NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer on Tuesday started streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. bought video-streaming service Vudu.com 18 months ago and now offers 20,000 titles that can be viewed on almost any device with Internet access, from computers to televisions to Sony’s PlayStation3 and other Blu-Ray disc players. Movies are available at Walmart.com to rent for $1 to $5.99 or to purchase for $4.99 and up. Wal-Mart is not offering subscriptions, making its service more similar to Apple Inc.’s iTunes, which charges $3.99 to rent newly released movies and $14.99 to buy a movie. In addition to Netflix, another competitor streaming movies and TV shows by subscription is Hulu.com, which now offers a premium service for $7.99 a month with more back-season shows and more movies. Without a subscription, Hulu viewers can watch shows and movies free in exchange for watching advertising. The movie offering fits with the Wal-Mart website’s strategy of offering a “seamless continuous shopping service,” said Steve Nave, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart.com. Wal-Mart’s announcement comes on the heels of Netflix saying it will raise rates and charge separately for streaming and rental DVDs. Its second price hike in eight months, Netflix’s planned increases could amount to 60 percent for existing customers, starting Sept. 1. New subscribers have to pay the new prices immediately. Netflix plans to charge $16 a month for services that used to cost $10 a month when bundled together, for example. It’s still changing $8 a month for streaming, which it launched late last year. But instead of charging $2 more for a plan that includes one DVD at a time by mail, the company will charge $8 and up for DVD plans. Customers have taken to social media sites Facebook and Twitter to vent their anger over Netflix’s increases, but executives said they anticipated the reaction. The company’s willingness to risk alienating subscribers signals it needs more revenue to cover rising costs. As of March, Netflix had 22.8 million subscribers in the U.S. – about 34,000 more than the number of households subscribing to Comcast Corp.’s cable-TV service. Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has tested the movie-rental waters before. It previously offered a DVD-by-mail service that cost $12.97 per month for two titles and $17.36 per month for three titles. But it ceded that program to Netflix in February 2010, letting customers continue their subscriptions with Los Gatos, Calif.-based Netflix without a rate hike. Apple is based in Cupertino, Calif.
Continue reading …CNN's Wolf Blitzer put Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on the defensive Tuesday in a testy interview on the debt ceiling, lecturing the congressman and asking provocative questions about any divides within the party on Capitol Hill. Blitzer told Jordan that “you've got to deal with reality now” after reporting that the Balanced Budget Amendment, a brainchild of House Republicans, failed in the Senate. “You've got to deal with the hand you're dealt, and you can pass anything you want in the House, but if it doesn't pass in the Senate, it's not going anywhere,” he added. [Video below the break.] Blitzer even tried to frame Jordan as unwilling at all to compromise in the debate, as he was planning to vote against Speaker Boehner's newest debt ceiling proposal. “It sounds like you don't even want to compromise,” he told the congressman to his face. Multiple times, the CNN host tried to sniff out any serious dissent within the House Republicans, asking Jordan provocative questions like “Do you trust the Majority Leader, Eric Cantor?” and “You hate that [Boehner's] proposal, don't you?” “The vote tomorrow, you're definitely voting against the Speaker, right?” Blitzer framed his question to the congressman about Boehner's debt ceiling proposal. Jordan gave a diplomatic answer. “I'm not voting against the Speaker. I'm voting against his plan.” A partial transcript of the segment, which aired on July 26 at 5:17 p.m. EDT, is as follows: WOLF BLITZER: Why do you oppose your House Speaker John Boehner's proposal that he wants to vote on tomorrow to deal with this crisis? Rep. