Monday, May 24, 2004

Endangered Species: Quaint Towns. Green Hills. Vermont! (NYTimes)
The National Trust for Historic Preservation put the entire state of Vermont on its endangered list. Who's endangering it? Walmart.
"The one-size-fits-all big-box `template' has proven to be detrimental to communities across the United States because of its negative economic and environmental impact on historic downtowns and local businesses," the organization said in a statement. "The size and design of these stores often overwhelm their surroundings, and impersonal corporate identity too often trumps community character."