Sam Walton - the founder of American supermarket giant Walmart was born this week in 1918, on 29 March.
On the night I first arrived in Oklahoma with HeWhoKnows, after fighting my way for many months through visa and immigration red tape, house sale, and a variety of other obstacles, my very first experience(at 2am!)was a trip to Walmart to fill up the fridge.
Since that night I've grown to realise that though Walmart has many benefits, especially for the inhabitants of small towns in rural America, it has grown into a monster.
Sam Walton was born in Oklahoma, in a small town called Kingfisher. After reading a little of his biography I was struck by a similarity between Sam Walton and Earl P. Halliburton (about whom I wrote HERE). Both men rose from poor backgrounds and through sheer hard work and determination became owners of two of the biggest companies America has known, companies which in later years, after the deaths of their founders, have become two of the most hated comapnies, in America, and in the world. Walmart is accused of using virtual slave labour in developing countries to produce goods to sell at low prices in America, of treating its staff abysmally, not providing adequate health cover for them, and generally acting like the big bully in the world of retail.
From Answers.com
"Sam Walton, with his brother Bud Walton, founded Wal-Mart, the chain of discount variety stores that in the 1990s became the world's largest retailer. Sam Walton went into the retail business in 1945, and by the time Wal-Mart first opened in 1962 he owned a chain of 15 variety stores in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Walton's savvy marketing skills and attention to detail led to Wal-Mart's expansion throughout the United States. By 1990 Wal-Mart was the nation's top retailer in terms of sales, and Walton was one of the richest men in the world. After his death in 1992 the company continued to expand, including online commerce and stores around the world. By 2001 there were more than 4,500 Wal-Mart stores worldwide.
Since Walton's death the chain has come under fire for its labor practices and aggressive marketing tactics. Arguing that Wal-Marts drove out other merchants, many local communities fought to keep new stores from opening, and in June of 2004 a lawsuit was filed on behalf of 1.6 million women, charging that Wal-Mart discriminated against female employees".
ASTROLOGY:
Sam Walton was born with Sun and Mercury in Aries. Again and again in various biographical articles he is referred to as "a pioneer in the retail industry" - very appropriate ! "Pioneer" is a standard keyword for Aries.
Venus and Uranus are conjoined within 2 degrees in Aquarius, from which placement, no doubt came his drive towards implementing massive change in the retail industry, in the form of supermarket merchandising. Venus/Uranus sextile Mercury and form a "Yod", which is an arrow like configuration formed by two inconjunct aspects from the sextiled planets,to Mars in Virgo. I'd read this as signifying Mr Walton's ability to combine his Aries pioneering with Aquarian foresight and innovation and to channel them through a dynamic and service oriented Mars in Virgo. We cannot know for certain the position of the Moon or ascendant in his chart as birthtime is unknown. At noon Moon was at 1* Scorpio, so there's a possibility that it could have been positioned in Libra had he been born early in the day - I'd guess that he DID have Moon in Libra, for with Sun in Aries he'd have two main bodies in cardinal signs (the initiators), as well as Pluto in Cancer, another cardinal sign. I'm surprised not to see business-oriented Capricorn figuring in Mr Walton's chart. Perhaps his ascendant was there. Had he been born around 2 or 3 am his ascendant would be Capricorn and Moon in Libra - I like that!
Both Earl P. Halliburton and Sam Walton personified "The American Dream" in those early days. Their dream gradually, over many years, has grown into a nightmare. I often wonder how these two men would now view their 'progeny'.
On the night I first arrived in Oklahoma with HeWhoKnows, after fighting my way for many months through visa and immigration red tape, house sale, and a variety of other obstacles, my very first experience(at 2am!)was a trip to Walmart to fill up the fridge.
Since that night I've grown to realise that though Walmart has many benefits, especially for the inhabitants of small towns in rural America, it has grown into a monster.
Sam Walton was born in Oklahoma, in a small town called Kingfisher. After reading a little of his biography I was struck by a similarity between Sam Walton and Earl P. Halliburton (about whom I wrote HERE). Both men rose from poor backgrounds and through sheer hard work and determination became owners of two of the biggest companies America has known, companies which in later years, after the deaths of their founders, have become two of the most hated comapnies, in America, and in the world. Walmart is accused of using virtual slave labour in developing countries to produce goods to sell at low prices in America, of treating its staff abysmally, not providing adequate health cover for them, and generally acting like the big bully in the world of retail.From Answers.com
"Sam Walton, with his brother Bud Walton, founded Wal-Mart, the chain of discount variety stores that in the 1990s became the world's largest retailer. Sam Walton went into the retail business in 1945, and by the time Wal-Mart first opened in 1962 he owned a chain of 15 variety stores in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Walton's savvy marketing skills and attention to detail led to Wal-Mart's expansion throughout the United States. By 1990 Wal-Mart was the nation's top retailer in terms of sales, and Walton was one of the richest men in the world. After his death in 1992 the company continued to expand, including online commerce and stores around the world. By 2001 there were more than 4,500 Wal-Mart stores worldwide.
Since Walton's death the chain has come under fire for its labor practices and aggressive marketing tactics. Arguing that Wal-Marts drove out other merchants, many local communities fought to keep new stores from opening, and in June of 2004 a lawsuit was filed on behalf of 1.6 million women, charging that Wal-Mart discriminated against female employees".
ASTROLOGY:
Sam Walton was born with Sun and Mercury in Aries. Again and again in various biographical articles he is referred to as "a pioneer in the retail industry" - very appropriate ! "Pioneer" is a standard keyword for Aries.
Venus and Uranus are conjoined within 2 degrees in Aquarius, from which placement, no doubt came his drive towards implementing massive change in the retail industry, in the form of supermarket merchandising. Venus/Uranus sextile Mercury and form a "Yod", which is an arrow like configuration formed by two inconjunct aspects from the sextiled planets,to Mars in Virgo. I'd read this as signifying Mr Walton's ability to combine his Aries pioneering with Aquarian foresight and innovation and to channel them through a dynamic and service oriented Mars in Virgo. We cannot know for certain the position of the Moon or ascendant in his chart as birthtime is unknown. At noon Moon was at 1* Scorpio, so there's a possibility that it could have been positioned in Libra had he been born early in the day - I'd guess that he DID have Moon in Libra, for with Sun in Aries he'd have two main bodies in cardinal signs (the initiators), as well as Pluto in Cancer, another cardinal sign. I'm surprised not to see business-oriented Capricorn figuring in Mr Walton's chart. Perhaps his ascendant was there. Had he been born around 2 or 3 am his ascendant would be Capricorn and Moon in Libra - I like that!
Both Earl P. Halliburton and Sam Walton personified "The American Dream" in those early days. Their dream gradually, over many years, has grown into a nightmare. I often wonder how these two men would now view their 'progeny'.
I met him while working for Frito Lay. He was in one of the stores (small town) very early in the morning, the way he would show up unexpected... in his hat. He looked just like his picture in all ways.
ReplyDeleteHmmm - sneaky eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks elsa.
There are no similarities between Sam Walton and Earle P. Halliburton. Obviously you have not done your homework.
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote, I see similarities - in their rise to success from humble beginnings. There will obviously be many differences in the details. That was not my point.
ReplyDeleteMy blog contains my own opinions, it is not a school essay.
Thank you for your comment.