uWalmart Crashes Amazon’s Deal-Filled Birthday Party, Announces Its Own Mega Online Saler

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  Walmart takes aim at Amazon’s Prime Day sale, by announcing its own summer sale.

  If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, then you might feel a bit left out when it comes to the online retailer’s upcoming deal-filed Prime Day, which is being touted as having more bargains than Black Friday. But, not one to pass up an opportunity to compete with the e-commerce giant, Walmart announced today that it, too, is hosting a massive online sale on Wednesday. You know, for all those consumers who don’t shell out $99/year to be a part of Amazon’s Prime service.

  USA Today reports (warning: link has video that autoplays) that Walmart will launch a rival Prime Day sale Wednesday, rolling back the prices on more than 2,000 online exclusive products. The sale is set to last about 90 days, the typical time frame for Walmart’s Rollbacks (its word for discounts).

  In addition to the Rollbacks in categories such as electronics, home, baby and toys, the company plans to – for at least 30 days – reduce the minimum for free shipping to $35 from the current benchmark of $50.

  The retailer also plans to add “special atomic deals” throughout the sale.

  Walmart announced its new sale with a rather snarky and pointed blog post on Monday morning. The front page of the company’s blog is plastered with a sign that reads: “Low Prices, No Admission Fee: You shouldn’t have to pay $100 to get great deals.”

  If the post’s title wasn’t a stab at Amazon’s Prime-member only sale, then the crux of the announcement certainly is:

  “If you’ve shopped Walmart.com, you’ll know that every day is a special day where everyone has access to the same low prices we offer. We mean everyone: you, your neighbor, your boss, your best friend … all of whom are looking for the best price on the things they want and need. We’ve heard some retailers are charging $100 to get access to a sale. But the idea of asking customers to pay extra in order to save money just doesn’t add up for us.”

  We’re standing up for our customers and everyone else who sees no rhyme or reason for paying a premium to save.

  Prior to announcing the sale on its blog, a Walmart spokesperson told USA Today that the company just couldn’t stand by and watch while so many consumers were excluded from Amazon’s sale.

  “We just don’t believe you should pay a fee to get a better price,” the spokesperson said.

  Walmart’s rival Rollback sale isn’t the first time the company has gone head-to-head with its online-retail adversary.

  Earlier this year, the big box store announced it would begin testing an Amazon Prime competitor called ShippingPass. The service would come at a cost of $50/year and offers users no minimum orders for free three-day shipping.

  Walmart launches rival sale to Amazon’s Prime Day [USA Today]
  Why Every Day is Low Price Day at Walmart [Walmart]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uAnonymous ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Fan Offers Up $1M Reward To Recover A Missing Pair Of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippersr

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  A sister pair of the shoes that are missing, as seen at the Smithsonian. (thoth1618)

  The maxim holds true, whether you’re a pair of sequined, ruby red slippers worn in a movie or a girl from Kansas trying to get back to where you belong: There’s no place like home. One anonymous donor/Wizard of Oz super fan believes that so much, they’re willing to pay $1 million to ensure the shoes worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie are returned to their home at a Minnesota museum.

  The famous shoes walked off/went missing from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress’ hometown of Grand Rapids, MN 10 years ago this August, reports CBS News. The nameless benefactor from Arizona is apparently a huge fan, and is willing to pay for credible information that leads to the return of the shoes.

  In order to get the reward, you won’t just be able to whisper a few times to yourself while clicking your heels — the tipster who ends up with the money will have to provide the exact location of the slippers as well as the name of the person who stole them.

  The slippers were insured for $1 million at the time of their disappearance, but according to the executive director of the Judy Garland Museum, they could be worth as much as $2 million to $3 million now.

  There were three other known pairs of shoes created for the movie, including a pair on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and a pair slated for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ planned museum.

  ​$1 million reward for Dorothy’s ruby slippers [CBS News]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uFiat Chrysler Recalls More Than 88,000 Challengers For Takata Airbag Defectr

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  (Consumerist Dot Com)

  Nearly a month after regulators announced they had identified all 33.8 million vehicles equipped with potential shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags, one auto maker says it’s not quite done, recalling about 88,000 more cars to the massive recall.

  Fiat Chrysler announced over the weekend that 88,346 Dodge Challengers had been added to the company’s already robust recall for Takata-produced airbags, Bloomberg reports.

  According to a notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the new recall covers model year 2008 to 2010 Challengers.

  The addition of the vehicles was made after an audit by Chrysler found that they were “inadvertently excluded” from a recall issued in May.

  The delay in identifying the models as part of the Takata recall is just the lastest issue for Fiat Chrysler, which has come under increased scrutiny from regulators for its slow-moving pace on recognizing recalls and fixing the safety issues.

  On July 2, NHTSA held a special hearing on nearly two dozen Fiat Chrysler recalls affecting about 11 million vehicles. Regulators “tentatively concluded” at that time that the car company failed to adequately address the recalls.

