Omnivore's Dilemma
http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php

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The whole secret to TJ's -- aside from treating their workers so well they've never felt the urge to unionize -- is that they make a point of tasting what they buy. The result is lots of nice stuff at very reasonable prices; the place isn't a boutique, nor a deli -- it's a grocery store that sells stuff the grocer would want to eat.

. . . so why can't we get one in my town? darnit!

I'm sure there's some official TJ's site you could pester. Squeak your wheel!

Now, technically there's no Trader Joe's in my town either, but the Oxnard greater metro area is straddled by Camarillo, with a TJ's on Carmen Street, and Ventura, with a TJ's on Victoria Avenue. Happens the Ventura one is the more convenient, but neither is a big expedition.

I checked the site. No Trader Joe's anywhere in my state, or any bordering state, for that matter. But the good news is, if they ever did open one, it would probably be right in my area, because it's the only part of town that isn't currently saturated with Whole Foods and Central Market.

The closest TJ's is in Madison Wi. About 150 miles away. We go about every 3 months next time we are taking $200.00 and getting every thing we can fit, and then it's off to Whole Foods for the rest.

So, generally workers unionise as a response to unkind treatment from their employers?

Um... yes? Why else would workers unionize?

Wasn't that sort of the impetus behind the very first labor unions? And kind of a recurring theme in the founding of labor unions?

I really don't know much about unions, other than the fact that they bug the shit out of me (mostly due to evangelizing unionists).

My superficial understanding of it is that's how unionism started. What's soured the whole thing has been the monopolistic rules unions operate under -- laws having been passed to set up this monopoly. Unions have now so largely priced themselves out of the labor market, especially in the manufacturing sector, that they are withering. They had driven the cost of employment and production too high, and the labor market corrected the situation. The only growth sector of unionism is government employees -- the SEIU.

I'm surprised no one's anything about Consumer Reports here. Has anyone else subscribed? It's sooo much easier just to do a search than to fumble through old magazines.

I have an online membership. Beats having to keep back issues in my cluttered apartment.

exactly!

The few times I've read the information in Consumer Reports, I haven't found it to be that helpful. Is there something I'm missing? What products has it convinced you to buy or changed your mind about?