It’s almost that time of year again. The time of year when Daylight Saving Time hits and you’re stuck changing clocks on everything from your bedroom alarm to your car to your microwave. While you’re changing those clocks, keep this in mind: Daylight Saving Time actually leads to more automobile crashes, slumping sales in stores, and reduced productivity for everyone. [More]
annoying
How I Got A Company To Stop Giving Out Our Number As Tech Support
By 6.23.11
Due to a typo, Loy and Dan’s phone number got printed in this company’s internal phone directory as being the number for tech support. The couple would get two to three phone calls a day from people at that company looking for help with their computers. At first the company shrugged their shoulders and said there was nothing they could do about it as the number was already published in a big phonebook that had been distributed nationwide. Then Loy came up with a crafty proposition that got all of the phone calls to stop. [More]
This Is How TV Ads Are So Loud
By 5.27.11
Here’s something that might be hard to believe at first. There is no difference in volume between the loudest part of a TV show and a loud commercial. [More]
San Francisco On Track To Ban Yellow Pages
By 5.17.11
San Francisco, the city that likes to ban everything that makes this country great, like plastic bags and Happy Meals, is just one more round of voting to do away with another American staple. No longer will its citizens be able to depend on their annual free doorstop upgrade in the form of a Yellow Pages phone book plopped in front of their abode. If the bill, read it here (PDF) passes, the company will have to confirm that the residents actually want one first. That should only cut down their market share in the city by roughly… most people. [More]
Telemarketers Want Me To Sell My Timeshare. I Don't Own One.
By 2.14.11
Reader Deon is confused by all the telemarketers calling him and sending him letters, asking if he wants to sell his timeshare. The confusion largely stems from the fact that he doesn’t own a timeshare. He’s tried getting off their lists but it seems his name and number as a “hot lead” keep getting sold around. [More]
Q: "Currently Receiving The Washington Post?" A: "Currently, I'm Trying To Have My Supper"
By 9.7.10
This is pretty much the perfect reply to an annoying telemarketer, and the perfect complaint letter to send when he cusses you out. [More]
Chase Scare-Calling Customers To ReUp For Overdraft "Protection"
By 8.10.10
Jen said Chase left a message on her phone asking her to call back. Thinking it was about fraud, she did three times, and when she finally reached the person who called her, she got a creepy and misleading pitch for overdraft protection. They wanted her to come into her local branch and “go over her overdraft protection choices.” Who has time for this crap? [More]
United Gate Bag Template 1" Shorter Than Check-In's, Makes You Gate Check Bag
By 7.13.10
He thought he was golden but radio host Todd Schnitt had to check his carry-on unexpectedly because the baggage check template at the gate was one inch shorter than the one at check-in. [More]
Nothing Will Silence Those Damn Vuvuzelas
By 6.16.10
If the sound of vuvuzelas — those ubiquitous plastic horns used by thousands of soccer fans — has made your World Cup viewing experience seem more like a visit by a horde of 17-year cicadas, Consumer Reports has a message for you: tough luck. Nothing short of muting your TV’s sound will silence the noisemakers, though there are a few ways to make them less annoying. [More]
PayPal + Sears.com = Headaches
By 5.14.10
Reader Cheryl tried to use PayPal to buy some polo shirts from Sears — and, well, we’ll let her explain it. [More]
Time Warner Cable: Thanks For Ordering Cable, But We Won't Have HD Boxes Until June
By 3.2.10
Reader CJ decided to order cable after not having it for several years. Turns out Time Warner Cable in LA is out of HD cable boxes… until June. [More]
Domino's, Feel Free Not To Robocall Me
By 2.23.10
Domino’s new pizza recipe is such an improvement, even robots are getting excited. Joel says he got a robocall with a “special offer” from Domino’s. He writes: [More]
This Is Not A Reason Not To Pirate DVDs
By 2.22.10
There is no excuse for downloading or copying DVDs illegally. It’s wrong and could land you in jail. But, as is illustrated in this BSPCN post, studios could learn a thing or two from their swashbuckling, peg-legged counterparts in terms of streamlining. [More]
If You Actually Want What You Ordered, Maybe Best Buy Isn't For You
By 1.6.10
Reader Ryan and his wife tried to order several expensive things from Best Buy. They were not able to actually get any of them. [More]
Giant Supermarket Wants To See Your Receipt After You Get In Your Car
By 12.23.09
Big box retailers checking receipts is old news. How about getting the suspected shoplifter treatment at a supermarket instead? Even better, how would you like having a security guard knock on your car window, and tell you that you’re on private property when you tell him you don’t have to show anything? [More]
Capital One Calls To Dun For Payment Before It's Even Due
By 11.3.09
Cory says Capital One‘s Collection Department called his mother-in-law the other day in an attempt to reach him, which was weird because his account is in good standing. Their reason? They just wanted to remind him that his credit card payment was due soon. Oh, and to try to upsell him.
Bumblebee Tuna Tricks You Into Watching Commercials At The Grocery Store
By 10.26.09
Must we put video screens everywhere? Reader Grey says that he was fooled into pressing a button above a tiny video screen at his local Safeway — only to be subjected to a very low-res commercial for Bumblebee Tuna.
AT&T Keeps Calling To Say I Qualify For Free Upgrade From My iPhone 3GS?
By 9.23.09
AT&T has called me repeatedly over the past few weeks and months for some mysterious reason.
