1/4 of the expenses. Adults? Its only fair.
i was told mine is half jack russell half border collie
AND HE SURE LIVES UP TO THAT HYPERACTIVITY!!!
Really, I give my cat milk and half and half
well over 14. Stray cats will eat/drink anything they can get ahold of to survive. Not sure why we shouldn't give cats milk.
Oh, you don’t know the half of it
I had no clue when we married he could even cook and his food is the best, really. He says he throws things together and anyone can do. Well I do not even try. He uses all spices, fresh herbs, loads of garlic (and yet for some reason not winding up with garlic breath?)and not only does he do all this but he can fix anything in a home or outside say, garden tools, lawnmowers, do repair work, did marble floors for us, installed vanity and bathroom in another home. He has some other brothers, comes from big families but I kinda doubt if his others are that talented and besides, the ones I know are taken. He is really a catch of a lifetime! Not only is his food good but like I said, he stretches a piece of meat like you would not believe adding it to rice or pasta with other vegetables and our food costs are really on the low side yet at the same time so very, very good to the tastebuds.
Half and half
My daughter who is a senior needs to be prodded a few times. My son who is a sophomore gets up on his own. I still make them breakfast and pack them a lunch though. I do it because I like to and because they are so independent otherwise, it is nice to still be able to do some things for them. They will both be gone soon and I am sure going to miss them.
Also at our high school, after 10 tardies they have a Saturday detention and then every 5 tardies after that.
Half and Half............
Your case is completely different than Done's. Are we discussing Done's case or yours?
If we start to discuss your case we have to start a new thread.
Well, half of it would pay off all
3 of my credit cards. My son is begging for a trip to the beach so that would definitely happen and then the rest would go in the bank for emergencies.
I would never ask for half BUT...
I do want him to realize that he wouldn't be able to pay for an apartment, insurance, phone, utilities, groceries, etc working fast food.
If I charge him for his auto insurance and his phone and 50.00 a week room and board then he will see how much he has left and that it wouldn't cover his expenses in the "real world". I'm hoping this will also reiterate how important it will be for him to go to summer school and get his high school credits so that he can at least have a diploma.
how would you like to be locked up half the day--sm
and all night? If you can't leave the dog loose in your own house for just overnight, then you should not have the dog. It sounds like the poor thing spends more time caged up than it does *free* and I am on the dog's side on this one. Please give the dog to someone who *cares* for it, properly. JMO
I do have a half-sister out there somewhere?
My father was married before he married my Mom, but his ex-wife ran off with his daughter. We have never met her, and he never looked for her! 
I just took a half a tablet at about 8:30
...just to see how that goes. He said 1/2 or 1 tablet t.i.d. p.r.n. My pulse was over 140 in his office today, which is what it was when the ambulance got here on Monday, and that is just NOT me. He gave me enough for a few weeks and then I go back to see him.
I think nearly a half generation did that too *lol*
Are you putting down a lot, like half?
I don't understand how you can even get such a high mortgage. Is that really possible? My husband and I make over 100K and have great credit and I know for a fact the most we MAY get approved for is 300,000 and that's with a lot of luck. Please enlighten me!
Scratch up at least half of what you owe - sm
(all of it if you can) go on a road trip to see him, 2-day drive or so if I read it correctly (or remember correctly), pay the ex off/get up to date on CS then stay a week or two, at least show your son that you want to see him and not just sitting back waiting for him to come to you when your ex decides it fits his schedule or is okay. Obviously find out if your ex has anything planned for the time you plan to go then just show up, I would not aprise anyone to your plans, just go. Even if he screws you over at least your son will see that you really, really wanted to see him and tried everything to accomplish it. This will make your ex look like a real schmuck if he does not let your son see you while you are visiting. Good luck.
I have for a week and a half now
I started it a week ago Sunday.. that would be the 17th. I have had absolutely no "treatment effects" as they call them. I have watched what I eat and have switched to some lower fat or no fat products, as far as like cheese, salad dressings, sour cream, things like that. I don't really eat a lot of fatty meat anyway, so that hasn't been anything to deal with. The changes have been pretty simple actually, pretty easy to make. Also with Alli, it only works around the meal that you take it with. So, if you basically want to watch your fat for most lunches and dinners, as I'm doing, you just take it for those two meals. I don't worry about it with breakfast because I usually just have cereal anyway. If you have some occasion planned, dinner out, might be having a meal with more than 15 g or so of fat, just don't take it. It is pretty simple really and if it does nothing else, it keep you honest with those meals you eat when you take it.
I'd tell him to take half the equity and get out - sm
not you. I am in a similar situation. I have gained about 70 pounds since we married, and 2 kids later. I never kept a great house but I was very organized; but several things have happened over the past 3 years and I have become less organized and I think mildly depressed as well. He used to nag me constantly about my weight but has finally backed off as I think he just stopped caring. I resent(ed) his constant harping about my weight and I think gained more in response; I was 30 pounds less 3 years ago. Even the kids know something is not right though we do things together as a family my DH screws it up somehow and the kids end up in tears half the time or I get upset over some mean thing he said. My younger one has said she wants to live with him if we ever divorce, how sad is that (he is more lenient as he wants to be liked by the kids). His mom is a clean fanatic, they had to shower in the basement as she did not want them messing up the bathroom, before that they had to wipe dry and clean the shower/tub everytime they used it. When she is here she picks up and folds every loose thing, etc. Her home is spotless but she has no kids or animals; we have 2 dogs and a cat and 2 kids who can make a mess really fast. I take care of everything around here but the cooking plus work 3 jobs to boot, so that is one reason the house is not a Good Housekeeping showplace, the other is I hate cleaning.
