Friday Blog Round-Up: Christmas in October Edition

SANTA TO WORK LONGER HOURS WITHOUT OVERTIME THIS YEAR
Wal-Mart announced this week that it will start cutting toy prices almost three months before Christmas. To which Santa Claus replied, “Seriously?”

Wal-Mart starts the discounting early this year [BloggingStocks]

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said it will cut prices on some of the most popular toys and speed up the opening of Christmas shops in its stores nationwide as it tries to lure budget-conscious shoppers and jump start its biggest selling season.”

Wal-Mart: Coal In The Retail Industry’s Stocking [24/7 Wall St.]

Wal-Mart’s action is a typical method for burying the competition. It can afford almost endless inventory build-ups for the busy shopping season. It can pull in the very modest amount that the consumer has to spend and leave other retailers with scraps off the table.

In which Walmart explains why we’re all doomed. [Writing on the Wal]

Obviously, I’m a masochist. I actually read Walmart’s press release on its early rollback of toy prices. While the Play-Doh Ice Cream Shop would be tempting if it weren’t Walmart we’re talking about here, I was much more struck by the survey results at the bottom of the document. Most notably:

Sixty-one percent of Americans do not plan on making cut-backs on how much they spend this Christmas season.

*Those who do plan on making cut-backs, plan on cutting back $50 or less.

Don’t you think that result seems just a tad self-interested? Why is that stat there if not to convince people to spend more whether they can afford to or not? I suspect Walmart has declared Christmas early because they’re afraid nobody will have any money left in December.

After the jump, Wal-Mart shuts down DRM music downloads, managers make up their own rules and 210,000 toasters get recalled.

THIS IS WORSE THAN THE LINUX FAMINE OF 2002
Wal-Mart announced that it will no longer offer/support DRM music downloads. Meaning, everyone who bought music through Wal-Mart is effed. Of note: this makes digital music - an otherwise unbreakable commodity - as flimsy and useless as everything else sold at Wal-Mart.

Walmart Shutting Down Music Store DRM Servers, Umpteenth Reminder to Not Buy DRM’d Content [Gizmodo]

Like Yahoo and MSN before them, Walmart is turning off its DRM servers on Oct. 9, effectively putting any DRM’d songs you bought from them into a cold stasis they’ll never wake up from, since they’ll become totally unmovable unless you circumvent the DRM.

Walmart Shuts Down Music Store, Deactivates DRM-Protected Songs [Consumerist]

Last week, Walmart sent out emails to its online music store customers letting them know that on October 9th, 2008, they will no longer be able to play any DRM-crippled tracks. Unlike Yahoo, which did the right thing by offering free replacement downloads of unprotected songs when they killed their DRM program, Walmart simply brags about its new unlicensed model and tells you to burn your protected tracks to CD if you really want to listen to them in the future. Good job, Walmart, there goes another betrayed consumer into the welcoming arms of digital piracy. And another. And another…

Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server, nuking your music collection—only people who pay for music risk losing it to DRM shenanigans [BoingBoing]

Hey suckers! Did you buy DRM music from Wal*Mart instead of downloading MP3s for free from the P2P networks? Well, they’re repaying your honesty by taking away your music. Unless you go through a bunch of hoops (that you may never find out about, if you’ve changed email addresses or if you’re not a very technical person), your music will no longer be playable after October 9th.

Wal-Mart Dropping Support for its DRM Music [HTML Center]

I have no idea how many people use the Wal-Mart music download service, or, for that matter, how many used it when Wal-Mart was still selling DRM-protected WMA files.However, if you are one of those people, you are in for some bad news. Those files will do nothing but take up space on your hard drive this time next week.

This was such a big issue, even the folks at the Checkout Blog woke up from their slumber to post about it:

For those who have followed these stories, transitions away from DRM-protected music have been difficult and other digital music providers have had similar issues as they’ve announced plans to move away from DRM-protected music and/or discontinue their service.  Walmart.com continues to be committed to offering the best values on digital music in the format that you – our customers – have asked for, MP3.  We are proud of our current ability to offer high-quality, DRM-free, MP3s from all major music distributors at great prices to our customers.  We believe the MP3 format provides you with superior quality, usability and flexibility, and we look forward to bringing you the best values in MP3s through our online music store.

Awww...they copy-and-pasted straight from the corporate press release. That’s cute.

WAL-MART: YOU PLAY ON OUR TERMS
We’re glad this Consumerist reader is just trying to return an air mattress. Imagine if you, like, worked for these people.

