When reader Lynn asked an employee at the Tyson’s Corner Barnes & Noble in McLean, VA why the Diary of Anne Frank and the Guiness Book of World Records were shelved under fiction, he jokingly responded: “Some Albanian probably put it there.” Good one, Barnes & Noble!!! Full picture, inside.
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Barnes & Noble Shelves "Diary of Anne Frank," "Guiness Book of World Records" Under Fiction
By 5.9.09
Time Warner Gives You $1,271, Won't Take It Back
By 5.9.09
Melissa isn’t sure why she has a $1,271.25 credit from Time Warner Cable, but there it sits in her account, baiting her to order a slew of pricey extras. Melissa asked Time Warner to reverse the credit, figuring the random payout had to be a mistake. “We can’t fix it,” they told her. “It’s an error on our part. Enjoy!”
Hey Skype, If You're Going To Sell Other People's Numbers, At Least Have A Customer Service Department
By 5.9.09
George’s outgoing Skype calls properly display his SkypeIn number, but if anyone tries to call him back, they’re connected the number’s rightful owner, a nice old woman in Raleigh, NC. George wants to know why Skype sold him someone else’s number, but the internet telecom apparently doesn’t pay anyone to answer their phones.
Would You Use A Government-Issued Credit Card?
By 4.25.09
With President Obama and Congress threatening to tag-spank credit card issuers, Slate is left wondering why the government doesn’t just issue its own credit card. Before you scream “SOCIALISM!,” consider the government’s heavy involvement in the banking sector, not just through the recent bailouts, but through long-standing institutions like Fannie and Sallie Mae, and Freddie Mac. Credit-worthy borrowers in Germany, France, and India all have access to low-interest, no-fee credit cards issued by their central banks. Would you ever be interested in an Obama-backed credit card?
Is It Ok To Give Cash To Needy Friends?
By 3.29.09
Yes, it’s ok to lend cash to needy friends, but only if you have a clear understanding of your gift and its effects. Money undeniably alters relationships, and giving can greatly complicate, if not entirely undermine, a valued friendship. Yet, money is also one of the most direct ways to provide help. The Times provided several questions to consider before making a gift…
Is The Patriot Act Stopping Gateway From Fixing Your Laptop?
By 3.22.09
Gateway claims that the Patriot Act is holding up delivery of the part needed to fix Redwoodflyer’s laptop, which has been broken since October. Seems believable to us!
Former CSR: Was Following Federal Law To Help Someone The Right Thing To Do?
By 3.14.09
Jason writes in with an ethics question that’s been bothering him for the past seven years: should he have helped a cancer-stricken patient who lost her family in the 9/11 attacks qualify for COBRA coverage? Sure, it sounds like a no-brainer, but it gives us a chance to see the sort of conflicts that gnaw at customer service representatives. Do they follow the rules and keep their jobs, or do the right thing and help the customer? Consider his conundrum, inside…
Judge To Growers: Pasteurize Your Almonds
By 3.14.09
Finally, you can nosh on delicious almonds safe in the knowledge that they’re pasteurized and salmonella free. A federal judge this week tossed out a lawsuit aimed at blocking new rules from the Department of Agriculture requiring growers to pasteurize their almonds. Growers are now whining that U.S. consumers area about to get hooked on raw yet dangerously delicious European almonds.
CNN Explains: "Living Within Your Means"
By 2.21.09
In case anyone forgot how the global economy came to teeter on the brink of collapse, CNN recently needed to help a reader figure out the difference between “living within your means” and “living below your means.” Let’s see if we can’t constructively add to the conversation…
Don't Worry, Reselling Children's Clothing Isn't About To Become Illegal. Probably.
By 1.17.09
Reselling your kid’s used clothing could soon violate federal law. Come February 10, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act will prevent retailers from selling children’s products that haven’t been certified as lead free. Old hand-me-downs, of course, haven’t been certified for anything more than running around the yard. Parents are worried, petitions are being drawn up, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission isn’t doing much to clarify the law.
Target's Pharmacy Will Not Answer Questions One Minute After Closing?
By 1.7.09
If you’re picking up your prescriptions close to closing time at Target’s pharmacy, you might want to make sure you don’t have any questions after closing time. Reader Kathy says she realized that she had a question about her son’s prescription immediately after picking up the prescription, but when she turned around to ask it — she was too late.
By 12.27.08
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A list of online tech help sites. [New York Times]
Some Digital TV Advice In Plain English
By 12.19.08
You know, the coming switch to digital TV isn’t exactly rocket science, but we’re betting plenty of people are still going to end up feeling confused and angry come February of next year.
Honey, Was That PotBelly's Sandwich $4.23 Or $858,432?
By 9.28.08
Sorry PotBelly Sandwich Works customers, you can’t order the Chicken Salad Sandwich unless you qualify for a mortgage. Ashley’s husband thought his usual lunchtime meal cost $4.23, but, as his wife discovered when trying to pay their credit card bill, the sandwich actually costs $858,432.06.
Good News: Compulsive Buying Is A Treatable Illness
By 7.19.08
Can’t stop shopping? You’re not alone. According to the L.A. Times, one in twenty Americans buy compulsively, a destructive yet treatable economy-propping impulse control disorder.
Updated: Whoa, That Airplane Is Really Close To Ours
By 7.14.08
Jon was freaked out when flying on Jetblue and his flight came in close proximity to another aircraft. He wonders if he should, and how he might, report such an incident. His story, and advice we got from an Air Force pilot, inside…
Bananas Represent Everything That Is Wrong With Our Food System
By 6.21.08
Ever wonder why bananas are the cheapest fruit in the supermarket? It makes no sense. They’re grown thousands of miles away by steely imperialist multinational corporations, and spoil within two weeks. A Times Op-Ed argues that bananas are on their way out, and may disappear entirely from store shelves in the next twenty years.
Companies Don't Hate You… They Just Love Phone Trees More
By 5.25.08
Companies are slowly learning that those infuriating automated phone trees aren’t the answer to their customer service problems. Some experts even claim that automated systems anger customers. The New York Times decided to trace the history of the hated trees, while wondering if things will ever change.
