Stupid Passwords

Everyone knows that passwords are getting ridiculous, and there are 101 solutions from the basic web browser remember most of your passwords to the password protected word document to dedicated programs that store your passwords.  What I'd like is if every page that had some convoluted password requirement would just tell you what it was from the start.  8 characters? Needs a symbol #@!*$? Can't start or end with a number?!?  Just give me a clue and maybe I can provide the right password for the occasion without being bothered with the "Forgot my Password" link.

After trying twice at Verizon, I clicked the link, answered the questions, was prompted to change my password where I was finally told the rules for said password, and changed it to exactly the same password it was before.  Had I known the rule this process would have never happened.

Now if this was anything like my work computer that would then tell me I couldn't reuse a password I already used I'd promptly put my fist through my monitor, but luckily things didn't get that ugly.  Still, a little help would be nice.