The Breakfast.info

General Discussions => Spunk => Topic started by: Dyed_Tie on March 26, 2006, 11:04:43 pm

Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Dyed_Tie on March 26, 2006, 11:04:43 pm
Okay, Cori and I were at the grocery store today.  We come up to the check out line and every line (except the computerized express lanes) has 20" flat panel TV on an arm above the conveyor belt.  What the hell is that?

Are we getting that bad that we can\'t watch enough TV at home, now we should watch it when we do mundane tasks.  They\'re already in our cars.  Soon enough we won\'t have to go anywhere without watching TV.  It will truly be a Utopia...
where everyone looks like this -->  :drool:.

Why not market a fishing pole to attach to your head to dangle a TV a foot in front of our faces.  :hair:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Gfunk on March 26, 2006, 11:42:38 pm
:drool: mmmmmmmmm TV

seriously though i\'m really tired of all the constant advertising that gets shoved down yer throat on a daily basis.tv commercials are painful :banghead:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Wolfman on March 27, 2006, 12:19:52 am
If you think the TVs at Shaws are bothersome, would it make you feel better to know that artificial intelligence recorded every move you made while you were in the store, including how long you stayed, how you walked the aisles, where you stopped to look and where you kept going, which items you took instantly and which items you compared, which endcaps got a spontaneous purchase out of you, etc., etc.  Well, that happened.  And when you swiped your Shaws card, it took plenty more notes on which items you restocked on, which items you tried for the first time, which items you bought again but switched brands on for a sale, and much, much more.  It also mailed you a personalized advertiser for next week headlined by items you are likely to buy.  And pretty soon, those lovely little screens will be on every aisle, and they will say, "Hi Chris!  Need some beer for that Breakfast show this weekend?"
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Gfunk on March 27, 2006, 12:32:59 am
:wah: are you ser?
spooky twilight zone shit right there
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Todd on March 27, 2006, 12:36:25 am
Yeah, it\'s pretty sick to think about how much privacy we don\'t have and all the stats various companies and government agencies keep on us.

Next step: computer chips in our brains, so we can watch tv without a tv and recordings of every thing we look at. What was the name of that movie that had cameras tracking everone on every street corner, etc., etc.???
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: davepeck on March 27, 2006, 04:47:23 am
Quote from: Dyed_Tie
Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?


there weren\'t during the 6+ years that i worked there. :mad:

hell, the TV in the break room didn\'t even work. bastards.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FreeSpirit on March 27, 2006, 08:43:34 am
personally, I like the fact that there are TV\'s in places where I need to stand in line... I\'d rather watch the Simpsons or the news than the annoying person in front of me taking an hour to unload & bag their products.  

Wolf, if u r correct in the personal records being kept on file, it seems like it would make life easier... I\'d love for stores to send me discounts on items they know I\'m already buying rather than the tons of bulk mailings that I never use! :)
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Me! on March 27, 2006, 10:01:56 am
Quote from: Dyed_Tie
Why not market a fishing pole to attach to your head to dangle a TV a foot in front of our faces.  :hair:

wait a minut where can I get one of these, I know a million dollar idea when I hear it.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Wolfman on March 27, 2006, 10:13:30 am
Quote from: gfunk
are you ser?
spooky twilight zone shit right there

Quote from: FreeSpirit

Wolf, if u r correct in the personal records being kept on file, it seems like it would make life easier... I\'d love for stores to send me discounts on items they know I\'m already buying rather than the tons of bulk mailings that I never use! :)


I\'m not making any of this up.  This technology is not just available, it is commonplace.  In one of my direct marketing classes we took a field trip to the local Stop N Shop to see it all in action.  It\'s amazing stuff.  And that was 3 years ago.  By now they might be using retina-scan and faceprint recognition so they know exactly who you are when you walk in the door, like what they use at the casinos.          

