News & Consumer Advice
Category: Three For Thursday remove filter
Three for Thursday 02.29.2024
There’s a real debate raging over the true value of a college degree. Forty years ago, it was undeniable that people who extended their formal education beyond high school earned more money and enjoyed a greater lifestyle than those who didn’t. Today thos
Three for Thursday 02.22.2024
Here’s another edition of “you don’t know what you don’t know.” There has been attention lately on “lunch shaming,” the practice of embarrassing children whose parents have not paid their child’s lunch bill. Here’s why a lot of parents who can, don’t want
Three for Thursday 02.15.2024
I want to tell you about a warranty that works! A couple of years ago, I bought a $350 electric chainsaw at the Home Depot. In a departure from the norm for me, I also paid $55 for a three-year warranty. Recently the battery failed. Like most consumers, I
Three for Thursday 02.08.2024
Chick-fil-A is not my favorite meal choice, but it is one of my favorite meal destinations, and here is why. I was rounding the drive through one recent evening and caught an old obscure song on my car radio. My window was down, and the young man taking m
Three for Thursday 2.1.2024
I tend to believe good things will stay the same or simply get better. Ok, that’s not a bad world view, but it is a bit pollyannish. Recently, I lost another great friend. His name was Perry. He lived life to the fullest up to the end, and I believe
Three for Thursday 01.25.2024
What’s wrong with football? If you know me personally, you know I’m a big football fan. So, I have noticed a trend of more people promoting the viewpoint that the game, especially the pro game is rigged. People, (even some I otherwise respect) claim their
Three for Thursday 01.18.2024
When was the last time you were stunned to learn something, you did not expect to learn? It happened for me when I discovered many Americans do not insist on validation before they accept a news report as fact. I realized that my four-year degree in journ
Three for Thursday 01.11.2024
I recently received a free package of greeting cards from a charity to which I do not regularly contribute. I instantly considered whether I should use them, even though I had no intention of donating. The items are called “donor premiums” and are a time-
Three for Thursday 12.28.2023
A few weeks ago, I received a help request from a consumer who wanted to know how to be certain they are paying a fair price. I told him to pursue three quotes and let the vendors know they are competing, (unless the amount of $ is negligible).
Three for Thursday 12.21.2023
TrustDALE's Three For Thursday
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with
Consumer
Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Three for Thursday 11.02.2023
Let’s talk about a very boring subject, the US Federal debt, which is now 33 trillion dollars. Why should you care? If you think of the US economy as a household that earns $50,000 per year, we spend $65,000 per year, and we have a debt of $300,000. The r
Three for Thursday 10.26.2023
What’s the last industry leader you thought might never be toppled? Blockbuster Video comes to mind. Before streaming, Blockbuster was the Google of its time; arbitrarily deciding what movies you would rent by pre-selecting the titles, then playing tricks
Three for Thursday 10.19.2023
Many years ago, a very wise person told me “Just because someone is elected to an office, doesn’t mean they’re qualified to hold that office.” The new mayor of Nashville was elected with just 5.4% of those eligible to vote. I know nothing about him, and I
Three for Thursday 10.12.2023
If you’re a Phillies fan, consider yourself warned. I experienced the perfect night recently at the Braves playoff game. First, the weather was amazing. Second, it was nice to be reminded that people from all walks of life can come together in support of
Three for Thursday 10.5.2023
What you see is all there is, is a term popularized by psychologist Daniel Kahneman to describe the cognitive phenomenon that our brains are wired to believe that the information we have is all the relevant information there is. My favorite example is fro