I would not change for your husband though. I am however going to try and lose this weight, though not for him. I get out of breath very easy now and I want my health to stay good. I am curious to see what reaction I get from him when I do, I suspect he won't like in in the long run, especially if I can pull it off and look darn good in the process. I am also considering getting a cleaning person to come in once a week and clean, but I will tackle that in the Fall. I did get one of those robot vacuums but have not tried it as yet. I also am thinking about seeing a divorce lawyer just to see what my options are in case he pushes me to my limit. He has threatened me with divorce but I doubt he will do it but in case he does go and spring that on me I want to know what I can expect. I think for money reasons alone would not do it as I would fight for half the house equity though it is not in my name we bought it after we were married and have lived in it for 9 years together; half of some property we own (my name is on that deed) and half his 401K from the point we married to present. So he would owe me a tidy sum, I estimate about $185K; so basically he'd have to pay off the house and give it to me as a divorce settlement + child support for 2 kids. He would be pretty cash poor for quite a while but could build a house on the property which would kill him as he wanted to have no house payments by 50 (he is 48)-- I'd want full custody of the kids but I am afraid of some financial issues that would prevent me from being awarded them; so that is why I want to see a divorce lawyer before he does (he has threatened that 2 x, but as he is a big talker I kind of ignore it, but I need to stop being naive about it just in case he does follow through for a change). You need to do the same thing, contact a lawyer and find out exactly where you stand, you have nothing to lose by doing this. I plan to do this as well, once the kids are back in school as I cannot very well drag them with me and have them come home and say, mom went to a divorce lawyer today, yeah, that would go over well.
But your husband and mine sound very alike. I know my kids love me despite my youngest saying she'd rather be with daddy, though after our disaster outing yesterday I doubt she feels that way. She says I work too much which is true but I use it as an escape too which is not good. I had a lot more time off last summer but took on some extra work lately and it has been very busy this summer. I have promised her to start taking off every other weekend so we can do more together so that should help some for us and for me mentally as well. Good luck.
You got that right! I was half laughing and (sm)
crying when he did the "Crying" song with the turtle last week! Piers shot right out of his chair on that one! I voted for him about 12 times or so altogether. My nephew's wife voted for him 10 times three different ways. . phone, computer and different phone.
My better half just had enough of this low flush job
and he spent well over $250 for a newer, will flush all down. Having folks coming over for the holidays and like you said, not gonna be embarrased by a toilet you have to help along and we changed out the powder room first because that is what a visitor would be directed to. All 4 baths here did have that same low flow toilet and they do not work well. Like you, if you have to flush 2-3 times to get them to work, what is the use??
Wow! You lost half of yourself
I am in awe!
Half a cup dry is 150 calories (I believe)
So one cup dry is 300 calories. Skim milk is 80-90 calories per cup, 45 calories per half cup, etc. Sugar is 15 calories per teaspoon.
Hope that helps.
usually it's half price
But most places you sneak food rather than pay :)
If your income has been cut in half (sm)
I have to ask - what are you spending the money on? Rent is the first thing you should pay, then food, and then transportation. If you are worried about paying credit cards first, or some other debt, you are cutting your own throat.
I would advise you to do some looking at Dave Ramsey. He has several excellent books, available usually from the local library.
Also, as for the husband, sit down with him and talk to him - I don't know if you have done this or not, but his playing the video games may be a way for him to escape. If he has always been responsible in the past, then his irresponsibility now is probably a defense mechanism.
You both need to step back and take the emotion out of it. If you are not able to do that, the situation is not going to improve. You both have to show commitment to making the relationship work, even on so little money.
If you have a pastor or some sort of mentor/advisor, that might be a good place to start, once you have talked to your husband. A neutral party who can look at the situation from all sides can help.
Good luck, from someone in similar shoes.
HC
that is - half the girls - also if they do pass this - sm
how long do they "have" to watch it, 1 minute, 5 minutes, what, a half hour until they change their mind? Once they get this passed, believe me, they will try something else, give an inch, they take a yard.
Half-Dollar sized BA
yes, and that's just your opinion.
Not sure.....I vote for Half-Dollar! lol
x
Time and a half... take a guess lol (nm)
x
Make it threesome;best half, you and BV. Don't
x
Try a latte but ask for half a shot sm
a small drink usually is one shot, a medium larger is usually two shots - you can actually ask for decaf espresso also - there are so many things you can ask for - just tell them at your local shop what you told us here and see what they suggest. A latte is a shot of espresso topped with milk and then foam, a mocha is chocolate milk, so I would stick with latte for now - there are also frozen drinks at Starbucks with no coffee in them at all - but cannot think of the name right off the top of my head - good luck!!
Half a loaf of bread better than none
My husband (who is union) and I have talked about this and he definitely said he would take pay cut in order to keep his job if need be.
Too much - how bout once every half hour or so
Drives me insane, although things have gotten so bad here were we live (crime wise) and peoples home are being broken into while they sleep so I sleep at night and he sleeps in the day/afternoon. But when he is awake he comes out of his room every half hour or so to tell me the latest in news/events. It drives me absolutely crazy.
But it's better than it used to be. However, I do love my time when he's sleeping.
I almost went blind from it as I broke out on half of my face and they
were invading my cornea but never penetrated through. I had them actually while on the delivery table with my son!! It was frightening to say the least, I looked like a monster for about 1 week, started healing after week 2 and then had terrible pain weeks 2 and 3. I was popping 800 Motrin without even looking at the clock, the only time in my life I was a pill popper!! Anyhow still can't tweeze my eyebrow on that area without strange neuralgia, when I get tired or stressed I feel the tingling, feels like my eyelid is drooping but no residual effects other than that. If it ever happens again (this was 16 years ago so knock on wood) I will just go somewhere with a bottle and drink myself to sleep for 3 weeks.
they stated HALF of the money stayed here in US, not just for
the dying kids in Africa, but for underpriviledged kids here too.
the last half of the 4th quarter had you on the edge of your seat...sm
lotsa eatin', sreamin' and jumpin' in our house with all the men who've played high school, college and semi-pro...Both teams did a tremendous job, and it was a great rivalry to begin with.
Mommy (who's 1004 miles away called) and we watched the game together during the last plays...that was fun to hear Mommy scream "Yeah, Giants!"  Cat
You did the right thing. A year and a half ago 5 girls, sm
from a town that I used to live in, (1 had been in preschool with my daughter), just graduated from high school, were on their way to the family cottage of one of the girls, and they were all killed in a crash. There had been a text message sent from the driver's phone just before the crash. Everyone left behind was devastated.
Hopefully your actions will save her life.
Okay. I'm starvin! Started on Jan 1 to not diet, but to cut my portions in HALF and sm
not snack as much! It's kind of like Weight Watchers, except for rednecks! I'm too cheap to pay Weight Watchers. Lost 6 pounds already but I am starving.