They use your Shaw\'s card to track your purchases and market to you, that\'s what it\'s for!  It is not to hand you free money on sales, believe me :)  They could just as easily put items on sale to get you to come in and not have any card involved.  They look at what you buy and send you coupons and circulars with discounts not for items that you buy all the time, but for items similar to the ones you already buy and are likely to be interested in trying.  This drives trial and future sales.  

There are massive amounts of data on you being stored and also sold.  They look at how much you spend, how many people you are shopping for and much more. In fact, in 2003 some grocery chains reported that as much as 10% of their total revenue came from sales of data, not food.  For example, a pet store manager who wants to market to local pet owners can call Shaws and buy a list of everyone who bought dog food in the last 30 days.  For a little bit more the pet store owner can get the list specified with things like people who live within 10 miles of his store or people who spend over $50 a month on pet food, etc. etc.  The pet store manager then uses the mailing addresses or emails he bought to communicate things about his store to local pet owners.    

This is the tip of the iceberg.  Database marketing is colossal.  The local liberal running for office buys a list from Whole Foods of people who buy organic food.  The plant nursery buys lists of people who subscribe to Better Homes And Gardens.  The smoke-detector manufacturer buys lists from hospitals of people who have had a family member die of carbon monoxide poisoning in the last 5 years.  The custom landscaper buys a list from Remax Real Estate of everyone within 100 miles who bought at least 2 acres of property in the last year and has a household income of over $100K.  Toad\'s Place might call up DavePeck and buy a list of all .info users within 75 miles of New Haven to tell them about the upcoming jamband show.  I signed up with a gym and a Frisbee league when I moved to Boston and presto, the local shoe store mails me at my new address with deals on running shoes before I\'ve been here for a month.  The info is all out there and being sold every day.  And it all starts with that harmless little Shaw\'s card on your keychain. :)  

The screens are coming for you!!!
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Me! on March 27, 2006, 10:18:38 am
and soilent green is made of people!!!!!!! :jawdrop: ;)
seriously though that\'s some scary shit welcome to 1984 politically sand otherwise
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Dyed_Tie on March 27, 2006, 11:26:08 am
Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: davepeck on March 27, 2006, 11:40:13 am
wow.. i\'m pretty surprised at how much of a \'secret\' this is.. seems pretty obvious to me.. :idunno:

but yeah, you know those little red and white coupons that print out with your receipt? take a look at them next time - it will most likely be for a competing brand of something you just bought.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Wolfman on March 27, 2006, 12:11:43 pm
Quote from: davepeck
wow.. i\'m pretty surprised at how much of a \'secret\' this is.. seems pretty obvious to me.. :idunno:


Yeah, I\'m actually surprised that people are surprsied.  Although in fairness, I was pretty f-in blown away when we first started learning about this stuff in marketing classes.  The craziest part is how there are databases for EVERYTHING...you can buy or rent lists of chili-cooking enthusiasts, people over 6\'4" with autistic children, corporate executives who have been to drug rehab...it\'s amazing.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Me! on March 27, 2006, 12:21:13 pm
Quote from: Wolfman
corporate executives who have been to drug rehab...it\'s amazing.

you mean there are some who haven\'t?? :shock2:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: antbach on March 27, 2006, 01:16:19 pm
my shaw\'s department manager father would be proud to know his store has gotten this much attention :lol:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Jim Cobb on March 27, 2006, 02:08:47 pm
if there are lists of people who have been to drug rehab, then there is something dreadfully wrong somewhere because that stuff is supposed to be confidential.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FrankZappa on March 27, 2006, 02:16:44 pm
this stuff is pretty obvious if you sit down and think about it, most people just don\'t until someone like wolf lays it out in front of them.  I\'ve know about most of this for years, but just don\'t give it much thought.

