Barcelona

Mobile phone theft is also a popular petty theft crime when tourists leave their phones on tabletops. [24]. It is not uncommon for thieves to cut bags and backpack straps. He has since plead guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return related to embezzlement and theft from Wal-Mart while serving as a member of its board. Internet cafes are a popular target in general. Former members of the board of directors of Wal-Mart include Hillary Clinton (1985-1992), who also worked for Wal-Mart as a lawyer, [22] and Tom Coughlin, who went on to be vice chairman [23]. Areas where one should be particularly careful are the Barri Gòtic, El Raval, and the Ramblas. The presence of unions and the difficulty obtaining building permits are two possible reasons for this lack of success.

The problem is compounded by the few policemen "walking the beat" in Barcelona, even though the city has one of the highest police to citizen ratios in Europe. In Germany, however, after eight years in the market, Wal-Mart's yearly revenue is still less than one-tenth of the leading retailer, EDEKA. Stealing money or goods worth less than about $360 without the use or threat of violence is classified as hurto or petty theft under Spanish law and is treated as a minor misdemeanor no matter how many times it is repeated. ASDA in the United Kingdom is the largest of the international businesses by sales. Many pickpockets are known to the police and some have been arrested hundreds of times only to be released once the police have filled in a report. Dollars):. They usually work in groups whereby the victim is distracted by one party while being robbed by another party. Current store counts and revenue for Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2005 (revenue amounts in U.S.

Barcelona, like other big cities, has a large number of criminals who mainly prey on tourists. Wal-Mart operates 5 major retail formats under 3 retail divisions:. The urban design by Eduard Bru created a terraced sequence of belvedere-like platforms with views of the city. He believes that Wal-Mart is merely a symbol of capitalism and success that leftists attack in order to associate capitalism with "exploitation" and "unfairness" to further their own big government/socialists objectives. One notable site is the Vall d'Hebron, a deep ravine in the foothills of the Collserola range north of the city. He compares this criticism to the same attacks upon Hummer SUVs while ignoring the issues with many other gas guzzling competitors like old cars the poor could only afford. For example, the upgrades to Montjuïc and the seaside industrial areas for the 1992 Olympic Games were accompanied by the building of recreational facilities in other parts of the city lacking development. According to Jay Nordlinger of the National Review, criticism of Wal-Mart is more about what Wal-Mart represents; the sucess of capitalist enterprise and how Wal-Mart is the largest retail store in the world rather than what it actually does.

This program of planned parks is often among the civic improvements for which the city actively seeks international events as spurs for redevelopment. Specific areas of controversy include the company's product selection; treatment of suppliers, competitors, and employees; impact on local communities, and effects on world trade and globalization. Some examples (note that many are not in Barcelona per se but on its metro area):. Some praise Wal-Mart for benefiting consumers, while other criticise it for being harmful to employees, the community, the economy, and the environment. Though the budgets may be small, the level of ingenuity and care in design and implementation is often very high. [20]. Typically these new parks are carefully designed by architects, planners and landscape architects concerned not just with functional elements, but also with the unique characteristics of the site and its position in a layered understanding of the city. [19] And, this savings has the largest effect on the poor since the average Wal-Mart customer earns $35,000 a year, compared with $50,000 at Target and $74,000 at Costco.

The purpose of this program has been to reclaim space for the public which is threatened either by neglect or overdevelopment. However, that $4.7 billion is overwhelmingly offset by the $263 billion it has saved Americans from spending from 1985 to 2004, ($2,329 per houshold) according to a Global Insight study. Since 1983 a formal program of park creation has been carried out by the Mancomunitat de Municipis de l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona. The efficiencies created 210,000 jobs that would not otherwise exist, but at the same time reduced take-home pay for all retail workers (including the company’s competitors) by $4.7 billion. This park, designed by Luis Peña Ganchegui and Francesc Rius Camps and completed in 1985 integrated the industrial shapes of the site with a dominant water feature and displays of sculpture. Wal-Mart increased net consumer purchasing power by $118 billion in 2004. At the same time, the neighboring Vapor Nou factory, was converted into the Parc de la Espanya Industrial for public recreation. Additional findings from the Global Insight study include: Wal-Mart increased the US economy's overall productivity by three-quarters of a percent by highly efficient distribution systems and pressure on suppliers to be more efficient.

