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

[Jack Gilles]

Dear Colleagues,

This question of a friendly web site for in-depth dialogue and  
research on issues and contradictions is one we discussed at the  
Denver Springboard meeting.  We are presently working on such a web  
page design.  Since it will be more complicated, or should I say  
sophisticated, than our present repository page it will take some  
amount of time and work as well as a bigger server to accomplish.  We  
are presently looking at how to raise the money to do this and would  
appreciate anyone's help in this regard.

Jack Gilles
on behalf of the Springboard Venture group


On Apr 10, 2008, at 10:19 AM, Diann McCabe wrote:

> I second your request, George.  Spent 3 hours last night planning  
> for the next few meetings of Democracy for Texas (Hays County) and  
> we kept getting sidetracked by very complicated issues that came up,  
> from where we buy our light bulbs to Carter’s ideas on Palestine,  
> realizing that all things really do connect.   I confess that our  
> method last night was one of sitting around a table with lists in  
> front of us.  Our inability (on the part of all of us) to gain  
> “insight into the trends” is frustrating.  Technology to do a  
> brainstorm website, etc., might be a first start.  Again, I second  
> the motion but don’t have a suggestion for now.--Diann McCabe
>
>
> On 4/10/08 9:03 AM, "George Holcombe" <geowanda at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> 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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