Launched by Andrew Grossman, who started Wal-Mart Watch, the Health Information Center will explain the health-care reform act to citizens, and help states implement it.

A coalition of community groups called Wal-Mart Watch has sent a petition to the F.D.I.C. with 11,000 signatures opposing Wal-Mart's application.

Tracy Sefl, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Watch, said someone mailed the document anonymously to her group last month.

Wal-Mart did not rebut such attacks, even when Wal-Mart Watch released a 24-page report blasting the company's wages and benefits.

The Ruckus Society is a member of numerous coalitions efforts, and have performed actions for Wal-Mart Watch and others.

Two groups, Wal-Mart Watch and Sprawl-Busters, have teamed up to create an online toolkit for community groups opposing the giant discount retailer.

Many are of the "Wal-Mart Watch" variety (walmartwatch.com) and are decidedly one-sided.

Another group, Wal-Mart Watch, plans to announce a week of demonstrations and meetings nationwide in November to criticize Wal-Mart's wages and benefits.

Groups like Wal-Mart Watch have sprouted, bent on exposing the company's evil ways.

Just last week, for instance, Wal-Mart Watch, an ally of the unions, got hold of an internal Wal-Mart memo, which it leaked to The Times.