I’m not really what you’d call a patron of the arts, though my mailbox would suggest otherwise. I belong to a grand total of two museums and non-profit organizations, but I seem to be on the mailing list of at least a dozen more. The funny thing is, aside from the stuff that everyone gets […]

I’m not a huge fan of voice mail, but I understand it’s not going away anytime soon. With that said, I am constantly amazed at the absurdly long greetings that accompany some people’s outgoing messages. Worse, many voice mail systems make you listen to a ton of rarely-used options before you can simply leave a […]

How many times have you looked at a shirt, sweater, or other piece of clothing in your closet, and wanted to buy another one just like it? For most of us, the answer is probably “at least once”. But since the typical garment lacks any kind of part number, it can be pretty challenging to […]

Upgrading any piece of software can be complex, whether it’s a web-based application, desktop software, or an entire operating system. Most products do a pretty good job of remembering your settings and reminding you to make a backup first. But they tend to omit a very important step: Letting the user save a full list […]

Alright, I admit it: My sense of direction in airports just plain stinks. But bad signage certainly doesn’t help the matter. I actually saw an article about how airports are bringing in signage consultants to fix their signs, which sounds like a step in the right direction. Since I won’t be holding my breath for […]

I’ve often wondered how some companies can offer a lifetime warranty on a product that doesn’t cost that much. It would seem like the expense of handling those warranty claims over time could easily exceed the value of the product. For instance, I have a pair of hiking socks that cost $18. After about six […]