Brian Gongol
So the French have shot down the EU Constitution like the Hindenburg...which can't be all bad for the US.
West Des Moines is in a fight with Wal-Mart over the hours they can keep their planned Jordan Creek store open. Since it's wrong to get in the way of a particular business just because you might not like them (heck, I can't stand coffee shops, but that doesn't make it reasonable to ban them), what can a town like WDM do about setting rules for stores like Wal-Mart? One suggestion: Build in a city ordinance requiring a certain amount of money to be put away in trust so that if/when a big-box store like a Wal-Mart closes, there's money on hand to either tear it down or at least keep it from becoming an eyesore.
And, finally, why America is a commercial culture above all else -- and why that's a good thing.