Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

I do think even the parental types can choose to live smaller, though. (providing they don't have 3+) You can choose to purchase bulk grains and vegetables instead of cans of soup and plastic bags of frozen vegetables. (and the healthiest food is the fastest and easiest to prepare) You can choose to go for a hike instead of park yourself in front of a Playstation. You can choose to bike or walk instead of drive. My mother has kids again, and it blows my mind the amount of unnecessary waste they generate - it was nothing like that when I was a kid. Anyhow, this is all meandering OT...

Beaker it seems you don't have any kids because families require convenience so we can do other things that make our lives richer.

Healthy foods may be fast and easy to prepare but try getting a 5-year old to eat raw carrots or soy milk.

And here on the Big Island you can choose to bike or walk but I won't take my chances on the weather and tote my kids on a 22-mile hike to Hilo for a Bocha Burger during a rainstorm.

It's easy to talk about a perfect world where everybody eats and exercises the way you probably do, but this is the real world and people have vises and children.

My 2 year old goes thru a box of 80 count diapers in a week and a half. Don't tell me to buy the 36 count at Longs two times a week when a bulk pack costs less and requires me to travel less. And let's not get into washable vs disposable diapers. If you have to wash up to 80 (actually it would be more) diapers every other week, your electric and water bill would be astronomical plus you'd be taxing your sewage system tremendously.

For large families, Costco is a blessing.

And when shopping at Home Depot yeah there some bad apples but don't judge all employees that way. If you've ever worked in a retail establishment, there's a reason why sales associates run away from certain customers. It's because of those customer's rude attitude demanding attention this very second! Never mind that associate is already engaged in helping another customer. Anybody who's worked the retail floor will vouch for me that it's the irate customer that is to blame. There's only one of them and a store full of customers, you just gotta wait your turn man!

Now imagine a sales associate who has been on the floor for over four hours with no break because there's this big sale going on. After helping 50 or more customers over that time period, it's lunch time or break time to rest your tired feet and mouth (yes you have to smile and speak to customers for that long while standing continuosly instead of sitting at a desk).

You are heading to the break room for a few minutes to recharge when you spot a customer who is raging mad because they can't find that tool that they just passed because they're blinded with rage. You as a sales associate has had up to here with pissed off customers who can't find their glasses in front of their noses now see this raging bull making a bee line to you to spout off. You just want to take a break so guess what, detour down aisle 10 and do a round about. Then you get hit with another customer in aisle 10 with a similar attitude. Pretty soon you just want to quit that job and slap that customer silly in the face to let him know that you're a human being too not some punching bag that's been kicked around the entire morning and can't do anything about it but say, "have a nice day anyway (you friggin asshole) sir!"

So back OT... ...those glorious days of yesteryear are long gone, our society has changed and evolved into a different animal so for those who yearn for M & P's go find a small town. For those who yearn for a Woolworths, go fund their stocks and get them back in business. And for those who love to eat rabbit food then go plant a garden. But for me I have a kid that poops a lot and the bulk size of anything works for me.

It's not self-serving it is a matter of price vs convenience and if a cave man had the opportunity to buy his Brontasauris ribs at Costco precut and cook it on his Weber grill rather than risk his life for dinner and having to knock two pieces of flint over wet wood to cook it, I'm sure he'd choose Costco.

You want a simpler time and place go find it but don't force it down my throat. You want me to eat your rabbit food then eat my Big Mac.

Basically if you don't like large stores stay away from them because quite frankly...they don't like you either.

So there we all go to our respective places of enjoyment and stay there.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

Beaker it seems you don't have any kids because families require convenience so we can do other things that make our lives richer.

"Require" is not the correct word. Wants are not needs. You can make other choices. You don't require, need, or deserve any more "conveniences" than anyone else.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

"Require" is not the correct word. Wants are not needs. You can make other choices. You don't require, need, or deserve any more "conveniences" than anyone else.

And you can't make me accept that notion either.

Like I said...easier said than done. Have kids and then let's have lunch then tell me you don't require a greater level of convenience than some single unattached person with no one to take care of but yourself.

Your choice of lifestyle is different than mine what may seem as a want to you can be a need for me. Likewise in a world of convenience, it's all want anyway. But in a world of necessity what's acceptable for some may not be for all. So there are levels of need some that transcend into wants. Living in Hawaii I don't need a warm living room during the winter months but live in Michigan in the winters and the need becomes apparent. But does that make it a want for that person freezing their okoles off because it's not a need for me here in Hawaii?

In life there are wants and needs. People who want them and people who need them. Neither is bad so let it go man.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

Considering the simpler lifestyle aspects you've mentioned, I was surprised to see you include this item, rather than encouraging visits to independent booksellers who struggle to survive in the face of the massive buying power of big chains.
I will pay a higher (full) price on a book, to help keep an independent business alive, rather than getting it discounted 10-20% at a chain store. In the long run, saving a business that cares about my interests and intimately knows the products it sells, ranks higher to me than saving a couple bucks in the short term.

