Antarctic explorers trudge across the icy wastelands, heavily laden with rucksacks, bound together with rope. This is a good metaphor for understanding the credit crisis, and Paddy Hirsch from American Public Media is going to lay it down on you. Oh no! There’s a crevasses. Yay! Here comes Henry Paulson to come save the banks in his helicopter. The money meltdown is definitely much more digestible, and fun, in stick-figure and whiteboard form. Full video inside.
clips
What Are "Collateralized Debt Obligations?" Watch These Champagne Glasses.
By 10.9.08
There’s a lot of funky financial terms getting thrown as we try to explain how the money meltdown started in the first place, and one of the funkiest is a CDO or “collateralized debt obligation.” Luckily, Paddy Hirsch from Marketplace is here to explain it using just champagne glasses, a whiteboard, and a sexy British accent..
Japan Introduces Monkey Waiters; Blogger Scratches Another Business Plan Off His List
By 10.9.08
A Japanese sake house near Tokyo has stolen one of my ideas and employed monkeys as waiters—one brings hot towels to customers when they sit down, and another takes orders and delivers bottles of sake. They’re tipped in edamame, which U.S. waitstaff should seriously consider since you don’t have to report it, and since the dollar will soon be worth about the same anyway. Our favorite quote from the article: “‘The monkeys are actually better waiters than some really bad human ones,’ customer Takayoshi Soeno said.” Hold on to your hats, there’s video footage below!
Our National Debt Has Outgrown The 'National Debt Clock' In NYC
By 10.8.08
Now that we’ve hit double-digit trillions, the “National Debt” clock that’s been running constantly since 1989 in New York City’s midtown can no longer properly display the total. Brian Williams says they’ve had to temporarily adjust the display while they build a new one, slated to go up next year. We’re not sure anyone should be spending money on a fancy new hi-tech clock right now—maybe they should just hang a big chalk board, and hire an unemployed investment banker to write the new debt each day. See the video below.
Confessions Of A Shopaholic Makes Irresponsible Debting Look Fun And Hilarious
By 10.7.08
Jerry Bruckheimer turns the lens of his celluloid cyclops away from exploding airplanes to exploding credit card debt in an adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic. There’s a scene in the trailer where our heroine has frozen her credit card in a block of ice (see “Stop Spending By Freezing Your Credit Card In Ice“) and, stricken by a frenzy, she chops and hacks at it and uses a blowdryer to free it. Sort of amusing, although most people I’ve read about who freeze their credit card usually don’t ever crack them open. Full trailer inside.
By 10.1.08
../../../..//2008/10/01/in-one-brain-melting-two-minute-clip/
In one brain-melting two-minute clip, watch all the media frenzy, punditry, and cable-news excitement of the financial meltdown, courtesy of CNN’s own Rick “The Twitter Board Is Blowing Up!” Sanchez. [YouTube]
Extended Stay Hotels Must Smell Really Bad
By 10.1.08
Okay, we got the bathroom humor of Kellog’s All-Bran commercial last year. We’re not sure if this commercial for Extended Stay Hotels, which shows guests so relaxed that they pass gas—or what the French call un petit éclatement—is quite as effective. Maybe they should change the tagline at the end to, “Our windows can be opened.”
Back To The Basics: What Is Money?
By 9.27.08
Since pundits are convinced we’re headed for the next Great Depression, let’s be optimists and fast-forward to post-depression boom times when America will return to the basics and once again learn about money. Join little Tommy and his crisp new $5 bill as they travel through America’s financial system, circa 1947…
VIDEO: WaMu Ad Has New, Dark, Meaning
By 9.26.08
Now that Washington Mutual completely imploded on its garbage-pile avalanche of home mortgages, this old WaMu commercial from August 2006, starring Scott Adsit pre-30 Rock, takes on a new, darker, meaning…
Always Test The Merchandise Before Demonstrating It
By 9.22.08
Where is the salesman in this screencap? He’s behind the table, holding his ribcage and crying out in pain. Don’t keep striking your $45 samurai blade against the table, kids—otherwise you might find yourself saying things like, “Ohhh, that got me good,” instead of talking about the awesome swordlike qualities of your sword.
Purina Isn't Bothered By Dog Food Infested With Fly Larvae, Maggots
By 9.20.08
Christina’s two dogs fell ill after eating Purina Beneful infested with maggots and fly larvae. After taking her dogs to the vet, Christina called Purina for an explanation, only to be told: “As soon as our food leaves our factory, it is no longer our responsibility.”
WHH Ranch Company Uses Shredded Checks As Package Cushioning
By 8.24.08
A Texas cannery has been using shredded checks from the local bank as packing materials for the past twenty years. The WHH Ranch Company claims that Michelle McBride of Kansas is the only customer to ever complain about the checks, which plainly displayed routing and account numbers for hospitals, medicare, schools, businesses, and personal accounts.
U.S. Airways Boots 274 Stranded Passengers From Caribbean Airport, Refuses To Pay For Hotels
By 8.16.08
Armed guards ordered 274 stranded passengers out of the Punta Cana airport with no place to go after bad weather forced U.S. Airways to cancel its flight from the Dominican Republic to Philadelphia. Several passengers ended up sleeping in a bus after the airline responded to Tropical Storm Fay by asking passengers to pick up their luggage and get lost.
Video Tutorial For Escaping Cellphone Without ETF
By 8.1.08
Who needs a bunch of words to tell you how to get out of your cellphone contract without early termination fee when a nice boy will tell you how do to it? You just sit back, grab some popcorn, and watch Ely Rosentock’s video tutorial. 9 minutes later, you’ll know how to break your cellphone contract without ETF, or moving to California. Video inside… [More]
Ben Popken On "To The Point" (And A Debate Over Personal Finance Advice)
By 7.25.08
Here’s the clip of the To The Point radio program I was on yesterday. There was a bunch of people on, you can hear me at 23:30 talking about the Grocery Shrink Ray and 37:30 talking about the customer service hotline Sprint set up for Consumerist readers. It’s a great show and I love Warren Onley’s voice, but I have some issues with the advice some of the other guests gave on the show that I need to address. Here’s what I would have said had I been asked some of their questions…
By 7.14.08
../../../..//2008/07/14/tv-stations-looking-to-save/
TV stations looking to save money can do so by interviewing guests remotely over Skype, as WTVT in Tampa did, live, with me this morning. No more paying for car service or bottled water!
VIDEO: Activist Bum Rushes iPhone Line With Flag Pony
By 7.11.08
The first person in line at the 5th Ave Apple store in Manhattan was some kind of activist Daniel Bowman Simon, part of a group who camped out in front of The Cube for over a week, hoping to use it as an opportunity to bring exposure to issues of, “sustainability, affordable housing, energy security, and locally-grown food,” who tried to bumrush the applauding Apple receiving line of Apple employees and penetrate The Cube with what appears to be a metal/aluminum-foil horse carrying an American flag. The world may never know now knows exactly what sort of brilliant political statement he was trying to make as he was quickly intercepted by burly security guards who jettisoned him away to make room for more obedient cult members. Video, inside…
