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Shoppers rush to pyramid Wal-Mart
BBC ^ | 5 November, 2004

Posted on 11/07/2004 4:06:24 PM PST by traumer

Bargain-hungry Mexican shoppers have flocked to a new Wal-Mart supermarket that environmentalists claim will threaten one of the nation's treasures. Around 200 shoppers queued for hours to be the first to enter the store, which is half a mile from the ancient Mexican pyramids at Teotihuacan.

"People need the well-being of their families more than culture," said one.

Environmental groups had argued that the store was too close to the ruins and would erode the local way of life.

While the Wal-Mart store was overflowing with shoppers on its opening day, a handful of local opponents kept a vigil outside the 2,000-year-old Teotihuacan pyramids.

They pledged to continue a protest that has drawn international attention and prompted a national debate.

Buffer zone

"It's like planting the staff of globalization in the heart of ancient Mexico," said Homero Aridjis, a writer and environmentalist who led a national drive to block the store.

"It is supremely symbolic."

Mexico's national anthropology institute that oversees the ruins - located outside Mexico City - has said that the store poses no threat.

The United Nations and the Paris-based International Council on Monuments and Sites also "signed-off" the store. It is located in a buffer zone that is part of the archaeological site, but where hundreds of other, mainly smaller businesses have sprouted in the past decade or more.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Mexico; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: archaeology; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; history; walmart
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To: traumer
Environmental groups had argued that the store was too close to the ruins and would erode the local way of life.

More proof the "environmentalists" are all about politics and that they are green on the outside but pure red on the inside.

41 posted on 11/07/2004 6:53:30 PM PST by RJL
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To: mewzilla; traumer; Tinaraye; longtermmemmory; sweetliberty; Beelzebubba; FreePaul; GSlob; ...
I'll bet they did. Jeez, couldn't they have moved the store out a little farther.

There's no merit to their argument that the ruins have been compromised. I think they did a great job under the circumstances, and it looks like they worked hard to maintain the overall ancient Mexican pyramid theme.



42 posted on 11/07/2004 8:48:56 PM PST by Jaysun (How many votes did that HUGE A$$ Medicare bill buy us?)
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To: Jaysun

I think the Wal-Mart and the Pyramid are in perfect symmetry with each other in that photo. I want to see 100,000 Wal-Marts in North America before I die. I'm totally serious. I am such a fan of that store.


43 posted on 11/07/2004 8:57:23 PM PST by SamAdams76 (Red Sox Win The World Series...And Bush Wins Re-election Too!)
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To: SamAdams76
I want to see 100,000 Wal-Marts in North America before I die. I'm totally serious. I am such a fan of that store.

That's what I say about Dunkin Donuts.

44 posted on 11/07/2004 9:04:53 PM PST by VeniVidiVici (Got Wood?)
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To: SamAdams76
I think the Wal-Mart and the Pyramid are in perfect symmetry with each other in that photo. I want to see 100,000 Wal-Marts in North America before I die. I'm totally serious. I am such a fan of that store.

Me too. It's an American success story. I've always loved them. They provide everything imaginable at great prices and they put lots of people to work - not just directly, but in other ways too. The people that build their stores, for example, are happy to see them come. I had a masonry company that built two stores in our area a few years ago.
45 posted on 11/07/2004 9:07:48 PM PST by Jaysun (How many votes did that HUGE A$$ Medicare bill buy us?)
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To: VeniVidiVici
That's what I say about Dunkin Donuts.

What? What about Krispy Kreme? They're so damned delicious!
46 posted on 11/07/2004 9:09:30 PM PST by Jaysun (How many votes did that HUGE A$$ Medicare bill buy us?)
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To: traumer

You know, I used to think that there was collusion between the DNC and the MSM...

But that was NOTHING compared to the apparant collusion between the MSM and Trey Parker & Matt Stone!

Did anyone see last weeks episode of South Park, where they dealt with the "Walmat Issues!"

Amazing!