Hey, while we\'re reminicing about shaws, I just came across the niburu/souls device/pb show @ madison arts barn while cleaning out a bunch of old vhs. :P
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Todd on March 27, 2006, 04:36:31 pm
OK.....All I want to know now is where is the .info privacy policy statement? (or whatever those things that I get 20+ a month of are called) :biggrin:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: jocelyn on March 27, 2006, 07:14:45 pm
I can\'t believe this is news to everyone. I will keep using my Shaws card until the local farm stands open up however because blackberries are fucking expensive without them. :P

Somewhat related: I told my father I was thinking about getting a SpeedPass, or, EZPass, whatever it\'s called around here, and he completely went haywire. Yelling and screaming, leaping around.. "Noooo! No! No! If you do that, THEY will know everywhere you go!" :lol:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FreeSpirit on March 27, 2006, 07:23:36 pm
Quote from: Wolfman
Toad\'s Place might call up DavePeck and buy a list of all .info users within 75 miles of New Haven to tell them about the upcoming jamband show.


and, again, this is a "bad" thing?!  People get so squeamish about privacy rights, but I don\'t care who knows what i do - it makes life easier & more convenient.  Sign me up, Dave! ;)
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: davepeck on March 27, 2006, 07:26:16 pm
Quote from: Todd
OK.....All I want to know now is where is the .info privacy policy statement? (or whatever those things that I get 20+ a month of are called) :biggrin:


wait, what? :confused:

Quote from: jocelyn
Somewhat related: I told my father I was thinking about getting a SpeedPass, or, EZPass, whatever it\'s called around here, and he completely went haywire. Yelling and screaming, leaping around.. "Noooo! No! No! If you do that, THEY will know everywhere you go!" :lol:


i love my EZPass, but one day, we\'re gonna be getting speeding tickets in the mail. if you got from point A to point B in X minutes, you must have been speeding. the proof is in the pudding. i just fear the day that the law is passed to allow state governments to fine you for that..
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Spacey on March 27, 2006, 07:49:16 pm
Was this Shaw\'s the one in Wallingford that Dyed Tie was talking about?
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Wolfman on March 27, 2006, 10:50:13 pm
Quote from: davepeck

i love my EZPass, but one day, we\'re gonna be getting speeding tickets in the mail. if you got from point A to point B in X minutes, you must have been speeding. the proof is in the pudding. i just fear the day that the law is passed to allow state governments to fine you for that..


The only reason it hasn\'t happened is because State Police organizations won\'t allow it because half the police would lose their jobs.  They already know at what time you enter and leave the highway, so all they would have to do is set time limits from exit to exit, print out the reports, and mail the tickets.  They could start doing it tomorrow if they wanted.  They could also track the speed of every car on the highway by satellite if they wanted.  But the cops need something to do.  For once I\'m actually in favor of the cops on something.  If they implemented one of the automatic systems, you would have to set the cruise at 64 MPH ALL THE TIME.  People would go insane.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: sallyalli on March 27, 2006, 11:01:21 pm
wow, that would suck. If that ever happens everyone should just drive 75 on the highway...all the time. They cant give out that many tickets.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Gfunk on March 27, 2006, 11:49:43 pm
Quote from: FreeSpirit
personally, I like the fact that there are TV\'s in places where I need to stand in line... I\'d rather watch the Simpsons or the news than the annoying person in front of me taking an hour to unload & bag their products. QUOTE]
i think you more likely to see what is on sale in the store and whatnot. they dont have real tv.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: delfunk1 on March 28, 2006, 12:17:17 am
Now what about the conspiracy where On-star is the government trying to control our vehicles.....
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FrankZappa on March 28, 2006, 06:15:35 am
Quote from: sallyalli
wow, that would suck. If that ever happens everyone should just drive 75 on the highway...all the time. They cant give out that many tickets.

