Here's a lesson that struggling British entertainment retailer HMV taught companies around the world today: Before you announce mass layoffs, secure your corporate Twitter feed. 

The tweets began shortly after 9 a.m. EST. Although they were deleted intermittently during the epic struggle between the exiting employees and management, they were all preserved (not totally chronologically) through the magic of screen grabs:

Ultimately, the Twitter insurgents were overwhelmed. But their efforts were not in vain: They managed to entertain everyone on Twitter for a solid half-hour. 

Update, 1:12 p.m.: Twitter user @poppy_powers has claimed responsibility for the Twitter tirade and explained her motivation.