The stuff dogs tend to pick up on the street is bad enough — really? That nasty container of gnawed up wings is tempting? — but to make matters worse, someone in San Francisco is putting out poisoned meatballs, threatening any dog with a nose and a taste for meat. So, basically, all dogs. [More]
shame
After Media Exposure, Insurance Firm Reverses Claim Denial Against Tornado Hero
By 10.25.11
After an AP story ran about it, an insurance company has reversed its decision to deny paying the medical bills of a man who barely survived the Joplin tornado while he tried to safeguard three developmentally disabled adults in the group home where he worked. [More]
Bridal Store Refuses To Sell Wedding Gown To Lesbian
By 8.18.11
A New Jersey bridal store is catching a lot of flack after it refused to sell a wedding dress to a lesbian. [More]
No, Fedex Kinko's Will Not Print Your Naked Family Christmas Cards
By 12.17.09
Bob Cringely and his family send out family portrait cards every year for Christmas, and the gimmick is the entire family is nude, but not really nude: all the naughty parts are hidden away behind carefully placed props or accessories. The Fedex Kinko’s in Charleston, SC doesn’t appreciate his family’s sense of humor–the woman there even remembered him from last year, and not in a good way. [More]
Planet Fitness Publicly Shamed Into Refunding Dead Member's Fees
By 11.25.09
Gregory Rowell has been dead for nearly two years, but no one knew that he’d set up an auto debit with Planet Fitness on a second checking account. The gym continued to debit his account each month until a bank employee notified the victim’s mother, Patricia Rowell. When she provided the death certificate and asked them to refund the money, they not only refused, but said it was her fault and offered her a six month membership instead. That’s when Rowell took her story to the local newspaper. [More]
AIG Who? Company Name Removed From Facade Of New York Building
By 3.23.09
Gothamist has some photos of 175 Water Street in NYC — which until recently proudly displayed the name and logo of the American International Group. What happened?
Those Damn Europeans Are Taking Over New York
By 8.3.08
Have you seen them? The Europeans? They’re everywhere! In our fancy bistros, on line at the Apple store, spending their fancy-pantzy valuable Euros while we suffer through this intolerable non-recession. The patriots at the New York Times finally sounded the warning call over this European “invasion” that’s transforming New York into the “Walmart of hip.”
The Internet Preserves Your Shame Like A Fly In Amber
By 4.24.08
Here is another slide from my recent powerpoint where I tried to convince a room full of marketing guys why you should tell the truth. This fly is your company’s shameful behavior. Around it is amber. The amber is the internet. If you mess up and it gets posted online, it will be preserved online forever. Forever! For all time. Just like in Jurassic Park, in the future, a blogger or a customer can come across this chunk of DNA of your shameful behavior and make it into a new monster. If the scientists on Jurassic Park island were playing God, then Google is God, and slave to anyone with an internet connection.
By 3.27.08
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The US Isn’t the only wacky lawsuit country. In China, KFC won a defamation lawsuit filed by an elderly gentleman who accused the fast food chain of damaging his social standing, because he felt their “teadog set meal” implied that he and his grandson had become “dog friends.” [China Daily]
Subway's "3 Foot" Subs Are Shorter Than 3 Feet
By 7.10.07
Apropos of our post on new Subway Super-Stuffed Subs, the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures sent us this KNVX investigative news clip into sandwiches that weren’t quite measuring up…
We got a complaint about six months ago concerning six-foot subs that weren’t six feet long. Subway’s response was to change its advertising – in Arizona at least – but not address the issue that its six-foot subs were about four inches short of the advertised length.
Our favorite part is when the calipers show Subway’s three-foot sub box isn’t even three feet long.
The 10 Page Geek Squad Confession – "Stealing Customers' Nudie Pics Was An Easter Egg Hunt"
By 5.2.07
This is the ultimate Geek Squad insider confession. It’s 10 pages long.
VIDEO: AT&T Tech Steals Customer’s Oranges
By 1.24.07
Brian spotted an AT&T tech “fixing” something in his back alley for the past three days. Turns out, the tech was fixing himself lunch, using his truck’s ladder to steal oranges from a customer’s tree.
Menards Strongarms Small Lumber Suppliers?
By 1.5.07
Does home-improvement store Mernards use unfair business practices to stiff small lumber suppliers? According to a reader email they do, or at least did 15 years ago.
Chase Raises Reader’s APR To 148.14%
By 12.14.06
Chase credit card raised Lee’s effective APR to 148.14%
2006 Lemon Awards For Bad Banking
By 11.29.06
CreditCard.org has leaked their nominees for the 2006 Lemon Award, dedicated to rewarding outstanding performance in the field of bad banking.
QVC Ladder of Shame
By 9.28.06
Here’s a classic (i.e., 9 months ago) video demonstrating the ease and reach of the Telesteps 12 1/2 Aluminum Telescoping Ladder. Not recommended for consumers maladroit at landing on their feet…
