I Love Walmart!
Quote: EvenBobQuote: HunterhillYou have to be a member at Costco so they can require you to show your receipt as part of the membership agreement.
You don’t like it then don’t become a member.
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Back before covid I rented a lot of cars on weekends for a couple years to go to the casinos because Michigan didn't have online gaming yet. With the Costco membership renting cars was extremely cheap, sometimes I could rent a car for 3 days for under $40. I think I went into Costco twice and it was on a Tuesday or Wednesday in the middle of the day and the place was absolutely jammed with people. Had to drive around looking for a parking space. And stuff isn't that much cheaper than any place else, in fact Walmart was cheaper on almost everything. Yet people were in there loading up on all kinds of crap. I walked around and could not find one single thing I wanted to buy. My brother is a member now because Costco gas is so much cheaper and he says the same thing about going in the store, it's a huge waste of time.
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Yes I feel the same way about those stores. They have their uses for some people, but I went to Costco and found no reason to go back. Back east I briefly had a membership at BJ's which is the same thing, no great deals to be found there. (Also: Aldi. No, ugh. If I want mystery brands I can get that even cheaper at Dollar Tree.)
I guess the fair comparison would be between Walmart and Sam's Club. Are the prices any better if you go to a Walmart that's called a Sam's Club?
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyQuote: EvenBobQuote: HunterhillYou have to be a member at Costco so they can require you to show your receipt as part of the membership agreement.
You don’t like it then don’t become a member.
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Back before covid I rented a lot of cars on weekends for a couple years to go to the casinos because Michigan didn't have online gaming yet. With the Costco membership renting cars was extremely cheap, sometimes I could rent a car for 3 days for under $40. I think I went into Costco twice and it was on a Tuesday or Wednesday in the middle of the day and the place was absolutely jammed with people. Had to drive around looking for a parking space. And stuff isn't that much cheaper than any place else, in fact Walmart was cheaper on almost everything. Yet people were in there loading up on all kinds of crap. I walked around and could not find one single thing I wanted to buy. My brother is a member now because Costco gas is so much cheaper and he says the same thing about going in the store, it's a huge waste of time.
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Yes I feel the same way about those stores. They have their uses for some people, but I went to Costco and found no reason to go back. Back east I briefly had a membership at BJ's which is the same thing, no great deals to be found there. (Also: Aldi. No, ugh. If I want mystery brands I can get that even cheaper at Dollar Tree.)
I guess the fair comparison would be between Walmart and Sam's Club. Are the prices any better if you go to a Walmart that's called a Sam's Club?
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I absolutely hate Aldi grocery store. The store itself is too small, the aisles are so narrow you can barely get two carts by each other, the selection is pitiful, check out is a nightmare, I don't see the point of it. Yeah they have cheaper prices on meat but their produce section is practically non-existent. I have to go to yet another store to get what I can't buy at Aldi, forget it.
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyClear thinking at Walmart. Stacking these fans like this keeps the pile out of a condition where it could topple onto someone if it was bumped or became unstable due to shopping. They can only be unstacked easily evenly from the top.
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That looks more like a distribution center and not a retail outlet. Probably not a lot of people in danger but it still looks sketchy.
Quote: DRichQuote: AutomaticMonkeyClear thinking at Walmart. Stacking these fans like this keeps the pile out of a condition where it could topple onto someone if it was bumped or became unstable due to shopping. They can only be unstacked easily evenly from the top.
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That looks more like a distribution center and not a retail outlet. Probably not a lot of people in danger but it still looks sketchy.
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The image is rotated, and there are clear indications it is a retail site.
Quote: DRichQuote: AutomaticMonkeyClear thinking at Walmart. Stacking these fans like this keeps the pile out of a condition where it could topple onto someone if it was bumped or became unstable due to shopping. They can only be unstacked easily evenly from the top.
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That looks more like a distribution center and not a retail outlet. Probably not a lot of people in danger but it still looks sketchy.
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That's just an ordinary Walmart in Las Vegas.
I mean what I said as a legit compliment; someone was thinking when they came up with that idea. If you stacked 4 piles or so that high jack-on-jack, they're going to be unstable and get worse when people start pulling on them. I pushed on it and no way, that structure is not moving en masse, and I'm reasonably but not extremely tall and I could reach the top layer and take one down if I wanted to. It would take a lot of force to pull one from lower down in the structure due to friction and even if you did, the fans above that point would still be supported by the other columns and it would not topple.
