ShortFormBlogApril 29, 2011

Today in the greatest story ever of the day: Mike Tyson tattoo artist S. Victor Whitmill, who calls the former boxer’s facial mark “one of the most distinctive tattoos in the nation,” wants to ensure that Ed Helms’ similarly questionable facial tattoo doesn’t make it to theaters. Here’s what the suit says: “Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. — without attempting to contact Mr. Whitmill, obtain his permission, or credit his creation — has copied Mr. Whitmill’s Original Tattoo and placed it on the face of another actor … This unauthorized exploitation of the Original Tattoo constitutes copyright infringement.” Protip: Don’t give a guy a stupid-looking tattoo if you don’t want it to be parodied by a popular film franchise. source

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I have never seen devastation like this. It is heartbreaking. This is something I don’t think anyone has seen before.
President Barack Obama • Discussing his reaction to the damage in Tuscaloosa. The president, flanked by Michelle Obama and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley. The storms have killed at least 310 — 210 in Alabama alone — and left hundreds injured, along with tearing up a huge chunk of a number of towns across the South, especially in Tuscaloosa. “We can’t bring those who’ve been lost back,” he said. “They’re alongside God at this point … but the property damage, which is obviously extensive, that’s something we can do something about.” For their sake, let’s hope so. source

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The correspondents’ association dinner was a minor annoyance for years, when it was a ‘nerd prom’ for journalists and a few minor celebrities. But, as with so much else in this town, the event has spun out of control. Now, awash in lobbyist and corporate money, it is another display of Washington’s excesses.
The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank • Arguing that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — an event once noted for its low-key approach and minor celebrity host — now has dozens of parties around the event, is flooded with money from lobbyist types, and has numerous celebrities looking to hob-nob with both politicians and the media. While Milbank doesn’t criticize its peers for the individual parties or any small aspect of the whole, he says that “the cumulative effect is icky. With the proliferation of A-list parties and the infusion of corporate and lobbyist cash, Washington journalists give Americans the impression we have shed our professional detachment and are aspiring to be like the celebrities and power players we cover.” And he’s right. That’s dangerous. source

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5.3M number of pageviews the Royal Wedding got per minute this morning — impressive, but not one of the best ever
10.3M number of pageviews per minute the World Cup (and the longest Wimbledon match ever) got back in June
4.3M number of pageviews the 2008 election, where Obama coasted to victory on hope and change, earned source

» As a video event, usage was high: At its peak, the event was larger than Egypt but these comparisons are a little difficult — all of the top online events except for the 2008 election happened since June of last year. That said, what’s notable is that lots of people watched the event live on the Internet. Around 300,000 people watched the wedding on Livestream at its peak.

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2.2 million the number of stolen credit card numbers security researchers say the PlayStation Network hackers made off with — based on conversations in underground forums
$100,000 the amount they’re looking to make off their bounty — which they even attempted to SELL BACK to Sony, though they reportedly ignored this naked attempt at ransom source

» Sony denies the claim: “To my knowledge there is no truth to the report that Sony was offered an opportunity to purchase the list,” said top Sony communications guy Patrick Seybold. Consultants for Trend Micro and iSEC Partners, along with other researchers who keep a close eye on these forums, suggest otherwise. So, who’s right? Hopefully it’s Sony.

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29 Apr 2011 18:50