I don't generally support independent booksellers because they're inefficient. They don't offer a service I can't get cheaper, faster, better at Amazon.com or eBay. They are a MIDDLEMAN, and middlemen only exist to fleece the consumer for their own profit. I'm not going to give extra money to someone who isn't giving me a service for it. The economy has changed, and 'independent booksellers' are going to have to come up with something more valuable to offer consumers than poor prices, poor selection, poor hours, and poor attitudes.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

My 2 year old goes thru a box of 80 count diapers in a week and a half.

(shiver) 80 count diapers...nice hike...80 count diapers...nice hike...80 count diapers... Uh, I think I'll go for a nice hike to purge the image of mountains of diapers out of my head...and make an appointment to get a vasectomy on Monday.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

(shiver) 80 count diapers...nice hike...80 count diapers...nice hike...80 count diapers... Uh, I think I'll go for a nice hike to purge the image of mountains of diapers out of my head...and make an appointment to get a vasectomy on Monday.

hey you should see the crap you flush daily into our oceans at least the diapers stay on land in regulated landfills instead of chemically treated and purged into our waterways.

Yep until you live the life of a parent don't tell me what is and what isn't convenient. When you have a van full of screaming kids, that drive thru smoothie place is a rather nice treat (oh yeah it's a want) to calm your ruffled feathers. A nice hike? I've done all of that in my teens and 20's when the metabolism was a rush. Now life needs to slow down as I creep into retirement. You don't need to hike to get rid of that image of a mound of diapers, you don't need a vasectomy to keep your raging hormones away from a female. These are all wants because quite frankly I don't think you will go on that hike and I don't think you will have a vasectomy.

You want to but you don't need to. I did however have a vasectomy because I want to enjoy being with my wife intimately however I need to because my elderly mother told me, "Nuff already I going broke with the presents!" I got six boys.

Costco is a need for me because milk is cheaper there than anywhere else.

Walmart is a need for me because diapers are cheaper there than Longs or Safeway.

Home Depot is a want for me because the power tool aisle is the big boy toy store for me and you just can't have enough cordless power tools or tool boxes. Definately a want

I'm glad these big box retailers came in because like many here in Hilo, they hate HPM because their prices were so inflated and as some Caucasians say: HPM stands for Haoles Pay More. And that's quite the norm.

Living in the sticks is expensive enough but when a big mainland chain comes in and offers the local consumer a price advantage for the first time, you go!

It comes down to what you can afford to put on the table to feed your family. When the money's tight, you buy the cheapest and when isn't money a factor in one of the highest cost of living states in America!

Here in Hilo Walmart has become an Island Culture for many keiki whose clean butts depend on them and some elderly who depend on Depends.

Here in Hilo Home Depot has become an Island Culture for many home owners for years were stuck with only one choice of porch lighting from HPM.

Here in Hilo Macy's has become an Island Culture for many young women who all seem to want those tight tops with the sequins that say Bebe.

Here in Hilo Costco will become an Island Culture for many households who for years had to do the Costco run to Kona for pantry items.

Island culture is what you make of it as you integrate it into your daily lifestyle. It doesn't matter if it's a big box retailer or the Hasegawa general store. It's what you did or where you went as you grew up. Our hanabuddah days is now the non-drowsy Dimeatapp days.

In the old days it may sound good compared to today but when you were keiki time, did you ever say, "Wow that koa paddle on my okole in front of the entire 6th grade class was a great time" or "Ho man das unreal neat kine eh dat Vietnam war". The old days wasn't that good, we just remember the good times and try to forget those bad days...like the gas lines, and where were you when JFK was assasinated. At 69-cents my mom was yelling bloody murder at the cost of milk (for a half gallon) and how 75-cents was a rip off for a pack of smokes or how in 1967 a Big Mac cost a whoppin' 65-cents!! And gasoline at...ho man 50-cents a gallon! What a rip off!!! But by today's standards it was a great deal!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

I don't generally support independent booksellers because they're inefficient. They don't offer a service I can't get cheaper, faster, better at Amazon.com or eBay. They are a MIDDLEMAN, and middlemen only exist to fleece the consumer for their own profit. I'm not going to give extra money to someone who isn't giving me a service for it. The economy has changed, and 'independent booksellers' are going to have to come up with something more valuable to offer consumers than poor prices, poor selection, poor hours, and poor attitudes.