In 1983 the Plaça dels Països Catalans in front of the Sants railway station was redesigned by Helio Piñon Pallares and Albert Vaiplana Vea in pink granite paving with an undulating metal pergola and various hard furnishings that have become popular with skateboarders. The study indicates that "nominal wages are 2.2% lower, but given that consumer prices are 3.1% lower, real disposable income is 0.9% higher than it would have been in a world without Wal-Mart." (Global Insight Study). Montjuïc Stadium was renovated and expanded by Vittorio Gregotti for the 1992 Olympic Games. Also in that time period, it is responsible for the creation of 210,000 net jobs for the economy. The German Pavilion, a landmark of modern architecture designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for this Exhibition was exhaustively reconstructed on its original site in 1986. From 1985-2004, Wal-Mart "can be associated with a cumulative decline of 9.1% in food-at-home prices, a 4.2% decline in commodities (goods) prices, and a 3.1% decline in overall consumer prices" and, that this has saved consumers $263 billion in that time frame ($2329 per household). It is chiefly notable now for the cultural institutions that use the former palaces and exposition buildings. economy (Several notable economists oversaw the study, including both political conservatives and liberals [18]).

Rubio Tuduri. A 2005 study by Global Insight, the world's largest economics organization, that was commission by Wal-mart found that the company has had a positive net economic impact on the U.S. Forestier and architect Nicolas M. In 2004, the University of California, Berkeley published a study which asserted that Wal-Mart's low wages and benefits resulted in an increased burden on the social safety net, costing California taxpayers $86 million.[17]. N. Basker's study did not distinguish between low-paying and high-paying jobs. The site of the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929 and 1930, the Parc de Montjuïc was laid out by engineer Jean C. Basker concluded that the net change in the number of jobs was not significant.

See separate article on Parc Güell (1914), the large fantastical park designed by Antoni Gaudí for a housing estate and opened to the public in 1922. Basker found an average decrease of 30 retail jobs in neighbouring counties and 25 wholesale jobs in the entered county. See above for a description of the Rambles. Half of this increase disappeared as other retail establishments closed over a five-year period. Besides the beaches, the Rambles and Parc Güell are the most famous of these. Basker found that Wal-Mart's entry into a county increased net retail employment in that county by 100 jobs in the short term. Barcelona, with its mild weather and dense medieval centre, is renowned for its parks and open spaces. A 2002 study[16] by Emek Basker of the University of Missouri examined the impact of Wal-Mart on local employment.

Barcelona has recently adopted another transport option with two new tram lines known as Trambaix and Trambesòs. The next largest employer employed the parents of less than 800 children in the program.[15]. See List of Barcelona metro stations. More than 10,000 children who qualified for the program had parents working at Wal-Mart. Barcelona's transit company, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), runs the Barcelona Metro system and city bus. In 2002, the state of Georgia's survey of children in the state's subsidized health care system, PeachCare, found that Wal-Mart employed more of the parents of these children than any other employer. Renfe and the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) run Barcelona's widespread commuter train service. Dean found that point out that though Wal-Mart openings cause some small businesses to close by offering lower prices, it also creates opportunities for other small businesses and that as a result, "the process of creative destruction unleashed by Wal-Mart has no statistically significant impact on the overall size of the small business sector in the United States" (the researchers also claim that the Stone study is flawed) [14].

The AVE high-speed rail system was recently extended from Madrid to Lleida in western Catalonia, and is expected to reach Barcelona by 2007. Sobel and Andrea M. Barcelona is a hub for RENFE, the Spanish state railway network, and its main suburban train station is Sants-Estació (which is under renovation and enlargement at present in order to prepare for the arrival of the AVE system). In 1997, Stone found that small towns "lose up to 47 percent of their retail trade after 10 years of Wal-Mart stores nearby."[12] In [2003], Stone collaborated with collaborated with Georgeanne Artz, also of Iowa State University and Albert Myles of Mississippi State University to show that there "are both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates."[13] A study by Russell S. In addition to its port, of great historical and contemporary commercial importance, Barcelona is served by El Prat International Airport ('El Prat') in the town of El Prat de Llobregat. Stone of Iowa State University has published several studies on Wal-Mart. UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Barcelona:. Kenneth E.

In addition to the University of Barcelona, the city is home to the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the Technical University of Catalonia, the Ramon Llull University and the International University of Catalonia. Several studies have been conducted to determined the nature and extent of this effect. Near Barcelona, in Montmeló, the Circuit de Catalunya racetrack hosts the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. As Wal-Mart is an enormously large business, it has a significant impact on economies, especially in the United States. FC Barcelona has also internationally known basketball and handball teams that play at the Palau Blaugrana, situated in the same complex as the Camp Nou. Deaver who formerly worked on behalf of Ronald Reagan, Leslie Dach who worked on behalf of Bill Clinton, and Robert McAdam who worked on behalf of the Tobacco Institute [11]. Barcelona is the home city of two internationally-known football teams: FC Barcelona, also known as Barça, who play at the 100,000 capacity Camp Nou stadium, and RCD Espanyol, who play at the 56,000 capacity Olympic Stadium. Operatives hired include Michael K.