I get up and eat 1 piece of peanut butter toast. This morning I used cream cheese instead. For lunch I usually have a sandwich on whole wheat, diet drink, fat free crackers, or a salad or something. No snack whatsoever (which is right now) before dinner and then my dinner portions are half of what they used to be! I went and tried on a bathing suit yesterday (can you believe Target is already selling them??) and I was a size smaller than last August. I was thrilled. Still don't look that great, but a bit smaller..haha
Anyways, what do you skinny chicks do? Seriously. Someone once told me if you want to know what a healthy, skinny person eats then look in their grocery carts.
I hate this daily battle with my weight and appetite. I wish I was skinny and didn't have to worry about it.
Anyways, what do you do to stay in shape?
Half dollars? And that's supposed to be attractive???? HAHAHA! Not.
x
they stated half was staying here in US/hafl to Africa (nm)
x
The purebred was a rescue. The others are half-husky. I respect
several books on wolves. They're not "pets" like most people have, she has a sanctuary.
We didn't even spend half that amount on each of our kids.
Of course, our kids told us about their spoiled rotten friends who all got electric guitars, multiple gaming systems, flat panel TVs for their bedrooms, cell phones, mp3 players, etc. Then the little boy from across the street came over and told me what he got for Christmas, which wasn't much at all. I felt so bad for the little guy. If I had known they didn't have much, I would have bought for his family instead of my 25+ family and friends who don't even need anything. I refuse to buy into it all for my own kids. If they want all the electronics, they can work and save up for it, and then only with my permission. No unlimited Internet, no texting, no M, R or T rated movies and games. I just don't believe children need all that junk. DH and I grew up just fine without it.
I know, my sister, who spends half the year calling (sm)
family members for food money, spent $600 on a PS3 and accessories/games. Less than a week later....no food. My husband has a good job and I work as an MT full-time, so we are not poor, but we can't afford something like that!
Close friend has dog which is half pitbull. She is very gentle, but
nm
Old-fashioned ham with half the work and diabetic option~*~*yummmm*~*~
Pick out your ham
Pick your favorite mustard. (I like spicy swedish mustard)
place mustard in bowl about a cup or so (depending on how large your ham is)
add an equal amount of Brown sugar / Diabetics can use splenda
You want a paste that will cling to the ham. In order to achieve this consistency add pineapple juice to the regular mixture or diet sprite to the diabetic one and then smear this all over the ham. Place in pan, cover to keep in moisture and cook according your hams directions. 
I like to open it up and pour the juices over the ham. EVEN IF you dont like mustard you will like this. Try it it is VUNDERFUL muah lol
If you want more old time southern recipes shoot me an email I am happy to help
Can find lots of gently used music, books, etc. on half.com. I've
s
You asked for it, you got it.
Link to WalMart website selling gay and lesbian books. I have also seen gay and lesbian books on their store shelves.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=134928
WalMart Partners with gay and lesbian group in August
http://www.afa.net/walmartadage.htm
Since you asked.
If low prices are your top priority, then Wal-Mart may be the place for you; however, I think far too many people make the decision to shop at there without knowing all the facts. If after knowing how Wal-Mart is run they still choose to shop there, that's their choice. We do live in a free country after all. I simply care more about other things besides the lowest price, that's all. (By the way, I am nowhere near wealthy, in case that's what you're thinking. I am a single mom raising 3 children, even putting one through private boarding school, but I am very conscious about whose businesses I support. I pay a little more to shop elsewhere, but that extra price is worth the piece of mind in knowing that I am supporting companies that are good for the environment, our economy, and mankind in general. Sometimes it costs more to do the right things, and I'm okay with that.)
I hope this is helpful to you. :)
(This is from the following website: wakeupwalmart.com)
A Substantial Number of Wal-Mart Associates earn far below the poverty line
* In 2001, sales associates, the most common job in Wal-Mart, earned on average $8.23 an hour for annual wages of $13,861. The 2001 poverty line for a family of three was $14,630. [“Is Wal-Mart Too Powerful?”, Business Week, 10/6/03, US Dept of Health and Human Services 2001 Poverty Guidelines, 2001]
* A 2003 wage analysis reported that cashiers, the second most common job, earn approximately $7.92 per hour and work 29 hours a week. This brings in annual wages of only $11,948. [“Statistical Analysis of Gender Patterns in Wal-Mart’s Workforce”, Dr. Richard Drogin 2003]
Wal-Mart Associates don't earn enough to support a family
* The average two-person family (one parent and one child) needed $27,948 to meet basic needs in 2005, well above what Wal-Mart reports that its average full-time associate earns. Wal-Mart claimed that its average associate earned $9.68 an hour in 2005. That would make the average associate's annual wages $17,114. [“Basic Family Budget Calculator” online at www.epinet.org]
Wage increases would cost Wal-Mart relatively little
* Wal-Mart can cover the cost of a dollar an hour wage increase by raising prices a half penny per dollar. For instance, a $2.00 pair of socks would then cost $2.01. This minimal increase would annually add up to $1,800 for each employee. [Analysis of Wal-Mart Annual Report 2005]
Wal-Mart forces employees to work off-the-clock
* Wal-Mart’s 2006 Annual Report reported that the company faced 57 wage and hour lawsuits. Major lawsuits have either been won or are working their way through the legal process in states such as California, Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. [Wal-Mart Annual Report 2006]
* In December 2005, a California court ordered Wal-Mart to pay $172 million in damages for failing to provide meal breaks to nearly 116,000 hourly workers as required under state law. Wal-Mart appealed the case. [The New York Times, December 23, 2005]
* A Pennsylvania court, also in December 2005, approved a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. by employees in Pennsylvania who say the company pressured them to work off the clock. The class could grow to include nearly 150,000 current or former employees. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 12, 2006 ]
* In Pennsylvania, the lead plaintiff alleges she worked through breaks and after quitting time — eight to 12 unpaid hours a month, on average — to meet Wal-Mart’s work demands. “One of Wal-Mart’s undisclosed secrets for its profitability is its creation and implementation of a system that encourages off-the-clock work for its hourly employees,” Dolores Hummel, who worked at a Sam’s Club in Reading from 1992-2002, charged in her suit. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 12, 2006 ]
