Walgreens employees... question

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rx28

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I have just relocated to another state and got offers from these three companies, Walgreens, Walmart and CVS. Walgreens has offered me the highest pay so far. And I like the fact that I can do 8 hour shifts there. The only thing is they will have me rotate for a while before I get my own store which i'm okay with. The district manager is out of the office and I have to reply to walmart by monday. So my question to walgreens pharamacists or someone who has worked there in the past is, if you do rotate can you stick to one shift? Do they allow that? Say 8-4 pm? Do their schedulers allow that?

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At Walgreens, if you are a full-time pharmacist, you have to rotate shifts. It doesn't matter if you are a floater or scheduled at a particular store.
 
I have just relocated to another state and got offers from these three companies, Walgreens, Walmart and CVS. Walgreens has offered me the highest pay so far. And I like the fact that I can do 8 hour shifts there. The only thing is they will have me rotate for a while before I get my own store which i'm okay with. The district manager is out of the office and I have to reply to walmart by monday. So my question to walgreens pharamacists or someone who has worked there in the past is, if you do rotate can you stick to one shift? Do they allow that? Say 8-4 pm? Do their schedulers allow that?

You cannot pick your shifts. It is totally up to the scheduler. They will also float you forever, unless you start making a stink about it. Floaters are looked down upon by the other pharmacists.
 
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Its called float pool hell and there is no escape. You will work a random assortment of shifts and stores. It will make no sense and there will be no pattern. No matter what they say or promise...it is a lie.....
 
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believe what these guys say. i floated for Walgreens for 4 months before i got my own store. during that time i worked EVERY weekend and holiday. floaters don't get to pick their schedules. in fact you usually get assigned the stores and hours that no one else wants. that's how it usually works.
 
I'm probably in the minority, but I actually LIKE floating. :laugh: I like that I work with different people everyday. I get stay out of the usual bickering and workplace politics. I get every other weekend off. I get mostly 2-10pm shifts, but I like that as well because I'm not too much of a morning person. For the most part, they've always scheduled me in my district, or if it was out of district it was still a reasonable distance away. The only exception was when I drove almost 2 hours to work one way, but they paid me for a 10 hour day instead of a normal 8 hour day. I also like the fact that if I have a bad day, I know I won't be going back there again the next day.

Overall, I think floating isn't as bad as people make it out to be, but that may just be my own personal experience. I haven't worked in a store yet that I would want as my permanent store (taking into consideration potential coworkers). I also feel like I would be bored at one store. I like how they mix it up with busy/slower stores.
 
i'm not floating (yet) but i would think that although it may be very stressful, it would also let you learn more right? because you're seeing different stores/inventories and different varieties of patients?

Vardenafil, how'd you get outta of the float pool in only 4 months! I heard its usually about a year or so until you get your own store, sometimes longer?

Do floaters have any say in which store would become their home store, or they really just get placed randomly?
 
i, myself, was leaning towards walgreens, but i asked the pharmacy supervisor for my desired district how far i'd be floating, and when he told me up to 50 miles, i dropped walgreens off my radar. not sure how it is in other areas
 
yeah 50 miles is way too long of a drive. When I applied at walgreens they said everyone has to float for a period of time but I know pharmacists that work there that got their own store right away. I just didn't trust walgreen's and wasn't too enthused to work there so I didn't go for it.
 
I'm probably in the minority, but I actually LIKE floating. :laugh: I like that I work with different people everyday. I get stay out of the usual bickering and workplace politics. I get every other weekend off. I get mostly 2-10pm shifts, but I like that as well because I'm not too much of a morning person. For the most part, they've always scheduled me in my district, or if it was out of district it was still a reasonable distance away. The only exception was when I drove almost 2 hours to work one way, but they paid me for a 10 hour day instead of a normal 8 hour day. I also like the fact that if I have a bad day, I know I won't be going back there again the next day.