:point:  
Oh, yea.. They\'d never waste the time to build a script to create bulk mail that would in turn create hundreds of thousands of dollars feeding back into the states general fund. What would the benefit of that be? :P

People would complain, and ever 4 years politicians would make pretty speeches about how they were going to do away with it, then when they got elected they would quickly forget about it because there is no way they could create a budget without all those funds.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Marcial on March 28, 2006, 08:21:19 am
Quote from: Gfunk
seriously though i\'m really tired of all the constant advertising that gets shoved down yer throat on a daily basis.tv commercials are painful


Tivo, dude... Tivo... I haven\'t watched a commerical in 6 months... and I get to watch my favorite shows when I want to watch them... it changed my life.
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: davepeck on March 28, 2006, 08:23:44 am
or mininova (http://www.mininova.org/tor/264082).
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Dyed_Tie on March 28, 2006, 01:28:49 pm
Quote from: Spacey
Was this Shaw\'s the one in Wallingford that Dyed Tie was talking about?


Yes it was, Spacey.  Check it out if you haven\'t yet.  It\'s mainly for marketing, it\'s not like a real TV where you can watch whatever you want.  I think it\'s some big commercial for the food network or soemthing...
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Spacey on March 28, 2006, 01:41:26 pm
infomercials!
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FrankZappa on April 05, 2006, 09:00:07 am
The way to do something like this is to offer discounts (such as the shaws card), and then to protect your children. Parents will see it as their kids being kept safe. Once that generation is used to it, you have the whole of society under your control. That being said, I\'m predicting 20 years or less to total take over unless rioted against.
If shaws was stage 1, here is stage 2:

Quote
Disney offers teen-tracker mobile
Disney is launching a US service that will enable parents to monitor how their children use their mobile phones.
They will be able to track voice, text, video and picture messages and set limits on their children\'s calls.

The phone will also allow parents to locate where their children are via a global positioning system.

The entertainment giant hopes to target what is a niche but rapidly expanding market of mobile phone using children between 10 and 15 years old.

"This is still a growth stage market," said George Grobar, general manager of Disney Mobile.

Disney is targeting 20 to 30 million children with the new service.
The decision follows market research showing that parents wanted to be able to find out where their children are at specific moments and to talk to them.

\'Big market for teenagers\'

While the US mobile phone market is well established with 70% of the population already owning a phone, this figure is lower among teenagers.

About 45% to 50% of 13 year olds have a mobile phone, according to technology analysts Jupiter Research.

Just under two thirds of parents pay for their teenagers mobile phones.

"There is certainly a big market for teenagers and parents adding them to their [mobile] phone plan," said Jupiter analyst Julie Ask.

The new phones for parents, which will be sold over the internet, are expected to be available from June.

Disney has not yet revealed what it will charge for this service, but monthly fees from other providers are as little as $10 per month for each new family member.

This is the second specialised mobile phone service Disney is developing. The company launched a sports-based service in February at the annual American football extravaganza, the Super Bowl.

Mobile phone company Nokia predicted that the global mobile phone market will increase by 15% this year.
source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4878888.stm)

This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang, but with a wimper.
-T.S. Eliot

:banghead:
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: wildcoyote on April 05, 2006, 09:54:58 am
The Disney thing isn\'t that new (but scary none the less).  If you purchased your phone in the last 2 years it most likely has a GPS in it.  It may be called "location" and found under settings.  Some you can turn on or off (or can you?), or in some cases 911 only. The 911 thing is of course how they sell people on it.  
I also found out every web site I visit and every phone call I make from work, are not only monitored, but recorded and stored.  Just case they ever need a reason to fire me.
For some reason however, the streaming audio from this site isn\'t blocked when most others are.  Breakfast.info, flying under the radar!
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Jim Cobb on April 05, 2006, 10:50:57 am
ahh i never knew what that location thing was on my phone.  *turned off*
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Todd on April 05, 2006, 01:11:43 pm
Quote from: Jim Cobb
ahh i never knew what that location thing was on my phone.  *turned off*
Or is it???
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: Jim Cobb on April 05, 2006, 01:27:54 pm
Ahhhh!!!
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: bonzo on April 05, 2006, 10:17:06 pm
I like good T.V.
Like Sanford and Son
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: FrankZappa on May 04, 2006, 06:09:42 am
but wait, there\'s more!
Quote
Privacy Group Slams Levi\'s for RFID-Chip Clothing Tags
Jeans Maker Uses Controversial Technology in Test With One Retailer
By Jack Neff

Published: April 28, 2006

CINCINNATI (AdAge.com) -- A privacy group is crying foul over what they call "spychips" getting into consumers\' Levis.