Wal-Mart executives did not act on warnings they were violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
* Wal-Mart has known for years of a massive companywide problem of fair labor standards violations but did not take sufficient steps to address the problem. An internal Wal-Mart audit of one week of time records in 2000 from 25,000 employees had alerted Wal-Mart officials to potential violations. The audit found 60,767 missed breaks and 15,705 lost meal times. It also alerted Wal-Mart executives to 1,371 instances of minors working too late, during school hours, or for too many hours in a day. [Steven Greenhouse, “Suits Say Wal-Mart Forces Workers to Toil Off the Clock,” New York Times, A1, 6/25/02]
* Despite this knowledge, Wal-Mart had to settle in January 2005 for violations that took place from 1998 to 2002, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $135,540 to settle U.S. Dept. of Labor charges that the company had violated provisions against minors operating hazardous machinery. [Ann Zimmerman, “Wal-Mart's Labor Agreement Is Criticized by Former Official,” Wall Street Journal, 2/15/05]
* In March 2005, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $11 million to settle allegations that it had failed to pay overtime to janitors, many of whom worked seven nights a week. [Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 11/7/05, Forbes, 10/10/05]
* The State of Connecticut, investigating Wal-Mart’s child labor practices after the federal investigation ended, found 11 more violations. In June 2005, Connecticut fined Wal-Mart Stores Inc. $3,300 over child labor violations after a state investigation found that some minors lacked proper paperwork and were operating hazardous equipment at the stores. [“Wal-Mart Is Fined for Child Labor Violations,” Bloomberg News, June 22, 2005]
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Wal-Mart and Health Care
Download the Wal-Mart and Health Care Flyer - PDF
Wal-Mart’s Health Care Plan Fails to Cover Over 775,000 Employees
* Wal-Mart reported in January 2006 that its health insurance only covers 43% of their employees. Wal-Mart has approximately 1.39 million US employees. [http://www.walmartfacts.com/docs/1625_jan2006healthcarebackgrounders_576890240.pdf]
Wal-Mart’s Health Insurance Falls Far Short of Other Large Companies
* On average for 2005, large companies (200 or more workers) cover approximately 66% of their employees. If Wal-Mart was to reach the average coverage rate, Wal-Mart should be covering an additional 318,000 employees [Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005 and http://www.walmartfacts.com/docs/1625_jan2006healthcarebackgrounders_576890240.pdf].
Wal-Mart’s Health Care Eligibility is Restrictive
* Part-timers—anybody below 34 hours a week – must wait 1 year before they can enroll. Moreover, spouses of part-time employees are ineligible for family health care coverage for 2006. [Wal-Mart Stores, “My Benefits, New Peak Time Benefits Making ad Difference For You,” 2006]
* Full-time hourly employees must wait 180 days (approximately 6 months) before being able to enroll in Wal-Mart’s health insurance plan. Managers have no waiting period. [Wal-Mart 2006 Associate Guide]
* Nationally, the average wait time for new employees to become eligible is 1.7 months. For the retail industry it is 3.0 months. [Kaiser Family Foundation & Health Research and Educational Trust, 2005]
All of Wal-Mart’s Health Plan’s Are Too Costly for Its Workers to Use
* Since the average full-time Wal-Mart employee earned $17,114 in 2005, he or she would have to spend between 7 and 25 percent of his or her income just to cover the premiums and medical deductibles, if electing for single coverage. [Wal-Mart 2006 Associate Guide and UFCW analysis]
* The average full-time employee electing for family coverage would have to spend between 22 and 40 percent of his or her income just to cover the premiums and medical deductibles. These costs do not include other health-related expenses such as medical co-pays, prescription coverage, emergency room deductibles, and ambulance deductibles. [Wal-Mart 2006 Associate Guide and UFCW Analysis].
* Wal-Mart trumps the affordability of its new health care plan. According to Wal-Mart, “In January [2006], …Coverage will be available for as little as $22 per month for individuals” [www.walmartfacts.com]
* What Wal-Mart’s website leaves out: Coverage is affordable, but using it will bankrupt many employees. Wal-Mart’s most affordable plan for 2006 includes a $1,000 deductible for single coverage and a $3,000 deductible for family coverage ($1,000 deductible per person covered up to $3,000). [Wal-Mart 2006 Associate Guide]
Wal-Mart Admits Public Health Care is a “Better Value”
* President and CEO Lee Scott said in 2005, "In some of our states, the public program may actually be a better value - with relatively high income limits to qualify, and low premiums." [Transcript Lee Scott Speech 4/5/05]
Wal-Mart’s Health Care is Getting Costlier
* Between 2000-2005, the cost of premiums rose 169 percent for single coverage and 117 percent for family coverage. [UFCW analysis of annual Wal-Mart Associate Guides].
* In comparison, premiums for family coverage in the U.S. have increased only by 59%, from 2000-2005. [Employer Health Benefits: 2004 Annual Survey, Kaiser Family Foundation & Health Research and Educational Trust, 2004] Wal-Mart Employees Pay More for Health Care Costs
* In 2004, Wal-Mart employees, in total, paid approximately 41% of the plan costs [Wal-Mart IRS 5500 Filings, 2005].
* Nationally for 2004 on average employees paid for only 16% of single coverage costs and 28% of family coverage costs [Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005].
Wal-Mart Covers Less of the Health Care Costs Compared to Its Competitors
* In a state analysis, the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services found that in 2003, Wal-Mart covered only 52% of total health care premium costs compared to K-Mart which covered 66%, Target which covered 68%, and Sears which covered 80% [“Employers Who Have 50 or More Employees Using Public Health Assistance,” Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, 2/2005]
Wal-Mart’s Spending Falls Below Industry Standards
* Wal-Mart’s spending on health care for its employees falls well below industry and national employer averages. In 2002, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart spent an average of $3,500 per employee. By comparison, the average spending per employee in the wholesale/retailing sector was $4,800. For U.S. employers in general, the average was $5,600 per employee, Therefore, Wal-Mart’s average spending on health benefits for each covered employee was 27% less than the industry average and 37% less than the national average. [Bernard Wysocki, Jr. and Ann Zimmerman, “Wal-Mart Cost-Cutting Finds a Big Target in Health Benefits,” Wall Street Journal September 30, 2003 p1]
Wal-Mart Only Spends 77 Cents an Hour Per Employee for Health Benefits
* In 2004, Wal-Mart spent $1.5 billion on its health insurance. This amounts to an employer contribution of around only $0.77 an hour per employee. This accounts for approximately a half-percent of Wal-Mart's $285 billion in sales in 2004. [Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005, Wal-Mart Annual Report, 2005].
