Pictures are the key to selling your house, and lighting is the key to selling your pictures. To that end, here’s how photographer Dave Hobby of Strobist.com did “Architectural Digest on the cheap” with his patented array of off-camera flashes. It’s cool to see how he tackles the challenges of each area. Even if you don’t have any off-camera flashes or a clue what he’s talking about, there’s bound to be a few ideas in there that can help you stage your house-selling photo shoot, i.e., when shooting the bathroom, pictured: “I left the towel a little rumpled just to not be too anal.”
BLOGS
Maybe This Ticketmaster Captcha Will Convince You To Rethink That Overpriced Concert
By 4.25.09
This is what must pass for an existential howl from a guilt-racked corporate monster.
Monster Cable Misuses Engadget Quote To Sell Its Crap
By 4.17.09
If there’s any blog more anti-Monster Cable than us, it’s Engadget—they refuse to review any Monster Cable products because of the company’s dishonest sales tactics and legal bullying. Monster either doesn’t realize that (doubtful) or doesn’t care, because they pulled a quote from Engadget out of context and slapped it on the home page of the Beats By Dre site in a way that implies Engadget has reviewed and approved of Monster headphones.
Check Your Bills, WaMu Cardholders, Due Dates May Be Changed
By 4.16.09
If you’re a former WaMu credit card customer and now with Chase, check your bill due dates. They may have changed, according to reports CreditMattersBlog is getting from its readers. Seems WaMu had a 25-day grace period, while Chase has one of “at least” 20.
Amazon Gay Book Removal Was Massive Prank, I Did It, Claims Troll
By 4.13.09
An online miscreant named Weev is taking credit for this weekend’s fiasco where reams of GLBT books were removed from Amazon sales ranking, sparking a massive online riot. Weev, pictured, says he organized an army of off-shore computer users to make a bunch of fake Amazon accounts and flag all the gay and lesbian books they could as inappropriate. Also, he got several friends with high-trafficked websites to embed an iframe code that made their visitors automatically send the flags without their knowledge. If true, this recent post by a formerly profligate troller provides insight. However, no one can verify Wee’s claims as Amazon appears to have deactivated all the ways he used to ply his prank. It’s hard to trust a professional liar like Weev, even the idea’s plausibility doesn’t speak well for Amazon.
Maybe You Should Just Go Back To Ignoring Me, HyperFriendly Chase Tellers
By 4.13.09
[I] had to go down an escalator and there were like 4-5 suited people at the bottom staring and smiling at me. My instinct was to run back up the escalator, it was really intimidating. Then I told like 5 separate people who were circling me like sharks that I was fine and preferred the teller. And then one guy went so far as to grab my withdrawal slip out of my hand!! He saw it and was like, ‘Oh, you don’t know your account number? I can help you with that from over here…’ It was unreal.
Comcast's 24/7 Customer Service Line Closed For Cancelers, Open For Upgraders
By 4.9.09
After a long day of work, John called Comcast’s “24/7” customer service line to downgrade his service. Press 1 to upgrade, 2 to downgrade, chirped the phone. He pressed two and was told that he was calling after hours and would have to call back later. He hung up and redialed and pressed 1, “upgrade,” this time, and within 30 seconds was connected with a customer service rep, “who was more than happy to help me DOWNGRADE my service. It was literally a 2 minute call, and I had cancelled the services I don’t use and am saving almost $40/mo,” blogs John. Clever, Comcast, so clever.
Use The Debt "Snowflake" Method To Pay Off Debts
By 4.7.09
You’ve probably heard of the debt snowball method used to pay off debts, well here’s the “debt snowflake method.” Basically what this guy does is apply every extra bit of money he gets, finds, or earns to paying off this debt. Money from yard sales and eBay, change under the couch, and any leftover funds at the end of the month not earmarked for future expenses, he keeps throwing each of these at paying down his debt. Every little bit helps!
Hyundai Vs Ford Vs GM: Who's Got The Best Car Payment Protection Plan?
By 4.6.09
Now that a bunch of people have a finger in the “If you lose your job, we’ll help you out with payments” punch bowl, which is the best deal? Hyundai, Ford or GM? Jalopnik broke it down and says the original is the best, giving the award to Hyundai Assurance Plus. “Hyundai is the only one offering negative equity coverage with real teeth and payment assistance,” they wrote. Caveats apply depending on your situation. and, “in the end, if you are fairly certain you’re going to be losing your job soon you shouldn’t buy a new car.”
Webloyalty Reservation Rewards Under Investigation
By 4.1.09
The Connecticut Attorney General’s office is investigating the infamous Webloyalty “Reservation Rewards” program, reports WalletPop. Consumers have been complaining about unexpected charges on their credit card from this company for years…
People Haven't Returned Hyundais b/c They Weren't Yet Eligible
By 4.1.09
Rather than some secret barometer of the economy’s resilience, the real reason why no one has returned a car yet under the Hyundai Assurance Program is that you have to make at least two payments before you can return a car. Also, you must first miss three payments, so the earliest you would start to see returns is Mayish. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense than the armchair social economics crap I was coming up with. (Thanks to readers kman and Dennis!) (Photo: popofatticus)
Pistachios Recalled For Salmonella
By 3.31.09
The FDA recalled three different kinds of pistachios this week for salmonella. [Consumer Reports Safety Blog] (Photo: ?o??ƒx™)
By 3.30.09
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The website freeshipping.org has launched a new blog named “Go Frugal,” aimed at helping consumers find ways to save money. [Go Frugal]
7 Tips For Getting Euro Airfare Deals This Summer
By 3.25.09
6. Once you find a fare you like on an online travel agency (OTA), check the airline’s site. Many international airlines don’t share their best deals with the OTAs… you could save a bundle by buying direct. But that works in reverse sometimes too (an OTA might have a fare on Virgin Atlantic, for example, for hundreds less than Virgin is selling it for).
$1.144 Quadrillion – Total Size Of Derivatives Bubble
By 3.16.09
Buddy, can you spare 1.144 Quadrillion dollars? Based on one analysis, that’s the total size of the global derivatives market right now, equivalent to $190,000 for every person on the planet. (A derivative is an investment whose value comes from, or “derives,” from another investment, like stocks, credit, or home mortgages…) If you’d like to learn more about derivatives and become frightened by them, check this article out. For further comparison, here’s what the Sears Tower looks like, as dwarfed by a cube of 1 quadrillion pennies.