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio): Wolf, I mean, look, we appreciate the Speaker's hard work he's been doing, the fact that there aren't tax increases in this plan, I think that's a great step in the right direction. But we've always maintained that let's take this moment to ultimately fix the problem, and for the first time in American history get a Balanced Budget Amendment sent out to the states. Every family, every business, every township, every county, every municipality, every state – everyone has to comply with a balanced budget requirement, except, oh by the way, the one entity that has a $14 trillion debt. And we're getting ready to raise that a couple trillion dollars more. So let's put that requirement in place. That's the long-term game-changer that can ultimately fix the country. BLITZER: You tried that last week, it was defeated in the Senate. And even if it passed the Senate, the president says he would have vetoed it. So you've got to deal with reality now. JORDAN: Well, but Wolf, remember this. The president is saying the same thing about the proposals on the table now, and at least the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan actually passed the House. It's the only plan put on paper – the only plan to pass the House. BLITZER: But Republicans only have a majority in the House. They don't have a majority in the Senate, they don't have a majority in the Executive Branch of the government. You've got to deal with the hand you're dealt, and you can pass anything you want in the House, but if it doesn't pass in the Senate, it's not going anywhere. (…) BLITZER: Do you trust Eric Cantor, the Majority Leader? Because he says you and your fellow Republicans who are opposing the Speaker right now are just whining, and not dealing with reality, the economic crisis that could develop next Tuesday. (…) BLITZER: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce just put out a statement – that's not necessarily a liberal democratic group, as you well know – backing Speaker Boehner's proposal, saying this: “This legislation is critical. Default on debt obligations is not an acceptable option. The time for Congress to act is now.” That's the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, it's not the Democratic Party. JORDAN: Wolf, you know that there is not a default problem. We are not going to default on August 2. (…) BLITZER: You voted last week for the proposal, the Cut, Cap, and Balance proposal. As you know the Speaker himself said on Sunday, he is ready for $800 billion in increased tax revenue as part of a deal, and he also said on Sunday that proposal he made to the White House still is on the table. You hate that proposal, don't you? JORDAN: Well, we're not for tax increases, and there's been no indication that that proposal is still on the table. BLITZER: He said it was on the table Sunday. JORDAN: He said that Sunday, but there's been no indication of that this week. I'm against tax increases, I think there's a huge majority of Republicans who are against tax incre – I think the American people are against raising taxes on the job creators out there. So that proposal – tax increases aren't going to fly in the United States Congress. BLITZER: Here's what a recent CNN/ORC poll asked this question: “Are Republicans in Congress cooperating enough with President Obama?” 30 percent said yes, 68 percent said no. So I know you have your supporters out there, but this poll shows that they're in the minority. (…) BLITZER: And just to be precise, I want to be precise. If there's nothing passed between now and next Tuesday, you're willing to take that chance, whether it's default or not default, you're willing to avoid raising the debt ceiling, and let the chips fall where they might? JORDAN: It's not about falling where they might. Of course we want to get something done before August 2. But we want to do the right thing. Just doing something's not going to prevent a downgrade. (Crosstalk) BLITZER: It sounds like you don't even want to compromise. JORDAN: We want to compromi – what do you mean compromise? We raised the debt ceiling $2.4 trillion, which is what the president wanted. What we're saying is let's put a Balanced Budget Amendment out there so the American people can say you know what, let's ultimately fix the problem long-term and secure a bright future for our kids and our grandkids. BLITZER: Alright, well we'll see what happens. The vote tomorrow, you're definitely voting against the Speaker, right? JORDAN: I'm not voting against the Speaker. I'm voting against his plan. I think this plan doesn't solve the problem. It's got some good things that it keeps out of there, like tax increases, but I'm voting against the plan. (…) BLITZER: Alright, Congressman, thanks very much. The whole country is watching very closely. Appreciate it.