Wal-Mart Increased Advertising More Than Health Care
* In 2004, Wal-Mart spent nearly the same amount on advertising as it did on health insurance. In 2004, Wal-Mart reports that it spent $1.5 billion on health care benefits and $1.4 billion in advertising. [Wal-Mart Annual Report 2005, Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005]
* Between 2003 and 2004, Wal-Mart increased its advertising budget by $434 million, only increasing its spending on employee health care by $100 million. That means Wal-Mart increased its spending on advertising by 45 percent while only increasing its spending on employee health care by 7 percent. [Wal-Mart Annual Report 2005, Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005]
* In fact, Wal-Mart has consistently increased spending on advertising more than its spending on employee health care. Between 2002 and 2003, Wal-Mart put more new funds into advertising than into health care. Wal-Mart increased spending on advertising by $290 million, while only increasing health care spending by $215 million for the same period. (note: this also occurred in 1995-96, 1997-98,1998-1999). [Wal-Mart Annual Reports and 5500 Filings]
One Out of Six Wal-Mart Employees Has No Health Care Coverage At All
* This is more than double the national percentage for large firms (firms with over 100 employees). In fact, we estimate that Wal-Mart accounted in 2005 for more than 1 out of every 40 uninsured workers who are employed at a large firm. [Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005; Wal-Mart Annual Report; “Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Coverage: Sponsorship, Eligibility, and Participation Patterns in 2001,” Bowen Garrett, Ph.D., released by the Kaiser Family Foundation September 2004].
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Costs to Taxpayers
Download the Wal-Mart and Cost to Taxpayers fact sheet - PDF
Your tax dollars pay for Wal-Mart's greed
* The estimated total amount of federal assistance for which Wal-Mart employees were eligible in 2004 was $2.5 billion. [The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart, A Report By The Democratic Staff Of The Committee On Education And The Workforce, 2/16/04]
* One 200-employee Wal-Mart store may cost federal taxpayers $420,750 per year. This cost comes from the following, on average:
o $36,000 a year for free and reduced lunches for just 50 qualifying Wal-Mart families.
o $42,000 a year for low-income housing assistance.
o $125,000 a year for federal tax credits and deductions for low-income families.
o $100,000 a year for the additional expenses for programs for students.
o $108,000 a year for the additional federal health care costs of moving into state children's health insurance programs (S-CHIP)
o $9,750 a year for the additional costs for low income energy assistance.
[The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart, A Report By The Democratic Staff Of The Committee On Education And The Workforce, 2/16/04]
Health care subsidies compared to executive compensation
* Excluding his salary of $1.2 million, in 2004 Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott made around $22 million in bonuses, stock awards, and stock options in 2004.
* This $22 million could reimburse taxpayers in 3 states where Wal-Mart topped the list of users of state-sponsored health care programs, covering more than 15,000 Wal-Mart employees and dependents. [Wal-Mart Proxy Statement and News Articles GA, CT, AL].
Your tax dollars subsidize Wal-Mart's growth
* The first ever national report on Wal-Mart subsidies documented at least $1 billion in subsidies from state and local governments.
* A Wal-Mart official stated that “it is common” for the company to request subsidies “in about one-third of all [retail] projects.” This would suggest that over a thousand Wal-Mart stores have been subsidized. [“Shopping For Subsidies: How Wal-Mart Uses Taxpayer Money to Finance Its Never-Ending Growth,” Good Job First, May 2004]
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Community Impact
Download the Wal-Mart and Community Impact Fact Sheet - PDF
Wal-Mart’s growth negatively impact worker’s wages
* The most comprehensive study of Wal-Mart’s impact showed that the stores reduced earnings per person by 5 percent. This 2005 study by an economist from the National Bureau of Economic Research used Wal-Mart’s own store data and government data for all counties where Wal-Mart has operated for 30 years, It found that the average Wal-Mart store reduces earnings per person by 5 percent in the county in which it operates. [David Neumark, The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets 2005]
The Cost of Wal-Mart’s entry into a community can be significant
* According to a 2003 estimate, the influx of big-box stores into San Diego would result in an annual decline in wages and benefits which could cost the area up to $221 million [San Diego Taxpayers Association (SDCTA), 2003]
Lower wages mean less money for communities
* When an employer pays low wages to its employees, the employees have less money to spend on goods and services in the community, which in turn reduces the income and spending of others in the community. In other words a reduction in wages has a multiplier impact in the surrounding area.
* For instance, in 1999, Southern California municipalities estimated that for every dollar decrease in wages in the southern California economy, $2.08 in spending was lost-- the $1 decrease plus another $1.08 in indirect multiplier impacts. [“The Impact of Big Box Grocers in Southern California” Dr. Marlon Boarnet and Dr. Randall Crane, 1999.]
Wal-Mart hurts other businesses when it comes to town.
* In Maine, existing businesses lost over 10 percent of their market in 80 percent of the towns where Wal-Mart opened stores. [Georgeanne Artz And James McConnon, The Impact of Wal-Mart on Host Towns and Surrounding Communities in Maine, 2001]
* Food stores in Mississippi lost 17 percent of their sales by the fifth year after a Wal-Mart Supercenter had come into their county, and retail stores lost 9 percent of their sales [Kenneth Stone and Georgeanne Artz, The Economic Impact of a Wal-Mart Supercenter on Existing Businesses in Mississippi, 2002]
* Over the course of [a few years after Wal-Mart entered a community], retailers' sales of apparel dropped 28% on average, hardware sales fell by 20%, and sales of specialty stores fell by 17%. [Kenneth Stone at Iowa State University, “Impact of the Wal-Mart Phenomenon on Rural Communities,” 1997]
* In towns without Wal-Marts that are close to towns with Wal-Marts, sales in general merchandise declined immediately after Wal-Mart stores opened. After ten years, sales declined by a cumulative 34%. [Kenneth Stone at Iowa State University, “Impact of the Wal-Mart Phenomenon on Rural Communities,” 1997]
Wal-Mart destroys the environment
* Between 2003 and 2005, state and federal environmental agencies fined Wal-Mart $5 million.
