THE 3K THREAD - 3 WAYS TO WIN

[klk]

I actually don't know of any kmarts around here. I just go to Target.

 

[rudy]

We have Target and Wal-mart.

 

[klk]

We don't have walmart either. citizens groups keep preventing them from building one in our area.

 

[rudy]

really? here too. we were going to get a wal-mart down the street. but the adjacent neighborhood association fought it and won.

 

[klk]

yeah, I'd have to drive over 45 minutes if I wanted to go to a walmart, which is totally do-able, but not worth the effort. Yep, its the neigborhood associations!

 

[rudy]

that's too far of a drive. you'd end up losing money on gas alone. we got a Super Wal-Mart a few miles down the street. It sells Wal-Mart stuff and food.

 

[klk]

yeah, I've heard of those super stores. I think they might be building one that's a little closer to me, but still out in the boondocks because those are the only towns that will let them build within their city limits.

 

[rudy]

I wonder how the neighborhood associations are able to fight them? Wal-Mart is big. I thought they would win.

 

[klk]

I think it has to do with the Land use process, like the city council refuses to approve WalMarts request because the citizens will lash out at the city council, which affects their re-election chances.

there seems to be a lot of "citizen involvement" in our government. It can be so frustrating . . .

 

[rudy]

Makes sense. The Wal-Marts here are either inside a strip mall or in an area surrounded by other stores. The neighborhood association here kept using the term "Smart Growth" to fight Wal-Mart.

 

[klk]

Our area doesn't have a lot of space for a big walmart store and not have it be intrusive to neighborhoods. The portland metro area does a pretty good job of restricting development sprawl.

 

[rudy]

i bought some nice blouses at wal-mart

 

[klk]

I bought a nice bathing suit at Target.

 

[rudy]

just in time for spring break

 

[klk]

No, it was for going in the hot tub on our ski trip.

 

[rudy]

i don't get that. hot tub on a ski trip. but i wouldn't know, never been skiing.

 

[klk]

after a long day of being freezing cold the entire time, with muscles you didn't even realize you had aching and on fire, the hot tub was a wonderful goal to think about. I'm not making it sound like skiing is much fun am i?

 

[rudy]

sounds like a painful workout

 

[klk]

yeah, but really its a lot of fun when you're in decent shape. This was my first time skiing this year, I'm really out of shape, my boots were too small, it just wasn't my day. The rest of the trip was awesome though.

 

[rudy]

we'd like to take the kids somewhere where there's snow... snowmen, ice angels, snowball fights