12 Apr 2009
The Fiber Event 2009

has come and gone, and we're mostly recovered. Sold a lot of fleece, had a surprising amount of interest in horns, and didn't sell diddly-squat of anything else. The crowds were really, really down, some of which I suspect was the fault of the weather (chilly and windy), some of scheduling on Easter weekend, but the end result was a lot fewer folks than waled by my booth in years past. Which means, of course, fewer sales.

But we had a great time, and still made a healthy profit, so I can't complain too much. It was exhausting, though: we went to bed last night at 9pm and didn't wake up until 7 this morning...

17:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

Playmobil Bible faces wrath of lawyers

Much as I'd like to stick this one in 'Humor', I just can't. Are these figures "Intellectual Property"? Or physical objects? Can I be sued for modifying an object that I own and displaying the results?

When I was a kid some of my favorite toys were my GI Joe dolls - no link, because I don't think they make the big, 12 inch variety anymore. But even "GI Astronaut" got a bit boring after a while, so we played "GI Joe and Barbie in the French Revolution", using some faux period doll clothes and my best friend's little sister's Barbie as Marie Antoinette. Needless to say, Anne was not happy with the queen's fate, but at least I didn't have Mattel and Hasbro lawyers suing me for violating their "intellectual property".

Times have changed, indeed.

A German evangelical pastor who's recreated biblical scenes from Playmobil figures has been given until 6 April to pull his website, or face the wrath of the company's lawyers. Markus Bomhard's principal sin was to adapt the figures - for example by gluing breasts to Eve and melting Jesus with a hairdryer the better to attach him to a crucifix.

(link) [The Register]

16:53 /Copywrongs | 1 comment | permanent link

Apple to surgically remove MobileMe parts

I'm not a big fan of "the cloud" - and here's a prime example of why not. And no, I'm not picking on Apple - Google has done it, too.

Parts of Apple's MobileMe service grandfathered in from the company's previous online efforts will be shut down this summer.

(link) [The Register]

16:39 /Technology | 1 comment | permanent link