Consumerist
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utensils
Consumers No Longer Forking Out For Knives
Culturally bankrupt shoppers are now buying twice as many forks as knives, according to a British department store. The Brits blame the erosion of their cherished culture on "the American habit of using a single fork." And that's not all. Apparently we're also ruining their understanding and respect for the elegant tradition of proper place settings. More » -
ridiculous
The $23 Quadrillion Pack Of Cigarettes
UPDATE: The Real Reason Behind The $23 Quadrillion Errors
Josh Muszynski was one of the many people hit yesterday by a VISA system error that charged them exactly $23,148,855,308,184,500.00. In his case, it was a pack of cigarettes at a gas station. He later spent a couple of hours on the phone with Bank of America unravelling the charge and the $15 fee. I don't know what's more absurd, the fact that the transaction was approved or that it took two hours to get the $15 overdraft fee removed. Reports the AP, "Bank of America tells WMUR-TV only the card issuer, Visa, could answer questions. Visa, in turn, referred questions to the bank."
NH man charged 23 quadrillion dollars for smokes [AP] (Photo: TheGlassPeople)
PREVIOUSLY: Unruly Teen Charges $23 Quadrillion At Drugstore -
suburbia
Top 10 Best Places To Live In The US
If your priorities are in line with that of Money magazine and are looking to move, you'll be glad to know that they have once again put together a list of the best places to call home in all of these United States. This year, Money set out to find "small towns across the country-those with populations of 8,500 to 50,000-where jobs are available, crime is low, schools are top-notch and housing is affordable." Sounds dreamy. The top 10 inside. More » -
money meltdown
Europe vs USA: Who's Handling The Crisis Better?
The debate on the BBC news right now is who is cooler, America or Europe. Europe is getting props for acting speedily and decisively in contrast to Paulson's pace, which is getting characterized as dawdling and indecisive. Some of the very policies Treasury derided, they're now considering since Europe enacted them. The ex-Reagan economic adviser talking head says it's nationalizing risk, a backdoor way of calling them socialists. However, it wasn't until Europe's "socialistic" actions did the markets rebound. Who is right? Only time will tell; we'll see if the rally sustains or is just another fitful shiver in this economic fever dream. The key here is confidence, and it seems to be the most precious and rare commodity on the face of the earth right now. -
econolodge
Shoney's Commemorates 9-11 With Free Bowl Of Soup
To the fallen, the office workers, the families; to the firemen, the first responders, the workers; to the the hole in the ground, the empty space in the sky, to the the gray miasma—here's a free bowl of soup. Thanks Shoney's. I can't tell whether that's incredibly tacky or deeply poetic. Either way, it's free soup.
(Photo: samwilkinson.org) Note: The post originally credited Econolodge, but after speaking with the photographer more, we think it was actually Shoney's, billed above on the same sign, dispensing the free soup. The picture was taken in Morgantown, West Virginia.
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sadness
America's 10 Most Miserable Cities
Did you know there was an index to measure misery?Misery is defined as a state of great unhappiness and emotional distress. The economic indicator most often used to measure misery is the Misery Index. The index, created by economist Arthur Okun, adds the unemployment rate to the inflation rate. It has been in the narrow 7-to-9 range for most of the past decade, but was over 20 during the late 1970s.
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opinion
"Black Friday Is Obscene And Needs To Die"
SF Gate columnist Mark Morford hates Black Friday, and he's written an over-the-top Network-style screed against it, backing it up with some cringe-inducing YouTube clips of giddy, running Americans swarming into retail outlets last Friday morning. More » -
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success stories
Charter Decides To Care That Reader Can't Watch Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
After we posted Charlie's complaint, "Charter Doesn't Care If You Can't Watch BBC America," a Charter Communications Corporate Escalation Specialist emailed The Consumerist and we put her in touch with Charlie.
Now Charlie writes, "Just wanted to let you know that she was able to connect me to another "escalation specialist" who ended up being able to fix my problem... More »
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foreclosures
Graph: States Hit Hardest By Foreclosure Spree
Which states are being hit the worst by the foreclosure spree? Here's the top 10. More » -
readers
Out Damned Spot! Help A Reader Clean His Citibank Credit
Ben — a man with perfect credit — needs help. Not Ben Popken, editor of this Mickey Mouse pajama publication. Ben A. — one of our most prolific tipsters. More » -
america
AOL User 231392 Illuminated
Here's another AOL user who should definitely be manacled to a rusty pole and beaten with barb wire. Dirty thoughts! Dirty! Dirty!
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aol
We (Maybe) Called The Guy Who Didn't Want to Cancel Vincent's Account
We think we just called up John, the AOL rep fired after giving Vincent Ferrari a hard time when he tried to cancel, a rough time that was company policy. John ain't saying much and didn't want to talk to us. He wouldn't even verify his identity, but the pauses are a dead giveaway. More » -
customer service
Another Skeptical Musing on AOL CSR Firing
Chooki brings up a great point in the comments, which is how do we know that John was actually fired? There's no proof, just a statement from the PR department.
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fast food
The Consumerist Salutes America Saluting Carl's Jr
Don't worry. Every employee gets to take home their own $6 burger for the family. (Thanks, GKnauss!)
"Financial illiteracy has reached epidemic levels." Author Braun Mincher has an editorial in the Austin American-Statesman on why every school in the U.S. should teach financial literacy. [- 1
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