Quote: EvenBobBlack Friday is such a ripoff. I was reading that Amazon sends a letter to all its sellers usually the middle of September telling them to be aware of what sale prices they are going to be charging for Black Friday. This is to alert the higher price items to raise their prices by 50% in October and November so they can take 40% off on Black Friday and still make money. It's just another scam like everything else these days and people don't notice it because they never look at those items normally so they have no idea what a regular price is.
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It's not just gift items.
A 6 pack of Coke (500mL plastic) has been $3.98 for the last 6 months or so. I believe last week, the price did the holiday spike to $5.98, where I expect it to stay until around January 10th.
I know the prices on brand name mix traditionally increase around holiday entertaining season, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
On the other hand, commodity electronics will be slightly less overpriced than usual for the next few weeks.
Quote: EvenBobBlack Friday is such a ripoff. I was reading that Amazon sends a letter to all its sellers usually the middle of September telling them to be aware of what sale prices they are going to be charging for Black Friday. This is to alert the higher price items to raise their prices by 50% in October and November so they can take 40% off on Black Friday and still make money. It's just another scam like everything else these days and people don't notice it because they never look at those items normally so they have no idea what a regular price is.
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This is old stuff. My dad used to tell me about when he worked at Sears during a mill layoff. Said he spent an entire day jacking up prices on something or other. That weekend there was a "sale" on it, more or less back to previous price.
What I SMH at are the goofballs that spend half of Thanksgiving day standing outside Best Buy, in the cold and rain. Don't know if they still do it they did as late as early 2010s.
Quote: AZDuffman[...
What I SMH at are the goofballs that spend half of Thanksgiving day standing outside Best Buy, in the cold and rain. Don't know if they still do it they did as late as early 2010s.
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Sometimes I wonder how many of those people are doing that just for the community of it. The fall and winter holiday season is a time of despair for many, and camping out overnight in the rain with a bunch of like-minded strangers might be just the thing to raise the spirits.
Quote: AZDuffman
This is old stuff. My dad used to tell me about when he worked at Sears during a mill layoff. Said he spent an entire day jacking up prices on something or other. That weekend there was a "sale" on it, more or less back to previous price.
The ones that I always laugh about are the jewelry stores in the malls. 50% off everything every day of the week.
Quote: DRichQuote: AZDuffman
This is old stuff. My dad used to tell me about when he worked at Sears during a mill layoff. Said he spent an entire day jacking up prices on something or other. That weekend there was a "sale" on it, more or less back to previous price.
The ones that I always laugh about are the jewelry stores in the malls. 50% off everything every day of the week.
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I read years ago that diamonds are not that rare and they're expensive only because the diamond market is so controlled by just very few people who've been in the business for a very long time. They could easily flood the market but then the value of diamonds would plummet.
Included with my membership is a free annual subscription to Peacock, Paramount, and Showtime.
It also includes hundreds of dollars of free food at Burger King, as well as a 25% discount every day.
The main attraction is discounts on many items as well as tip-free in-home delivery, with a $35 minimum.
Membership has many other benefits, but I don't use them.
Almost all the bulk food I buy for my charity work comes from there, as they are sometimes even cheaper than some wholesale outlets.
Quote: EvenBobQuote: DRichQuote: AZDuffman
This is old stuff. My dad used to tell me about when he worked at Sears during a mill layoff. Said he spent an entire day jacking up prices on something or other. That weekend there was a "sale" on it, more or less back to previous price.
The ones that I always laugh about are the jewelry stores in the malls. 50% off everything every day of the week.
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I read years ago that diamonds are not that rare and they're expensive only because the diamond market is so controlled by just very few people who've been in the business for a very long time. They could easily flood the market but then the value of diamonds would plummet.
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Yes. DeBeers. They tell you what you can buy and when you can buy it for how much. I have heard they cannot set foot in the USA or they will be arrested. Their stranglehold is not what it once was but it is huge. They are the ones who convinced women that a diamond engagement ring is an important thing.
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyQuote: AZDuffman[...
