For a fairly long time now I've avoided clicking on any eHow links in my search results. This is because I had formed an impression that I would be unlikely to find what I was looking for on their site. Today I indulged and looked at the site a few times.
Wow -- and I mean this -- total junk. I did a search on the site itself and and read the Wikipedia article on it and it is so obvious in retrospect. The site is a content mill. They don't care or even attempt to offer useful content. Their goal is to show up in search results to generate a click-through... and that is how they make their money.
To their credit, the search engine DuckDuckGo filters out (eliminates) results from eHow. Hopefully Google will get on this soon as well.
Showing posts with label Products and Brands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Products and Brands. Show all posts
May 12, 2012
Jun 9, 2011
Extremely Seedy
For all of you who might see this potentially scary name on your caller ID unit -- I just received a call where the caller ID says VISA LOST-STOLEN. When I picked up the phone it was just a recording (not from my bank either) blindly offering lower interest rates.
Dec 24, 2010
Left hand doesn't know from the Right
This blog is hosted by blogger.com which is a Google entity.
Just now blogger sent me an email describing new features, etc. As it
turns out I received this email via another Google service -- Gmail.
And wouldn't you know it... Gmail marked it as spam and moved
it to the spam folder!
Just now blogger sent me an email describing new features, etc. As it
turns out I received this email via another Google service -- Gmail.
And wouldn't you know it... Gmail marked it as spam and moved
it to the spam folder!
Aug 9, 2009
Cash for clunkers
Just poking around the government web site to see if my car qualifies as a clunker. In most peoples mind's my car is definitely old enough and rough enough to be called a clunker. Unfortunately, the gas mileage of this car is high enough such that it does not qualify.
On the other hand, for the same model year various Rolls Royce*, Porsche, Mercedes and even Lamborghini* models do qualify as clunkers.
*If you are about to turn in your Rolls or Lamborghini please email me. I can give you a little more than the $4500 the dealer would.
On the other hand, for the same model year various Rolls Royce*, Porsche, Mercedes and even Lamborghini* models do qualify as clunkers.
*If you are about to turn in your Rolls or Lamborghini please email me. I can give you a little more than the $4500 the dealer would.
Jan 6, 2009
Adventures in Loan Sharking
More junk mail from the banks this week. With rates at all time lows, a letter from Bank of America says we're pre-qualified for some huge loan amount. The reality is probably that this is boiler-plate text and if one were to apply they would get a much lower limit.
Anyway, the fun part is that the initial interest rate is 7% (sneaky, they call it 6.99%) but the fine print says that if you miss a payment they can adjust the rate up to 28% (sneaky, they call it 27.99%).
Obviously, if you can't make your payments QUADRUPLING the interest rate will only make it harder, if not impossible. Seems more like the financial equivalent of a mob enforcer breaking your legs if you can't pay up.
Anyway, the fun part is that the initial interest rate is 7% (sneaky, they call it 6.99%) but the fine print says that if you miss a payment they can adjust the rate up to 28% (sneaky, they call it 27.99%).
Obviously, if you can't make your payments QUADRUPLING the interest rate will only make it harder, if not impossible. Seems more like the financial equivalent of a mob enforcer breaking your legs if you can't pay up.
Aug 6, 2008
Chase SUCKS!
I just received another of the many Privacy Policy statements I get regularly. This one from Chase (JP Morgan Chase, previously Bank One). The cover letter includes these choice lines:
I decided to thoroughly read the enclosed privacy policy. Here are some highlights.
Information they collect includes:
What they do with this information:
What are my options regarding this sharing:
Again, from the cover letter they claim that this communication is to tell me:
At no point do they mention ANY INFORMATION they they will NOT give out to ANY ORGANIZATION willing to pay them for it.
- We want you to know what we're doing to protect your privacy.
- Your privacy is important to us and,
- protecting your personal information is one of our top priorities.
I decided to thoroughly read the enclosed privacy policy. Here are some highlights.
Information they collect includes:
- All details we enter on any form for them,
- Account transactions and balances,
- for good measure, they get additional information from credit bureaus.
