Self-serve wine tanks could be hitting American supermarkets within a year. These 500 and 1,000 liter mechanical kegs dispense wine into whatever container the shopper brings with them. [More]
BLOGS
ID Theft Victim Receives Ceaseless Cavalcade Of Stolen Packages
By 9.14.10
This lady’s address was used by credit card thieves who were scoping out different merchants’ fraud triggering levels. Which meant that she was receiving packages for and calls about a portable night light, Vietnamese movies, and a $2,500 Gibson. Every day for two months she got something new, and no one could stop it. [More]
Old Navy 36" Pants Actually 41"
By 9.9.10
Your pants are lying to you. An Esquire investigation found that different clothing stores have greatly varying definitions of waistline size. Old Navy was the worst offender. Their “36 inch” pants measured actually at 41 inches. At the GAP, 36 inches actually means 39. Guess we need to start going to stores with conversion charts in hand. [More]
AT&T Thinks 0 Kbps Counts As DSL Service
By 9.8.10
AT&T wants to charge Derek a $100 early termination fee even though the DSL they’re giving barely even works. His downtime is almost 12 hours a day, and on the rare occasions it does work, it’s only 100kbps. It’s like watching taffy grill on a Georgia sidewalk. AT&T says they’ve lived up to their part of the bargain, with one customer service rep telling him, “If AT&T were to provide a constant speed of 0 Kbps this still qualifies as service within our contract,” and so now he must pay his contractually stipulated ETF. Also, he must have imagined that a technician came and visited his house. [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]
Reduce Spending By Writing Goals On Your Credit Cards
By 9.7.10
Have trouble keeping yourself from swiping the plastic? One way to cut down on mindless transacting is to take a sharpie and scribble your money goals on your credit card. They will stare at you the next time you pull it out. [More]
Book Car Rentals Early, But Then Keep Checking For Pricedrops
By 9.7.10
Here’s a strategy for saving money on your next car rental. [More]
CPSC Says No Link Found Between Dry Max Diapers And Diaper Rash
By 9.3.10
Back in May a lotta parents were venting online about newly formulated Pampers Dry Max Diapers giving their kids bad diaper rash. The CPSC got almost 4,700 incident reports and investigated, but so far has not found any specific link that says the diapers are causing adverse reactions any different from normal diaper rash. [More]
Couple Marries Inside Walmart
By 9.2.10
Frugal matrimony? Shelf-stocker falls for assistant manager? They met as their hands simultaneously clasped over the last of the same everyday-low-priced item? Possibilities, endless. I wonder if their marriage license got checked at the door. [More]
GTD For Money
By 9.1.10
Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like “Getting Things Done,” here’s GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen’s same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals. [More]
Choose The Best Airplane Seat
By 8.31.10
Here’s a cheery chart that purports to show you how to choose the best seat on an airplane. Bulkheads give you more legroom, but they also attract parents with babies. Seems seats in the back seem the best bet, you’re more likely to be able to store your luggage in the overhead, as well as survive a crash. [More]
Fancy Math Says Book 8 Weeks In Advance For Cheapest Flights
By 8.31.10
The cheapest time to get your airline tickets is 8 weeks in advance, says an economist who came up with a fancy formula, âˆA = gUG + min(k-g, (1-g)(1-r)), to figure it out. [More]
J. Crew Launching Online Outlet Stores
By 8.30.10
Soon you won’t have to drive out for 45 minutes to that weird quasi-town to experience the delights of J. Crew outlet shopping. Starting next month, J.Crew will offer its outlet-store clothing online. If you’re a fan of their preppy vestments, that’s good news as its outlet stuff usually goes for 30% below merchandise cost. [More]
What Happens To A Cheeseburger In Hydrochloric Acid?
By 8.27.10
Some British scientists dunked a cheeseburger in hydrochloric acid to see what happens. This video is the result. [More]
Transfer Calls To Your Gmail Chat To Save Minutes
By 8.26.10
One cool way to use the new Google Voice integrated with Gmail is to transfer cellphone calls to your computer and save on minutes. [More]
3 Ways To Ineffectively Complain
By 8.26.10
When you call up customer service, would you like to hang up with your issue not fixed at all? How about leaving the conversation angrier than when you started it? Here are three excellent tips for not getting what you want whatsoever when you complain to a company: [More]
Man Crams Soaking Pool, Video Lounge, Cafe Into 182 Sq Ft Apartment
By 8.25.10
Steve Sauer’s “pico-dwelling” is a 182 sq ft apartment he has managed to cram a soaking pool, video lounge, and cafe into without feeling cramped in the slightest. Most of the furniture comes from IKEA, natch. [More]
Changing Your Washer's Settings Saves More Energy Than Line Drying
By 8.24.10
Quick, what uses more energy, room air conditioners or central air? What saves more energy, turning off the lights, or switching to CFLs? If you picked the first answer to these questions, you’re like most Americans: totally wrong. [More]
