Comments on: My theory on the Walmart Diet http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:27:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: A Walk down Memory Lane with the Den Mother, Day 2 « Musings from the Den Mother http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252577 A Walk down Memory Lane with the Den Mother, Day 2 « Musings from the Den Mother Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:05:05 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252577 [...] with the funny theme during the Den Mother’s brief sabbatical, I recommend reading this post by neo-neocon about the Walmart Diet (including a reference to Saturday Night Live) and how freaking BIG Walmart [...] [...] with the funny theme during the Den Mother’s brief sabbatical, I recommend reading this post by neo-neocon about the Walmart Diet (including a reference to Saturday Night Live) and how freaking BIG Walmart [...]

]]> By: daisy http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252464 daisy Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:14:18 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252464 I confess. I love Walmart. I remember the first time I ever saw one and the delight my grandmother and great aunt felt at not having to ever go back to the crummy, rude and dirty mom and pop stores on Main Street ever again. I confess. I love Walmart. I remember the first time I ever saw one and the delight my grandmother and great aunt felt at not having to ever go back to the crummy, rude and dirty mom and pop stores on Main Street ever again.

]]> By: bob agard http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252419 bob agard Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:33:11 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-252419 Wal-Mart is the place where I work as a cashier. My Masters in Social Work did not scare away my job interviewer, nor did my age. I enjoyed this post and will share it with co-workers, especially the diet. Wal-Mart is the place where I work as a cashier. My Masters in Social Work did not scare away my job interviewer, nor did my age. I enjoyed this post and will share it with co-workers, especially the diet.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-85162 Ymarsakar Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:42:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-85162 Neo, that skit was a hoot. Probably more funny than it would have been if I had watched it too. Thanks. Neo, that skit was a hoot. Probably more funny than it would have been if I had watched it too. Thanks.

]]> By: goesh http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84909 goesh Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:33:37 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84909 I really like the freedom of being able to buy any colored Chinese t-shirt I want. Woo-hoo! We're number 1 !! I really like the freedom of being able to buy any colored Chinese t-shirt I want. Woo-hoo! We’re number 1 !!

]]> By: SteveH http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84907 SteveH Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:13:59 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84907 Maybe the cookie and ice cream aisles should be 200 flights of stairs up....While the brocolli replaces the tabloids beside the checkout. Maybe the cookie and ice cream aisles should be 200 flights of stairs up….While the brocolli replaces the tabloids beside the checkout.

]]> By: camojack http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84903 camojack Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:50:45 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84903 FWIW, <b>I</b> think your theory has some merit. ;-) FWIW, I think your theory has some merit. ;-)

]]> By: Sloan http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84888 Sloan Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:23:18 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84888 I haven't been in Walmart enough to know for sure, but I'll bet that the milk and bread are located waaaaay at the back...just like every other grocery store. Having said that, I have to say that I think Walmart is, on balance, a good thing. It gives lower-income folks a chance to buy decent stuff at a decent price, thus stretching their dollar. Nothing wrong with that. But even if I had a Walmart nearby, I think I'd still buy my groceries at Kroger...GOTTA be easier to find things. I haven’t been in Walmart enough to know for sure, but I’ll bet that the milk and bread are located waaaaay at the back…just like every other grocery store.

Having said that, I have to say that I think Walmart is, on balance, a good thing. It gives lower-income folks a chance to buy decent stuff at a decent price, thus stretching their dollar. Nothing wrong with that. But even if I had a Walmart nearby, I think I’d still buy my groceries at Kroger…GOTTA be easier to find things.

]]> By: Alex http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84885 Alex Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:01:34 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84885 Another explanation for the "Walmart Diet" is reverse causality. Walmart execs like to locate new stores in places where the economy is improving, and as people get richer they tend to lose weight. If those two things are true we can get the result of the paper without any actual causal effect of Walmart on health. Notice in column 6 of table 2 when they add county-specific time trends (one way to account for changes in county attributes like the economy) the effect becomes smaller and insignificant. I'm not convinced their story <i>isn't</i> true, but neither is it rock-solid. I'd like to see the authors either a) add more economic controls besides just unemployment and that questionable imputed income measure they use, or even better b) run a placebo regression in which they see whether adding a Walmart has any effect the year <i>before</i> the Walmart actually opens. If the true cause is economic changes in the area then the placebo should turn up positive --- if the true cause is Walmart affecting health then it should be negative. If they get a negative result on the placebo test I'd be a lot more convinced they are right. Then we could debate exactly how it works (wealth, exercise, etc.). Another explanation for the “Walmart Diet” is reverse causality. Walmart execs like to locate new stores in places where the economy is improving, and as people get richer they tend to lose weight. If those two things are true we can get the result of the paper without any actual causal effect of Walmart on health. Notice in column 6 of table 2 when they add county-specific time trends (one way to account for changes in county attributes like the economy) the effect becomes smaller and insignificant.

I’m not convinced their story isn’t true, but neither is it rock-solid. I’d like to see the authors either a) add more economic controls besides just unemployment and that questionable imputed income measure they use, or even better b) run a placebo regression in which they see whether adding a Walmart has any effect the year before the Walmart actually opens. If the true cause is economic changes in the area then the placebo should turn up positive — if the true cause is Walmart affecting health then it should be negative. If they get a negative result on the placebo test I’d be a lot more convinced they are right. Then we could debate exactly how it works (wealth, exercise, etc.).

]]> By: Fred http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84876 Fred Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:08:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/09/10/my-theory-on-the-walmart-diet/#comment-84876 Off topic, sorry, but RUSSIAN FRAKKIN BOMBERS just landed in Venezuela to perform routine training exercises over neutral waters. One word for you Medvedev, Curacao. Unreal how short term our memories are. Just finishing Between the Wars and it's a nice analysis of Clinton's struggle with the deft-wing and moderate right / isolationists in the face of the first phase of the Post Cold War world. Assuming crude stabilizes around $100 / barrel Chavez will not implode and will continue to raise serious red flags for this hemisphere. Off topic, sorry, but RUSSIAN FRAKKIN BOMBERS just landed in Venezuela to perform routine training exercises over neutral waters. One word for you Medvedev, Curacao. Unreal how short term our memories are. Just finishing Between the Wars and it’s a nice analysis of Clinton’s struggle with the deft-wing and moderate right / isolationists in the face of the first phase of the Post Cold War world. Assuming crude stabilizes around $100 / barrel Chavez will not implode and will continue to raise serious red flags for this hemisphere.

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