Continue reading …CNN's Wolf Blitzer put Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on the defensive Tuesday in a testy interview on the debt ceiling, lecturing the congressman and asking provocative questions about any divides within the party on Capitol Hill. Blitzer told Jordan that “you've got to deal with reality now” after reporting that the Balanced Budget Amendment, a brainchild of House Republicans, failed in the Senate. “You've got to deal with the hand you're dealt, and you can pass anything you want in the House, but if it doesn't pass in the Senate, it's not going anywhere,” he added. [Video below the break.] Blitzer even tried to frame Jordan as unwilling at all to compromise in the debate, as he was planning to vote against Speaker Boehner's newest debt ceiling proposal. “It sounds like you don't even want to compromise,” he told the congressman to his face. Multiple times, the CNN host tried to sniff out any serious dissent within the House Republicans, asking Jordan provocative questions like “Do you trust the Majority Leader, Eric Cantor?” and “You hate that [Boehner's] proposal, don't you?” “The vote tomorrow, you're definitely voting against the Speaker, right?” Blitzer framed his question to the congressman about Boehner's debt ceiling proposal. Jordan gave a diplomatic answer. “I'm not voting against the Speaker. I'm voting against his plan.” A partial transcript of the segment, which aired on July 26 at 5:17 p.m. EDT, is as follows: WOLF BLITZER: Why do you oppose your House Speaker John Boehner's proposal that he wants to vote on tomorrow to deal with this crisis? Rep. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio): Wolf, I mean, look, we appreciate the Speaker's hard work he's been doing, the fact that there aren't tax increases in this plan, I think that's a great step in the right direction. But we've always maintained that let's take this moment to ultimately fix the problem, and for the first time in American history get a Balanced Budget Amendment sent out to the states. Every family, every business, every township, every county, every municipality, every state – everyone has to comply with a balanced budget requirement, except, oh by the way, the one entity that has a $14 trillion debt. And we're getting ready to raise that a couple trillion dollars more. So let's put that requirement in place. That's the long-term game-changer that can ultimately fix the country. BLITZER: You tried that last week, it was defeated in the Senate. And even if it passed the Senate, the president says he would have vetoed it. So you've got to deal with reality now. JORDAN: Well, but Wolf, remember this. The president is saying the same thing about the proposals on the table now, and at least the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan actually passed the House. It's the only plan put on paper – the only plan to pass the House. BLITZER: But Republicans only have a majority in the House. They don't have a majority in the Senate, they don't have a majority in the Executive Branch of the government. You've got to deal with the hand you're dealt, and you can pass anything you want in the House, but if it doesn't pass in the Senate, it's not going anywhere. (…) BLITZER: Do you trust Eric Cantor, the Majority Leader? Because he says you and your fellow Republicans who are opposing the Speaker right now are just whining, and not dealing with reality, the economic crisis that could develop next Tuesday. (…) BLITZER: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce just put out a statement – that's not necessarily a liberal democratic group, as you well know – backing Speaker Boehner's proposal, saying this: “This legislation is critical. Default on debt obligations is not an acceptable option. The time for Congress to act is now.” That's the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, it's not the Democratic Party. JORDAN: Wolf, you know that there is not a default problem. We are not going to default on August 2. (…) BLITZER: You voted last week for the proposal, the Cut, Cap, and Balance proposal. As you know the Speaker himself said on Sunday, he is ready for $800 billion in increased tax revenue as part of a deal, and he also said on Sunday that proposal he made to the White House still is on the table. You hate that proposal, don't you? JORDAN: Well, we're not for tax increases, and there's been no indication that that proposal is still on the table. BLITZER: He said it was on the table Sunday. JORDAN: He said that Sunday, but there's been no indication of that this week. I'm against tax increases, I think there's a huge majority of Republicans who are against tax incre – I think the American people are against raising taxes on the job creators out there. So that proposal – tax increases aren't going to fly in the United States Congress. BLITZER: Here's what a recent CNN/ORC poll asked this question: “Are Republicans in Congress cooperating enough with President Obama?” 30 percent said yes, 68 percent said no. So I know you have your supporters out there, but this poll shows that they're in the minority. (…) BLITZER: And just to be precise, I want to be precise. If there's nothing passed between now and next Tuesday, you're willing to take that chance, whether it's default or not default, you're willing to avoid raising the debt ceiling, and let the chips fall where they might? JORDAN: It's not about falling where they might. Of course we want to get something done before August 2. But we want to do the right thing. Just doing something's not going to prevent a downgrade. (Crosstalk) BLITZER: It sounds like you don't even want to compromise. JORDAN: We want to compromi – what do you mean compromise? We raised the debt ceiling $2.4 trillion, which is what the president wanted. What we're saying is let's put a Balanced Budget Amendment out there so the American people can say you know what, let's ultimately fix the problem long-term and secure a bright future for our kids and our grandkids. BLITZER: Alright, well we'll see what happens. The vote tomorrow, you're definitely voting against the Speaker, right? JORDAN: I'm not voting against the Speaker. I'm voting against his plan. I think this plan doesn't solve the problem. It's got some good things that it keeps out of there, like tax increases, but I'm voting against the plan. (…) BLITZER: Alright, Congressman, thanks very much. The whole country is watching very closely. Appreciate it.
