May 2021

AMZN’S NEW “DOUBLE HELIX” HQ2 BUILDING, “from the geometry of our own DNA,” like a hike in the Blue Ridge Mtns. Looks more like a

TEXAS MAN FOUND LIVING IN WALMART AIR DUCT. WMT considers putting Greeters at all store air ducts. Will Waltons offer him lunch at their art

“RICH DUDES like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos are raking in billions by union-busting & screwing over the men & women who make it all possible.” —PA.

WALMART says it’s letting “vaccinated customers… shop without a mask…we will..request that non-vaccinated customers…wear face coverings in our stores.” A virus honor system is a

WALMART & GAP ARE UNLIKELY PARTNERS: the former has zero fashion sense, the latter is “struggling to stay relevant.” I wouldn’t bring home anything from

LATEST VOLLEY IN STREAMING WARS: AMAZN BUYS MGM for $8.45 B. You have to be “a giant — or part of a giant — in

OF COURSE THEY BLOCKED AN INDEPENDENT PROBE OF THE JAN. 6TH. INSURRECTION. It’s what you do when you have nothing to gain from the truth.

OF COURSE THEY BLOCKED AN INDEPENDENT PROBE OF THE JAN. 6TH. INSURRECTION. It’s what you do when you have nothing to gain from the truth.

IN 2021, ABOUT 25% OF SHOPPERS GOT ALL OR MORE THAN 1/2 OF THEIR GROCERIES ONLINE—but 75% got less than 1/2 to almost none of

“AMZN DOES NOT DISCLOSE how much plastic packaging it uses but is believed to be one of the largest corporate users of plastic packaging, which

7 NOOSES SHUT DOWN AMZN WAREHOUSE SITE IN CT. “It’s a hate crime,” local official says. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/21/nyregion/amazon-nooses-connecticut.html Read more on Facebook

D.C. SUES AMZN: “Illegally Used & Maintained its Monopoly Power, Raising Prices for Consumers & Stifling Competition in Online Retail Sales by Imposing Restrictive Agreements

Read more on Facebook

MEAL DELIVERY GIANTS LIKE DOORDASH, UBER EATS & GRUBHUB are starving restaurants, but local delivery & co-op delivery services are feeding the local economy. Special

53% OF SMALL BIZ say they’re “committed to advocating for social change through their biz, & 31% say recent social justice issues have impacted their

AMAZON’S ULTRAFAST SHOPPING experience [Prime Now]” is moving to Amazon’s website, “to create a shopping experience that isn’t just convenient—it’s magic.” Houdini’s warehouses magically destroys

WALMART EMPLOYEES “LOOKED ON IN SHOCK” as customer chaos erupts over Pokémon trading cards. Feeding frenzy. https://hypebeast.com/2021/5/walmart-pokemon-tcg-cards-customer-chaos-video Read more on Facebook

NYC GIG DRIVERS grapple with a bill that allows “sectoral bargaining” — but doesn’t make workers employees entitled to benefits. Some labor activists say a

UBER & LYFT DRIVERS face fatal risks that are 1.1 and 2.6 times the fatality rate for police officers & firefighters…[we need] workers’ compensation &

AMZN SHAREHOLDERS WANT “a racial equity audit.” “AMZN’s disproportionately Black & Latino warehouse workers are paid low wages & exposed to dangerous working conditions, including

SHAREHOLDER RESOLUTION: “AMZN’s surveillance technologies perpetuate…systemic racism.” ICE & police partnerships “threaten civil rights & civil liberties…releasing surveillance products…with civil liberties concerns.” See p. 25

AMZN SERVED WITH 5 NEW RACIAL/GENDER LAWSUITS. Amazon says it has a “diverse, equitable and inclusive culture.” Except for the people who work there. https://whbl.com/2021/05/19/amazon-com-faces-five-new-racial-gender-bias-lawsuits/

“Half of all Canadians have a [food]delivery app on their phone…high commission fees charged by 3rd-party-delivery apps [like Uber Eats & DoorDash] were worsening an

RESIDENTS IN SCHODACK, NY LOST A LEGAL BATTLE to block huge AMZN warehouse. A 2nd AMZN “warehouse, 24/7 middle-mile truck terminal for 18 wheelers” was

