Huh? Marketing confusion and consumer disservice.

Be careful about purchasing gift cards...

Thomas — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:47:00 +0000

$75 million in gift cards could become worthless.

The Sharper Image announced late last month that it was suspending the acceptance of gift cards, at least temporarily.

Even if bankrupt retailers want to honor the gift cards, they may not be able to, according to Howard Kleinberg, director of the bankruptcy practice at Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein.

Yet another reason not to fly...

Thomas — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:59:00 +0000

Relative Complains After Death on Flight - a woman dies after airplane oxygen tanks and defibrillator fail to work on plane.

Lawsuit against Best Buy for $54 million

Thomas — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:55:00 +0000

The blog

I don't think the lawsuit could happen to a nicer company.

United Airlines plans to charge for more than one checked bag.

Thomas — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:17:00 +0000

Effective February 24, for travel on or after May 5, 2008, United Airlines will begin charging some of their passengers for more than one checked piece of luggage.

United Airlines tacks on new charge for baggage

United tacks on new baggage charge, requires earlier arrival
"The new rules took effect for nonrefundable economy fare tickets purchased Monday and thereafter for travel on or after May 5. Economy class fliers will pay $25 for a second bag and $125 for three bags. Previously it was free to check a second bag and cost $85 to check three bags."

The plan will charge $50 extra per round trip for more than one bag and has other carriers looking.

Here's a hint, United... If you can't operate at the current ticket prices, CHARGE MORE. This is just one more hidden charge to make prices look "competitive." Because of security regulations, all toiletries pretty much have to be checked, automatically taking up an extra checked bag.

This is also going to add more to the already annoying practice of travelers carrying on items that are obviously too big to carry-on.

Updated: 3/7/2008
Put on a Few Pounds? Consider It Extra Baggage

US Airways to charge for a second bag.

GE Money Bank and Old Navy are ripping us off.

Thomas — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:34:00 +0000

I've been making payments on an Old Navy Credit Card, but they're not getting credited to "available credit," thereby locking up $$ that I would otherwise have access to. We were told that the payments were being put on "hold" until they clear the bank after "suspicious" "large" payments were made in a short period of time (weekly/$300)?

The first "held" payment will be credited on 1/25. It cleared *our* bank on 1/7. We were told that after six months, the "hold" will be taken off.

I did a little search (ge money bank credit card rip off) and found the following:
GE Money Bank Holding my money hostage El Paso Texas

GE Money Bank/Carpet Spectrum Fraudulent behaviour and holding payments over the due date to charge late fees and bogus $$$s El Paso Texas

GE Money Bank ripoff $1200 in fees on $1500 debt lost payments charged fees that were not warranted ripped off my bank Stamford Connecticut

Old Navy, cut ties with GE Money Bank!

Update 1/25/2008

Despite being given the impression that holding payments is standard procedure, we were told today (after asking for a manager and threatening to close the account) that they "made a mistake." I'm not buying it, and I still don't like GE Money Bank. Their back-pedaling makes me even less trusting of them.

More complaints:

Care Credit GE Money Bank withdrawal of money that three people from customer servive said that would not be withdrawn. RIPOFF El Paso Texas

Apparently PayPal Buyer Credit uses GE Money Bank:
Ebay/PayPal Buyer Credit / GE Money Bank Ebay purchase using Paypal and Paypal buyer credit San Jose California

Credit Card reactivated?
Credit Card has been "reactivated" causing new fees! - GE MONEY BANK CREDIT CARD

Holding payment 28 days until "delinquent"
GE Money Bank Cheating customers!

Might want to be wary of using Paypal Plus Credit Card as well:
GE MONEY BANK, PAYPAL PLUS CREDIT CARD DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME A $250 CREDIT FOR A REFUND SENT VIA PAYPAL AND KEEP GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND FOR 4 MONTHS NOW!!!! El Paso, Texas

Mattel / Fisher-Price recalls toys.

Thomas — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:27:00 +0000

Not to pick on the Chinese suppliers, but if a Chinese supplier of Fisher-Price toys does not have the regulatory, safety, or cultural understanding to not use lead paint in children's toys, then how can complex business logic be outsourced to a foreign country?

Products affected by the product recall.

Update September 4, 2007:

Consumer product safety commission recalls 700,000 toys from Mattel - Barbie, Big Big World toys, Geo Trax Locomotive Toys included. Their third recall.

Look who we're outsourcing from: China [state media] says toy recall scare shows protectionist agenda.

Some quotes from the article:

"If product quality is sub-standard, foreign businesses and joint ventures cannot shirk their blame," it said.

China Labor Watch said it had found brutal conditions and labor violations at eight Chinese plants that make toys for big multinationals, and called on the companies to improve standards.

Does Microsoft want to add commercials to your computer?

Thomas — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 01:09:00 +0000

Microsoft Patents Scraping Your Hard Drive to Deliver Targeted Ads - Yes, Microsoft Invents Commercials for the Computer

A link to the patent itself.

Of course, how about: ISPs Inserting Ads In Your Browsing Experience to Cash in on the Internet Ad Boom

All this is making Ubuntu Linux seem much more appealing. Release 7.04 is much more user friendly than any previous release, IMO.

Two day flight delay?

Thomas — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:29:00 +0000

Flight delayed for 57 hours, and then canceled. Now that's insane.

Fury as flight axed after 2 day delay

The fuzzy math of flight delays.

Thomas — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Our view: Count hours in the airport

Delayed, Explained

August 1, 2007 update:
NPR article "Holding Pattern: Flight Delays are Going Up, Up, Up"

Estimated costs of watching TV

Thomas — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:17:00 +0000

How to earn $1 million by not watching TV

Continental Expressjet flights mother and baby for talking

Thomas — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 02:25:00 +0000

Plane Boots Talking Toddler and Mother

Talkative Toddler, Mom Thrown off Plane

Column: Protect me from the grown-ups - A column talking about it being time that the non family-friendly adult behavior be segregated to its own section on a plane.

Also... Woman kicked off plane for breastfeeding (from November 16, 2006) Of course, a "nurse-in" was staged at the Delta ticket counter over that.

July 19th, 2007 article:
Possibly the Most Ridiculous Reason Ever for a Flight Delay

Some Geek Squad Employees Help Themselves...

Thomas — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:18:00 +0000

Yet another reason not to store *ahem* sensitive material on a personal computer...:

Best Buy Stores Geek Squad Stealing Porn from Customers’ Computers

Sprint PCS Disconnects Whiny Customers

Thomas — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:55:00 +0000

Apparently, Sprint doesn't want Verizon to get all the bad customer service press.

Sprint Cellular Disconnects Customers Who Call Sprint PCS Customer Service Phone Number Too Often

What's Arby's Thinking

Thomas — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:29:00 +0000

Apparently, the Klan doesn't like Arby's chicken.

Insight wants to save? you money.

Thomas — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:21:00 +0000

Insight has enrolled you in Insight rewards, which will SAVE you $10.00/month by only raising your bill by $10 per month: