A friend e-mails about today's NY Times article on Wal-Mart:

"My biggest problem with this article is the implicit assumption that 'productivity' equals 'good.' This became especially apparent when the writer began comparing the U.S. with Europe. Though less productive, Europe has things the U.S. couldn't dream of: magnificent downtowns, functioning city neighborhoods that aren't suburbs, cities where the main mode of transportation is Nike, followed by public transit. I desperately hope that Wal-Mart never makes inroads into Europe. Europe is great because it is a great place for an urban man to live. America is great because it is a great place for the natural man to live. Now, Europe has its natural great spots and America its urban great spots. But frankly, I don't think the suburb compares with the Parisian apartment."

Amen.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/28/business/28SCEN.html?ex=1016317863&ei=1&en=d7d3ffefa1048827
user name and password="nbiermaread"

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/28/business/28SCEN.html?ex=1016317863&ei=1&en=d7d3ffe"nbiermaread"fa10488