Diamonds are a Cartel’s Best Friend

Diamonds.   They sparkle.   They tantalize.   They lie.   Yes, that’s right.  Diamonds are the most guileful gem on the market. I don’t trust them and you shouldn’t either. Yes, this is a bold condemnation of a girl’s best friend, but I’m sharing the awful truth because diamonds are no friend at all.  They are costly only … Read more

The Wine Ratings Ruse

Hey, we are wine aficionados. So we mean no disrespect to the industry or to wine lovers when we say: STOP IT!  We mean, stop it with the points and the awards and the other well-intended but gone-horribly-wrong way of ranking wine. It’s hurting the wine industry and it’s hurting consumers. Yes, this is pretty … Read more

Beginner’s Guide to Wine Buying

If it is possible to have too much of a good thing, then the retail wine market could be a nominee for this dubious distinction.   Walk into a wine store or, worse, browse an online wine sellers’ website and you’ll be overwhelmed by the choices available to wine purchasers.   Its not red wine that causes … Read more

Effective Consumer Complaint Tips

OK.   Some business just pissed you off and you want to express your dissatisfaction BUT you don’t want to waste your time on a useless gripe site or spinning your wheels with the company’s labyrinthian customer service maze.   How can you be effective in getting that company’s attention? You’d think the answer to this … Read more