There's also the Torre de Collserola, a telecommunications tower designed by Norman Foster which also has a windowed balcony with a great view over the city. Edelman has set up an internal "war room", a rapid-response public relations team, staffed with high-profile political operatives to respond to negative media attention. The church mosaics provide a curious example of the religious art style much in vogue during the dictatorship. It was reported in the New York Times on November 1, 2005 that in response to increased criticism the public relations firm Edelman had been retained. Uptown is the hill of the Tibidabo, 512 meters high, with an amusement park (which, after a long economic struggle, now belongs to the city council) and a monumental church on its summit. In 2005, Wal-Mart officials embarked on a public relations campaign to counter some of the criticism it receives, through its public relations website as well as through television commercials which show employees who have had a medical emergency and have been sent by Wal-Mart to the Mayo Clinic. On the way down, there could be found the Botanical Gardens and the Costa i Llobera gardens, with an unique cactus collection. Different explanations have been offered for this success:.

Around the hill are a group of installations known as the "olympic ring" and that were the heart of the 1992 summer olympics: the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium (originally built in 1929 but completely refurbished for the 1992 olympics), the Palau Sant Jordi (a multi-purpose installation designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, used primarily for all kinds of indoor sport events but also for concerts and other cultural activities) and the Bernat Picornell Pools. Its stock has dropped more than 20% since then, closing under $50 in August 2005. On its top is an old fortress which used to guard the entrance to the port. Since then its stock has climbed from 5 cents (split adjusted) to a high of $63 in March 2002. One, Montjuïc hill, is next to the harbour and perched above a large container terminal. Wal-Mart went public in 1975. For spectacular views over the city and the coast line there are two hills. Sam Walton's family's holdings in Wal-Mart if combined would comprise the nation's largest fortune; at $100 billion combined they are significantly ahead of Bill Gates.

Visitors should note that the opening times of Barcelona's museums vary considerably and are often highly inconvenient; careful planning is recommended to avoid wasted trips. Wal-Mart also does 20 percent of the retail toy business. The Fundació Antoni Tàpies holds a collection of Tàpies works. $51 billion). The building was designed by the American architect Richard Meier. Wal-Mart is now the largest grocery chain in the U.S., with 14 percent of all grocery sales -- nearly twice the sales of Kroger ($95 billion vs. The Contemporary Art Museum is also worth a visit, not only because of its paintings and sculptures, but because of its architecture. workers.[5] According to Wal-Mart's website, Wal-Mart provides insurance to more than 1 million people.[6].

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia (in the Palau Nacional left behind by the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition) possesses a well-known collection of Romanesque art, including wall-paintings of Romanesque churches and chapels around Catalonia that have been transferred to the museum. According to an October 2005 article in BusinessWeek, Walmart's health insurance covers 44% or approximately 572,000 of its 1.3 million U.S. There is also a unique museum featuring the lesser known works of Pablo Picasso from his earlier period. At some Sam's Club these employees inspect the contents of the shopping carts of exiting customers. Art visits include the museum of the Fundació Joan Miró,hi where several paintings and sculptures of this artist are shown, together with guest exhibitions from other museums around the world. All Wal-Mart stores in the United States have employees referred to as "People Greeters." They welcome people to the store and help prevent shoplifting. Many of these have now been levelled to make room for the city's ill-starred "22@" project to build an area for ICT-based firms. Wal-Mart refers to its employees as "associates," and encourages managers to think of themselves as "servant leaders." Each shift at every store, club, and distribution center (theoretically) starts with a store-wide meeting where managers discuss with hourly employees daily sales figures, company news, and goals for the day.

Property speculation is also blighting other areas of the city, including the 19th century Poble Nou district with its many interesting buildings dating from Catalonia's Industrial Revolution. However, this proposal was rejected by the city councillors [4] on June 28, 2005 for several reasons including worry over the possible negative impact to small businesses and a potential increase in traffic as customers drive longer distances to go shopping. In recent years, office developments along Passeig de Gràcia have been allowed to break up the architectural unity of the 19th and early 20th century buildings lining the avenue - a process which shows no signs of slackening. This design, too, included wind turbines, geothermal heating and collecting rainwater. Several of these buildings and indeed the Sagrada Familia church itself are threatened by Mayor Clos' plans to build a large railway tunnel for high-speed trains under the city's shaky 19th century foundations. An environmentally-friendly design for a Wal-Mart in Vancouver, BC, Canada was proposed. The most elegant avenue is the Passeig de Gràcia, where two Gaudí buildings are situated, the Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and the Casa Batlló, along with buildings by other famous modernista architects: Casa Ametller by Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Casa Lleó Morera by Domènech i Montaner. Critics, such as the Institute for Local Self-reliance [3], while acknowledging that the features in the new stores are an improvement, still contend that Wal-Mart practices increase driving, and that it has a poor record of locating stores on environmentally sensitive sites, especially wetlands.

