Walmart is one of few retailers that continues to rack up sales during difficult economic times.

Apparently the Chinese love Walmart. There are 100+ Walmart stores and includes 99 Supercenters. And here is irony of ironies taken from the Wal-Mart China web site:

"Wal-Mart firmly believes in local procurement.  We recognize that by purchasing quality products, we can generate more job opportunities, support local manufacturing and boost economic development.  Over 95% of the merchandise in our stores in China is sourced locally. We have established partnerships with nearly 20,000 suppliers in China.  At Wal-Mart, we always work with our suppliers to grow together."

And in 2006,Unions were established in China Wal-Marts.

I prefer not to shop at Wal-mart because its a zoo, but thats my choice. With lots of cash strapped consumers Walmart fills a niche, and only wish it would adopt its "locally produced" ethics in the good Ol' U.S.A.  

Judging by that statement of Walmart, it sounds like those foolish Chinese "communists" have no economic clue. They still believe in that nonsense about how countries being self-sufficient and having a strong producing capacity is good.

What China needs is their own Milton Friedman. A brilliant economist with flawed economic policies that will indoctrinate a whole generation of Chinese economists into the neoliberal free market religion.

Chinese Friedman will then be able to explain to them that getting cheap stuff from other countries while destroying the national industrial infrastructure is the way to go. That is called, "freedom to chose." Cool.

And when people lose their jobs, Chinese Friedman will explain that the Easter Bunny will use magic to create jobs for them! Oh, sorry, I meant, the "market's invisible hand" will make sure that they will get a job somehow! (I sometimes get the bunny and the invisible hand mixed up since they both are equally real.)

Maybe then the Chinese will get a clue on economic policies.

so much for enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday

this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

Will you have the guts to question our state politicians on why they take Wal-Mart's blood money?  This was a big gripe of mine years when I was active in WakeUp Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart Watch.  Excuses like "they know I don't vote with them" can no longer cut it.

Any friend of Wal-Mart is not a friend of mine.

Unbelievable. Wal-Mart stores(and others) create a "survival of the fittest" frenzy mentality when they limit specially priced items (i.e. large screen digital t.v.'s) to 5 per store.

The trampled Wal-Mart worker was hired from a temp agency, and the Walmart was located at Green Acres Mall.

From the NY Times:

Crowds began building outside the Wal-Mart at 9 p.m. Thursday and grew throughout the night, as eager shoppers queued up in a line that filled the sidewalk and stretched toward the boundary fence of the Green Acres Mall.

And there is of course the standard corp. reply to the tragedy (from NY Times article):

"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," Wal-Mart said in a statement.

Based on how the situation was handled, would suggest that Wal-Mart re-examine the application of their "top priority".

"lower cost" and "saving money" is listed as Wal-mart priorities, I didn't see anything listed about security. W-M website.

   

Hillary was on the Board for the Arkansas-based company, and the two had successfully negotiated a policy that 80% would be Made in the USA. WalMart abandoned the policy years later.

As to the deaths, what generally happens to the crowd is the people further behind, who can't see the danger, push other people forward. WalMart cultivated the mobs, and didn't control them. Something simple as giving out numbers is a well-established risk measure the stores could be taking. But they WANT the "media buzz" showing crowds. The store should pay through the nose.