  “In my experience, Fiat Chrysler’s recall performance often differs from that of its peers,” Scott Yon, chief of NHTSA’s Vehicle Integrity Division, said during the hearing. “Fiat Chrysler takes a long time to produce the parts needed to get vehicles fixed. Their dealers have difficulty getting parts for recalls. Their customers have trouble getting recall repairs done. Fiat Chrysler’s recall remedies sometimes fail to remedy the defects they are supposed to fix.”

  Consumers looking to see if their vehicles are part of the largest auto recall in history can check by entering their 17-digit VIN on SaferCar.gov, which will return a list of all recalls associated with a particular vehicle. The site also functions to provide regular updates on the status of this and other recalls of high interest.

  Those who find their vehicles are part of the Takata recall will likely have to wait several weeks or months before repairs are available.

  As part of its latest recall, Fiat Chrysler says dealers will replace the frontal airbag inflators. However, those parts aren’t currently available.

  That’s because Takata has struggled in recent months to meet demands for replacement parts. The company recently announced it would increase its output of new parts to one million per month later this year.

  But even if consumers do receive new airbags promptly, there’s still no guarantee those replacement safety devices are safe, as Takata, regulators and manufacturers have yet to identify what has caused the defect.

  In fact in May, Takata confirmed that more than 400,000 vehicles that have been fixed through previous airbag recalls will have to undergo a second replacement.

  To date, the Takata airbag recall has been linked to eight deaths and more than 100 injuries.

  Chrysler Recalls Dodge Challengers to Fix Flawed Air Bags [Bloomberg]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uAppeals Court Upholds Probation Sentence For Beanie Babies’ Creator Convicted Of Tax Evasionr

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  (frankieleon)

  Probably the only person to ever have actually gotten rich off Beanie Babies isn’t exactly relaxing on piles of money or swimming in his vault of gold coins anytime soon, but Ty Warner, the billionaire of the plush toys did get to escape jail time after a U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the probation sentence handed down to him after he was convicted of tax evasion.

  Back in September 2013, Warner was charged with one count of tax evasion for failing to report more than $24 million in income, skipping out on about $5.6 million in federal taxes from money hidden in two Swiss banks.

  He was convicted, and prosecutors wanted him to serve at least a year and a day in prison, reports the Chicago Tribune, to make an example out of his case and keep others from repeating his mistakes. But instead, U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras had given him a year of probation, saying that he had been swayed by letters attesting to his acts of kindness, among other things.

  On Friday, the U.S. Court of appeals upheld that probation sentence. Warner has already paid a civil penalty for not reporting the accounts and restitution for what he owed in back taxes and interest.

  “The court did not abuse its discretion,” the appeals court said in its ruling, affirming the sentence. “Rather, it fully explained and supported its decision and reached an outcome that is reasonable under the unique circumstances of this case.”

  Warner’s lawyer released a statement upon the news.

  “We’re gratified by the Seventh Circuit’s ruling. Judge Kocoras imposed a just and well-reasoned sentence, and the judges of the Seventh Circuit unanimously agreed. From the beginning, Mr. Warner accepted responsibility for his action,” the statement reads. “Since this case began, he has paid over $80 million in penalties, fines and taxes to the federal government. He has also eagerly fulfilled his community service program and looks forward to continuing his work with students in the City of Chicago.”

  One appeals judge did note in a separate concurrence that he was concerned with “the signal that it may send about how the criminal justice system treats wealthy tax evaders,” noting “considerable unease” over the outcome of the appeal.

  Just because Warner used his money for good deeds and charity, that doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t have gone to jail for at least a little while, Judge Joel Martin Flaum wrote.

  “He purposely sought to deprive the federal government of millions of dollars of tax revenue simply to amass more of his enormous wealth,” Flaum noted.

  The government itself only decided to charge Warner with one count, Flaum pointed out. And despite the fact that sentencing guidelines would’ve set his time in jail between 46 and 57 months, the government only asked for a year and a day.

  “For me, these two debatable acts of prosecutorial discretion point toward an affirmance in this case, as they provided a uniquely limited context for the district judge’s exceptional exercise of leniency.”

  If not for that, he wrote that he would be inclined to give him jail time.

  “However, in light of a veteran jurist’s thoughtful and thorough consideration of the case, I am compelled to conclude that Warner’s sentence falls within a sentencing judge’s broad band of discretion.”

  Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner’s sentence is upheld [Chicago Tribune]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

u1.7 Million Pounds Of Barber Foods Chicken Products Recalled For Possible Salmonellar

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  One of many products from Barber Foods that may be contaminated with Salmonella. Many.

