Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Knowing full and well that I may be admonished due to this post's not necessarily being on point as regards our usual topic -- vacuums.  I could not overlook its seriousness.

Black Friday has come  here and Jdimypai Damour, a 34-year-old  temporary worker at Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, NY,  was trampled to death by eager shoppers at about five o'clock this morning.  Per news articles that I've browsed, even as police officers attempted to perform CPR on Mr. Damour, customers continued to stream into the store, some not noticing, some not caring that they were obstructing his chances for help.

A woman who was eight months pregnant was also caught in the crush and is now under medical observation.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/28/news/economy/blackfriday_walmart/index.htm?section=money_latest

Some of our big box stores and department stores have been whipping prospective holiday shoppers into a frenzy all week with ads claiming miracle pricing on items of very limited quantity.

There will be an outcry that Wal-Mart should have better planned for this.  However, I can't quite say I'll agree.  It's thoughtless, greedy people who did this disgusting thing.

Venson

Hi Venson:

Thanks for posting this.  I heard the news reports in disbelief.  The death casts a pall over the Holiday sales season.  As I am pleasantly surprised on many occasions by the acts of human kindness, I am equally appalled by mankind's opposite.  Mob mentality combined with taking of innocent lives is a sin that cries up to God.  May Jdimypai Damour's soul rest in spendid peace and God have mercy on the guilty. 

My dear Wife, daughter and son-in-law have a 3:00 AM Black Friday ritual of going after the sales.  Since the Wal*Mart here is open 24 hours there were no long lines.  But employees and security guards stood watch to ensure that items for sale at 5:00 AM did not get taken until then.  They got some nice bargains on electronics.  They said that all were cordial and civil.  They gave kudos to Wal*Mart.  A TARGET store was on their venue too.  My dear Wife made it back home by 7:00 AM with the results in hand.  The afternoon was supposed to be for KOHL's but that got overruled.  

I asked them to watch/observe the vacuums being purchased and report back.  They said cheapo stick and lightweights. 

FWIW, sales of luxury vehicles, which includes everything from Lexus to Lamborghini, fell 30 percent in October from a year earlier.  On par with the decline of 32 percent for the overall market.  November auto sales are due to be reported on Tuesday and the picture is not any prettier.  They are expected to be down 36 percent. 

Carmine D.

Hi Carmine,

Glad to learn that some semblance of civilization at least remains alive on the other side of the country.  Had it been a rush of deprived, starving citizens breaking down the doors and plunging ahead to lay their hands on bread I might have found this thing more understandable.  Mr. Damour, I'm sure, was just another everyday stiff trying to increase his fortune by -- of all things -- working.  I only hope that Wal-Mart does something of real worth for those he may have left behind.  Anyway . . .

I will note that even though I noticed that Dyson is attempting to beef up its customer service effort (several ads in the NY Times online "Jobs" section) I don't expect that the average consumer will be looking to invest in expensive vacuums this holiday season.  There are lots of everyday people whose budgets will soon be compromised, if not already.  Vacuums will certainly continued to be looked on as necessities but price will surely tell the story across the board.  It's all aobut getting a job done and not necessarily about the style you do it in.

Nonetheless, shoppers shoud keep a watchful eye.  As an example, the Hoover Wind Tunnel -- whether you like it or not -- is a decent vacuum and Costco has reduced its price on the self-propelled version to $156.00.  Christmas is a month away and I found it a bit surprising that the store didn't stick to its guns regarding price for a bit longer.  To the more fearless consumer I say, hold on, hold out and make 'em sweat.

Venson

Hey  . . .

I have to take back my comment about civilization out west.

http://kdka.com/holidays/black.friday.toys.2.875938.html

Venson

Attached is a link to a series of articles regarding how a few indepent business are faring . . .

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/smallbusiness/0811/gallery.holiday_worries.smb/index.html

CarmineD wrote:
Items on sale at the Wal-Mart store included a $798 Samsung 50-inch plasma HDTV, a Bissel compact upright vacuum for $28, a Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69 and DVDs such as “The Incredible Hulk” for $9.

