I always try to use the local, small, business for whatever I wish to purchase. Unfortunatley, there aren't any small businesses to meet my needs all the time. So what's a brother to do? The internet has everything but it is so impersonal(except for Mudcat) that I don't wish to shop on it except when there is no local small outlet for the item. So what can we do to keep the small business going? I am sorry bflat is out of business, I used to buy CD's from a small local business, the price wasn't always the lowest but I bit the bullet and swallowed the extra buck.. now it is out of business. I don't know how to stop the influx of the Wal Mart family after all they have purchased a part of every sports franchise here in St.Louis and the KC Royals. Are they helping the community? I don't know but they want the public to buy a stadium for them. Wal Mart will own the world that isn't owned by Microsoft or Disney. But what can one person do?