Walmart Refuses To Take Back Air Mattress, Makes Up New Return Policy On The Spot [Consumerist]

“I have been trying to make Walmart take back an air mattress for two months now, and they refuse.” The store manager at the Walmart on South Duff Avenue in Ames, Iowa (shout out to Leslie Hall!) has started making up new rules on when an air mattress can be returned—including that the federal government limits returns to 15 days “because of the bed bugs, you know.” No, we didn’t know that, Walmart manager. In fact, after thinking about it, we’re still not sure we know it. Because it sounds like you made it up.

OH AND THIS
Which only affects you if you shop at Wal-Mart. Which, I think everyone knows by now, you shouldn’t.

Wal-Mart recalls over 210,000 toasters from store shelves [BloggingStocks]

Of course, GE doesn’t make many consumer products itself (it contracts out), so this is another reminder that brands must have some say in quality control of their outsourcing partners. Oh wait—that costs too much, and I doubt Jeff Immelt wants to explain to shareholders that profits were down due to safety recalls.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Friday, October 03, 2008

Click Here for a Printer-Friendly Version

COMMENTS

http://events.streamlogics.com/ufcw_1400/Aug04-04/index.htm

R E M E M B E R
J O N Q U I E R E
Q U E B E C
Home of Walmart Worker Abuse

R E M E M B E R
J A C K S O N V I L L E
T E X A S
Home of Walmart Worker Abuse

Alex in o
Friday, October 03 at 04:01 PM

VILLAGE OF BARKER, N.Y. (WIVB) - A man survived being struck by lightning while pumping gas. 

Survivor William Hall said, “Everybody tells me I’m lucky, and I feel that way. I really do.”

What started as a routine stop for gas, ended in a near death experience for William Hall Wednesday.

“Started pumping the gas, and I seen a very bright orange light, followed by a very bright white light, and then total darkness. I went out,” said Hall.

Surveillance cameras at the K & K Food Mart captured the amazing video of a lightning bolt hitting the parking lot. A few minutes after Hall paid, you can see the flash outside.

Another camera caught Hall falling over after the bolt struck.

Chief Ross Annable from Barker Police said, “Pretty amazing, and pretty lucky that he’s able to survive and walk away from it.”

And with that I bid Farewell for now.
If you suport Wal*Mart then you support:
A bankrupt America
Higher Crime
Higher gas Prices
Tax Payer bailouts!
Enjoy!
I’m off having fun!
It’s good to be king!

Bobby in
Friday, October 03 at 04:36 PM

One last thing for all the hyper smart, holyer than though, Anti American Cheapskates:
Fannie Mae said it will set aside the loan of a woman who shot herself as sheriff’s deputies tried to evict her from her foreclosed home.

Fannie Mae foreclosed on the Akron, Ohio, home of Addie Polk, 90, after acquiring the mortgage in 2007.

Addie Polk, 90, of Akron, Ohio, became a symbol of the nation’s home mortgage crisis when she was hospitalized after shooting herself at least twice in the upper body Wednesday afternoon.

On Friday, Fannie Mae spokesman Brian Faith said the mortgage association had decided to halt action against Polk and sign the property “outright” to her.

“We’re going to forgive whatever outstanding balance she had on the loan and give her the house,” Faith said. “Given the circumstances, we think it’s appropriate.”

Residents of Akron have rallied behind Polk, who is being treated at Akron General Medical Center. She was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, according to Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville.

Rest in peace MF’s!!!!!!

What’s Bad for Wal*Mart is Good for America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bobby in
Friday, October 03 at 05:33 PM

Bobby: Tip of the iceberg. What happens when Johhny comes marching home?

ddrb in
Friday, October 03 at 05:44 PM

The South will Rise again!

“when Johnny comes marchin home”

Hill Billy Deluxe in
Saturday, October 04 at 06:49 PM

Hilly Billy:  The South may need to wait a while longer before rising.If one is to believe his earlier rhetoric, Johnny Mac won’t be marchin’ home to a Confederate flag-and I ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie,you betcha! To wit:~~~~~~~~~
John McCain to condemn Confederate flag
Out of the media spotlight and away from the presidential crucible, the Arizona senator will take a stand on a South Carolina controversy.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Jake Tapper
Arizona Sen. John McCain will fly to Columbia, S.C., Wednesday morning, where he will attempt to mend his one campaign regret by condemning the Confederate flag flying atop the state Capitol.

In what he is calling a “speech on conservative reform,” McCain will speak Wednesday at noon at a South Carolina restaurant, flanked by Rep. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of his chief presidential-campaign backers in the state. He will tacitly support a compromise bill passed last week by the state Senate that would move the flag from atop the Capitol dome to a Confederate soldiers’ memorial on state grounds. He will support the idea that South Carolinians are solving the issue on their own, though he does not plan on supporting the specific bill, as has been reported elsewhere.

