A viral video happy ending
The world’s worst parking job attracted a million-plus views on YouTube. Hyundai was watching. Very clever marketing.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
A century of dumb inventions
Life has compiled a photo gallery from its archives of some of the dumbest ideas that inventors created in the 1900s. Many of the photos are priceless, and the captions contain just enough snark. About a gunslinging robot, Life writes: “It’s always easy to question the wisdom of giving a robot a gun, but also making him quick on the draw is just irresponsible.”
Of an anti-bandit bag with a bottom designed to collapse and dump the bag’s contents when its owner is threatened, Life writes: “That’ll stop those thieves from getting at the contents of your bag! No, wait. It won’t.”
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Take back your personal data
Google has established a site called Data Liberation Front (a riff on the Judean People’s Front from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian”), designed to walk you through the steps to transfer your personal data into and out of its plethora of online services. The site also seeks input from users about ways the company can live up to its “Don’t be evil” creed.
we always encourage people to ask these three questions before starting to use a product that will store their data:
Can I get my data out at all?
How much is it going to cost to get my data out?
How much of my time is it going to take to get my data out?The ideal answers to these questions are:
Yes.
Nothing more than I’m already paying.
As little as possible.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Most urgent request … to the Shire
Physicist and blogger Stephen Granade noted that opening chapters of “The Hobbit” made it clear that the character Thorin Oakenshield was running a scam. Granade expanded on that theme by imagining and creating a Nigerian scam letter as written by Thorin.
Dear MR BAGGINS, Fellow Conspirator,
I am Thorin Oakenshield, descendant of Thrain the Old and grandson of Thror who was King under the Mountain. I am writing you to discuss our plans, our ways, means, policy and devices for rescuing our treasure from the dragon Smaug.
During the reign of Thror our kingdom was a prosperous one. Kings used to send for our smiths, and reward even the least skillful most richly. Fathers would beg us to take their sons as apprentices, and pay us handsomely, especially in food-supplies, which we never bothered to grow or find for ourselves. Altogether those were good days for us, and the poorest of us had money to spend and to lend, and leisure to make beautiful things just for the fun of it, not to speak of the most marvellous and magical toys, the like of which is not to be found in the world now-a-days.
(via boingboing, with a hat tip to Robb Billy)
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Disney-Marvel team-up spawns new rivalries
The folks over at Woot (and a few thousand others online) are already mapping out the possibilities of Disney’s $4 billion purchase of Marvel. My favorite: Colossus vs. Pinnochio.
Mary Poppins vs. Dr. Strange: The Cloak of the Vishanti vs. A Spoonful of Sugar! The Faltine dimension vs. the racetrack full of penguins! “Abracadabra” vs. “Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious”!
Spider-Man vs. Jiminy Cricket: Seized by arachnid instinct, the way-out web-slinger craves cricket meat! Will an enchanted umbrella be enough to shock him back to his spider-senses?
Hercules vs Hercules: The battle the public domain laws demanded! Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not covered under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act!
Colossus vs. Pinocchio: The building materials who walk like men! Who will triumph: Italian wood… or Russian steel? There’s no flesh in this supersaga – but plenty of blood!
Wolverine vs. Tramp: One is a scruffy loner with heroic instincts and a heart of gold! The other has giant adamantium claws! Who will win the good girl’s heart?
Bambi’s Mother vs Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility” – or, “If you’d just been a better kid, I’d still be alive.” The neuroses of tomorrow begin here!
More here.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Vendors and clients
10-4, Ben, just keep printin’
Merle Hazard signs “Bailout” as an homage to the classic “Convoy.”
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Vision quest
The Wall Street Journal tries out a couple of online sites that sell cut-rate prescription eyeglass frames and lenses. Buying glasses online takes some time, and a leap of faith that some consumers may not be willing to make. However, the prices are incredibly cheap compared to what it costs to buy at a bricks-and-mortar shop.
In 2008, sales of vision-care products and services at optical retail outlets topped $25.8 billion—a modest increase of $73 million from the previous year, according to the VisionWatch trade report. But some retailers that specialize in discount eyewear are enjoying robust growth: EyeBuyDirect, an online retailer based in Bethesda, Md., that offers prescription glasses for as little as $7.95 a pair, reports that its sales have risen 900% since its inception in 2006.
Last week, I bought my second pair of prescription glasses from an online retailer. I paid $18. I’ve been happy with both pairs of glasses I bought online. However, my wife is not as pleased with her bifocals, which cost about $30. While they correct her vision properly, she’s not entirely satisfied with the size and fit.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Madoff sentenced “forever”
The Awl takes a well-deserved shot at Ponzi prince Bernie Madoff:
Bernie Madoff has been sentenced to 150 years in prison for his Ponzi scheme. That’s the maximum sentence, although Madoff has reportedly hinted that he could turn it into 350 for you with almost no risk.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
Latest business news from The Onion
The Onion is too easy to link to so I generally avoid it. But this business story is a classic:
“World’s Worst Person Decides To Go Into Marketing”
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