In the modern districts of the city are several avenues on which most of the international merchants offering clothing, jewelry, leather goods and other items have their stores. The buildings also include many other energy and cost-saving technologies. Another very notable modernist building in the older part of the city is the Palau de la Música Catalana, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner and built in 1908. Recently, Wal-Mart has designed two experimental stores [2], one in McKinney, Texas, the other in Aurora, Colorado, which feature wind turbines, photovoltaic solar panels, and biofuel-capable boilers. The Sagrada Família is billed for completion in 2020. The WFF has also donated to advocacy groups promoting school privatization, such as a $3 million donation in 2003 to the Knowledge Is Power Program. Outstanding is the legacy of architect Antoni Gaudí, who lived and worked in Barcelona, and who left several famous works like the Palau Güell in the city's old center, the Parc Güell at the northern tip of Gràcia, and the immense but still unfinished church of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, financed by popular donations like the cathedrals in the Middle Ages (However, it is not a cathedral: the cathedral of Barcelona is the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, a Gothic building of the late Middle Ages). From 1998 through 2003, the WFF contributed $25,000 to the Heritage Foundation, $15,000 to the Cato Institute, $125,000 to the Hudson Institute, $155,000 to the Goldwater Institute, $70,000 to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, $300,000 to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, $185,000 to the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, and $350,000 to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

The park also contains science museums, like the zoology museum, housed in a modernist building. Also in 2004, Alice Walton donated $2.6 million to the Progress for America PAC, which supported the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. One of Barcelona's most famous residents, the late albino gorilla Copito de Nieve ("Snowflake"), lived and died recently at the zoo. Walmart's company political action committee, the second largest corporate donor to the GOP, gave away $2.1 million in 2004, compared to $100,000 in 1994. To the north of downtown is the Parc de la Ciutadella, which includes both the Parlament de Catalunya (Catalan Parliament) and the Parc Zoològic de Barcelona (zoo). The Walton Family Foundation (WFF) gave away $106.9 million in 2003, twice as much as in 2000. The old harbour offers all kinds of other amenities, including the second largest aquarium in the Mediterranean area and an IMAX cinema. According to the November 21, 2005 issue of The Nation, recently both the Arkansas-based company and the Walton family have elevated their charitable giving.

The buildings of the museum are the medieval Drassanes (shipyards), where the ships which sailed the Mediterranean were built. About $1.5 million in emergency aid was given to displaced employees, and employees displaced by the storm were offered work at Wal-Mart locations elsewhere in the country. Next to it is the Museu Marítim (naval museum), which chronicles the history of life on the Mediterranean, including a full-scale model of a galley. An emergency contact website was set up by Wal-Mart to help locate displaced persons, accessible by Internet and at every store in the country. Les Rambles ends at the old harbour, where a statue of Christopher Columbus points eastwards across the Mediterranean Sea to his birth place of Genoa. In addition, an estimated $3 million in merchandise was donated to victims in several states, and in some cases the corporation was able to provide supplies before the federal government. It is also worth keeping an eye out for pickpockets, for whom the boulevard is a favourite haunt. These donations made it the largest single corporate contributor.

There's also a Wax Museum near the end. After the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster on the United States Gulf Coast, Wal-Mart donated $2 million to the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross and $15 million to the Bush-Clinton Hurricane Katrina Fund for a total of $17 million. Walking along Les Rambles one can see the world-famous opera house El Liceu, the food market of La Boqueria and the Plaça Reial (literally Royal square), with its arches and palm trees, amongst other interesting buildings. More than 90 percent of cash donations from Wal-Mart Stores and the Wal-Mart & SAM'S CLUB Foundation target local communities. A notable feature is Les Rambles, a boulevard that runs from the city center to the waterfront, thronged with crowds until late at night and lined by florists, bird sellers in the higher part, craft sellers in the lowest, street entertainers, cafeterias, and restaurants. The typical Supercenter channels $30,000 to $50,000 a year to local causes and events. The historic city center is fairly flat, while the modern city fans out towards the surrounding hills, bordered by steep streets that are vaguely reminiscent of those found in San Francisco. Unlike most corporate donors, Wal-Mart does not provide a figure for its corporate contributions; instead Wal-Mart's reported contributions include those made by its customers in a larger aggregate figure.