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the government agency that has jurisdiction only over foods containing meat for some reason that we don’t understand, has recalled 1,707,494 pounds of frozen chicken products because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

  The recall began with one specific line of chicken Kiev, but expanded to dozens of different products that had “contact with contaminated source material.” If you have any stuffed chicken breasts or chicken tenders in your freezer at all, you’ll want to check them against the list of recalled products provided to the USDA. The company also sells chicken in bulk to food-service establishments. Barber Foods makes similar products for private-label brands, notably including Meijer and Western Family, and Loblaws in Canada.

  So far, authorities have identified eight people who have become ill and had their illnesses linked to Barber Foods products. The actual number of people infected is higher and ultimately impossible to know: there are generally more victims who didn’t show any symptoms at all, or who weren’t sick enough to see a doctor or be admitted to the hospital.

  When people do have salmonellosis, they have diarrhea (which can be severe), abdominal cramps, and a fever. The illness lasts for 4 to 7 days, but it can be more severe in people who are very young, very old, or who are already sick or immunocompromised.

  Barber Foods Recalls Stuffed Chicken Products Due To Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contamination [USDA]

  
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by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uJohn Oliver’s Rousing Speech Rallies American Sports Fans To Stop Wasting Public Money On Stadiumsr

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• In spite of the fact that new sports venues often cost upwards of billions of dollars to construct, many American teams play in stadiums and arenas that are less than 25 years old. Heck, once the Atlanta Braves move into their new park, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park will be the most senior venue in the NL East — and that only opened in 2004. Whether it’s through municipal bonds, tax breaks, or free real estate, a lot of the money to pay for these venues ultimately comes out of taxpayers’ pockets.

  On Sunday’s Last Week Tonight, John Oliver looked into the billions in public money that has been sunk into new and renovated stadiums during the recent building bonanza of the last two decades — a construction spree that isn’t just about creating new arenas but about who can build the fanciest.

  “You can now watch a game from a swimming pool suspended above the field, where the real contest for the fans is finding out whether or not HPV [human papillomavirus] can swim,” says Oliver. “My money’s on HPV; that’s a clutch STD.”

  Most new stadiums “look like they were designed by a coked-up Willy Wonka,” he notes, citing examples like the field-level aquarium that sounds the playing field at the Florida Marlins’ recently opened stadium.

  He gives the example of the $283 million in taxpayer funding that the Detroit Red Wings got from Detroit — a city that had just declared bankruptcy weeks earlier — and even though multibillionaire Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch is the team’s owner.

  “That’s a little hard to swallow,” says Oliver. “Not as hard to swallow as a Little Caesars Crazy Bread with an assortment of Caesar dips, but still pretty hard.”

  In addition to giving teams money, tax breaks, or free land to build stadiums, cities often allow teams to retain virtually all of the revenue taken in at these municipally funded venues.

  The John Oliver segment features footage from an interview with Florida Marlins president David Samson in which he cavalierly discusses how the team will keep all the money generated by events at the new stadium, but if you want to understand just how little regard he has for the people of Miami, look to Samson’s bio from when he was (very briefly) a contestant on CBS’s Survivor.

  For his “Personal Claim to Fame,” Samson brags that he “Got local government in Miami to contribute over 350 million dollars to a new baseball park during the recession.”

  You wouldn’t be shocked to learn that Samson was the first person voted out of the game that season.

  Oliver also takes issue with the assertion that new stadiums result in economic boons to surrounding areas or longterm job growth, citing a review that found “no substantial evidence of increased jobs, income or tax revenues” from new stadiums.

  “When you use public money for an expensive new stadium, you might find yourself unable to afford something you badly need,” pointing to troubles in Cincinnati, where the local government has spent millions on stadiums for the Bengals and Reds but has had to sell a public hospital, slash 1,700 jobs, and delay payments for local schools.

  “Teams get these deals because they know politicians will capitulate and give them whatever they want,” says Oliver. “And you can almost sympathize because when politicians do stand up to teams it can cost them.”

  In an attempt to persuade the American sports fan to rally against the spending of public funds on stadiums, Oliver dons his best coach’s windbreaker and cap and heads to the locker room to give a rousing speech:

  “I know things look bad out there. These owners have been humiliating us for decades,” he begins. “Sure, we could just give up. We could roll over and let them do it to us for another twenty years… Or, right here — tonight! — we could decide to fight back!”

  Lest anyone think Oliver is for some sort of stadium austerity, he explains, “I’m not saying we shouldn’t have giant aquariums and ballparks full of terrified fish — of course we should. This is America! If we don’t have them, no one else will. But we should not be using public money to pay for them.”

  After explaining to the fans of St. Louis and San Diego that they still have plenty to be proud of even if their football teams leave — and after telling a man from Cincinnati that maybe he can’t afford to let the Bengals go — Oliver concludes with a rousing battle cry for fiscal responsibility.

  “I want you all to get out there, and the next time a team comes around asking for a new stadium, I want you to make! them! pay!”

  
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by Chris Morran via Consumerist

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