What they do with this information:
- They share it within their "family of companies"
- They share it with their "service providers"
- They share it with companies which have "joint marketing agreements"
- They share it with "non-financial companies" including auto dealers, auto makers, direct marketers, membership clubs and publishers.
What are my options regarding this sharing:
- Nothing. Actually, they state that I can fill out some forms but that they might still share my information "as permitted by law" anyway!
Again, from the cover letter they claim that this communication is to tell me:
- We want you to know what we're doing to protect your privacy.
- Your privacy is important to us and,
- protecting your personal information is one of our top priorities
At no point do they mention ANY INFORMATION they they will NOT give out to ANY ORGANIZATION willing to pay them for it.
Jan 18, 2007
Sony -- never again
Hmmm.... a blog is good as any place to relate ones experiences with consumer products. Especially complaints that might provide useful insight for others out there. So, here it goes.
Sony does not stand behind their products and they do it in a way that shows contempt for their customers when it comes to parts/repair service. Two cases in point:
1) Years ago I decided to take an extended road trip through out the West and South West of the USA, so I had a Sony 10 disc CD changer installed in my car and off I went. The unit worked well enough although it didn't do a great job in terms of fidelity. But the point is that a few years later it malfunctioned. Sony has a service drop-off point in my area and for each product category they have a fixed price for repair. In the case of CD players like mine the fixed price was $125 -- which I thought was high but the unit cost me $400 and they were selling their current line of similar products for about $250 so it seemed like a worthwhile repair considering that the mounting in the trunk and the wiring from the trunk to the car stereo wouldn't have to change.
Well, Sony decided that my unit was "too old" for the (promised) fixed price repair to be honored. They offered instead to repair it for $300! Remember that the new and improved units were now selling for $250? You have to wonder why a company would even make an offer like this? And who would ever accept an offer like that?
2) Again a CD player, but this time a super duper portable with radio and other nice features. Not something anyone would buy today (this was the pre-iPod era) but it was their top of the line model back then and was $125. The thing was meant for active use (shock and skip protection) but one short drop to the ground and it was toast. From my previous experience I knew that this unit's cost was right at the fixed price repair cost. They had cheapened their newer units so the current top-of-the-line unit was more like $89 and it looked cheap and lacked features I wanted, so that wasn't an option. I figured that I'm pretty handy and that if it was a mechanical problem I could get a replacement part. I opened it up and sure enough the broken piece was obvious. It was a sled that carried the optical unit of the device. The sled had a tab on each side that kept it firmly in a track as a lead-screw device moved it back and forth. One of the tabs was broken but it was too small to provide a good bearing surface for being glued back in place. No problem - what could a new sled cost from their parts department? Go ahead and guess. Now double it and double it again and again. They wanted $65 for this piece of plastic! Most of their CD Walkman models cost less than that. You have to wonder why they do things like that.
So Sony, if there are car or home stereos in my future, camcorders or laptops, flat panel TVs or DVD players I can assure you they won't be Sony's.
Sony does not stand behind their products and they do it in a way that shows contempt for their customers when it comes to parts/repair service. Two cases in point:
1) Years ago I decided to take an extended road trip through out the West and South West of the USA, so I had a Sony 10 disc CD changer installed in my car and off I went. The unit worked well enough although it didn't do a great job in terms of fidelity. But the point is that a few years later it malfunctioned. Sony has a service drop-off point in my area and for each product category they have a fixed price for repair. In the case of CD players like mine the fixed price was $125 -- which I thought was high but the unit cost me $400 and they were selling their current line of similar products for about $250 so it seemed like a worthwhile repair considering that the mounting in the trunk and the wiring from the trunk to the car stereo wouldn't have to change.
Well, Sony decided that my unit was "too old" for the (promised) fixed price repair to be honored. They offered instead to repair it for $300! Remember that the new and improved units were now selling for $250? You have to wonder why a company would even make an offer like this? And who would ever accept an offer like that?
