Joseph Smith's Presidential Platform

The post is quite long, but check out Joseph Smith's 1844 presidential platform here. It will take you 10 or 15 minutes to read, but it contains some fascinating tidbits. Some of his complaints about partisan politics are still valid today.

Wal-Mart

Over the past week, I have had occasion to shop at both CVS and Walgreens. I was amazed/annoyed at how loooong the printed receipts were -- 12 to 18 inches -- even though I had only purchased one or two items. In both cases, this was due to the customer satisfaction surveys they both wanted me participate in.

I just got a receipt from the world’s most exasperating place to shop, Wal-Mart, and was pleasantly surprise by the fact that they have begun double-sided printing on their receipts. Despite numerous items purchases, the receipt was only 6 inches long.

Saves paper, reduces trash, and takes up less space in my wallet. Bravo.

Next on my wish list for Wal-Mart:

1. Turn off the accursed public announcement system (take note, most Wal-Marts are near deafeningly loud)

2. Staff more checkout lines (today’s Super Wal-Mart had two lanes staffed by humans open)

3. Hire employees with an IQ above 75

4. Offer an affordable dental insurance plan so your employees can fix their visibly rotting teeth

Buy Generic

I remember my undergraduate Marketing professor mentioning that the odds of a shopper buying a store brand drug (ex., Wal-Mart acetaminophen versus Tylenol acetaminophen) increased with education level.

I was reminded of that fact when I was at Costco over my lunch break today. I was just about to pick up a box of Claritin when I noticed a Kirkland brand equivalent right next to it (it wasn’t immediately obvious to me because the Claritin was in blue packaging and the Kirkland was in red).

As many store frequently do, Costco posted the “cost per 100” data for both products. The Claritin was $45 per 100. The Kirkland product was $3 per 100. That is a 15x difference! Unbelievable. I was expecting 2x to 3x…not 15x.

I wonder what percentage of shoppers walk away carrying the Claritin…

Falling Star

How did the phrase “meteorite rise” gain widespread acceptance?

From our perspective here on Earth, wouldn't "meteorite fall" be more accurate?