My survey was about Walmart; I asked if they believed if Walmart is killing small businesses. I walked around with a small notebook and personally asked fifty people if they believed Walmart was killing small businesses and what surprised me is out of those fifty people I asked it ended up with me in around thirty conversations, people felt pretty tied to this. Sure I got lots of yes and no replies but what can you expect, I did it around campus. Out of the 50 people I interviewed thirty seven believed Walmart was killing small businesses and that was not a surprise I was expecting the majority to vote this way and these people usually just said yes and gave some common reasons why Walmart is killing small businesses like how they can’t compete with their low prices and wide selection and that is usually what I heard from these people. The thirteen who answered no to this question had lots of reasons and the reasons were pretty diverse. Many believed that the businesses that closed down when Walmart came around were already struggling and while they did not deny that Walmart can be held responsible for closing down a few stores they believe Walmart does not kill all of them or can be held directly responsible for their demise. I was expecting a few more yes responses but all in all the survey went how I thought it was going to go, but what surprised me was how strongly some people feel about it; some people were radical and hated Walmart and the other hand some were totally on the other side willing to fight why Walmart is a good thing, but most of the people I interviewed did not feel that strongly about the subject, they had an opinion and they gave it to me and that was that.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
My interview with Rick Heyrend, Walmart manager
My interview with Rick Heyrend, Walmart manager
I walked into Walmart with pit at the bottom of my stomach wondering to myself if I would be able to find the right person to interview and if I would get the questions I want answered. I have done a few interviews before so I had an idea of what was going to happen. I flipped through my notebook quite a few times making sure I had all the questions I wanted answered. I could not stop thinking about the Lobster fisherman story so I wanted to make sure I gave my interviewee all my attention and looked attentive. I walked into the back of Walmart into his office and I greeted him. To me he looked like a nice guy and I asked him for only ten minutes of his time. We quickly sat down and began. We quickly established that Walmart donates lots of money but he also informed me that not only do they donate money but they also help local communities in many other ways that go unnoticed. Many people focus on money but in reality Walmart also donates in other ways such as Inkind donations and Volunteer Associates Program. Another thing he noted was that in many other ways Walmart actually brings in business to smaller businesses by bringing in more customers to that area an example of this would be gas stations near Walmarts and hair salons in Walmart. I asked him about people thinking Walmart as a corporate monster and when he replied “it hurts” that through me off. I was at first expecting a defensive response but when he said that and his reason behind it I came to feel he was just another person doing a job even though he is the Manager of Walmart, a very successful company, at that he wanted to have the community look at walmart as a positive, not just another business dumped into a town. My original plan for ten minutes carried on much longer and when I had all my questions answered I thanked him for his time but I could see he was into the conversation and could have easily gone longer and probably wanted too. Rick Heyrend helped me generate a lot of ideas for my paper and taught me lots of things that I did not know or think about. Hopefully I can pass what I have learned to my readers and help Rick pass a message through my paper.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Converting to motocross
Many people already recreationally ride dirtbikes. They usually ride trails on the weekends with their friends. While this is fun and great there is many of these people who want more from their dirtbiking experience. These individuals most practical next option is motocross. The majority of all motocross racers started off by just trail riding and as time went by they wanted more of a challenge. Many have successfully enjoyed motocross but there is still some people who are timid and not sure how to make the transition. Some things holding these individuals back is the possibility of buying a new dirtbike, the danger, and getting used to the feel of racing on a closed track. With some tips these are easily done and you will be one step closer to racing motocross. This is why those who ride off road and want more of a challenge should try motocross. The first issue to address is getting a motocross specific dirtbike.
The first part to the start of a successful motocross adventure is the dirtbike. Every major manufacturer has motocross specific models and if you do not own one then you should consider buying one. The difference between a trail and motocross dirtbike is huge and that should be taken into consideration when you are thinking about getting into a race against others who will be racing these more aggressive bikes. The purchase of a motocross specific dirtbike can be a major factor why people do not want to take a trip to a motocross track since buying a dirtbike is already expensive and buying another might be just out of the question. You can take a trip to your local dealer and they can show you what they offer and if you are not happy with the prices at the dealership you can always look online. Used dirtbikes are far cheaper than a new bike and sometimes with a simple tune up they can be just as good. This will help you save thousands. If you really just cannot buy a new dirtbike then many motocross tracks have a race called the Open Class where any dirtbike is allowed to race no matter what model or how large the engine and this can help you determine if you want to invest more money into the sport. Once you have looked around you will now have a better sense of what you are getting into. Another thing holding potential racers back is the danger.
Motocross is a potentially dangerous sport, but every sport has its own risks and motocross is no exception. 100% percent of motocross racers crash but it is just another part of riding a dirtbike. With proper safety equipment the next time you take a spill you will just get off the ground and be more worried about getting your bike up and started than if you are hurt. Motocross manufacturers make hundreds of pieces of equipment specifically for safety purposes. Almost every body part has equipment to protect it chest protectors, knee pads, shin guards, neck rolls, knee braces, shoulder pads, tail bone pads and thigh pads, the list is forever long so you are guaranteed to be protected from head to toe. Many accidents happen when a rider is pushing their limits and then boom suddenly they lose control and crash. For the new rider your first few races you should ride at your own pace, this will help you get the feel of riding on a motocross track and will help you develop the skills to have control over your bike at high speeds. Developing skills needed for the world of motocross are essential and so is familiarizing yourself with your local track
The third step and the one that helps you break the ice the most is taking a trip down to your local motocross track and taking in all the sights and sounds. Watching a motocross race will also help give you an idea about what to expect when you race. Many motocross tracks have races on the weekends and hold open practice during the week but it would be wise to head down and get a schedule so you know what days you can go and practice, because showing up and having it turn out it is a track maintenance day would not be good. Once you figure out what days the track is open look at the prices. Many times it can be expensive but you can save big by buying a month pass, see what they offer and some tracks if you mention it is your first race they might let you race for free. Once you have that price also see if it has any benefits, some tracks offer insurance and in case of a crash that could help you a lot. Once you have set up everything it is time to put it into practice.
The motocross community is extremely friendly when you head in to your first race ask the person next to you in the pits for some pointers I am more than sure they will help you out. Track officials and fellow racers will help you feel comfortable and are always into helping a fellow racer get on his feet. The days you spend racing will leave lasting impressions and the days you spend battling on the track and seeing yourself improve and conquering the world of motocross will bring pride and a sense of accomplishment. Not only is motocross a great sport to get into but it is also a great one to get you family involved in also. Long days at the track with friends, family and good racing are large parts of millions of families and bringing those great days to your family is something you should not hesitate to do. Motocross is a great step up from trail riding especially for those looking for more, you might have to buy a new dirtbike and there is some danger involved but once you get into it, it is almost impossible to stop that is why you should give motocross a try.
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