What I SMH at are the goofballs that spend half of Thanksgiving day standing outside Best Buy, in the cold and rain. Don't know if they still do it they did as late as early 2010s.
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Sometimes I wonder how many of those people are doing that just for the community of it. The fall and winter holiday season is a time of despair for many, and camping out overnight in the rain with a bunch of like-minded strangers might be just the thing to raise the spirits.
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I'll concede a certain amount of that. I have lived far from family at Thanksgiving and it can be a big void to fill. Usually you meet some other single and lonely types at work or elsewhere and do something. I can assure you that camping out at a retail place is among the last things I would do but it takes all kinds I suppose.
Quote: billryanI just renewed my Walmart+/InHome for another year at $119.
Included with my membership is a free annual subscription to Peacock, Paramount, and Showtime.
It also includes hundreds of dollars of free food at Burger King, as well as a 25% discount every day.
The main attraction is discounts on many items as well as tip-free in-home delivery, with a $35 minimum.
Membership has many other benefits, but I don't use them.
Almost all the bulk food I buy for my charity work comes from there, as they are sometimes even cheaper than some wholesale outlets.
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billryan,
I haven't used the Burger King benefit, but I do enjoy Paramount+ and free delivery.
One other benefit is 10¢ off per gallon at Exxon/Mobil and Wal-Mart gas locations.
Dog Hand
Quote: DogHandQuote: billryanI just renewed my Walmart+/InHome for another year at $119.
Included with my membership is a free annual subscription to Peacock, Paramount, and Showtime.
It also includes hundreds of dollars of free food at Burger King, as well as a 25% discount every day.
The main attraction is discounts on many items as well as tip-free in-home delivery, with a $35 minimum.
Membership has many other benefits, but I don't use them.
Almost all the bulk food I buy for my charity work comes from there, as they are sometimes even cheaper than some wholesale outlets.
link to original post
billryan,
I haven't used the Burger King benefit, but I do enjoy Paramount+ and free delivery.
One other benefit is 10¢ off per gallon at Exxon/Mobil and Wal-Mart gas locations.
Dog Hand
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10c off? Chump change! I didn’t pay attention to why, but just filled up the Tiguan at Circle K and the machine congratulated me on getting 40c off per gallon. That was around $5 for SOOPOO! Combine that with now 5 in a row free double meat on my Publix subs, and I’m rolling in money. Not to mention Bubbie’s pickles were on BOGO.
Maybe repeating myself, but recently bought a bunch of golf shirts and golf shorts at Walmart for around 1/3 of the price I’d pay at Dicks or Golf Galaxy.
Quote: DogHand
billryan,
I haven't used the Burger King benefit, but I do enjoy Paramount+ and free delivery.
One other benefit is 10¢ off per gallon at Exxon/Mobil and Wal-Mart gas locations.
Dog Hand
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I enjoy the free shipping even more. Apparently only available for non-grocery, non-prescription orders, but if you don't really care about the "when", you can skip the $35 minimum order, and also skip booking a particular timeslot.
The Paramount+ isn't bad, but it's the limited functionality ad-supported tier.
Everyone is excited about A.I., but efficiency is key to scaling.
Quote: billryanI just renewed my Walmart+/InHome for another year at $119.
Included with my membership is a free annual subscription to Peacock, Paramount, and Showtime.
It also includes hundreds of dollars of free food at Burger King, as well as a 25% discount every day.
The main attraction is discounts on many items as well as tip-free in-home delivery, with a $35 minimum.
Membership has many other benefits, but I don't use them.
Almost all the bulk food I buy for my charity work comes from there, as they are sometimes even cheaper than some wholesale outlets.
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Wrong. Free Peacock OR Paramount OR Showtime,. not all three at once.
Black Friday crowd fights over sale priced TVs & other stuff at Walmart before online shopping made things easier____________lotsa fun_________(-:/
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Quote: lilredrooster.
Black Friday crowd fights over sale priced TVs & other stuff at Walmart before online shopping made things easier____________lotsa fun_________(-:/
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.
.
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I think I've figured out another cue for identifying AI images- the faces are too dramatic.
In those pics it looks like all the faces are telling the same story, while in a real store crowd everyone would be focusing on their own story and they mostly would be oblivious to what others in the crowd were experiencing, or the feel of the crowd as a whole. Unlike at a ballgame or show where the same thing is capturing the attention of everyone.
