I watched "The High Cost of Wal-Mart " last night. Has anyone seen it?

[searchingforlight]

I will never go into a Wal-Mart again. . . What a disgusting company.

I live in a small town and Wal-Mart is part of a limited choice but I will drive or use the internet to avoid it.

[China_cat]

1. Yes, I've seen it. I think everybody should.

[pnorman]

2. I have the DVD, and it's about time to view it again.

I'm living alone and my needs are modest, and I actually do ALL my shopping by internet, including groceries. So I DO have a choice, and will NOT patronize WalMart. But I hesitate to castigate those with large families, AND who are trying to make it in this Bush, Cheney, & Halliburton economy.

But might I suggest CostCo if that choice is available? They're not only "union-neutral", even "union-friendly" (an important consideration for me), but I'm told that the prices are competitive with WalMart. Here another consideration: http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/articles_2004/costco_vs_wal-mart_political_contributions.html

pnorman

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. No, but I'll look it up

I know what Wal-Mart did to small towns' local stores. And ever since Sam Walton died, the corporation has gotten worse. On the bright side, downtowns in Arkansas, at least, are making a comeback. Harrison AR, home to WalMart Store #2, has a thriving downtown, with every storefront occupied, including the upstairs of a couple of buildings. The downtown merchants have taken it upon themselves to improve the square via mini gardens. They offer superior service and quality at competitive prices. My pharmacist, Sam, bought a derelict building, razed it, and put in a parking lot, complete with mini garden and a fountain. There is a Friday Night Art Walk every month, and a Farmer's Market on the square every Tuesday and Saturday morning. The old time movie theater has been transformed into a live arts performance venue for amateur and professional productions. At least twice a year there are festivals centering on downtown, with booths on the courthouse lawn.

[searchingforlight]

4. It sounds like your little town has been very proactive.

Our little town is a crossroads. We have a good restaurant where the cradle to grave crowd gathers every morning for coffee and gossip. We have a used and rare bookstore. We have an jewelry artisan's shop. We had a dying general store where there were few things on the shelf and no gas but it is also the mail pick-up point (old-fashion boxes - free!) A new couple bought it about two years ago and what a difference it is to the town!! They have a good supply of groceries, special cuts of meat, great to go menu of homemade salads and great sandwiches, gourmet and specialty items and local produce. The owners do the deer registering and weighing. They have lots of community benefiting events. Flowers on porch. What a difference to our little town it is.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Your town is on its way

I like to think that Harrison's sojourn is one all the towns that have been devistated by WalMart can make.

[Robb]

5. There's a meme out there that Wal-Mart is "getting better"

I made my wife sit through it, she told a few friends at work and they're telling her "Wal-Mart is improving, it's not as bad as in the movie any more." :eyes:

Meanwhile I drove past the local one and they've even got the stacks of fertilizer in the parking lot, getting rained on.

[Greybnk48]

6. I own it. It's a must see.

Most people are not completely aware of their tactics, I know I wasn't. It's extremely well done too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Yes it's a wonderful film

DH saw it not long ago and told me he gets it. I had been preaching against shopping at WalMart for years. He thought I was just being silly. Then he saw this film and has now sworn off WalMart.

The power of film. LOL

[cephalexin]

9. Some of us won't drive long distances to avoid them. For me it would be an 80 mile trip.

to buy groceries.

I'm not about to apologize for not doing that.

[goldcanyonaz]

12. With gas at over $4 per gallon I understand and respect your decision

[cephalexin]

13. thanks, I wish there were some way around the dilemma.

At least we do make a few trips a year to other sources for non-perishables and the like...stock up on them but that takes a fair amount of cash outlay too...on top of the gas!

[Phred42]

10. That flick should be mandatory

Especially if your fascist Village government is in the process of selling your town out to Wal-Mart - like mine is in the process of doing.


Lots of great website on the subject here are a few:

http://walmartwatch.com/ (includes this: The Great Tax Dodge )

WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price http://www.walmartmovie.com/

http://wakeupwalmart.com/

[unapatriciated]

11. We hosted a Wal-Mart party to view it

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. Yeah, saw it recently. havent' shopped there for years.

[SeattleGirl]

15. Seen it. It's a great movie, and shows the dirty secrets behind

the yellow-smilie face of WalMart.

I won't shop there, but in Seattle, I have a lot of choices. There are many people who don't, but who wish they did.

[Greyhound]

16. As some of the replies have pointed out, there are great areas where

there is literally no other choice but to patronize those parasites. For those of you in those areas, you have my sympathies. Perhaps the next Prez will reconstitute the SBA in the original image and intent that it was created. Over the last 4 administrations it has been turned into just another cash cow for the banking industry.