July 4, 2010

I usually ride a motorcycle, but occasionally one of my collection of bicycles. This would apply regardless. I typically carry a load of electronics - laptop, DV cam, MP3, etc., plus all the info stored on them in my hightech backpack. The areas of the Krogers (Food-4-Less subsidiaries of Kroger) that I used to buy at are fairly high crime in Santa Ana, CA, and I've had stuff stolen off the bike and even right off the bagging area inside the store. As Art Kansas described, there is NO guarantee that you will ever see your stuff again if you do leave it with the checkout.

As to the silly security against terrorist issue, can someone point me to ONE single solitary attempt to bomb a supermarket or any other U.S. store using a backpack? And what about the PARKING LOTS???!!!! Car bombs are simpler to build, easier to conceal, and simple and easy to place in a parking lot during any hour of the day. Where are the blast walls at the Krogers? I'm typing this up using the free widi at Vons supermarket, BTW, and somehow they have survived without demanding my backpack...

My own encounter with Kroger over this and other issues of mismanagement at the local store level is detailed in my recent blog on the JoeUser site:

http://philosborn.joeuser.com/articl...ther_Oxymorons

I suggest a boycott, or if someone is really teed off, then ask the cops where you can legally carry a protest sign and watch how quickly Kroger reacts to you out there on the sidewalk with a placard. This is costing me about $1,000 per year, I estimate, given the proximity of competing groceries, and their inflated prices compared to Kroger's Food-4-Less division, for no good reason but typical ENRON or BP corporate arrogance.