Overall, I think floating isn't as bad as people make it out to be, but that may just be my own personal experience. I haven't worked in a store yet that I would want as my permanent store (taking into consideration potential coworkers). I also feel like I would be bored at one store. I like how they mix it up with busy/slower stores.

floating has one big advantage: you have 0 responsibility....just tell the customer to come back when the manager is back
 
floating has one big advantage: you have 0 responsibility....just tell the customer to come back when the manager is back


I've worked at Walgreens as a pharmacy tech and I had to deal with floating pharmacists....The majority of them loved it because of meeting new people and not having to answer to anyone.....When I finish pharmacy school, you better believe that I will be a floater...The only downside is you have to work a very flexible schedule, but I don't mind at all....
 
floating has one big advantage: you have 0 responsibility....just tell the customer to come back when the manager is back

That's why the other pharmacists hate floaters. They don't want to be responsible for anything. They just leave it for the next shift.

With a retail chain, you are pretty much just on an assembly line. You don't use your schooling much at all. But, if you are involved with patient care and actually phone doctors for therapy changes it relieves the boredom. But, I've never seen a floater even bother to look in the doctor call box.
 
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I am only a technician and I have worked with walgreens for 2 years. I'm planning on entering pharmacy school Aug 09, but I know that when I graduate, I will NEVER step foot near walgreens ever again. This is one company that does NOT take care of their employees, including pharmacists. I have a great store and pharmacy manager but there is only so much that they can do with what corporate says.

One thing that is going on within walgreens right now is this thing called POWER that will be coming to a store near you! I don't know where most of you are from, but I know that in Florida, they're piloting this new system. I'm sure some of you are experiencing this change now. It is an absolute stressful chaotic system that is going to leave a lot of people unemployed. They already had district meetings mentioning that they will be laying off the majority of their "floater" pharmacists and technicians. I asked in the meeting if this was still just being piloted in Florida and they said no it's not even being piloted anymore and that they've started it in Arizona and plan on spreading it out through the US. However, a few states will not get power because of certain reasons with the law-- not sure exactly what but that's what they're saying. Currently, they have a total freeze on hiring in all of Florirda right now because of the fact that they're going to have an over abundance of employees.

POWER is -- at the most basic level -- a combination of mail order and retail that turns out to be a huge disorganized stressful mess, leaving a LOT of disgruntled pharmacists, employees and even worse, patients that yell, complain and request even more. I can't wait to get in school so I can high tail it away from this company!

That's just my two cents, take it for what it's worth. Watch out for this POWER for all you other walgreens employees!
 
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^i havent heard anything bout the POWER thing
 
You don't get to pick your schedules. When I interviewed with Walgreens several years ago, I needed a straight 2nd shift schedule, and I was told that was not possible. That everyone has to take turns working all the shifts.

As for an 8-4 schedule.... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Unless you are an independent who owns their own pharmacy, you will never see that in retail. You won't see it in hospital either unless you become a pharmacy director.

If you absolutely need those hours, then your best bet is to go with a PRN company.
 
Some of you don't seem to grasp the fact that the clear majority, approx 65%, of pharmacy jobs are in retail. The fastest growing area for pharmacists are with the PBMs. Hospital jobs are in decline. Retail is steady to slow growth.
I know of people who have done residencies and then have to return to community once it is done because they cannot find a job in the region they want to live. There are plenty of jobs available in the community setting for pharmacists in the Chicago area. For "clinical" jobs, there are only a handful of openings per year. The only hospital currently hiring for "clinical" pharmacists is one of the VA hospitals.
Walgreens uses the bare minimum number of pharmacists required to be legal. They can't afford to lay off that many. I've heard of POWER. All it will end up doing is shuffling some of the floaters into a central fill facility.
 
Holy Crap, where do we turn to if most and possibly all the chain drug stores will be owned by CVS and Walgreen's. Rite Aid and Long's in California have already been purchased by either one of these firms.
 
Yea, I am currently an Assistant Mgr for an Orlando Walgreens, applying to Pharmacy School in August, and so far the POWER program has been a real mess from what I have witnessed.

