[Dialogue] [Oe List ...] Wal-Mart and the weapons of mass destruction

[George Holcombe]

This string of responses makes me wonder if any one of us out there  
has the technology to do a brainstorm website that could lead to a  
gestalted chart, so we may have some insight into the trends?

The more I think about our concerns with Wal Mart, it seems to stretch  
out to the world.  I am reminded of Rod Wilson's point, repeatedly  
made, that rail is the cheapest most efficient form of transportation,  
yet, this nation chose shipping by truck, neither cheaper or  
efficient, has had impact not only on the climate, and our roadways  
(taxes, repairs, etc.), but now plays a big part in increasing prices,  
especially for the 1,000 mile salad greens, and presents a threat to  
continuing the whole system of supply.  The very well planned  
"Disaster Capitalism" which is so entrenched in our thinking, life  
style and politics, threatens to become a house of cards.  With  
Chinese and other Asian workers beginning to strike for higher wages,  
the source of cheap goods sold in the West may be running its course.   
The 300% rise in grains is threatening both the food supply and  
economies of many countries, creating what is being termed the "World  
Food Crises."  The faltering middle class, not only in the U.S. (I  
understand it is disappearing in other parts of the world) and the  
hugh gains among the super wealthy, present an imbalance not seen  
before in history.  The very interesting proposal in the U.S. congress  
to begin a World-wide Marshall plan like that after WWII is a new  
direction in thinking of American politics.  The growth and speed of  
the internet, which is building many new consciousnesses and  
connectivities, is shifting the way we think and do things.  The list  
goes on, and the thing that keeps hitting me is that this is not the  
gradual change of  "business as usual," but more like the falling into  
the sea of the polar bears, something very radical is taking place.   
There are lots of books seemingly about this, but on reflection, I  
feel like they are written by several of the blind reporting on the  
part of the elephant they're touching.  I also notice that sometimes I  
have a hard time deciding if this is economic, cultural or political.

  Any thoughts?  Even better any ways to gather the input of this  
bunch into a trends analysis?

George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin, TX 78728
Home: 512/252-2756
Mobile 512/294-5952
geowanda at earthlink.net
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