2) Again a CD player, but this time a super duper portable with radio and other nice features. Not something anyone would buy today (this was the pre-iPod era) but it was their top of the line model back then and was $125. The thing was meant for active use (shock and skip protection) but one short drop to the ground and it was toast. From my previous experience I knew that this unit's cost was right at the fixed price repair cost. They had cheapened their newer units so the current top-of-the-line unit was more like $89 and it looked cheap and lacked features I wanted, so that wasn't an option. I figured that I'm pretty handy and that if it was a mechanical problem I could get a replacement part. I opened it up and sure enough the broken piece was obvious. It was a sled that carried the optical unit of the device. The sled had a tab on each side that kept it firmly in a track as a lead-screw device moved it back and forth. One of the tabs was broken but it was too small to provide a good bearing surface for being glued back in place. No problem - what could a new sled cost from their parts department? Go ahead and guess. Now double it and double it again and again. They wanted $65 for this piece of plastic! Most of their CD Walkman models cost less than that. You have to wonder why they do things like that.
So Sony, if there are car or home stereos in my future, camcorders or laptops, flat panel TVs or DVD players I can assure you they won't be Sony's.
Feb 19, 2004
Bad Marketing
It doesn't happen very often but every once in a
while I see a commercial that I find so dissonant...
so incredibly annoying... that I get a permanent
negative association with the product it's pitching.
This is the case with every single commercial made
for YELLOW BOOK.
The new copies of YELLOW BOOK that showed up
in my lobby (like so much other junk mail) just went
directly into the recycle bin!
while I see a commercial that I find so dissonant...
so incredibly annoying... that I get a permanent
negative association with the product it's pitching.
This is the case with every single commercial made
for YELLOW BOOK.
The new copies of YELLOW BOOK that showed up
in my lobby (like so much other junk mail) just went
directly into the recycle bin!
Jan 11, 2004
Neuromarketing
A study done by a high school student (and his father) while
working in his father's MRI imaging lab amounts to a high
tech version of Pepsi challenge.
When subjects were given Coke or Pepsi (without knowing
which) the MRI scanner showed that Pepsi drinkers had
activity in areas of the brain associated with reward more
often than among those drinking Coke (i.e., Pepsi tastes
better).
However, when subjects knew what they were drinking the
Coke drinkers showed activity in the areas associated with
reward as well as the areas associated with motivation and
sense of self. The reaction was dramatic and there was no
such response among Pepsi drinkers. This is consistent with
the fact that Pepsi does win taste tests but Coke sells more
product.
It turns out that there are marketing firms that already
specialize in this type of work.
working in his father's MRI imaging lab amounts to a high
tech version of Pepsi challenge.
When subjects were given Coke or Pepsi (without knowing
which) the MRI scanner showed that Pepsi drinkers had
activity in areas of the brain associated with reward more
often than among those drinking Coke (i.e., Pepsi tastes
better).
However, when subjects knew what they were drinking the
Coke drinkers showed activity in the areas associated with
reward as well as the areas associated with motivation and
sense of self. The reaction was dramatic and there was no
such response among Pepsi drinkers. This is consistent with
the fact that Pepsi does win taste tests but Coke sells more
product.
It turns out that there are marketing firms that already
specialize in this type of work.
Jan 7, 2004
Levitra. As in levitate...
These days many commercials for pharmaceuticals don't really even say what they are for. I guess if they're for you then you just know it. I have seen this a few times now and still didn't get it. There is a picture of a 40ish guy and the voice over says "some times you need a little help getting back in the game" as this guy throws a football at a tire hanging on a rope. He misses.
The music picks up to a chipper beat and he throws the ball through the tire several... I mean multiple times. The woman in his life see this and apparently, it's good. She smiles. They embrace as he deftly flings the ball over his shoulder and it accurately penetrates the opening in the woodshed and lands right in...the box.
Since I'm not a sports fan I assumed this guy was a recognized quarterback who had a shoulder injury or something... maybe arthritis and this medicine helped his throwing arm. Until I came across this on the NPR site I didn't know this medicine is a new competitor to Viagra!
NPR : Slate's Ad Report Card: Levitra's Tire Swing
The music picks up to a chipper beat and he throws the ball through the tire several... I mean multiple times. The woman in his life see this and apparently, it's good. She smiles. They embrace as he deftly flings the ball over his shoulder and it accurately penetrates the opening in the woodshed and lands right in...the box.