Hi Venson:

Several of the initial news reports and accounts are saying the Toys R Us incident is gang member related. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Alrighty then . . . One point goes back to the west coast 'cause of a technicality.

Venson

According to news accounts, two couples were in the check out line at Toys R Us.  The women started arguing, not over purchases/sales items.  It escalated into a fist fight with one woman's face getting bloodied.  Both men with the women drew guns and started shooting, leaving one man dead.  Police have not said definitively that it is gang member related, but have not ruled out the possibility.  Store staff and police said the incident was not related to sales items/advertised specials.

Carmine D. 

How fortunate we regular posters on this forum are. In spite of the state of the economy in general, we have the luxury of bantering about vacuum cleaners simply because it is a quirky interest we share.

Peace to all,

Trebor

Trebor wrote:
Hi Trebor,

The original intent of this particular thread was intended to report a horrific occurence at a Wal-Mart here in New York State in which a man, merely trying to make a living, was trampled to death by greedy customers.  People so greedy for a reduced price TV and an el-cheapo vacuum that they knocked down the entry doors of the store.

The store guard is dead and his name is not remembered and if any of those who finally got the cheap vacuum still have in another six months you can bet I'm going to be surprised.

If that is where the search for luxury leads we're really in bad shape.

Venson

To Wal*Mart's credit, the store in question has admitted guilt by letting the crowds stage and build to a fever pitch before opening the doors to all at the same time.  The condition caused a stampede effect with mob mentality. 

The Las Vegas W*M stores did not follow this practice, to their credit, by letting people into the stores before the opening but unable to make purchases until the hours of operation.  All was civil and ruly.

W*M's admission will no doubt result in its payout of monetary compensation.  Not that money regardless of the amount is ever enough to compensate for the loss of human life.

Carmine D.

I meant no disrespect to the man who was killed by the indiference and greed of his fellow human beings. 

People who would never do or allow some things as indiviuals can have rather tenuous holds on their humanity in a crowd.

We all think we would do differently in the same situation. I hope I would. I hope anyone would. I hope those present at that moment never forget it, and the reasons it happened.

Hi Trebor:

According to eye witness reports, while EMT were administering medical aid to the fallen employee, the mob trampled over them with complete disregard.  Can you imagine?  I shutter when I think what these homo sapiens did for the sake of saving a dollar or buying a thing.  A sin that cries out to God.  May God have mercy on them.

Carmine D.

Trebor wrote:
I learned about crowds when I came to New York years ago and went to Times Square one and only one time to celebrate New Year's Eve.  After the ball had been dropped I wanted to go west to get the subway home but the crowd was going east.  In that case I had to go with the flow as it were all the way around the block before I reached the place I wanted to get to.  As for the Wal-Mart, I have never felt  a need so desperate to acquire something  that I had to camp out at a store's front door at four or five o'clock in the morning to get it. But that's just me  In any event . . .

The wonderful thing about this forum, so far, has been even though the focus is on a singular subject there is a sense of social consciousness regarding what's going on in the surrounding world.  Beyond design and doo-dads offered, it is equally important to be aware of and to think about where the vacuum cleaner you choose comes from, who makes it  and who benefits by way of the dollars you spend for it.  There also appears to be a real want among most of us to do genuine good by our neighbors, even in the midst of our musings, by the lending of our diverse opinions and knowledge to help forge solutions for specific problems of those who ask.  Thus, whether yakking or just sitting back and learning, I am always extremely proud to take part in it.  So maybe the banter is not in vain.

Venson

Venson,

I concur with your statements. There does seem to be a social consciousness among the regulars here. And I agree with you about Black Friday. The only way I ever participated was as a retail worker, never as one of those crazed shoppers, flyer in hand, dancing in anticipation of saving money on some perceived 'need'.

Venson was kind enough to post the link for the story when it occurred.  Here is another from the NY daily news, in the event readers want to re-read..

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

Carmine D.