Their has been a huge amount of complaints from both patients and staff, lack of communication and a multitude of errors. Patients that call a specific Walgreens store number are being redirected to a call/mail order center, and dealing strictly with the Pharmacists there. The whole time they are under the impression they are talking directly to a Pharmacist at their local Walgreens. So, when they come in to pick-up a "ready" script...time after time either it is either not ready or not even in our system yet. Pharmacists at the store level also have to wait up to 15-20 minutes for the POWER call/mail order center to verify scripts electronically for them and then release the OK for the Pharmacist at the store to fill it.

The whole system sounded great in theory when it was introduced, but it is becoming a headache for all. Florida is a test market, and then they plan on expanding throughout the U.S. Who know's if that will happen?!?
 
Walgreens hasn't decided if they are going to role it out nationwide, yet. Theoretically, it is a great idea, but implentation may not be all that easy.
 
Walgreens hasn't decided if they are going to role it out nationwide, yet. Theoretically, it is a great idea, but implentation may not be all that easy.

If they can't get it right in Florida with their mail order facility being in Orlando, then I don't see this working out nationwide.
 
I agree however we had a meeting with corporate for all south Florida districts, and like I said, I was told that they have already opened a cenfill in Arizona. I don't know how true this is but if Walgreens goes through with this pipe dream, I don't see their stock going anywhere but down hill pretty fast. What a nightmare.

Our local CVS and Publix are already seeing an increase in script volume from the loss of Walgreens' patients. Meanwhile, a bunch of us are getting laid off and corporate doesn't care about patient or employee feedback about the system.

<sigh>
 
Geez, honestly it is a great idea and is completely different...do u expect it to roll out flawless. No...its going to be problems, and a lot of them. Obviously its going to take time to perfect it, once again pharmacists afraid of change...so much for being optimistic.
 
I just finished a night from hell at walgreens. The central fill facility had another meltdown. I was helpless after scanning a hard copy..the wait was at least 30 minutes before it was typed in. A message can be sent to send back to store, but it doesn't help. Also I was getting phone calls for refills which are supposed to be picked up by the central facility. This company is imploding. This was just a desperate effort to forestall store closures which I suspect will begin before 2009 is up. This is the end of our phony service economy. By March the world will realize that this is not a normal recession. We are entering a VERY LARGE HYPERINFLATIONARY DEPRESSION. Civil unrest shall erupt and the very employees that these big box retailers have tortured will burn down their workplaces. It's time to get stocked up on food, water filters, gold, silver and lead.
 
I just finished a night from hell at walgreens. The central fill facility had another meltdown. I was helpless after scanning a hard copy..the wait was at least 30 minutes before it was typed in. A message can be sent to send back to store, but it doesn't help. Also I was getting phone calls for refills which are supposed to be picked up by the central facility. This company is imploding. This was just a desperate effort to forestall store closures which I suspect will begin before 2009 is up. This is the end of our phony service economy. By March the world will realize that this is not a normal recession. We are entering a VERY LARGE HYPERINFLATIONARY DEPRESSION. Civil unrest shall erupt and the very employees that these big box retailers have tortured will burn down their workplaces. It's time to get stocked up on food, water filters, gold, silver and lead.

Interesting...
 
It's the war college, should we expect them to be studying solar panels and cotton candy technology? Of course they are looking into ways to utilize the military in any scenario. When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Interesting read, nonetheless.


http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/12/15/daily34.html?