The issue is a personal one for McCain, sources close to him say, because he feels it represents the one moment during his presidential campaign when he violated a promise he made to the American people to always tell the truth, regardless of the political consequences. After dodging questions during the campaign about his personal feelings over the appropriateness of the Confederate flag flying above the Capitol—which he did for fear of voter backlash in the South Carolina primary—McCain will express regret that he honored politics over principle. Personally, he believes that flying the flag over the Capitol is wrong, as it deeply offends so many blacks.


Additionally, the sources say, McCain will note that his Southern ancestors owned slaves, a fact he learned from Salon during a February interview.

During a Jan. 9 TV interview, McCain called the Confederate flag “offensive” and “a symbol of racism and slavery,” though he said he could see the other side of the issue as well. Later he waffled clumsily back to the more conservative view, saying: “Some view it as a symbol of slavery. Others view it as a symbol of heritage. “But that statement was apparently more pander than principle.

Many supporters of the flag claim they’re merely fighting for the preservation of Southern heritage. But to many others it’s a symbol of slavery and bigotry. It is fairly well known—albeit generally unreported—that the flag is displayed outside bars and restaurants throughout the South where blacks are not welcome.

It is unknown whether McCain will, on Wednesday, condemn Richard Quinn, his chief South Carolina advisor, who edits a racially controversial magazine called Southern Partisan. During his campaign, McCain brushed off requests from the liberal interest group People for the American Way when it asked him to fire Quinn. According to the group, Quinn’s articles have called Nelson Mandela a “terrorist” and King a man “whose role in history was to lead his people into a perpetual dependence on the welfare state, a terrible bondage of body and soul.” In another piece, Quinn said of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, “What better way to reject politics as usual than to elect a maverick like David Duke?” though he did condemn Duke’s bigotry.
In 1983, when I was brand-new in the Congress, I voted against the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King. And later I had the chance to ... help fight for ... the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday in my state.”

salon.com,Spring 2000~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jake Tapper is the Washington correspondent for Salon News

ddrb in
Tuesday, October 07 at 12:43 PM

Big Day in Benton County
The Confederate soldier, a few blocks from Wal-Mart Headquarters in the heart of the Bentonville Square, will celebrate his 100th birthday this week. The city’s Confederate monument was erected through the efforts of James H. Berry Chapter No. 821 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and by A. J. Bates, a Bentonville businessman.

Proud city leaders are throwing a party to honor the monument this Friday. Bentonville Mayor Bob McCaslin will read an official proclamation, and box lunches will be available for purchase. Organizers say they are hoping no one will fly Confederate flags, at least during the event. Not everyone seems to appreciate the importance of the monument to the residents of Benton County, and the county has spent $1,600 to replace its balls stolen by vandals.

Barack Obama, whose Arkansas ancestors fought for the Confederacy during the Late Unpleasantness, is not planning to attend the ceremony. However, many local dignitaries will be in attendance for the event, and it is anticipated that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette will provide extensive favorable coverage of the ceremony and glories of the Lost Cause.

Senator John McCain is flying into XNA and will be bringing his campaign message to Benton County that day. Having chosen the day of the Confederate ceremony to catch local Republicans in a buoyant spirit, McCain will hold a $500-per-person reception later that day at the Embassy Suites on Pinnacle Hills Parkway in Rogers.

McCain did not attend the original parade and dedication of the Confederate statue in 1908.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008~~~~~~~~~~~~~NOTE: Hilly Billy, don’t give up yet. I suppose there IS hope in hypocrisy.

ddrb in
Tuesday, October 07 at 12:50 PM

...the Late Unpleasantness...

That is one peach of a euphemism!

The War Between the States is over, boys and girls. Now all we have to worry about is those infernal carpetbaggers!

“There is no perceived risk in attacking Wal-Mart anymore. They have gone from being a business success story to being a cultural villain.” ~ Eric Dezenhall

Ken V in Texas
Tuesday, October 07 at 03:11 PM

Ken V: Weren’t the carpetbaggers the forerunners of today’s corporatebaggers,including those from Arkansas?

ddrb in
Tuesday, October 07 at 05:44 PM

Apparently Walmart watch missed the update that Walmart decided not to remove the DRM server at this time.

Dave in
Friday, October 10 at 01:32 PM

Do natural breast enlargement pills really work? Are they safe? Do you want to increase your penis size ?
Penis Enlargement Success is an all natural herbal supplement.Using pills your penis will be firmer and bigger.Read about this products here http://www.just4-sex.com

cuppySaxduaky in Virgin Islands
Wednesday, October 15 at 03:11 PM

Commenting is not available in this content entry.

Comment Policy

WalmartWatch.com reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to remove or refuse to post blog comments.