Barcelona offers a unique opportunity for the tourist on foot to walk from Roman remains to the medieval city, and then to the modern city with its open thoroughfares and grid-iron street pattern. In 2004, cash donations to non-profit organizations by Wal-Mart, its employees, and its customers made through Wal-Mart, the Wal-Mart Foundation and the Sam's Club Foundation totaled more than US$170 million. The following list favors Catalan-language names over Spanish-language names; as of 2004, they are the most commonly used and the only official ones:. According to a New York Times story, it is seen by 130 million people a month, making it the fifth largest network in America, behind NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox. Barcelona is divided into several districts. The Wal-Mart Television Network is an in-store network showing commercials for products sold in the stores, concert clips and music videos for recording artists products sold in the stores, trailers for upcoming movie releases, and news. Tibidabo, a prominent peak to the northwest, is visible from much of the city. By focusing on a small number of low-cost products, and siting their retail operations in extremely convenient locations (primarily very small towns which cannot support a Wal-Mart as well as low-income areas of larger metropolitan areas), retailers such as Family Dollar and Dollar General have successfully competed head-to-head with Wal-Mart for home consumer sales.

To its north, the city borders the Besòs river and the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs; to the south it borders the Zona Franca, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat; to the east is the Mediterranean; and to the west are Montcada i Reixach and Sant Cugat del Vallès. Due to Wal-Mart's success in selling consumer goods and its necessary focus on more expensive items (and larger population areas) to increase revenue, a niche has been carved out of Wal-Mart's dominance by several shrewd retail corporations ^[1]. There are vast amounts of Moroccan, Pakistani's and Eastern Europeans, particularly immigrants from Romania and the Ukraine. Chief competitors of Sam's Club are Costco, which is slightly larger than Sam's in terms of sales, as well as the smaller BJ's Wholesale Club chain operating mainly on the East Coast. Many of them are from Spain's former posessions in Latin America, mostly Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia. Wal-Mart's move into the grocery business has also positioned it against major grocery chains such as Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Giant Eagle, Safeway and dozens of local grocery chains. The city of Barcelona being the second largest in Spain, has a fair amount of immigrants numbering 230,942. Wal-Mart's chief competitors in the discount retail space nationally include Sears Holdings Corporation's Kmart chain and Target, Best Buy, along with many smaller regional chains such as Meijer in the midwest.

See also: List of Counts of Barcelona. Wal-Mart stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. Famous people who have lived and worked in Barcelona include: master painters Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dali, Antoni Tàpies, Enrique Tábara, Eugenio Granell, Antonio Saura, Manolo Millares architect Antoni Gaudi. In 2003 McLane Company was sold to Berkshire Hathaway. The city's controversial 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures was held between May and September of the same year, lasting a marathon 141 days. In 1990 Wal-Mart acquired The McLane Company, a foodservice distributor. Barcelona was the site of the 1992 Summer Olympics. In the past, Wal-Mart operated dot Discount Drugs, Bud's Discount City, Hypermart*USA, OneSource Nutrition Centers, and Save-Co Home Improvement stores.

Despite massive immigration of Castilian speakers from other parts of Spain in the second half of the 20th century, there has been notable success in the increased use of Catalan in everyday life. This purchase has been approved by Seiyu Group shareholders and The Seiyu will be consolidated into Wal-Mart International in FYE 2006. The city has been the focus of the revival of the Catalan language. in Japan, with a proposed US$597 million to increase its stake to 50%. A decline in the inner city population and displacement towards the outskirts and beyond raises the threat of urban sprawl. In addition to its wholly-owned international operations, Wal-Mart owns a 42% stake in The Seiyu Co., Ltd. While it may still be the second city of Spain, it has a charm and air that is unique and prized. Wal-Mart also operates the largest real estate company in the United States, with an entire division devoted to building new stores, selling old stores, and developing shopping centers around its stores.

The protest movement of the 1970s and the demise of the dictatorship turned Barcelona into a centre of cultural vitality, enabling it to become the thriving city it is today. Internationally, Wal-Mart employs over 410,000 people (excluding Japan) for a company-wide total of 1.7 million employees. It was overrun by Francisco Franco's forces in 1939, which ushered in a reign of cultural and political repression that lasted decades. Apart from retail locations, it operates 99 Distribution Centers and Transportation Offices in the United States. Barcelona was a stronghold for the anarchist cause -anarchist opposition to the call-up of reservists led to the city's Tragic Week in 1909- siding with the Republic's democratically elected government during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters are located in Bentonville, Arkansas. The beginning of the 20th century marked Barcelona's resurgence, while Catalan nationalists clamoured for political autonomy and greater freedom of cultural expression. As of January 2005, Wal-Mart employed 1.3 million people in the United States.

