The Santa Rosa, California Press Democrat says that Korbel Champagne Cellars will ask a Sonoma County judge to force Comcast to reveal the names of anonymous Craigslist posters who criticized the company.
internet
Law Firm 'Jones Day' Usurps Monster Cable For Stupidest Trademark Lawsuit Ever
By 2.18.09
Monster Cable loves to sue companies that use “Monster” in their names, even if they don’t sell cables and even if they’ve been around as long as Monster Cable has. Jones Day is a law firm that doesn’t want anyone else to use standard, everyday formatting for links in news stories about its staff, and it succeeded in forcing a small start-up to cave in to its demands.
Are Webkinz One Year Subscriptions An Unethical Ploy To Sell More Toys?
By 2.18.09
Reader Christopher bought his daughter a Webkinz stuffed animal — for those of your who are not familiar with these toys — with each animal you receive a code that is good for a one year subscription to a virtual version of the toy. After a year — you need to buy another toy or you lose access to your previous pets. Buying more than one toy per year doesn’t extend your subscription, you have to buy one each year to keep it going. Christopher thinks this is unethical.
By 2.16.09
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Tshirt Hell isn’t going out of business, it was just a joke. [T-Shirt Hell] (Thanks to Michael!)
StimulusWatch.org Helps Organize, Rate "Shovel-Ready" Projects
By 2.11.09
Know of a local want or need that you think the proposed stimulus package could support? At http://www.StimulusWatch.org, you can submit, comment on, and rate projects all across America that could really use those federal stimulus dollars. [StimulusWatch] (Thanks, Matt!)
Use Google's M-Lab To Test Your Internet Connection
By 2.9.09
Google has assembled a suite of free tools (developed by researchers, not by Google itself) that let you measure things like BitTorrent throttling, upload/download speeds, and last mile snafus. In exchange for “free,” the test data is being made public to enable further study of broadband connections. You might want to bookmark the site for future reference when you’re trying to figure out what’s going on with your ISP.
MySpace Kicks Off 90,000 Registered Sex Offenders
By 2.5.09
This revelation is totally appalling and unacceptable, and this shocking revelation, resulting from our subpoena, also provides compelling proof that social networking sites remain ripe with sexual predators.”
By 1.30.09
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The economy might be in a tailspin, but Amazon.com is doing just fine. “Amazon’s net profit rose 9 percent, to $225 million, or 52 cents a share, in the quarter that ended on Dec. 31, up from $207 million, or 48 cents, in the same quarter a year earlier,” says the New York Times.
After 8 Years, T-Shirt Hell Closes Its Doors Thanks to Hate Mail
By 1.29.09
UPDATE: It was just a stunt, they’re still in business.
Will You Pay $12.95 For WiFi On United Airlines?
By 1.15.09
United Airlines has announced that passengers on flights from New York City to Los Angeles and San Francisco will soon have access to WiFi… for $12.95.
Identical Fake Testimonial Diet Sites Spreading Like Herpes
By 1.9.09
On Monday, Meg alerted you to a BBB warning about Acai sellers doing scammy things to consumers. Now Donna has tipped us off to a slew of identical websites that have sprouted up online, featuring Everyday Women Like You And Me with names like Jenny, Sarah, Nancy, and Amy, and who all look like the same blonde model. They’ve all lost pounds, too! How? With “My 2 Step Formula,” that’s how!
Knowledge Is Power?
By 1.3.09
Self-proclaimed leading contemporary critic of the Internet Andrew Keen says that increased broadband access will lead to a second Holocaust. Seriously.
Play Anti-Phishing Phil And Learn How To Spot Phishing Attacks
By 1.2.09
Phishing attacks are pretty cleverly designed, because they skip most virus checkpoints altogether and go for the true weak spot in human-computer interaction, the human. Lorrie Faith Cranor, a computer security researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, has been studying phishing attacks to identify new ways to fight them.
RIAA To Stop Suing File Sharers
By 12.19.08
The Wall Street Journal and Ars Technica are reporting that the RIAA has announced a fairly dramatic change in its strategy to fight piracy.
How To Cancel Cable/Satellite TV Without Being Miserable
By 12.19.08
CNet has an article about a couple who saw the writing on the wall, recession-wise, and canceled their satellite TV package. Surprisingly, they are, in fact, still alive and not at all depressed.
Apple Pulls Anti-Virus Advice Due To Bad PR?
By 12.4.08
According to Computerworld, Apple yanked a “controversial” support document from its website Tuesday, after it began a heated debate among the Apple faithful. What was the controversial advice? Apple suggested its users run anti-virus software.
How Many Hours Does It Take To Tell Comcast That You Can't Make Local Calls?
By 12.1.08
Reader Brad forwarded some links to chat transcripts in which he tries to tell Comcast that he can’t make local calls, during which he alternates from incredulity to despair then back to incredulity again. He even sings to the CSR.
I Lowered My Time Warner Bill In 4 Minutes, Just By Asking
By 11.25.08
Yet another success story for our “Just Ask To Pay Less Money” technique. Commenter tinyrobot was paying too much for Time Warner Cable, so he called them up and told them so. Now he pays less. It’s not a Thanksgiving miracle, you can do it, too.
