Planned obsolescence is a manufacturing decision by a company to make consumer products in such a way that they become out-of-date or useless within a known time period so that consumers are forced to buy a product multiple times rather than just once.
In 1916, the Heinz Company poured its iconic number over…
In 1916, the Heinz Company poured its iconic number over other hillsides in California, notably overlooking the main rail line through South San Francisco. On a slope in the Baldwin Hills, where Moynier Lane curved among oil wells, and on another prominent slope near Culver City, “57” in giant concrete numbers reminded both motorists and […]
In the late 90’s, Coca-Cola tested vending machines that would…
In the late 90’s, Coca-Cola tested vending machines that would automatically change prices based on the temperature outside. The higher the temperature the higher the price.
A Quizno’s store manager kept her abandoned store open…
A Quizno’s store manager kept her abandoned store open for months by using the cash from sales to buy bread and discount lunch meats. With paychecks bouncing and vendors refusing to deliver on credit, she used cash from the till to buy cold cuts and bread each morning. She paid herself and her crew in […]
The only person to ever create 3 companies to go public on the New York…
The only person to ever create 3 companies to go public on the New York stock exchange was a trucker who only got into it because his family could not afford to send him to college. He ended up creating the entire shipping container industry, as well as the ships that carry them.
There is a fee imposed by local businesses that called…
There is a fee imposed by local businesses that called a TIF in Niagara Falls which is entirely voluntary to pay, tourists can ask to have it removed from their bills if they know about it. It pulls in roughly 15 Million a year from tourists with no regulation or tracking on where the money […]
Warren Buffett made enough money selling Coke Bottles…
Warren Buffett made enough money selling Coke Bottles and magazines door to door to buy a 40 acre farm at the age of 14.
In Japan, you can hire handsome men to show up at your…
In Japan, you can hire handsome men to show up at your office and watch sad videos with you until you cry, then wipe your tears for you.
A company in England accidentally sent letters to some of its…
A company in England accidentally sent letters to some of its wealthy customers that began “Dear Rich Bastard”. One customer who did not receive the letter complained, certain their wealth was enough to warrant the “rich bastard” title.
Private companies that control prison phone calls charge…
Private companies that control prison phone calls charge over a $1/minute, apply large connection/usage fees…and work to ban inmate visitation.