The fields that had surrounded the artificially constricted city became the Eixample ("extension"), a bustling modern city surrounding the old. Wal-Mart also operates Sam's Club—a "warehouse club" (similar to Costco and BJ's) that sells discounted bulk merchandise to due-paying members. The exposition also left behind the Arc de Triomf and the Museu de Zoologia (a building originally used during the fair as a cafe-restaurant). Wal-Mart operates discount retail department stores selling a broad range of non-grocery products, though emphasis is now focused on the "Supercenters" which offer a full line of grocery items. During a period of weaker control by the Madrid authorities, the medieval walls were torn down and the citadel of La Ribera was converted into an urban park: the modern Parc de la Ciutadella, site of the 1888 "Universal Exposition" (World's Fair). . During the 19th century, Barcelona grew with the industrial revolution and the introduction of many new industries. retail stores being spent at Wal-Mart.

It was returned to Spain after Napoleon's downfall. It holds an 8.9 percent retail store market share, with $8.90 out of every $100 spent in U.S. Barcelona and the province of Catalonia were annexed by the French Empire of Napoleon after he invaded Spain and put his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne. It is the largest private employer in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Official use of Catalan language was forbidden, and the University withdrew. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2005, Wal-Mart reported net income of US $10.3 billion on US $285 billion of sales revenue (3.6% profit margin). King Philip V of Spain demolished half of the merchants' quarter (La Ribera) to build a military citadel, as a way of both punishing and controlling the rebel city. It is the largest retailer in the world and one of the largest companies in the world based on revenue; in 2004 it was the largest, but the recent rise in oil prices has taken at least one oil company past it.

The city was devastated after the Catalonian Republic of 1640 - 1652, and again during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. The city is home to the University of Barcelona, founded in 1450. Accessed January 11, 2006. The forging of a dynastic link between the Crown of Aragon and Castile marked the beginning of Barcelona's decline. ^  Wal-Mart giant can be tamed The Boston Globe, November 23, 2003. The counts of Barcelona became increasingly independent and expanded their territory to include all of Catalonia, later formed the Crown of Aragon who conquered many overseas possessions, ruling the western Mediterranean Sea with outlying territories as far as to Athens in the 13th century. 121; Can't Wal-Mart, a Retail Behemoth, Pay More? The New York Times, May 4, 2005.

Barcelona was still a Christian frontier territory when it was sacked by Al-Mansur in 985. ^  See Palast, p. The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century, by the Moors in the early 8th century, reconquered from the emir in 801 by Charlemagne's son Louis who made Barcelona the seat of Carolingian "Spanish Marches" (Marca Hispanica), a buffer zone ruled by the Count of Barcelona. ^  Down and Out in Discount America, The Nation, January 3, 2005; Wal-Mart's Welfare Dependency, San Francisco Chronicle by Sally Lieber, November 7, 2003. Some remaining fragments of the Roman walls have been incorporated in the cathedral butted up against them [1]; the basilica La Seu is credited to have been founded in 343. House of Representatives Representative George Miller, Senior Democrat, February 16, 2004; Wal-Marts Cost State, Study Says, San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2004. The Roman Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino was outshone by the province's capital Tarragona but some important Roman remains are exposed under the Plaça del Rei, entrance by the city museum, Museu d'Història de la Ciutat and the typically Roman grid-planning is still visible today on the map of the historical centre, the Barri Gótic ("Gothic Quarter"). ^ Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart (pdf), A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce U.S.

About 15 BC, Romans redrew the town as a castrum (a Roman military camp) centred on the "Mons Taber", a little hill nearby the contemporary city hall (Plaça de Sant Jaume). ^  Wal-Mart public relations web page, section regarding Benefits (retreived May 25, 2005). Legend attributes the Carthaginian foundation of Barcino to Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal. ^  Retaliating first, Wal-Mart in Canada, The Economist, Feb 24th 2005; Ex-Wal-Mart Workers Win Battle Globe and Mail, Rhéal Séguin, September 17, 2005. . Coughlin Told Others Bogus Expenses Hid Plot Against Unions Retailer Disputes His Claim, Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2005. The mayor of Barcelona is Joan Clos. ^  Petty Cash A Wal-Mart Legend's Trail of Deceit Mr.

