At 11:27 PM Wednesday 2/13/2008, Nick Arnett wrote: >We talked a while ago about Wal-Mart's virtues and lack thereof. I recently >became acquainted with the father of one of the LA Times reports who wrote a >four-part series about Wal-Mart a few years ago, which won a Pulitzer Prize. > >Part one is here: >http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-fi-walmart23nov23,1,1712351.story?ctrack=3&cset=true > >I was surprised when my new friend told me that apparently Wal-Mart liked >the series. This, despite that fact that I think the stories essentially >say that if all you care about is low prices, then Wal-mart is great. If >they liked the story, they apparently truly believe that nothing is more >important than having the lowest prices. To me, that's just plain greed, >amoral greed. Some things really are more important than driving prices as >low as possible. Otherwise, we'd still have legalized slavery in the modern >world, to offer the extreme example. > >It seems to me that when an organization becomes that big, it becomes easy >for top management to abuse people at the far end of the supply chain, if >only because they are so easy to ignore. Perhaps our systems need to take >into account the fact that the personal experience of people isn't >transmitted nearly as easily as their economic value. > >And no to those who may demand I come up with a better system before >criticizing this one, I don't have something better to offer, other than >encouraging more of this kind of reporting, which helps show the real cost >of those low, low prices. > >Confession: I take our daughter to Wal-Mart (her choice, not mine) and pay >for her insulin. She can't get insurance and they do have the lowest >price. But at least insulin isn't being produced in sweat shops, as far as >I know. And I'm tempted by all the cheap stuff they sell, but I resist. > >Nick
So you are saying that the minor accident I got into Tuesday night turning into the Wal-Mart parking lot was a sign that I shouldn't be going to shop there? (Personally I thought the rain and being in a hurry to finish the night's errands were probably more significant contributing factors.) Wal-Maru -- Ronn! :) _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