A new report by the U.S. Army War College talks about the possibility of Pentagon resources and troops being used should the economic crisis lead to civil unrest, such as protests against businesses and government or runs on beleaguered banks.
“Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security,” said the War College report.
The study says economic collapse, terrorism and loss of legal order are among possible domestic shocks that might require military action within the U.S.
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned Wednesday of economy-related riots and unrest in various global markets if the financial crisis is not addressed and lower-income households are hurt by credit constraints and rising unemployment.
U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., both said U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson brought up a worst-case scenario as he pushed for the Wall Street bailout in September. Paulson, former Goldman Sachs CEO, said that might even require a declaration of martial law, the two noted.
State and local police in Arizona say they have broad plans to deal with social unrest, including trouble resulting from economic distress. The security and police agencies declined to give specifics, but said they would employ existing and generalized emergency responses to civil unrest that arises for any reason.
“The Phoenix Police Department is not expecting any civil unrest at this time, but we always train to prepare for any civil unrest issue. We have a Tactical Response Unit that trains continually and has deployed on many occasions for any potential civil unrest issue,” said Phoenix Police spokesman Andy Hill.
“We have well established plans in place for such civil unrest,” said Scottsdale Police spokesman Mark Clark.
Clark, Hill and other local police officials said the region did plenty of planning and emergency management training for the Super Bowl in February in Glendale.
“We’re prepared,” said Maricopa County Sheriff Deputy Chief Dave Trombi citing his office’s past dealings with immigration marches and major events.
Super Bowl security efforts included personnel and resources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. military’s Northern Command, which coordinated with Arizona officials. The Northern Command was created after 9/11 to have troops and Defense Department resources ready to respond to security problems, terrorism and natural disasters.
Northern Command spokesman Michael Kucharek and Arizona Army National Guard Major. Paul Aguirre said they are not aware of any new planning for domestic situations related to the economy.
Nick Dranias, director of constitutional government at the libertarian Goldwater Institute, said a declaration of marital law would be an extraordinary event and give military control over civilian authorities and institutions. Dranias said the Posse Comitatus Act restricts the U.S. military’s role in domestic law enforcement. But he points to a 1994 U.S. Defense Department Directive (DODD 3025) he says allows military commanders to take emergency actions in domestic situations to save lives, prevent suffering or mitigate great property damage.
Dranias said such an emergency declaration could worsen the economic situation and doubts extreme measures will been taken. “I don’t think it’s likely. But it’s not impossible,” he said.
The economy is in recession. Consumer spending is down, foreclosures are up and a host of businesses are laying off workers and struggling with tight credit and the troubled housing and financial markets. The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and U.S. Treasury Department have pumped more than $8.5 trillion into the economy via equity purchases of bank stocks, liquidity infusions, Wall Street and bank bailouts and taxpayer rebates. U.S. automakers are seeking more than $14 billion in federal loans with fears they could fall into bankruptcy without a bailout. The U.S. housing and subprime lending-induced recession also has hit economies in Europe, Japan and China.
Gov. Janet Napolitano’s office declined comment on emergency planning and possible civil unrest. Napolitano is president-elect Barack Obama’s pick for secretary of Homeland Security, an agency that oversees airport security, disaster response, border security, customs and anti-terrorism efforts.
As governor, Napolitano sent National Guard troops to Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in 2003 in response to terrorism threats.
Glendale Police spokesman Jim Toomey said the West Valley suburb developed new emergency plans with the approach of Y2K computer changeovers leading up to the year 2000 and police have updated those plans several times including after 9/11. Toomey said strategies to deal with public unrest usually involve deploying personnel and equipment to deal with specific incidents while still providing usual services.
 
Walgreens and CVS do not get it. Pharmacy is about service and trust. The key to success is to build relationships with your customers. People will come to your pharmacy because they know and trust you. Depersonalizing pharmacy with remote fill and call centers is not the answer. Walgreens is attempting to turn retail pharmacy into mail order. It just won't work.

I am glad they are doing this. I think in few years it will open up more opportunities for independent pharmacies. No one wants to be treated like a number. Service is what drives pharmacy. I personnaly am going to enjoy watching Walgreens fail.
 
Stick an independent right across from a WAGS/CVS and you have a goldmine. Before you know it, customers will be coming your way and the great thing is you don't have to do a market analysis for your location. (They did it for you, and now your tapping their existing customer base!!)
 
Stick an independent right across from a WAGS/CVS and you have a goldmine. Before you know it, customers will be coming your way and the great thing is you don't have to do a market analysis for your location. (They did it for you, and now your tapping their existing customer base!!)

I don't believe it. Yes some customers will come your way but not enough to make a profit unless you specialize in compounding and hook up with a dr office or fertility clinic, plus all they have to do is mail them some 25 dollar gift card coupons and the'll leave you cause as a independent you can't offer that.
 
If independents are so lucratives, then why have most of them closed? Independents can't compete against the chains because of volume and insurance reimbursements. Most independents which survive have some sort of niche.
 
