Was watching TV last night, and half paying attention during the commercials, when I heard something like this: “High gas prices got you down? Do all your shopping in one place: Wal-Mart.”

Oh, Wal-Mart. What to make of your ongoing evolution? Way back when, you were an in-town store. Then you became the hated icon of big-box suburbia, and a huge contributor to people driving more as part of their daily routines. Now you’re twisting the driving thing to make it seem like a benefit — but at the same time, you’re sending a subtle message to conserve! Which can’t be a coincidence, considering the shift to selling organics and such! Is it time to return to your roots, open a few downtown locations, experiment with the notion of community again? Stranger things have happened.