2005), although this only covers 7,733 km² (3,000 mi²) around the city. 119-120; Chinese Workers Pay for Wal-Mart's Low Prices, Washington Post, February 8, 2004; [Wal-Mart faces sweat-shop lawsuit Wal-Mart faces sweat-shop lawsuit], Financial Times (London), September 14, 2005; Suit Says Wal-Mart Is Lax on Labor Abuses Overseas, New York Times, September 14, 2005; Workers Sue Wal-Mart Over Sweatshop Conditions, Reuters, September 13, 2005, Sweatshop Workers on Four Continents Sue Wal-Mart in California Court, Press Release, September 13, 2005; Human cost behind bargain shopping Dateline hidden camera investigation in Bangladesh, Dateline NBC, June 17, 2005. Population of the province of Barcelona is 5,226,354 (est. ISBN 0745318460., p. 2005). The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth About Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High-Finance Fraudsters, Pluto Press. 2005), while the population of the metropolitan area is 4,686,701 (est. ^  Palast, Greg (2002).

The population of the city proper is 1,593,075 (est. ISBN 1585424226.. It is 160 km (100 mi) south of the Pyrenees mountain range. The United States of Wal-Mart, Tarcher. It is located in the comarca of Barcelonès, along the Mediterranean coast (41°23′N 2°11′E) between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs. Dicker, John (2005). Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia. ISBN 155369855X..

Parc Nou del Prat, on the Llobregat delta, adjoining Sant Cosme and the airport. Megamall on the Hudson: Planning, Wal-Mart, and Grassroots Resistance, Trafford. Once a quarry, now boasts an artificial lake that converts to public swimming pool in summer, and magnificent statue by Basque artist Eduardo Chillida. Porter, David (2003). Parc de la Creueta del Coll, 1987, Oriol Bohigas, Josep Martorell, David Mackay, architects. ISBN 0745318460.. Parc del Litoral, at the mouth of the River Besos. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Owl Books.

Parc de les Planes, located at the boundary of three districts. Ehrenreich, Barbara (2002). Parc del Besós, La Mina housing estate. ISBN 1580086683.. Fontsana, Sant Joan Despí on the site of a former refuse dump. How Wal-Mart Is Destroying America and the World: And What You Can Do about It (3rd edition). Upgrading of Parc de Torreblanca, the historical site of an urban farm. Quinn, Bill (2005).

A narrow linear park defined by hedge walls and a grid of trees on the bank of the Congost River. ISBN 0465023169.. Parc de Torrent Congost (Granollers), 1996, Enric Battle and Joan Roig. Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart. Parc de Canserra (Barberà del Vallès), 1996, Studio BCQ. Featherstone, Liza (2004). Trees and a pool strengthen the sensual escape from the surrounding city. ISBN 1932857249..

The design recaptures the pattern of agricultural use using beds of flowering plants. Wal-Mart: The medeum Cost of Low Price, Disinformation Company. Parc del Torrent Ballesters (Viladecans), 1997, Arturo Frediani/SOB Associates. Disinformation Company (2005). A ramble built over parking spaces. ISBN 0385513569.. Carrer Brasil, 1996, Olga Tarraso and Jordi Hernrich. The Bully of Bentonville: How the High Cost of Wal-Mart's Everyday Low Prices Is Hurting America.

Parc Güell. Bianco, Anthony (2006). Palau de la Música Catalana. ISBN 155860684X.. Palau Güell. Data Warehousing: Using the Wal-Mart Model. Hospital de Sant Pau. Westerman, Paul (2000).

Casa Milà (La Pedrera). ISBN 0785261192.. Sant Martí: Fort Pius, Sant Martí de Provençals, Poble Nou, La Verneda, el Clot. The Wal-Mart Way: The Inside Story of the Success of the World's Largest Company. Sant Andreu: Barri del Congrés, Sant Andreu de Palomar. Soderquist, Don (2005). Nou Barris: Can Peguera, Porta, Canyelles, Ciutat Meridiana, Guineueta, Prosperitat, Vallbona, Verdum, Vilapicina, Roquetes, Trinitat Vella, Trinitat Nova, Torre Baró, Torre Llobeta and Turó de la Peira. ISBN 1591840430..

Horta-Guinardó: Horta, El Carmel, La Teixonera, El Guinardó. The Wal-Mart Triumph: Inside the World's #1 Company. Gràcia: Vallcarca, Barri de la Salut, Gràcia, El Camp d'en Grassot. Slater, Robert (2004). Sarrià - Sant Gervasi: Pedralbes, Sarrià, Sant Gervasi, Vallvidrera. ISBN 1591840066.. Les Corts. The Wal-Mart Decade: How a New Generation of Leaders Turned Sam Walton's Legacy into the World's #1 Company.

Sants - Montjuïc: Can Tunis, Montjuïc, Hostafrancs, Sants, Poble Sec. Slater, Robert (2003). The Eixample: Sant Antoni, Esquerra de l'Eixample ("the left side of the Eixample" with the sea at your back), Dreta de l'Eixample ("the right side of the Eixample"), Barri de la Sagrada Família. ISBN 0812963776.. Ciutat Vella (old city): El Raval (also known as the Barri Xinès), the Barri Gòtic, and the Barri de la Ribera. In Sam We Trust: The Untold Story of Sam Walton and Wal-Mart, the World's Most Powerful Retailer. 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures. Ortega, Bob (1998).

