By 2010, Wal-Mart and its suppliers are going to be a lot more energy efficient. The retailing giant has set a goal of getting suppliers to increase the energy efficiency of its products by 25 percent in three years.

Wal-Mart outlines energy plan | Green Tech blog - CNET News.com

Computer and electronics retailer CompUSA Inc. announced on Friday that it would start winding down its retail operations after being acquired by an investment firm, which is looking to sell the company's business and assets.

CompUSA to shut down stores

The Web site HealthyToys.org gives parents way to weed out toxic toys, by searching the HealthyToys database that provides a detailed breakdown of the substances found in over 1,200 toys they tested for lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and PVC plastic.

Weeding out toxic toys | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Federal prosecutors tried unsuccessfully to force Amazon.com to identify thousands of innocent customers who bought books online, then abandoned the idea after a judge rebuked them.

Feds lose bid for Amazon.com customer records | The Iconoclast - politics, law, and technology - CNET News.com

If you hunt around the web these days, you're bound to come across hundreds of websites that are focused on informing consumers and keeping the big businesses honest.  The web is an extremely empowering resource for the mass of consumers around the globe, and one of my favorite sites, The Consumerist, is a great example of this.

Consumerist: Shoppers Bite Back

The Simple Dollar - 25 Rules to Grow Rich By #25: Warranties

I often preach to my clients about the evils of warranties on consumer electronics.  Although it is true that there is always a chance that an expensive computer, television, etc. may break and set you back a fair amount of money, I contend that in the long run, you will pay more money in warranties than you will to replace the items you've been insuring.

Personally, I save insurance (warranties are essentially a type of insurance) for cases where I need to protect against financial disaster- disasters that would be life-damaging.  Follow the link above to one of my favorite financial blogs, The Simple Dollar, for more insight on the subject.

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for mom - Engadget

It's crunch time, only a week left until Christmas Day.  If you're still wondering what to get Mom, you might consider something from Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide for Moms.

It's that time of year again- time to start galloping from store to store searching for those holiday gifts.  If you start early (how about now?), you can save yourself some time, money, and a perfume-counter migraine.  Comparison shopping sites on the Internet can help you find the best deal buy searching thousands of different retailers for whatever product you're into.

My favorite comparison shopping sites:

• Froogle.com (by google)
• TheFind.com (Great also for getting ideas- know a Scrabble nut?  Type in "Scrabble" and see what develops)
• Shopper.com (by CNet- good for electronics and tech gadgets)
• UGenie.com (for books, movies, music, and games)
• Dealtime.com (this site has been around the block a long time)

Almost all of these sites are mentioned in a recent New York Times article:

NYT: How to Find Those Gifts in a Flash