Quote: AutomaticMonkey
I think I've figured out another cue for identifying AI images- the faces are too dramatic.
In those pics it looks like all the faces are telling the same story, while in a real store crowd everyone would be focusing on their own story and they mostly would be oblivious to what others in the crowd were experiencing, or the feel of the crowd as a whole. Unlike at a ballgame or show where the same thing is capturing the attention of everyone.
that's a good point
I didn't even think about that before I posted it
now, you have to consider that anything that you see on any media may very well be an ai generated fake
the world is rapidly changing - and not always for the better
.
This image doesn't, but the lady with her back to us has a funny-looking pinky finger.
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyQuote: lilredrooster.
Black Friday crowd fights over sale priced TVs & other stuff at Walmart before online shopping made things easier____________lotsa fun_________(-:/
.
.
.
link to original post
I think I've figured out another cue for identifying AI images- the faces are too dramatic.
In those pics it looks like all the faces are telling the same story, while in a real store crowd everyone would be focusing on their own story and they mostly would be oblivious to what others in the crowd were experiencing, or the feel of the crowd as a whole. Unlike at a ballgame or show where the same thing is capturing the attention of everyone.
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It's a fake picture. The big screen TV boxes they're wrestling with are in black and white and those boxes are never ever ever in black and white they're always in full color to show you what the lit up TV looks like. There's also no brand name on the boxes and the guy conveniently has his hand over what looks like a name. Totally fake.
But that Rockwellesque look on the faces always gets me. In Rockwells you can tell there is only one mind at work, the mind of the artist, and each face represents part of the story as it is happening in his mind. Same for the AI; it has what it is intending to do in its memory and all of the people in the image are playing the AIs game instead of their own.
What that suggests to me is something significant: that the AI has not yet developed Theory of Mind and doesn't recognize that it is depicting individuals who may have one thing in common, shopping in the store, but nothing else. They are not a team or a band or a family and they will not all be on the same page with their perceptions, attitudes or behaviors.
looking at the pics I posted again, I agree that the top picture is fake
but I don't think the bottom pic is
bill said something about a lady's pinky finger which isn't enough to sway me
here is that 2nd pic again -
your opinion - ? - I don't think it's fake
but I'm interested to hear why I'm wrong
maybe I can learn something
.
However, this is the one of 2 things I ordered from Walmart for Black Friday.
I could be wrong, but I thought it was one hell of a deal. I don't even need it, but I had to order it anyway. If nothing else, I'll use it for storing stuff.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Newest-11-Piece-Luggage-Set-Expandable-28-24-Spinner-Suitcases-20-Carry-On-Bag-14-Toiletry-Case-Packing-Cubes-Durable-Travel-Suitcase-Set-Wheels-TSA/17771856832
Newest Extended Storage 11-Piece Luggage Set, 28" & 24" Spinner Suitcases with 20" Carry-On Bag, 14" Toiletry Case & Packing Cubes, Durable Travel Suitcase Set with 360° Wheels & Combination Lock
Qty 1
$510.99 from savings
$58.99
Was $569.98
$569.98
This wasn't on sale, but if it's any good, it's a good deal. I'm not holding my breath that I will end up being shipped. I think it will be yet another "Can't be delivered to my location."
12V Electric Winch, Slide-On Hitch Adapter and Handheld Remote, 5000 lbs Marine Rated Load Capacity - Wire Rope - Extra Pulley Hook
Actual Color: Blue - 5000 lbs - Wire Rope - Extra Pulley Hook
Qty 1
$91.51
I know they suggest a 1.5 times buffer
But can a 5000 lbs rated whench deadlift at least 2k? What about pulling something on the ground with friction, like a log or something? Or does it only come close to those numbers if it's a level ground rolling weight?
I have a 12,000 lb vehicle-mounted winch, but I also want something portable I can easily carry.
Either it's the log, or the thing the winch is bolted to.
Sticking a chunk of pipe as a roller under one side of the log can help dramatically.
I saw some great black friday sales, but nothing I needed. I upgraded my Air Fryer for $59, and bought a dozen Transformers that were reduced to $5 from $29.99 My park has a charity called Christmas for South Tucson. I'm having fun bargain hunting for some toys.