WALMART+ WAS BUILT TO CHALLENGE AMZN PRIME, but WMT says: “We are marketing the program & long-term it will be important to us. But we’ve

70% OF THE PRIVATE WORKFORCE IN CANADA work for companies with <100 employees. From 2003 to 2017, 85.3% of all new jobs (1.2 million jobs)

COVID HAS BEEN GREAT FOR HOME DEPOT. In Q1, customer transactions rose 19% to 447.2 M, typical shopper bought $82.37 per visit, up 10%, net

FEDS RUN OUT OF PPP LOAN FUNDS, leaving millions of small biz in the pipeline. “The $292 B for the 2nd round of PPP ran

AMZN IS SPENDING $300 M TO IMPROVE ITS WORKER SAFETY RECORD to cut its accident rate in half by 2025. This is an admission that

“GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT interest in trading cards, we recently began limiting MLB, NBA, NFL and Pokémon purchases to one item per guest, per day, and

TOP SELLER ON AMAZON says Bezos’ support for Biden’s plan to hike corporate taxes means nothing since AMZN pays no income tax. “AMZN has historically

AT LEAST 1 PERSON THINKS JC PENNEY IS COMING BACK! The co-owner, mall developer Simon Property Group, says shoppers are returning to malls “with some

OWNER OF STOP & SHOP, GIANT, FOOD LION & HANNAFORD’s admits “click-and-collect” is “a more profitable fulfillment model, than the rather expensive last-mile delivery.” It’s

I AM NOT RAISING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF ANY REFERENDUM THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. I am raising it for all the referendums that will never

AMERICAN EXPRESS SURVEY finds “81% of biz owners still believe the benefits of owning their own business outweigh the challenges… 77% plan to prioritize offering

I WAS INVITED TO BE ON THE WHMP BILL NEWMAN SHOW THIS MORNING to explain the Greenfield, MA charter referendum controversy. I invited Charter chairman

AMAZON HIRING 75,000 WAREHOUSE & DELIVERY WORKERS AT $17/hr + $1,000 sign up bonus & $100 for covid vaccine. AMZN strives to be “Earth’s safest

WAGE GAP: WMT CEO DOUG “MCMILLION” had total compensation of $22.57 M in 2021, owns “Shares valued at 100 times his annual base salary.” That’s

CANADIAN SOFTWARE FIRM LIGHTSPEED partners with Google to allow small biz to post product ads on Google using the Lightspeed platform. Direct Global has also

CANADIAN SOFTWARE FIRM LIGHTSPEED partners with Google to allow small biz to post product ads on Google using the Lightspeed platform. Direct Global has also

“WALMART HAS SPENT $67 M from 2010 – 2019 on federal lobbying… WMT’s lack of indirect lobbying assoc. disclosure presents reputational risk when it contradicts

WALMART IS URGING SHAREHOLDERS TO VOTE NO on a resolution to report on whether “Walmart’s racial justice goals align with the starting pay for all

HOME DEPOT HOMICIDE: hammers & nails, sure. But bullets too. Big box stores like HD are unable to safeguard shoppers from deadly violence on their

COSTCO BREACH OF WARRANTY & FRAUD: Lawsuit says Free Replacement Warranty for the Interstate Batteries cost consumers the difference between the original purchase price &

AMZN DRIVERS WANT LIMIT ON DAILY STOPS, decent health ins., and a pension. “we demand to be treated with respect.” (Having a union would help

UNION APPEAL OF AMZN WAREHOUSE WORKER VOTE begins. AMZN accused of anti-union threats, firing worker who handed out union cards, placing a voter mailbox near

WALMART BUYS TELEHEALTH CO. MeMD. I would not entrust my real or virtual health to cheap care providers like WMT or AMZN. Don’t cut corners

WALMART SAYS ITS GROCERY BIZ IS “LOSING SHARE RAPIDLY…WMT is not first & preferred.” Renewal rates for Walmart+ need improvement. Goliath rattled? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/recode/22423706/walmart-memo-retail-amazon-target-instacart Read more