Continue reading …Well, this was probably inevitable: Rep. David Wu has resigned days after being accused of sexual assault (and months after being accused of mental instability and random tiger-suit-wearing ). The Oregon Democrat announced his resignation moments after the state’s two Democratic senators called for it, the Oregonian reports. He promised…
Continue reading …Good news, Bachelorette lovers: the payoff for last week’s tedious hometown dates is this week’s Overnight Fantasy Dates. (And this one’s a doozy.) As the group arrives in Fiji — the one place that Ashley has always dreamed of visiting, a fun fact she feels the need to repeat constantly throughout the episode — it’s
Continue reading …WASHINGTON ‘ IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned Tuesday the clock was ticking on a US debt deal, as the dollar slid to new lows amid concerns of a looming and unprecedented default by the world’s top economy. With a week to go before the United States hits an August 2 deadline when the government runs out of funds to pay its bills, Congress remained deeply divided on raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. In a solemn late night address to the nation on Monday, Democratic President Barack Obama hit out at what he called a “dangerous game” being played by rival Republicans. “We can’t allow the American people to become collateral damage to Washington’s political warfare,” Obama said, warning…
Continue reading …Starting this fall, for the first eight days after they air, watching Fox TV shows online will require a subscription to Hulu Plus or a participating cable or satellite company. So far Dish Network is the first and only provider to sign up its customers for access to the new walled garden on Fox’s site but others looking to fill out their TV Everywhere lineups probably won’t be far behind. While pay-TV networks like ESPN with ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app and EPIX have already gone the “authentication” route, Fox is the first of the broadcast networks to do so. The new rules go into effect August 15th, then we’ll find out if Fox is driving cable cutters towards paying for TV, piracy, or just ignoring the latest episode of Glee altogether. Continue reading Fox restricts online streams of new TV shows to ‘authenticated’ pay TV subscribers Fox restricts online streams of new TV shows to ‘authenticated’ pay TV subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The teenagers were doing everything right, just as they’d been taught during their 24 days at Alaska’s National Outdoor Leadership School: They were yelling to alert bears in the area of their presence as they crossed a river in a single file line. Then: “Bear! Bear!” yelled Joshua Berg, 17….
Continue reading …2011 MINI Cooper Hardtop – 2dr Car Roseville CA 5970 New 2011 MINI Cooper 2011 MINI Cooper Clubman – Calabasa CA BlacksAutomotiv says: New Hatchback Added: 2003 MINI Cooper : We've just added a Hatchback to our inventory and it is available for pur… http://bit.ly/njSlLm
Continue reading …Newly crowned IMF queen Christine Lagarde called for “bold fiscal action” to end the US debt ceiling crisis today, though she warned that drastic spending cuts could lead to a jobless recovery. “I’m hopeful that the political courage shown by European leaders will soon be followed” by the US, she…
Continue reading …