If independents are so lucratives, then why have most of them closed? Independents can't compete against the chains because of volume and insurance reimbursements. Most independents which survive have some sort of niche.


I certainly can offer no arguments about independents closing; that simply is a fact because of the decreased reimbursements and the time it takes to receive those reimbursements. It is difficult to run a business when your constantly using short term credit to keep it afloat.

There is a huge segment of the new pharmacy population(ie baby boomers) that is looking for a whole new pharmacy experience that can't be provided by the large chains. Relationship building is the key for new pharmacists to be successful. I respect the chains for what they are doing; I don't hate them. They are making tons of money but it is not under the guise of building relationships between the pharmacist and the patients.(hang around your local Wags at around 5 pm, and see what happens) Their business model centers around convenience, rapid filling, and getting customers to buy other items while waiting for their medication. It is a great business model that works. That's why we have so many of them around the country.

A new business model is coming around.
 
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Walgreens and CVS do not get it. Pharmacy is about service and trust. The key to success is to build relationships with your customers. People will come to your pharmacy because they know and trust you. Depersonalizing pharmacy with remote fill and call centers is not the answer. Walgreens is attempting to turn retail pharmacy into mail order. It just won't work.

I am glad they are doing this. I think in few years it will open up more opportunities for independent pharmacies. No one wants to be treated like a number. Service is what drives pharmacy. I personnaly am going to enjoy watching Walgreens fail.

I don't understand how remote fill is depersonalizing pharmacy? Pharmacist worth is not in the actually filling process. If anything, taking that work out of the pharmacy allows more personalization of pharmacy.
 
I don't understand how remote fill is depersonalizing pharmacy? Pharmacist worth is not in the actually filling process. If anything, taking that work out of the pharmacy allows more personalization of pharmacy.

Are you serious? Is it personal when the pharmacist who fills your prescription is not the one who answers your questions? It doesn't get less personal unless the person who answers your questions is in Pakistan/India/other foreign location because you got your RX in the mail or through a vending machine.

It is personal when I verify Mrs. Smith's prescription for drug X and make a note to ask her a question based on something I saw in her profile or something I know about her.

I certainly can offer no arguments about independents closing; that simply is a fact because of the decreased reimbursements and the time it takes to receive those reimbursements. It is difficult to run a business when your constantly using short term credit to keep it afloat.
Here you are 100% percent correct. The margins are too small to survive unless you do you volume or have some other high margin niche.

There is a huge segment of the new pharmacy population(ie baby boomers) that is looking for a whole new pharmacy experience that can't be provided by the large chains. Relationship building is the key for new pharmacists to be successful. I respect the chains for what they are doing; I don't hate them. They are making tons of money but it is not under the guise of building relationships between the pharmacist and the patients.(hang around your local Wags at around 5 pm, and see what happens) Their business model centers around convenience, rapid filling, and getting customers to buy other items while waiting for their medication. It is a great business model that works. That's why we have so many of them around the country.

A new business model is coming around.

Here you are 100% wrong. The baby boomers are the ones who left independent community pharmacy and the personal relationships they had because they want the convenience of the huge front end and the rapid filling and the drive through. My dream independent store went out despite the fact everyone loved the owner. His relationship with the community was strong. Everybody was heartbroken when he closed. But they were unwilling to pay the few cents extra to buy the shampoo and other higher margin things from him to allow him to survive.....

You are also wrong to assume that there is no personal relationship between chain pharmacists and their customers. The past few weeks I was in a store doing almost 5000 per week and there is definitely a relationship between the pharmacists and the customers and the pharmacists and the doctors. Many patients are addressed by name when they come to the counter, they ask for the pharmacists by name, just like when I was at an independent. Do you think pharmacists get infected with a chain disease that changes their personality?
 
Do you think pharmacists get infected with a chain disease that changes their personality?

Personally speaking, as someone who just recently left the chain pharmacy world, I would say that because I was so understaffed that my personality did suffer as a result of the particular company I was employed by. I became more irritable and less patient with customers. That was totally related to my work environment because under normal circumstances, I'm a very friendly and easy going person (if I do say so myself :p). I left because I was completely aware of what was happening and I decided to make somewhat of a career change that I am SO grateful for.
 
