mrshl | blog

Mattel’s “Vibrating” Harry Potter broomstick big hit among girls. Mattel pulls toy off the shelves | Charchaa

Fry’s: 1,300 Unopened Rebate Applications Found In Dumpster - Consumerist

This confirms that at least some rebate processors are just heaving your rebate applications into the void.

First photograph ever taken, dating back to 1826.

No word on why it looks like an imperial star destroyer.

Admittedly, it would have been funnier if pirates were the apology seekers, but you can’t win them all.

Did you get caught sharing files? Engadget's attorney/columnist says paying up is your best bet. If you're really innocent, you better start documenting your case right away.

Know Your Rights: What to do when the RIAA comes calling - Engadget

This article details strategies for beating many of the most common carnival games. Learn the tricks of the carnie trade, while treating yourself to one of the coolest articles I’ve read in quite a while.

Here’s a sample:

Coin Toss Game:

The object is to toss a coin onto a plate without the coin bouncing off. There are a few tricks to increasing the odds of winning this game:

1. Use a very high arc, with as little spin as possible when tossing the coin. You can even try tossing the coin right up into the hanging stuffed animals above.

2. Covertly cover the coin with spit before tossing it.

3. Some people recommend purposely bouncing the coin off one plate in order to make a second bounce land on a plate safely.

1) Guy makes funny video. Posts it to YouTube.

2) Viacom's VH1 show Web Junk 2.0 uses dude's video without notifying or compensating him.

3) Dude is nevertheless tickled pink to see that his video is on TV. He records the Web Junk segment featuring his video, and posts it to YouTube.

4) Viacom, apparently trying to rip a hole in the fabric of the universe, sends a take-down notice to Google claiming this new video infringes upon their copyrighted material.

5) Google complies.

Let's Review (this quote is straight from the dude's mouth): "Viacom used my video without permission on their commercial television show, and now says that I am infringing on THEIR copyright for showing the clip of the work that Viacom made in violation of my own copyright!"

Techdirt has extra link-y goodness and some spot-on commentary I won't reproduce here.