Oh, I don't think you were disrespectful...and I share your concerns about the changes that are apparently heading for the Valley.
I've been of two minds about this whole Wal*Mart thing. I like Kellogg the way it is. I do try to support the local guys and buy valley as much as possible, but I'm not independently wealthy, my wages are not overly high and my husbands wages for the past three years have been abysmal. We have been heading over the hill to CDA almost weekly since we moved here because
1. I can't afford the inflated prices at most of the grocery stores (and their caught - they can't buy in bulk to get the lower prices)
2. The selection at most of the stores here is quite small
3. I can shop for just about everything in one place if I go to a department/grocery store combo and it saves me time
I've heard a lot of negativity from folks both here in the valley and out of the valley about Wal*Mart. And I'm sure the overall corporation has probably done things to deserve alot of the negativity they get. I can just tell you from personal experience with the crew here over the past few months that some of it seems to be unfounded. And you're probably right, it's probably because they've implemented programs as a result of past experiences and complaints from communities they already inhabit.
I am just amazed that these big corporations are so driven to grow that they are beginning to look at small areas like the Silver Valley. It's just...well, like I said, surreal.
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A person is smart; people are dumb panicky dangerous animals and you know it. ~Kay (Men in Black, 1997)