Mark


47 posted on 11/07/2004 9:15:46 PM PST by MarkL (Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. But it rocks absolutely, too!)
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To: traumer

A Wal-mart full of Mexican shoppers, what else is new?


48 posted on 11/07/2004 9:29:08 PM PST by MediaMole
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To: traumer; abbi_normal_2; Ace2U; adam_az; Alamo-Girl; Alas; alfons; alphadog; amom; AndreaZingg; ...
Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.
49 posted on 11/07/2004 9:30:55 PM PST by farmfriend ( In Essentials, Unity...In Non-Essentials, Liberty...In All Things, Charity.)
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To: mewzilla
Jeez, couldn't they have moved the store out a little farther.

I am usually TOTALLY on the side of the enviros in these sorts of encounters. But I think that this is really a case of the enviros crying "wolf" too many times.

I really think that no matter what Wal Mart had done, these guys would have bitched about it, so I can't really tell if the corporate entity is being bad to the cultural environment.

It's really a shame, too.

50 posted on 11/07/2004 9:34:10 PM PST by krb
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To: farmfriend
I'm surprised they didn't find anything of significance under the new store.
51 posted on 11/07/2004 9:38:52 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are really stupid.)
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To: oceanview
I bet Wal-Mart throws a million at local development and pyramid restoration, for PR.
52 posted on 11/07/2004 9:40:42 PM PST by endthematrix (CRUSH ISLAMOFACISM!)
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To: Carry_Okie
I'm surprised they didn't find anything of significance under the new store.

Maybe I'm just a cynic or I've watch to many shows about archaeological plundering south of the border but I'm sure anything that was found went home in "lunch boxes". The government certainly wasn't going to "find" anything that is for sure. The stores economic influence was too big I'm sure.

53 posted on 11/07/2004 9:42:44 PM PST by farmfriend ( In Essentials, Unity...In Non-Essentials, Liberty...In All Things, Charity.)
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To: farmfriend

Sometimes the best thing you can do to preserve an artifact is to bury it under a parking lot.


54 posted on 11/07/2004 9:53:07 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are really stupid.)
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To: Carry_Okie

Seems like they did something akin to that with Kenewick man.


55 posted on 11/07/2004 9:56:32 PM PST by farmfriend ( In Essentials, Unity...In Non-Essentials, Liberty...In All Things, Charity.)
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To: mewzilla

In agreement with you. I like business, but people don't have to be so stupid about it.


56 posted on 11/07/2004 9:58:51 PM PST by Libertina (We praise You Lord, You have granted America a Christian leader!)
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To: Jaysun

This is AWFUL! Shame on these developers. How this got permitting is unbelievable.


57 posted on 11/07/2004 10:00:42 PM PST by Libertina (We praise You Lord, You have granted America a Christian leader!)
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To: Libertina
This is AWFUL! Shame on these developers. How this got permitting is unbelievable.

I made that picture as a joke.
58 posted on 11/07/2004 11:02:46 PM PST by Jaysun (How many votes did that HUGE A$$ Medicare bill buy us?)
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To: Jaysun

I was never too impressed with the Pyramids outside of Mexico City... seemed like a whole lot of dirt. I liked the sculptures.

I was impressed by the ones out near Vera Cruz...(I love Vera Cruz)... I miss Xalapa... Mexico is a great place if it wasn't for the criminals... in the government.


59 posted on 11/07/2004 11:07:22 PM PST by Porterville (IT'S GOOD TO BE REPUBLICAN)
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To: Porterville
I was never too impressed with the Pyramids outside of Mexico City... seemed like a whole lot of dirt. I liked the sculptures. I was impressed by the ones out near Vera Cruz...(I love Vera Cruz)... I miss Xalapa... Mexico is a great place if it wasn't for the criminals... in the government.

I grew up in Texas. We never made it too far past the river. We went for the cheap booze and all night towns, so I've never seen any of their ancient sites.
60 posted on 11/07/2004 11:18:41 PM PST by Jaysun (How many votes did that HUGE A$$ Medicare bill buy us?)
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