Walgreens has rolled out Power in Florida and will take it national soon. It is so bad for pharmacists that the corporation does not deserve to have any pharmacists willing to work for them. It constitutes a gut-punch to pharmacists who now spend most of their time on the cash register dealing with coupons that are expired, eye liners that don't ring-up, toys and food. Power diminishes their clinical practice and severely degrades the profession. If the profession had any courage and unity it would simply tell Walgreen's to reverse this move or face the closure of their pharmacies.

Don't start a career with Walgreens that you will have to change in the near future.
 
Personally speaking, as someone who just recently left the chain pharmacy world, I would say that because I was so understaffed that my personality did suffer as a result of the particular company I was employed by. I became more irritable and less patient with customers. That was totally related to my work environment because under normal circumstances, I'm a very friendly and easy going person (if I do say so myself :p). I left because I was completely aware of what was happening and I decided to make somewhat of a career change that I am SO grateful for.

This is how I see working for a very busy chain as well. Countless others will say the same thing, but thank you for your opinion.
 
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Personally speaking, as someone who just recently left the chain pharmacy world, I would say that because I was so understaffed that my personality did suffer as a result of the particular company I was employed by. I became more irritable and less patient with customers. That was totally related to my work environment because under normal circumstances, I'm a very friendly and easy going person (if I do say so myself :p). I left because I was completely aware of what was happening and I decided to make somewhat of a career change that I am SO grateful for.

Yep happens to ever one of us. I am heading down the same path you are my friend.

When you are constantly understaffed and stressed out of course your attitude is going to suffer. It is human nature. I really like being a retail pharmacists. I love being able to help people. What I do not like is the forced stress my employee has brought down on me. I cannot effectivly do my job with the minimal support I am given.
 
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Are staff pharmacists at Walgreens required to "relocate" to another store after working at their own home store for a year or two? Can a staff pharmacist refuse to relocate if they prefer to remain at the home store they have been working at?

At Walgreens, if you are a full-time pharmacist, you have to rotate shifts. It doesn't matter if you are a floater or scheduled at a particular store.
 
Personally speaking, as someone who just recently left the chain pharmacy world, I would say that because I was so understaffed that my personality did suffer as a result of the particular company I was employed by. I became more irritable and less patient with customers. That was totally related to my work environment because under normal circumstances, I'm a very friendly and easy going person (if I do say so myself :p). I left because I was completely aware of what was happening and I decided to make somewhat of a career change that I am SO grateful for.
What was your career change in if you don't mind? I am considering leaving a chain for a less stressful, but also less money position...
 
Walgreens and CVS do not get it. Pharmacy is about service and trust. The key to success is to build relationships with your customers. People will come to your pharmacy because they know and trust you. Depersonalizing pharmacy with remote fill and call centers is not the answer. Walgreens is attempting to turn retail pharmacy into mail order. It just won't work.

I am glad they are doing this. I think in few years it will open up more opportunities for independent pharmacies. No one wants to be treated like a number. Service is what drives pharmacy. I personally am going to enjoy watching Walgreens fail.

Wow...2008. Where did I work in 2008? So long ago...

Here I am in 2017. Three years down the road on my journey as an independent pharmacy owner. Walgreens and CVS still do not get it. Since 2008 Walgreens was essentially taken over and CVS had to buy a PBM which they use to force people to CVS.
 
Are staff pharmacists at Walgreens required to "relocate" to another store after working at their own home store for a year or two? Can a staff pharmacist refuse to relocate if they prefer to remain at the home store they have been working at?
I've seen people working at the same store for years so I'm going to say no unless they threaten you or something
 
By March the world will realize that this is not a normal recession. We are entering a VERY LARGE HYPERINFLATIONARY DEPRESSION. Civil unrest shall erupt and the very employees that these big box retailers have tortured will burn down their workplaces. It's time to get stocked up on food, water filters, gold, silver and lead.

Wow, Grumps was going on about the end of the world way back in 2008! Hey Grumps, we are all still here. :)
 
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