Wha?

Well, this is a real kick in the teeth for my "businesses are sociopaths" theory.

Walgreen's to Treat the Unemployed and Uninsured for Free

Granted, it is fabulous marketing -- I didn't even know Walgreen's had in-store clinics -- and it doesn't cover everything, but this still boggles my mind. Actually, it's this and the fact that Pepsi literally clothed the huddled masses at the Obama inauguration, while the Boy Scouts handed out shoddy little flags. I don't have very high expectations of the Boy Scouts either, but still.

Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule, but even if Walgreen's is doing this for purely nefarious reasons, such as to build brand loyalty among those who can't afford care anyway, it's a very positive sign. If ethics are at such a premium with the public that companies find it advantageous to do this sort of thing, then it becomes much easier to avoid the whole corporate dystopian nightmare scenario. This is predicated on the public paying attention and being alert to trickery, though, and the jury is still out on that.

Nonetheless, bravo to Walgreen's.