* In 2005, Wal-Mart reached a $1.15 million settlement with the State of Connecticut for allowing improperly stored pesticides and other pollutants to pollute streams. This was the largest such settlement in state history. [Hartford Courant, 8/16/05]
* In May 2004, Wal-Mart agreed to pay the largest settlement for stormwater violations in EPA history. The United States sued Wal-mart for violating the Clean Water Act in 9 states, calling for penalties of over $3.1 million and changes to Wal-Mart’s building practices. [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, May 12, 2004, U.S. v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., 2004 WL 2370700]
* In 2004, Wal-Mart was fined $765,000 for violating Florida’s petroleum storage tank laws at its automobile service centers. Wal-Mart failed to register its fuel tanks, failed to install devices that prevent overflow, did not perform monthly monitoring, lacked current technologies, and blocked state inspectors. [Associated Press, 11/18/04]
* In Georgia, Wal-Mart was fined about $150,000 in 2004 for water contamination. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/10/05]
Wal-Mart increases vehicle traffic
* A 2004 study of estimated additional driving costs of Supercenters in the San Francisco Bay area concluded that there would be up to an additional 238 million vehicle miles traveled per year. [Supercenters and the Transformation of the Bay Area Grocery Industry: Issues, Trends, and Impacts. Bay Area Economic Forum, 2004]
* These extra miles traveled could cost communities in the Bay area up $ 256 million in additional costs for infrastructure repair and environmental degradation. [Supercenters and the Transformation of the Bay Area Grocery Industry: Issues, Trends, and Impacts. Bay Area Economic Forum, 2004]
Wal-Mart desecrates sacred grounds
* A nonprofit group that oversees the care of Native Hawaiian remains filed a lawsuit in 2003 against Wal-Mart, the State of Hawaii and the City of Honolulu. It alleged they violated state law dealing with the protection of preservation of human remains and desecration of graves. More than 60 sets of human remains were found at the Wal-Mart construction site in Honolulu. [KHNL-TV/KHBC/KOGG, HI. 7/20/2005]
* In 2004, Wal-Mart built a 71,902-square-foot store near the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in San Juan Teotichuacan, Mexico. Teotihuacan was called "the place where the gods were created" by the Aztecs. [Knight Ridder, 10/25/04]
* In 1997, the Alliance for Native American Indian Rights in Tennessee called for a retail boycott of Wal-Mart after construction began on a site for a new store near Nashville. According to a state archaeologist, the site contained 150 graves. [Fulton County Daily Report, 11/30/00, Chattanooga Free Press, 11/23/98]
Wal-Mart's empty stores are blighting communities
* As of May 2006, Wal-Mart Realty has listed 320 vacant or soon to be vacant properties that the company is looking to lease or sell. They total to over 25 million square feet. Combined they are more than 6 times larger than the Pentagon building and larger than 440 football fields. [www.walmartrealty.com]
* Wal-Mart’s rapid expansion of Supercenters and Sam's Clubs has contributed to hundreds of vacant stores across the country. [“Wal Mart site: Use as is or rebuild?”, Dallas Morning News, 2/20/02]
* When Wal-Mart decides to convert a discount store into a larger Supercenter, it is often cheaper or easier simply to relocate entirely. David Brennan, associate professor of marketing at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minn, noted that Wal-Mart stores relocate so regularly that, “it is not uncommon to relocate right across the street." [“Home Depot to Move from Old to New Store Next Door,” Providence News-Journal, 8/17/03]
* Wal-Mart’s stores are uselessly large for most other tenants. An average discount store is 97,000 square feet. Wal-Mart’s Supercenters are on average nearly twice as large at 186,000 square feet. [www.walmartfacts.com]
* Also Wal-Mart often resists other large retail stores moving in. A president of a major real estate developer in Dallas said in 2002, “They're not going to be very receptive to any retailer going into it and even if they sell it, they might put a non- compete clause in there.” As one Wal-Mart spokesperson said in 2004, "There are times when it's in our interest to get the property moving faster, but we're certainly not going to give a competitor an advantage." [Dallas Morning News 2/20/02, Wall Street Journal, 9/15/04]
* Wal-Mart planned to build another 60 million square feet of store space in 2006, or roughly the equivalent of 1,040 football fields or 16 Pentagon buildings. [Wal-Mart Stores, Twelfth Annual Analysts' Meeting, FD (Fair Disclosure) Wire October 25, 2005]
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Wal-Mart and Imports
* Wal-Mart highlights its American suppliers but imports 60 percent of its goods
* Wal-Mart directly imported 60 percent of the goods they sold in the U.S. in 2004. [Frontline, 11/16/2004]
* Just because Wal-Mart bought goods from suppliers based in the United States does not mean that they were actually manufactured in the United States. In fact, Ray Bracy, Wal-Mart's vice president for federal and international public affairs, was asked, “Do you have any idea what percentage [of non-grocery, domestic sales] comes from overseas?” He responded, “What we don't know is the numbers of products that come from distributors or from manufacturers that they [sic] decide where to manufacture.” Wal-Mart fails to track where their products are manufactured. [Frontline, 11/16/2004]
Wal-Mart and China
Wal-Mart buys much of its merchandise from China
* Wal-Mart reports that it purchased $18 billion of goods from China in 2004.
