I think its been kicking around the 'net since the 1990s. Hatred for base model Fram filters is nothing new (justified or not). You could find discussions about it, way back. The first thing that ever made me aware of it was a display setup that CarQuest had on all their store counters back in the 1980s, with their brand (Wix), a Fram, and a Delco all cut open and pointing out the deficiencies of the others relative to the Wix. Arrows were pointed at the "cardboard" end caps on the Fram, the "stamped" media retaining spring on the Delco, and the fact that only the Wix had a metal ADBV (not a good thing, as it turns out).