Someone at work recommended Monoprice for cables and accessories. So far, I’ve been pretty impressed.

Every once in a while, I read something that makes me think “Wow, that’s sheer genius!”

Here’s one:

The War on Returns - WSJ.com
Sony Corp. has taken a different approach with some of its products that makes it harder for consumers to bring them back. The company in 2006 added an option allowing consumers to engrave their name or other message on a Vaio computer. It expanded the program to its digital cameras last year. Sony says the program was started to let customers personalize products, but a side benefit for Sony is that engraved products can be returned only because of defects or other reasons that are the company’s fault.

Return rates on engraved Sony Vaios are negligible, compared with about 5% for non-engraved PCs, the company says, saving more than $1 million so far. “I have a feeling that people are understanding the condition that you can’t return it,” Mr. Abary says. “But also once they have engraved it, they feel like it’s a part of them.”

Wow, that’s sheer genius!

Recently I tried to buy tickets for a show. When I searched the venue’s website, only seats way off to the side, at all price points, were featured.

When I called, I was able to buy seats smack dab in the middle - and at the same price.

It bugs me when it’s better to do something by phone, than online.

This is actually old news as it happened last week, but too many days of being at the office 12+ hours sort of put a hamper on this blog.

Please visit the refreshed Live Search QnA: http://qna.live.com/

It’s just the start…

Lately I’ve been using a Sigg bottle to bring water with me. I started doing that ever since I read Omar’s entry on BPA.

So far the Sigg bottle has been pretty cool - the water tastes great, and it’s surprisingly light. However, I do miss my Nalgenes for 3 reasons:

1. The bottle can become untouchably hot if I leave it in the car.
2. I would much prefer a wide mouth bottle - it makes it a lot easier to clean.
3. I don’t like the fact that the drinking surfaces are not covered by the lid.

With that in mind, I look forwards to getting a new Nalgene “everyday” bottle when they come out. It appears they will be available in the traditional form factors, and will be made from a new material:

Made from Eastman Tritan™ copolyester that is manufactured without BPA or phthalates.

This page has been making the rounds, and I thought it was kind of interesting:

When $100,000 makes you Go Broke: The Invisible Hand Forces Americans Into Debt.

Frankly some parts of this budget seem unrealistic: a mortgage debt of just $350k for a house? Making donations when your budget looks like this? Saving for retirement when your budget looks like this? Just $50 for cell phones?

Given how difficult it is for most people to get a true grasp of their finances let alone actively manage it, it seems to me that the future will be very troubling for many families.