Rant about Wal-Mart and DVDs

I had to go to Wal-Mart. It’s hard to find things that I want there so I usually try to just avoid it. Also I’m just letting off a little steam with a buyer beware thing that I just realized while piecing this together.

I have to go back for one more thing tomorrow and then I think I can ignore Wal-Mart for a while after that.

I got the movie Speed Racer which I really liked as a gift. They had an offer that consisted of the message “Get a Digital Copy” on the sticker and in the case it had instructions. I thought that would be nice to get before the offer expires since they are taking the work out of making a mobile movie for me, then I found they wanted $1.99 for the digital copy. Not a big price, but I already own the DVD. Why would I pay another $2 for the same movie I already own? The answer is, “I don’t pay another $2″

So while I was at Wal-Mart I noticed another sticker on movies that “include a digital copy” are $5 more.

So what’s going on here? I mean the sticker makes it look like you’re getting an extra thing for free, but it looks like you are really paying extra for the same movie twice.

In case you’re wondering here’s what I think is fair pricing:

old movies 5-10 yrs at $9 or less
movies 2-5 yrs old at $10 or less
current movies $15 or less
$20 is pushing it unless they got good extras
Anything more than $20 better have some cool collectible or be a season of a tv series.
Full Screen Movies should have an automatic $5 deduction in cost unless they were originally made that way. (I don’t really want to spend full price for a movie that has the sides chopped off.)
Anything that includes a copy of the exact same movie in another form should not cost more.

I know I don’t get to pick the prices but I do get to pick what I spend money on. This is just what I think is fair and base my purchases on unless there is a rarity or collectibility thing involved with getting the DVD.

So when they pull this $25 for two copies of the same movie selling for $20 without the digital copy it smells bad.

They are already raising prices on movies and now they are trying to pull this crap on us.

I wonder if I could just buy the $5 digital version.

————

There is a possibility I missed something since I was a bit tired when I discovered this, so let me know. I just wanted to vent and warn of a possibly bum purchase.

*UPDATE*
It appears that the $25 DVD with Digital copy may be the Special Edition with extra content. The odd thing about this is I just did a quick check at WalMart.com and the movies were about $4-5 less on the site. Anyway the special edition contains 3 discs. 1 with extra content disc and the third disc with digital version of the movie and digital versions of some of the extra content.

Then it says the list price is $30, but they’re selling it for $21.86 so you get a deal. I’m guessing some of this is to make up for shipping cost, but I still think something is up with the price on these things.

Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas

It was a week or two ago, I was at the Musco Holiday party and a friend of mine wished me Happy Holidays, but I must’ve sounded a bit grumpy as I wished him Merry Christmas because his eyes lit up a bit and said, “well to each his own … “

Now I was taken aback a bit by his response to me so I smiled as best I could and said, “yeah” He smiled back and was on his way. I think things are good there as we talked last weekend in good spirits.

I didn’t get into too many details that night, because I wasn’t feeling too good. So I probably sounded grumpy due to a sour stomach. But as I thought about it, and the recent stories flaring up about standing up for “Merry Christmas” from one side and the other side calling for the more neutral, all encompassing “Happy Holidays” I wondered how many people simply misunderstand one another such as a sour stomach or truly miss a bigger fight by not being allowed to say Merry Christmas.

I’ll try to explain myself a bit. I have no problems with anyone wishing me a “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays”, “Happy Hanukkah” or anything else because I’ve decided as long as the words Happy or Merry or anything else good in there that I am being wished a “Good tidings” message from my fellow person, and I can always accept or use that.

If I hear “Curse you! I’ll get my revenge!” I’ve either come across a super-villain or we got off on the wrong foot. Either way probably not a good thing.

However if a business or government entity comes in and says that you can’t say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” but must use the ever more generic “Happy Holidays” or else you are fired or charged with not being politically correct or tolerant then this is wrong.

It is wrong even in the sense of political correctness or tolerance, even unto themselves because these two things were originally devised to protect people of different beliefs. But instead of promoting the richness and difference of our culture as they claim to do it ends up flattening us out into a people with no diversity as we all must wish people the same generic thing that gives no offense and which no one celebrates. Therefore we end up losing the very flavor we sought to preserve.

As a Christian I believe that Jesus is the way, truth and life. I believe that we are salt and light placed here by God to give the world flavor. If we stop wishing “Merry Christmas” because someone other than God made us stop, then Have we lost our flavor? If salt loses its taste, then how can its flavor be restored?

Now obviously from what I wrote before I’m not totally against “Happy Holidays” when people say this of their own accord. That’s fine. It’s also fine if you are a business trying to incorporate more than one Holiday, but in this respect I would ask that you let your employees wish people the holiday of their choice if they so choose.

In the end I say phooey to this “making people say one thing or another”. I say let people be who they are. If I say “Merry Christmas” and someone wishes me “Happy Kwanzaa” then so be it. Maybe this will lead us to an interesting conversation. In the very least we have both wished each other good tidings in our own way and we are the better for it.

It’s late. I just got back home and I really wanted to post this and none of it came out the way I thought it would, so if it doesn’t make sense or it looks like I forgot/overlooked something then shoot me a question and I can always reply or add on to this.

650 scientists skeptical of global warming

Seems more and more scientists are starting to stand up in opposition to Global Warming Warning that is coming from Al Gore and the Media.  This could get interesting.

http://www.m4gw.com:2005/m4gw/2008/12/650_scientists_dissent_over_ma.html

Videos – Sermon, Music, and other

Sermon

LifeChurch.tv : Habakkuk

The suffering servant – Leviticus

Its Time For a New Strategy To End Abortion Starting With President Bush

http://townhall.com/columnists/GreggJackson/2008/12/09/its_time_for_a_new_strategy_to_end_abortion_starting_with_president_bush?page=full

Urgent Recall Notice

*Urgent Recall Notice:

The Maker of all Human Beings is recalling all units manufactured,
regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and
central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the
original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the
reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed “Subsequential Internal
Non-Morality,” or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily
expressed.

Some symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction

2. Foul vocal emissions

3. Amnesia of origin

4. Lack of peace and joy

5. Selfish or violent behavior

6. Depression or confusion in the mental component

7. Fearfulness

8. Idolatry

9. Rebellion

- The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is
providing factory-authorized repair and service free of
charge to correct this SIN defect.

- The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.

- There is no additional fee required.

- The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.

- Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE Procedure.

-
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the
heart component.  No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus
will replace it with:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self control

Please
see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers’ Instructions
Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING:
Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any
manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too
numerous to list, and will eventually result in the human unit being
permanently impounded.

- For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER:
The human being units never responding to this recall action will have
to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to
enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!