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BLOCKBUSTER SETTLES SUIT OVER AD CAMPAIGN
Blockbuster Inc. has agreed to make refunds to
customers - and pay an additional $630,000 - to settle allegations the
nation's biggest movie rental chain deceived people with its "No Late
Fees" campaign.
Many customers were angry to discover that despite the "No Late Fees" policy, if they were eight days late with a movie or a game, they owned it; their credit card accounts were automatically billed for the purchase price. If they then tried to return it, they were refunded the purchase price but were charged a $1.25 restocking fee.
Argus Leader.com who knows how long this link will be active.
Did anyone REALLY believe this was a good idea for Blockbuster? Even the guy who works at one near my abode said, "I don't see how we can do this and stay in business, we make so much money off of late fees?!" I guess there wasn't a legal person in the room when the execs at Blockbuster and their marketing firm finalized this deal.
"So, technically there are still some late charges?"- marketing people
blockbuster people - "Technically, no. We'll just make a huge deal out of the extended time you get the product, and the fact that you don't have to pay the enormous late fees like you once had too. People won't even notice a little restocking fee. The cellular companies have been tacking on crap like this for years. People are stupid...go make some banners!"
03/30/2005 in Entertainment | Permalink | Comments (5)
I wonder why there aren't more hats shaped like the Mitre (wikipedia)? That would be a great way to keep up with youngsters in crowded environments. Forget orange or day-glo yellow shirts...drop a few red mitres on the kids before heading to Disneyland and you'll never lose them.
I was wearing my sombrero around the office today, because it's Tuesday, when the thought came to me, "What's a more cumbersome head-covering than a 20 pound sombrero?"
Native American Headdress? Seems a little more free-flowing.
Then there is the Carnival. With the over-the-top outfits and atmosphere. Really, it should not count.
Of course, Princess Amidala had her funky hat in the Star Wars film. The bigger question there is, what is up with her lips? Future head-wear doesn't count though.
Not to get all Catholic, but there is this as well. Doesn't count though, because Sally Field who starred as the Flying Nun was also in "Not Without My Daughter" and needs to be held accountable for that atrocity. I'm letting her slide for Smokey and the Bandit II, due to my inherit love of Smokey and the Bandit.
Whatever the hell this thing is?
So it boils down to the Mitre. That would be the most obtrusive hat one could wear. But if you had a chin-strap with it, I bet you'd get used to it.
UPDATE:
Thanks Jeff - I totally forgot about the British Royal Guard. Imposing headwear indeed!!!
03/29/2005 in Design | Permalink | Comments (6)
Wendy's is serving something special in the chili these days. Woman bites into finger at San Jose restaurant
03/24/2005 in Well-being | Permalink | Comments (5)
Maybe it's not enough to drink a latte anymore? Now I'd like one that looks like art too. These are awesome creations, and wonderful representations of simple artistic expressions. tonx latte art
03/21/2005 in Well-being | Permalink | Comments (4)
Mr. Oi returns...
Want to try a program that has me up on my dual monitor behemoth until wee hours of the morning? Well it’s called World Wind 1.3 and it’s from NASA, and they are actually sharing it with civilians. World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Land satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there. Virtually visit any place in the world. Look across the Andes, into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps, or along the African Sahara. You will need DirectX 9, DSL/CABLE/LAN, at least a 1 gig processor to run it; also you will need a video card with 3D acceleration. If you do not know if you have a 3d card with video acceleration (Vroom, Vroom) don’t even bother downloading World Wind, you will probably just hate it. The really cool thing about World Wind is that it allows you zoom down to street level to a certain point, World Wind will then begin to download more images automatically to your PC. Hey it’s not for everyone but it makes a great time killer at work.
03/21/2005 in Tech | Permalink | Comments (4)
I am the member of several anti-establishment groups that often do things or undertake projects for the singular reason of busting up the chiffarobe. The reason for me being a member of these groups is really a matter of humor...and the same reason I listen to guys like Don Imus in the morning. Bitterness. For some reason acrimonious, disenfranchised people make me giggle. Not Sean Penn pissed-off-with-an-agenda level. But more like just general malaise.