* Wal-Mart was responsible for about 1/10th of the U.S. trade deficit with China in 2005. [“U.S. Stock Investors Wary of Analyst `Yuan Plays': Taking Stock, Bloomberg, 7/1/05]
* If Wal-Mart were an individual economy, it would rank as China’s eighth-biggest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia and Canada. [China Business Weekly, 12/02/2004]
Many of Wal-Mart's “American Suppliers” actually manufacture most or all of their products in China
* An example of an “American Supplier” is Hasbro, headquartered in Rhode Island. Today, Wal-Mart is the largest purchaser of Hasbro products—accounting for 21 percent of all Hasbro goods or more than $600 million in sales. But Hasbro reports, “We source production of substantially all of our toy products and certain of our game products through unrelated manufacturers in various Far East countries, principally China.” Hasbro specifies that “the substantial majority of our toy products are manufactured in China.” [2004 Hasbro 10-K filed with the SEC]
Wal-Mart's Chinese factory workers are treated poorly
* Workers making clothing for Wal-Mart in Shenzhen, China filed a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart in September 2005 claiming that they were not paid the legal minimum wage, not permitted to take holidays off and were forced to work overtime. They said their employer had withheld the first three months of all workers' pay, almost making them indentured servants because the company refused to pay the money if they quit. [New York Times, September 14, 2005]
* Workers making toys for Wal-Mart in China’s Guangdong Province reported that they would have to meet a quota of painting 8,900 toy pieces in an eight hour shift in order to earn the stated wage of $3.45 a day. If they failed to meet that quota, the factory would only pay them $1.23 for a day’s work. [China Labor Watch, December 21, 2005]
Elsewhere workers producing goods for Wal-Mart also face appalling conditions, despite Wal-Mart’s factory inspection program
* Workers from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Nicaragua and Swaziland brought a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart in September 2005 asserting that the company’s codes of conduct were violated in dozens of ways. They said they were often paid less than the legal minimum wage and did not receive mandated time-and-a-half for overtime, and some said they were beaten by managers and were locked in their factories. [New York Times, September 14, 2005]
* A female apparel worker in Dhaka, Bangladesh, said she was locked into the factory and did not have a day off in her first six months. She said she was told if she refused to work the required overtime, she would be fired. Another worker said her supervisor attacked her “by slapping her face so hard that her nose began bleeding simply because she was unable to meet” her “high quota.” [New York Times, September 14, 2005]
* In 2004, only 8 percent of Wal-Mart inspectors’ visits to factories were unannounced, giving supervisors the chance to coach workers what to say and hide violations. Wal-Mart claimed it planned to double unannounced visits by its inspectors but that would still leave 80 percent of inspections announced. [CFO Magazine, August 2005]
* A former Wal-Mart executive James Lynn has sued the company claiming he was fired because he warned the company that an inspection manager was intimidating underlings into passing Central American suppliers. Lynn documented forced pregnancy tests, 24-hour work shifts, extreme heat, pat-down searches, locked exits, and other violations of the labor laws of these Central American countries. [New York Times, July 1, 2005 and James Lynn to Odair Violim, April 28, 2002, www.nclnet.org]
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Wal-Mart and Worker Injuries
Wal-Mart cares little for the safety of its workers
* In 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld a $5,000 fine against a Wal-Mart store in Hoover, Ala., for blocking emergency exits. The court upheld a decision by a judge who found that Wal-Mart was guilty of a serious and repeated offense. [New York Times, 5/17/05]
* According to New York Times report in 2004, Wal-Mart instituted a “lock-in” policy at some of its Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores. The stores lock their doors at night so that no one can enter or leave the building, leaving workers inside trapped. Some workers reported that managers had threatened to fire them if they ever used the fire exit to leave the building. Instead, they were supposed to wait for a manager to unlock doors to allow employees to escape in an emergency. [New York Times 1/18/2004]
* The West Virginiastate workmen’s comp agency placed Wal-Mart in an “adverse risk” pool because Wal-Mart had unusually high accident rates. [Charleston Gazette, 6/3/99]
Wal-Mart takes a combative approach to workers’ compensation claims
* Arkansas Business in 2001 described Wal-Mart as “the state’s most aggressive” when it comes to challenging worker’s compensation claims. The company “stands far above any other self-insurer in challenges to employee claims.” [Arkansas Business, 1/8/01]
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Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits
Wal-Mart fails to provide a secure retirement benefit for its employees.
* Wal-Mart sponsors two retirement plans — a profit sharing plan and 401(k) plan — neither of which guarantee workers a fixed monthly pension benefit.
* Wal-Mart has shifted risks to employees by concentrating investment in its own stock. From January 2000 to January 2005, the average adjusted share price of Wal-Mart’s stock lost more than a fifth of its value. By being concentrated in one security, employees’ retirement plans are subject to the whims of one stock rather than having the safety of a diversified portfolio. [Wal-Mart Annual Reports, 2000-2005]
* Wal-Mart's retirement plans are Enron-like -- in 2003-04, 67% of their combined assets were invested in Wal-Mart stock. [Wal-Mart Stores 5500 IRS Filing, 2004]
Wal-Mart shares little of its $11 billion profits with employees.
* In 2004, Wal-Mart contributed $570 a year per U. S. employee for profit sharing and 401(k) plans for the United States. [Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005, www.walmartfacts.com]
* To boost its profits by 1 percent, Wal-Mart is seeking to reduce its contributions to the profit sharing and 401(k) plans from 4 percent of wages to 3 percent of wages. As opposed to reducing the benefit to the 1.2 million hourly workers, Wal-Mart should reduce the number of stock options that it grants to management. In 2004, this expense amounted to 2 percent of net profit. [Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Internal Memo, 2005, Wal-Mart Proxy Statements 2004-5]
Wal-Mart shifts retirement costs onto communities
* When employees retire without adequate savings and benefits, they are less able to pay for health care, housing, and food. Communities and taxpayers ultimately bear the cost.
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Wal-Mart Anti-Union Policy
Wal-Mart closes down stores and departments that unionize
* Wal-Mart closed its store in Jonquierre, Quebec in April 2005 after its employees received union certification. The store became the first unionized Wal-Mart in North America when 51 percent of the employees at the store signed union cards. [Washington Post, 4/14/05]
* In December 2005, the Quebec Labour Board ordered Wal-Mart to compensate former employees of its store in Jonquiere Quebec. The Board ruled that Wal-Mart had improperly closed the store in April 2005 in reprisal against unionized workers. [Personnel Today, 12/19/05]
* In 2000, when a small meatcutting department successfully organized a union at a Wal-Mart store in Texas, Wal-Mart responded a week later by announcing the phase-out of its in-store meatcutting company-wide. [Pan Demetrakakes, "Is Wal-Mart Wrapped in Union Phobia?" Food & Packaging 76 (August 1, 2003).]
