"WALMART!" - Run out in to the middle of the street and say that and see what happens.

11/25/2023
I used to shop at Publix. Even before the pandemic their prices were always massively higher than other stores. But at least it is usually a clean, friendly, inviting environment. They cater to old rich people who haven't had "modern" abusive retail practices beaten in to them yet.

Publix: Shopping for rich people.

But unfortunately, Publix stopped carrying some regular items that I needed. Apparently rich people don't eat Banquet Chicken Nugget & Mac and Cheese frozen meals.

Even more unfortunately, thanks to the economy, every cent matters now. So when it comes to shopping at Publix, or at Walmart, where some items are literally half the price, there is just not much choice. But obviously the lower price comes at a cost.

I really, really hate Walmart.

You would think it would kill someone to reliably post the correct prices by each item. A long time ago it used to be that Walmart had these little gadgets posted around the store where you could scan a bar-code to see the price. Apparently today the idea is to get everyone scanning everything with an "app" on their toy cell phones. More yummy private data for the marketing trolls.

Well, one of the ways they keep the low-low prices, is NOT by keeping rest rooms clean and working. Yuck.

Only good thing about Walmart is they don't require tacking cards. But it is well known they use facial recognition software.

This last year they have found new and creative ways to make shopping there a hellish experience.

Earlier this year Walmart changed the format of their in-store music. It is louder and inserts blaring commercials and announcements. "WAL-MART RA-DI-O! IS OBNOXIOUS!" On the brighter they now have more than the same 12 repetitive songs!

A dirty little secret is that stores and restaurants intentionally use excessively loud music to prevent people and customers from lingering too long. Restaurants don't like people sitting and talking when they could leave and make room for new customers. In some cases restaurants may use that to increase take-out or drive through use. Ever notice in a store how the music is louder in some places? Often this is near more expensive items, or areas that employees can not keep under surveillance easily. You are supposed to take the item you want to buy and move on before you go deaf.

Walmart, or at least the one here, has started putting even more products inside locked cases. Want to buy a wrench now? You have to get an "associate" to open the case for you. Of course, this is WALMART so that means: give up all hope of ever getting it.

Well, right this moment everybody just started in on the repetitive Crapmass music. If one MUST play that crap why can't someone come up with some ORIGINAL holiday music? Come on, at least occasionally play Weird Al Yankovic's "Christmas at Ground Zero" or "The Night Santa Went Crazy"!

I try not to listen too closely, but I'm sure they occasionally mix in some religious holiday songs. Just a reminder, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOD! Don't push your retarded imaginary sky fairy shit on to other people.

Walk by the electronics section and someone jumps in the way and asks "Have you upgraded your phone lately? No, asshole, I haven't upgraded my land line phone since the 1990s. You can "upgrade" my phone over my dead body! Oh, that's the idea isn't it?

But along with the locked cases, they are starting to put almost EVERYTHING behind these plastic panels that you have to lift - at which time an electronic voice will loudly exclaim "THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT WALMART BI-ATCH!!!". That is over-the-top obnoxious and insulting. What the hell is the point of that? Perhaps to reduce shoplifting? Like someone is going to grab a large bottle of bleach and stuff it in their coat?

With the increase in homeless people hanging around Walmart, it probably happens. Bleach has gotten absurdly expensive too. But that doesn't change how insulting and obnoxious that is. I personally won't touch those things, and I'll just go back to Publix or some other store to get those items if I need them.

But the real kick in the balls... today at Wally World, the ever obnoxious Walmart Radio proudly and loudly announced the introduction of new "sensory-friendly" shopping hours early in the morning for "sensory sensitive" people. Allegedly the radio will be quiet, lighting lower, and TV displays will be off.

The arrogance by itself is overwhelming.

That... is... just... such... BULLSHIT!

It is like web sites that have an "accessibility option" to not give you a seizure. JUST DON'T DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

I would imagine some higher-ups turning up the heat on the customers, touting increases in data collection numbers or security or something. Then some other higher-up jumps in with a brilliant idea to turn it down for a while for "those poor sick sensitive people" so they can look all hip and politically correct and stuff, while not invalidating the first higher-up's bad idea.

No, the correct thing to do would be to lower the music all the time and axe the commercials. And get rid of those plastic panels, they are downright obnoxious. Nuke the Crapmass music from orbit just to be sure.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it KIIIIIIIILL MEEEEE!

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