Any who - Adbusters is sending out the following email:
Jammers,
Envision a seven-day rebellion against television. Your weapon: The
TV-B-Gone, a pint-size remote control that shuts off any TV, anywhere.Device in hand, you and a group of friends roam your city: targeting
idiot boxes in airports, bars, classrooms, restaurants. All the while
spreading the meme that television pollutes our mental environment and
distracts us from real living...You are one of 10,000 Jammers in over 275 cities around the world
connected through JammerGroups. For TV-Turnoff Week, April 25 - May 1,
let's catch the world off guard.
You've been warned: a social epidemic based around massive amounts of televisions turning off at once. I think we need to counter with our own social epidemic, so when sets go black the week of April 25 - May 1 act like you've LOST YOUR FREAKING MIND, and make some malcontents day.
03/17/2005 in Entertainment | Permalink | Comments (4)
Another DogBlog
Okay, so I live in the Bible Belt, and a few weeks ago I was using some of my hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles to take my family on a skiing trip, when there’s all this brouhaha in the airline terminal because a new charter jet company has flown in a real live Las Vegas showgirl to promote nonstop flights to Las Vegas. My 7-year-old son’s eyes were wide open because there’s this exotic looking woman with a giant blue feather plume coming out of her head and back, with sparkles all over her, um, costume. My 5-year-old son’s eyes were wide open because there was a nearby table filled with blue-iced cookies.
So, I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be a hoot to take a picture of my son and this showgirl to stick in our vacation scrapbook. I mean, a showgirl here in the Bible Belt. So I have my son stand next to Porsha, the exotic girl, and I take their picture.
And the local newspaper takes a picture of me taking a picture and interviews us. And publishes the story front page because this town has no real news except that maybe the police busted into another meth lab on the north side of town.
So we get our picture and names in the paper and isn’t that fun. Well...
Some local spinster who probably has repressed childhood dreams of being a stripper writes an editorial letter to the paper in protest of my exploit.
She says, and I’m not kidding here, “I don’t suppose Mr. Wolf would have been so quick to take a picture if he had a 7-year-old daughter and that was a scantily clad Chippendale dancer in the airport.
Oh, slam. Ooooh. Ouch. Please.
I decided it best to simply move on, but I did mull over some possibilities in sending a response to the paper to get the spinster’s panties in a wad:
Response #1: “My mother was a Las Vegas showgirl, and I’m proud of this honorable profession.”
Response #2: “I’m not gay. Why would I want to take a picture of a dude next to one of my kids.”
Response #3: “Showgirls are way classier than strippers.” (By the way, this showgirl had a top on).
Response #4: “You’re an idiot.”
You tell me, what would have been your response?
03/16/2005 in Entertainment | Permalink | Comments (7)
Bacontarian!!! A blog dedicated to bacon! Enjoy it boys and girls...allow your inner Carnivore to celebrate.
03/16/2005 in Well-being | Permalink | Comments (2)
It's just great to see a guy who is himself in spite of the current trends. Fatlip is an underground rapper, uncool, not handsome, great flow, but will probably remain that way until he fades away, unknown. You have to check out Fatlip's video, "What's Up Fatlip?" The funniest, saddest video ever made from a rappper. Fatlip (music will start up on this one) was a member of the Pharcyde, a west coast group who opened for the likes of Cypress Hill and never really had an out and out hit. I think two of them are still around...but they are a couple of "shiny-suit" rappers now. No substance - just bling.
Fatlip is a refreshing voice of self-depriciation in an age of "mo' money, mo' girls, mo' jewelry"...not to ruin it for you, but the opening of his video shows a little kid kicking him in the crotch...it just gets better from there. The question is, when will Fatlip drop his new album? Looks like it will be awhile...enjoy!
03/14/2005 in Entertainment | Permalink | Comments (3)