You do a very good job of not reading what people are writing, beaker. There's more to this world than just finding everything YOU WANT "cheaper, faster, better." I have to agree with cw, that you have a very self-centered approach to this world.
I made reference to independent bookstores who DO provide good service - sorry if you can't find one; perhaps it has to do with the attitude you bring into the stores - if it is similar to the attitude you post with, I am not surprised. And if you don't think Amazon.com is a "middleman," then denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

I made reference to independent bookstores who DO provide good service - sorry if you can't find one; perhaps it has to do with the attitude you bring into the stores - if it is similar to the attitude you post with, I am not surprised. And if you don't think Amazon.com is a "middleman," then denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

Ignoring your personal attacks for now, I'll just get to this part...

The only "service" I want from a bookstore is the book I'm looking for at the best price. Sure Amazon.com is a middleman, but the point is why pay more for inferior service at an indie bookstore?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

When you realize that this world is about more than you and your money, let us know - we'll talk again.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

hey you should see the crap you flush daily into our oceans at least the diapers stay on land in regulated landfills instead of chemically treated and purged into our waterways.

So...instead you wrap the crap in cellulose, plastic and chemicals, and dump it in landfills where it won't get properly treated as sewer water does. That's definitely not an improvement. You should have thought that one out more before posting it.

Yep until you live the life of a parent don't tell me what is and what isn't convenient. When you have a van full of screaming kids, that drive thru smoothie place is a rather nice treat (oh yeah it's a want) to calm your ruffled feathers. A nice hike? I've done all of that in my teens and 20's when the metabolism was a rush. Now life needs to slow down as I creep into retirement.

A nice hike is sounding better and better every time you post.

[beaker]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

When you realize that this world is about more than you and your money, let us know - we'll talk again.

You got Mr. Watanabe waxing nostalgic up there about saving money on everything under the Sun, yet you attack ME for wanting to save money on books? Think about it for a while. Apparently I've pushed some sensitive knee-jerk button of yours.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

Beaker's pov is one that local businesspeople would do wise to contend with. People like me who believe in buying local still wrestle with purchases online. I cannot find a decent bra in the stores in my town, and you can surely bet that I have tried to convince customer service at *all* the appropriate retailers about the demographic which I represent. Same goes for longer inseams on pants and sleeves on tops and blazers.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

There it is...Craigwatanabe...the voice of the big box store :-)
Like I said, I DON'T really need them, but CW, you are the person who DOES...Six Boys...Jeez, how are you still living to talk about it ?

With the prices of things in Hawaii being how they are, I'm guessing locals with big families are finding their "Island Culture" in other places and activities, and hey, they can go to the Big Box for the necessities.

Does that make them less "local" ?

Dick, the Maui you described in the 70's sounds like the Early 60's and late 50's mainland...Remember, things take longer to get to the Islands.
Unfortunately, that is a time that has come and gone, and now those of us lucky enough to have lived it can remember it. A different more innocent time. No cell phones, no Big Box stores, the guy at the drugstore and butcher shop knew your name (my dad owned a butcher shop from the late 50's until the mid eighties. He knew all his customers personally)

Hey Island Culture, Mainland Culture..it's all People culture. Look, now a bunch of people who don't know each other are having an argument about this from all different parts of the US. That's where the world is now.

I can tell you, as someone who doesn't live on the islands, your culture is vastly different from what we have here on the mainland, and the presence of a Wal Mart or Costco can't change that.
Maybe you need to live on the mainland for a while to see, that your island culture, tho' not what it was back in the "good ole days" is still alive and well.

[beaker]

I shop at plenty of local businesses...when they've got the best deals, selection or services. I bought my (locally crafted!) dishes at Book Gallery. I bought my USGS topo maps at Basically Books. I get new bike tires and broken spokes replaced at Hilo Bike Hub. I often buy my soymilk and honey at Abundant Life. I buy my bread at O'Keefe's. I get dinner at Miyo's and lunch at Tex and breakfast at Lanky's. I buy locally grown and roasted coffee. I have been a cash cow for indie coffee shops around the world.

But I also get my clothes at Ross and Macy's, my staple groceries at KTA, and my bike parts, batteries, books, etc, etc from the internet.

I'm a flexible kinda guy.

I can tell you, as someone who doesn't live on the islands, your culture is vastly different from what we have here on the mainland, and the presence of a Wal Mart or Costco can't change that.

The trappings might be different, but from my POV hawaii seems remarkably similar to the rural parts of some other states I've lived in.

I cannot find a decent bra in the stores in my town, and you can surely bet that I have tried to convince customer service at *all* the appropriate retailers about the demographic which I represent.

LOL! I've had a couple of gf's who said the same thing. You are not alone.

[Whitepoint3rchum]

Re: Mainland Chains vs. Island Culture

Jeeze, if Craig wants to shop at Costco let the man shop at Costco. Beaker you've already pointed out that you aren't interested in our ultimate purpose as humans, contributing to the proliferation of the species, so go take a hike.