Top philanthropists of 2004.

 

The slideshow was pretty cool. There's one guy on there who shines shoes for a living, but has given all of his savings and stuff away. To the tune of 900,000 over his lifetime. That is so amazing...

Yeah, Wal Mart sucks! :rolly

 

Company 2003 Donations* (Millions)

Wal-Mart Stores $176.0

 

Ford Motor 120.0

 

Altria Group 114.9

 

Johnson & Johnson 99.0

 

Exxon Mobil 97.1

 

J.P.Morgan Chase 86.0

 

Bank of America 85.4

 

Pfizer 83.3

 

Wells Fargo 83.0

 

Citigroup 81.4

Yeah, Wal Mart sucks!  :rolly

You must have missed the part about how the wealthiest family in America has given less over their lifetimes than Bill Gates in one year.

 

Also, Walmart only gave 1% of their profits compared with other much higher numbers.

 

It's sort of like the rich man and the poor widow in the Bible. She gave like two dollars, and he maybe 100. But when 2 dollars is all you have and 100 isn't even a drop in the bucket of your riches, whose heart is in the best place.

 

I'm not poo-pooing Walmart's gving since it definitely makes a difference, but putting the numbers in perspective is definitely important too...

Damn, you beat me to it.

Whatever, it's just popular to beat up on WalMart lately and I can deal with that, I guess.

Whatever, it's just popular to beat up on WalMart lately and I can deal with that, I guess.

I don't get it either.. They both gave a lot of money.. and most of it for tax reasons is my guess.

I don't get it either.. They both gave a lot of money.. and most of it for tax reasons is my guess. 

The same people beating up on WalMart for not giving enough were strangley silent when Al Gore released his Tax Returns and it showed that he gave like $153 to charity.

Is it possible he didn't declare what he gave? I never use the receipts I get for tax donations.

Is it possible he didn't declare what he gave?  I never use the receipts I get for tax donations.

I don't know the details. I don't even know if it was EXACTLY $153, but I know it ws very insignificant and it was a semi-big story with all the right wingers and he never debunked it, so take that FWIW.

Whatever, it's just popular to beat up on WalMart lately and I can deal with that, I guess.

yep, great South Park about it this season!!

yep, great South Park about it this season!!

Art imitating reality? or the other way around?

Dispite MSFT illegal business practices, I do have tons of respect for the Gates's. They do tons of charity work and they really get into it, really trying to indentify vital causes and doing what they can to aid them. IIRC Bill Gates has said before that he plans to give away the vast majority of his wealth before his death, very similar to what Andrew Carnagie did.

I never bashed Wal-Mart for charity spending. I'm glad they have decided to donate hundreds of millions of dollars to charity. I just wish they would treat their employees well.

I just wish they would treat their employees well.

My sister has worked for them for a little less than ten years. Like most companies, they do some good and some bad. She has a decent salary and health care which is more than some can say they get from their jobs.

Dispite MSFT illegal business practices, I do have tons of respect for the Gates's.  They do tons of charity work and they really get into it, really trying to indentify vital causes and doing what they can to aid them.  IIRC Bill Gates has said before that he plans to give away the vast majority of his wealth before his death, very similar to what Andrew Carnagie did.

Hold on a sec.. gotta lick this stamp for Bill & Melissa's Christmas card....

Really? Cool. What does she do?

I never bashed Wal-Mart for charity spending. I'm glad they have decided to donate hundreds of millions of dollars to charity. I just wish they would treat their employees well.

They treated my mother just fine. Personally.. I no longer shop there. The last one I was in was in Bridgeview and it was dirty which totally turned me off to all of them. I won't go near the new one in Plainfield which I'm sure is nice.... I shop at Target mostly.

My experience comes mostly living in towns with Wally World and Meijer next to each other. Comparing the benefits offered by both, I much preferred Meijer.

 

I don't live near a Wal-Mart at the moment. It makes "not shopping there" easy to do.

Whatever, it's just popular to beat up on WalMart lately and I can deal with that, I guess.

That's what happens when you're as wildly successful as they have been.

That's what happens when you're as wildly successful as they have been.

You can't please everyone.

My sister has worked for them for a little less than ten years.  Like most companies, they do some good and some bad.  She has a decent salary and health care which is more than some can say they get from their jobs.

I worked for them as a second job for almost three years. My best friend and his fiance still work there. Their health benifits are ok but I've definetly had better.

 

They mostly worry about paying for the *big* injuries/illnesses and let the employees pay most of the cost of regular doctor visits.

 

I guess it really depends on who you ask as to whether they treat their employees well. I basically did what I wanted and always knew they if they started treating me like crap, I could tell them to take the job and shove it. I never "asked" for a day off. I told them that I wouldn't be in and if they didn't like it that was just too bad.

 

My friend on the other hand has been shifted around to different departments, had to work past his scheduled time (only to cut time later in the week) and has had trouble getting certain days off. The problem is that he is just that way. He doesn't know how to say no.

 

Overall, it's not a bad place to work (there's worse) and it's usually a pretty good place to shop. Just stay away from the electronics department. I've gotten three different TV/VCR combo's from them and every single time the VCR portion quits working after a while.

 

Luckily they'll take back just about anything so I just buy a new one and take the old one back and get my money back.

I worked for them as a second job for almost three years. My best friend and his fiance still work there. Their health benifits are ok but I've definetly had better.

 

They mostly worry about paying for the *big* injuries/illnesses and let the employees pay most of the cost of regular doctor visits.

Like I said, it is better than nothing (which is what many of my dad's co-workers have in the way of health care).

 

When my sister had her son she had to paid very little out of pocket (20% maybe? about the same as I would have to pay).

 

Oh, and my sister went through what your friend went through. So I would agree with your assessment about it's in the eye of the beholder, so to speak.

Like I said, it is better than nothing (which is what many of my dad's co-workers have in the way of health care).

 

When my sister had her son she had to paid very little out of pocket (20% maybe? about the same as I would have to pay).

 

Oh, and my sister went through what your friend went through.  So I would agree with your assessment about it's in the eye of the beholder, so to speak.

You want good insurance coverage? Go work for Osco Drug. I worked there for a couple of years and had their insurance for my wife's first two pregnancies.

 

We paid a total of $15 for my first daughter to be born.

You want good insurance coverage? Go work for Osco Drug. I worked there for a couple of years and had their insurance for my wife's first two pregnancies.

 

We paid a total of $15 for my first daughter to be born.

Damn!

 

I think mine covers 80% after a $300 deductible.