I read a report last night in which some blamed Walmart for the killing of "mom and pop" stores. It's an interesting myth, in my opinion, and one that refuses to die. Walmart, as the story goes, used its huge stores and vast inventory from China to wipe out small, independently owned shops and stores.
It was a storyline developed by unions back in the mid-80s. Organized labor has long hated Walmart, mostly because the company had no unions for decades. The myth had legs, but it wasn't true then and it isn't true now. I won't rehash all the economic data that dispels the myth - there's just too much of it.
If you're really interested in pointing a finger at who helped Walmart succeed and take out some of its competitors, look around you. The American consumer - your family, friends and neighbors - opted to shop at Walmart. The marketplace worked as intended. It is that simple. And then the Internet came along.
It was a storyline developed by unions back in the mid-80s. Organized labor has long hated Walmart, mostly because the company had no unions for decades. The myth had legs, but it wasn't true then and it isn't true now. I won't rehash all the economic data that dispels the myth - there's just too much of it.
If you're really interested in pointing a finger at who helped Walmart succeed and take out some of its competitors, look around you. The American consumer - your family, friends and neighbors - opted to shop at Walmart. The marketplace worked as intended. It is that simple. And then the Internet came along.
Time with Fezziwig and company:
Fulfilled one of my Christmas traditions last night with my annual viewing of "A Christmas Carol" (1938). It's my favorite version of the classic story. It's just over an hour in length but manages to remain loyal to Charles Dickens' story and entertain audiences.
I first saw this version in the early 1970s, on Channel 9, WGN, out of Chicago. It was screened annually on "Family Classics," a Sunday afternoon program that featured old classics from the 1930s and '40s. My siblings and I watched this version nearly every year and enjoyed more with each passing year.
One a more serious note:
There's not a lot that frightens me at my age. I understand I have more days behind me than in front of me. I get it. Not looking to end things early, but I know the show will end at some point. The older you get, you find yourself making peace with certain facts. There is one thing lately that I find unsettling as I learn more about it - fentanyl, a deadly form of synthetic heroin.
It's present and available in my home county. It is cheap and lethal, according to authorities, and it's impact is devastating to individuals and communities alike. I try to read as much about it as possible, and there are many good documentary productions available. I recently watched an expectional one, "Opioid Tragedy: Inside the Fentanyl Crisis." It's not an easy film to watch, but it is interesting and informative.
-- Thank you for reading. Feel free to leave a comment here, or send an email to kbotterman@gmail.com.
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