1992 Summer Olympics. ISBN 1595580352.. 1982 Hosted eight matches of the twelfth Football World Cup. Wal-Mart: A Field Guide to America's Largest Company and the World's Largest Employer, New Press. 1962 In late September, major flooding kills 800+ people in the surroundings. Lichtenstein, Nelson (2006). 1952 Eucharistic Congress. ISBN 0471679984..

1936 People's Olympiad, cancelled because of the Spanish Civil War. What I Learned from Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World. 1929 International Exposition (World's Fair). Bergdahl, Michael (2004). 1909 Tragic Week. [26]. 1888 Universal Exposition (World's Fair). Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, a 2005 documentary by Robert Greenwald, the creator of Outfoxed.

Independent America, a 2005 documentary on the larger issue of independent businesses fighting for survival against corpprate chains. Outrageous Fortunes, BBC Three, aired on 26 April 2004, about the workings of Wal-Mart. Featuring interviews with both Wal-Mart top brass and critics, it won a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award for television excellence. The Age of Wal-Mart, a 2004 documentary produced by CNBC.

and China. Frontline: Is Wal-Mart Good for America?, a PBS Frontline documentary on the impact of Wal-Mart in the U.S. Store Wars, a PBS special taking a close look at one community's battle over Wal-Mart. Why Wal-Mart Works & Why That Makes Some People Crazy, a pro-Wal-Mart documentary (not affiliated with Wal-Mart).

Wal-Mart Space a blog run by Bobby Gerry which explores Wal-Mart's financial statements. AlwaysLowPrices.net a blog run by Kevin Brancato (discontinued on November 14, 2005). Wal-Mart political donations. 2004-04-09 10-K.

WMT: Profile for WAL-MART STORES - Yahoo! Finance. Company Profile. Yahoo! - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price A feature-length documentary.

The New Rules Project(critiques big box development, not limited to Wal-Mart). Wal-Mart Free NYC A group fighting to keep New York City Wal-Mart free. Wal-Mart Wiki Though not strictly critical, this wiki is definitely weighted against Wal-Mart in its current state. Wal-Mart Watchlabor union-funded website.

Wake-Up Wal-Mart website by the United Food and Commercial Workers. Index of numerous studies on Wal-Mart's economic and social impacts from The American Independent Business Alliance. Sprawl Busters, site Al Norman, an activist who helps local "site fights" against big box stores. Rotten Library: Wal-Mart.

Video report of Wal-Mart using child labor, CBC News, November 30, 2005. Wal-Mart caught using child labor, CBC News, November 30, 2005. Maryland's House approved a bill that would require all businesses in the state with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits for workers. Sweet Victory: Maryland Stands Up To Wal-Mart, The Nation, Sunday, April 17, 2005.

Retaliating first, Wal-Mart in Canada, The Economist, Feb 24th 2005. Wal-Marts Cost State, Study Says, San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2004. House of Representatives Representative George Miller, Senior Democrat, February 16, 2004. Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart(pdf), A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce U.S.

Article argues that the decline of Union Industry jobs and the rise of Wal-Mart is destroying America's middle class. In Wal-Mart's America, Washington Post, August 27, 2003. Up against the Wal-Mart, Business Week, March 13, 2000, Explains union's attempt to unionize Wal-Marts. "Wal-Mart: High Prices for American Workers" file, (PDF February 16, 2004) from the Democratic Staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

California Legislators Call for Oversight of Wal-Mart's Health Benefits (Study of Peachcare). "The Wal-Mart You Don't Know", Fast Company, Issue 77, December 2003, Page 68 Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. "Inside the Leviathan" by Simon Head for The New York Review of Books, December 16, 2004. UC Berkeley report on the community impact of Wal-Mart's lower wages(pdf).

How Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart, The New York Times, July 17, 2005. Costco's Dilemma: Is Treating Employees Well Unacceptable for a Public Corporation? The Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2004 Costco's compensation for its employees with comparison to Wal-Mart. Company for the People Seattle Weekly, December 15 - 21, 2004, Article which contrasts Wal-Mart with employee-friendly Costco. The Freedom to Hate Wal-Mart?, Paul Jacob, The Free Liberal, December 5, 2005.

Should We Admire Wal-Mart? Fortune Magazine, March 8, 2004. Economy a study funded by Wal-Mart, determining the net economic impact of Wal-Mart at the national, city, and county level. Measuring the Economic Impact of Wal-Mart on the U.S. of Economics, University of Missouri, 2002.