Since I'm not a sports fan I assumed this guy was a recognized quarterback who had a shoulder injury or something... maybe arthritis and this medicine helped his throwing arm. Until I came across this on the NPR site I didn't know this medicine is a new competitor to Viagra!
NPR : Slate's Ad Report Card: Levitra's Tire Swing
Dec 9, 2003
More about Wal-Mart
There is so much information on WalMart's bad behavior
that one can really spend a lot of time taking it in. Turns
out there there is more than one web site devoted to this
sort of thing. Here are just a few:
www.walmartwatch.com
www.walmartclass.com
Here is just one little snippet (and this is far from the worst):
In Bloomington, Ill. some 20 Wal-Mart workers, in their
trademark blue vests, invaded a local Kmart store, handing out
leaflets that advertised job openings at a Wal-Mart across town—
including the benefits of working at Wal-Mart. Caught in the act,
Wal-Mart manager Jerry Herrin, who was present during the raid
but claimed to be unaware of the leafleting going on, said that
the visit was a 'routine price check.'
Wal-Mart prohibits competitors from checking prices in its stores.
Nice job whoring for WalMart - Jerry.
that one can really spend a lot of time taking it in. Turns
out there there is more than one web site devoted to this
sort of thing. Here are just a few:
www.walmartwatch.com
www.walmartclass.com
Here is just one little snippet (and this is far from the worst):
In Bloomington, Ill. some 20 Wal-Mart workers, in their
trademark blue vests, invaded a local Kmart store, handing out
leaflets that advertised job openings at a Wal-Mart across town—
including the benefits of working at Wal-Mart. Caught in the act,
Wal-Mart manager Jerry Herrin, who was present during the raid
but claimed to be unaware of the leafleting going on, said that
the visit was a 'routine price check.'
Wal-Mart prohibits competitors from checking prices in its stores.
Nice job whoring for WalMart - Jerry.
Dec 8, 2003
Wal-Mart (including Sam's Club)
A recent Fast Company (magazine) article about WalMart
closes with a mention of the difference between "price"
and "cost". The article is largely about how brutal WalMart
is in forcing their suppliers to deliver product at an ever
lower price. The result is that the supplier often winds
up having the product made overseas - that is if Walmart
doesn't dump the supplier and go overseas for the product
themselves.
They quote the head of a thread making company who says
of Americans:
We want clean air, clear water, good living conditions, the
best health care in the world - yet we aren't willing to pay
for anything manufactured under those conditions.
I can agree with that but for the most part we Americans, once
lead to the trough, are just unlikely to say no to anything. And,
by far, most Americans are unable to equate the slightly higher
price to a cleaner environment or anything else. They can't be
bothered to think about it. Among those who can, even fewer
act on that knowledge.
I'm amazed at how many people justify owning an SUV by
explaining that it saves them money -- being able to buy that
life-time supply of toilet paper from Sam's Club at "fantastic
savings".
closes with a mention of the difference between "price"
and "cost". The article is largely about how brutal WalMart
is in forcing their suppliers to deliver product at an ever
lower price. The result is that the supplier often winds
up having the product made overseas - that is if Walmart
doesn't dump the supplier and go overseas for the product
themselves.
They quote the head of a thread making company who says
of Americans:
We want clean air, clear water, good living conditions, the
best health care in the world - yet we aren't willing to pay
for anything manufactured under those conditions.
I can agree with that but for the most part we Americans, once
lead to the trough, are just unlikely to say no to anything. And,
by far, most Americans are unable to equate the slightly higher
price to a cleaner environment or anything else. They can't be
bothered to think about it. Among those who can, even fewer
act on that knowledge.
I'm amazed at how many people justify owning an SUV by
explaining that it saves them money -- being able to buy that
life-time supply of toilet paper from Sam's Club at "fantastic
savings".
Aug 12, 2003
Artificially Flavored
I was just sitting around the office lunch room and noticed a co-worker munching on a bag of Jay's Vinegar and Salt flavored potato chips. Then I noticed the big letters...
"Artificially Flavored".
So, they're not even using real salt or vinegar anymore?
"Artificially Flavored".
So, they're not even using real salt or vinegar anymore?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