But Levi Strauss & Co., which is testing radio-frequency identification chips to track inventory in two of its Mexican franchise stores and at another unnamed retail customer, says it\'s being entirely transparent with consumers about the tags and their use
(http://adage.com/images/bin/image/small/levis042806.jpg)
One U.S. retail store
The chips are being used on removable hang tags in "a few select men\'s products" in the core Levi\'s apparel brand in one U.S. retail store, which has asked that it not be named until it chooses to identify itself, said Jeffrey Beckman, director of worldwide and U.S. communications for Levi Strauss.

That the chips are being used on the core brand would indicate a department or specialty store is the site. Wal-Mart Stores, one of the prime retail movers for RFID adoption in mass retail, carries the Levi\'s Signature but not the Levi\'s core brand.

"It is by their standards a small test," Mr. Beckman said, adding that the retailer has asked Levi\'s to leave any announcement of its test to the chain.

Retailer Benetton ended a test of RFID chips in its retail line in 2003 after the group Consumers Against Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) (http://www.nocards.org/) launched a boycott. In a statement yesterday, the group said "it may be time to ditch your Dockers and lay off the Levi\'s" because the company isn\'t honoring CASPIAN\'s moratorium on item-level RFID tagging, but did not call for a boycott.

\'Floodgates will open\'
"Companies like Levi Strauss are painting their RFID trials as innocuous," CASPIAN founder Katherine Albrecht said in the statement. But she said "once clothing manufacturers begin applying RFID to hang tags, the floodgates will open and we\'ll soon find these things sewn into the hem of our jeans. ... The problem with RFID is that it\'s tracking technology, plain and simple."

CASPIAN says numerous patents by RFID technology developers describe ways to link unique serial numbers on RFID-tagged items and track consumers for marketing or advertising purposes. The group cites an IBM patent describing how RFID tags could be used by the government to track individuals in public places.

"There\'s no intention whatsoever to embed these [RFID chips] in products," Mr. Beckman said. And he said Levi Strauss has no current plans to use RFID for marketing applications.

"Right now, this is completely about managing inventory and being in stock on products," Mr. Beckman said. "Things could change, but right now this franchisee\'s entire focus is on improving inventory management."

Alerting consumers
He said the Levi\'s franchisee using the tags at one Mexican Levi\'s and another Mexican Dockers outlet has been "very transparent" with consumers by posting signs in stores telling about the RFID tags and putting disclosure on the removable 2-inch by 4-inch tags on garments.

The tags read "RFID inventory control tag," Mr. Beckman said, and describe the technology as "functioning like an intelligent bar code" aimed at improving product availability. He acknowledged that the tags do track individual serial numbers for each garment, but said the tags add: "Please discard this tag if it is not removed at the point of purchase."

source (http://adage.com/article?article_id=108846)
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: wstielau on May 05, 2006, 06:50:33 pm
I just finished reading through this thread, went to check my mail and noticed some more info on RFID tags if anyone is interested.

RFID = Privacy Concerns? (http://www.ddj.com/blog/portal/archives/2006/05/rfid_privacy_co.html)

-Wayne
Title: Why the hell are there TVs in Shaw\'s?
Post by: ChrisF on May 05, 2006, 08:17:51 pm
i bought a couple pairs of jeans from old navy this winter. one of them was kind of expenisive and it had a chip that looked just like that one. i didnt realize what it was until after i wore it a few times. it was on a tag that said to cut it off after purchasing. i dont know if they use it to track inventory in that store, but i assumed it was just to set off the alarm if anyone tries to steal the pants.