Northern Valley Beacon

When Wal-Mart's second-in-command executive was asked to account for a half-million dollars, he said he had used it for a secret project to bust unions and prevent them from organizing Wal-Mart employees. An investigation, reported by The New York Times, found that this story was false. Thomas M. Coughlin used the money for hunting gear and beer.

The Columbia Journalism Review Daily carries an analysis of how the reputation of Wal-Mart as a cheap and conniving employer was used by Coughlin to hide the fact that he was, in fact, merely stealing from the company.

In an age when the mass media is used effectively for mind control of the people, particularly by political factions that rely upon closed government and deceptions, this analysis is useful to understand. Our beliefs and prejudices can be used against us.