Wal-Mart has issued "A Manager's Toolbox to Remaining Union Free,"
* This toolbox provides managers with lists of warning signs that workers might be organizing, including "frequent meetings at associates' homes" and "associates who are never seen together start talking or associating with each other." The "Toolbox" gives managers a hotline to call so that company specialists can respond rapidly and head off any attempt by employees to organize. [Wal-Mart, A Manager’s Toolbox to Remaining Union Free at 20-21]
Wal-Mart is committed to an anti-union policy
* In the last few years, well over 100 unfair labor practice charges have been filed against Wal-Mart throughout the country, with 43 charges filed in 2002 alone.
* Since 1995, the U.S. government has been forced to issue at least 60 complaints against Wal-Mart at the National Labor Relations Board. [International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), Internationally Recognised Core Labour Standards in the United States: Report for the WTO General Council Review of the Trade Policies of the United States (Geneva, January 14-16, 2004)]
* Wal-Mart’s labor law violations range from illegally firing workers who attempt to organize a union to unlawful surveillance, threats, and intimidation of employees who dare to speak out. [“Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart," A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 2/16/04]
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Wal-Mart & Gender Discrimination
Download the Wal-Mart and Gender Discrimination fact sheet - PDF
Wal-Mart discriminates against women
* In 2001, six women sued Wal-Mart in California claiming the company discriminated against women by systematically denying them promotions and paying them less than men. The lawsuit, Dukes v. Wal-Mart, has expanded to include more than 1.6 million current and former female employees, and was certified on June 21 2004 as the largest class action lawsuit ever. [Mondaq Business Briefing, November 1, 2004]
* In 2001, while more than two-thirds of Wal-Mart's hourly workers were female, women held only one-third of managerial positions and made up less than 15 percent of store managers. This is all despite women having had on average longer seniority and higher merit ratings than their male counterparts. [Neil Buckley and Caroline Daniel, “Wal-Mart vs. the Workers: Labour Grievances Are Stacking Up Against the World’s Biggest Company,"” Financial Times 11, 11/20/03]
* In 2001, women managers on average earned $14,500 less than their male counterparts. Female hourly workers earned on average $1,100 less than male counterparts. [Drogin 2003]
* In 2001, for the same job classification, women earned from 5 percent to 15 percent less than men, even after taking into account factors such as seniority and performance. [Drogin 2003]
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Wal-Mart & Child Labor
Download the Wal-Mart and Child Labor fact sheet - PDF
Wal-Mart violates Child Labor Laws
* An internal Wal-Mart audit found "extensive violations of child-labor laws and state regulations requiring time for breaks and meals.” [New York Times, 1/13/04]
* One week of time records from 25,000 employees in July 2000 found 1,371 instances of minors working too late, during school hours, or for too many hours in a day. There were 60,767 missed breaks and 15,705 lost meal times. [New York Times, 1/13/04]
* Wal-Mart agreed to pay $135,540 to settle child labor violation charges in January 2005 for allegedly breaking child labor laws in 24 incidents. [Wall Street Journal, 2/12/05]
* Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that the state found 11 violations in three Wal-Mart stores in the state and that 337 minors worked at the company's 32 Connecticut stores from 2003 to 2005. The probe came after the Labor Department in February said the retailer had similar violations nationwide. [Bloomberg News, 6/22/05]
* Wal-Mart has also been fined $205,650 for 1,436 violations of child labor laws in Maine for the period 1995 to 1998. The settlement represents the largest number of citations as well as the largest fine ever issued by the Maine Department of Labor for child labor violations. [Bureau of Business Practice News]
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Wal-Mart & Undocumented Immigrants
* In 2003, federal authorities arrested 250 undocumented immigrants who were employed by janitor contracting services and hired by Wal-Mart in 21 states. Many of the janitors - from Mexico, Russia, Mongolia, Poland and a host of other nations - worked seven days or nights a week without overtime pay or injury compensation. Those who worked nights were often locked in the store until the morning. [Wall Street Journal, 11/5/05, CNN Money, “Wal-Mart pays $11m over illegal labor”, 2005]
* In March 2005, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $11 million to settle federal allegations it used undocumented immigrants to clean its stores. This was the largest immigration related fine ever levied. [CNN Money, “Wal-Mart pays $11m over illegal labor”, 2005 and Wall Street Journal, 11/5/05]
* In October 2005, Wal-Mart shut down work on seven stores under construction in North Dakota to check for undocumented workers after two illegal immigrants working on Wal-Mart projects in Bismarck were charged with molesting two 13-year-old girls. [Associated Press, 11/18/05]
* Federal immigration officers, in November 2005, arrested 125 illegal workers in a raid at a Wal-Mart distribution center under construction north of Philadelphia. The workers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico were detained Thursday at the site. [Associated Press, 11/18/05]
I don't know ~ that's why I asked.
I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. Maybe tonight,
I asked DH what he was seeing with his
eyes closed, because when I close my eyes while my lamp is on I see dark taupe. He said he was seeing PINK! So his eyelids don't work right.
Okay, you asked! Trying this again.....sm
This is about as messy as I get!
Okay you asked for it
This is my very messy desk (ah - room). I am so busy with running a business and also transcribing that I hardly ever have time to clean my desk. What a mess! If you look closely on the floor just to the right of my chair, you can probably see two pink Good and Plenty candies that I forgot to pick up. Hee hee.
See, that is why I asked. The only
bits of news here about her is in a "ticker tape" running at the bottom of the screen. Had no idea anything had been found on a road. The thing about the trunk was that I have seen so many younger women and girls doing that here. It drives me crazy because they are exposed and more vulnerable than if they had just gotten into their cars. I pretty much don't even carry a purse anymore, just whatever I need that can fit into my pockets. Some of the nurses getting to work were locking their purses in the trunks, too, instead of just using a locker inside. It also made me wonder if she were doing that if someone could have ridden all the way home with her, or could have been waiting outside her door somewhere. Too much CSI here or mystery books! Thanks everybody for updating me. I hope she will be alright.
What we all should have asked for...
I'd put her at closer to 250-275, because she's a big girl all over.
On the other hand, if Kirstie Alley can claim a high of 203 (I still giggle when I remember that) when she started Jenny Craig a few years back, maybe all the rest of us have malfunctioning scales.
That's what we should have asked for this year, ladies...The same model/brand of scales used by Oprah and Kirstie Alley!!!
Happy Holidays!!!
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