Shift Happens [aka: Did You Know?] (Updated Version)

How to Deal With Zombie Debt

wikiHow reports: "Collecting old debts - even debts for which you are not legally responsible - is becoming a very profitable venture. Companies can buy those debts (sometimes referred to as 'junk debt') for pennies to the dollar, then go after the people who they think are most likely to pay up. A phone call can turn into badgering, harassment, threats to sue, and other inappropriate (and sometimes illegal) actions. If you ever get a collector asking you to pay up on a debt that's 'come back to life', here's how to make sure your rights aren't violated."

I have some friends going through this right now, and here is a great article with how to deal with this type of harassment.

Barclaycard Waterslide Ad

One of the best ads I have seen in a little while. Here is a short synopsis: An office worker gets into a waterslide, which he rides on his commute home. During his journey, the commuter, uses his Barclaycard to swipe his way through subway system gates and buy groceries.

Automated Assets

Two automatons share a busy workday

History of the Wilhelm Scream

A Brief History of the Wilhelm Scream, as told by HollywoodLostAndFound.net creator Steve Lee - along with Directors Joe Dante and Tobe Hooper. From Showtime On Demand, and "Masters of Horror."

Sarah Palin Disney Trailer

An Alaskan hockey mom becomes Vice President in the wackiest family comedy of the year! Sound familiar?

Simon and Miss Schlampi the Cat at Night (Time Lapse)

Kids' Rock by Tim Hawkins

The graphics for this video ----, but the audio portion is historical.

Tim Hawkins - Smells Like Birthday Cake

Tim Hawkins on Church

Compare credit cards' rental car insurance policies

CreditCards.com reports: "If you're a veteran car renter, it's likely you routinely decline the rental company's offer of additional insurance coverage, smug in the knowledge that you're not wasting money. After all, if you get in an accident, your credit card will cover your deductible, right?"

Every now and then I have to rent a car. I always decline the damage protection options that they try to up-sell you, but I sometimes wonder if I am making a mistake. The credit card I use is suppose to have coverage for renting cars, but I never thought about the limitations of the it until I read this article.

Suggestion:

• Check the limitations of the coverage offered by your primary insurance and credit card on rental cars. Make sure that you are properly covered incase of an accident.
  

Popping Corn with Cell Phones?

I saw the following video (see below) a few days ago for the first time. It's people apparently popping popcorn with their cell phones, and it looks pretty real when you watch it.



TruthOrFiction.com reports: "A series of videos showing young people apparently popping popcorn with their cell phones. Four cell phones are arranged facing each other on the top of a table. In the center of the cell phones are several kernels of unpopped popcorn. The cell phones are called at the same time and as they begin to ring, the kernels pop."

Read the article for more information.

Poll Reveals 430 New Demographics That Will Decide Election

From the Onion: A recent election poll indicates vegan independents and skydiving widowers are among the groups that will have a major impact in November. (note: a small part of the video is a little PG-13)

First Flying Lesson (Commercial)

A very funny commercial created by the Centraal Beheer Achmea in the Netherlands. For the most part it should be fairly self explanatory. Although I may need to provide a little background, the guy is waiting for his flight instructor (who is late) to take his first lesson in flying a glider.

Digital Conversion PSA

With the impending switch from analog to digital video, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has released this informative PSA on just how easy the conversion will be.

Jules Verne re-entry video

Her is a video showing the destructive re-entry of Jules Verne ATV at the end of a successful mission to the International Space Station. The re-entry took place over an uninhabited area of the Pacific Ocean after two deorbit burns.

Watch the Video

Do we really need another browser?

Google recently released a new browser called Chrome, and now I am asking myself do we really need another browser? For years Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer fought a feature war, and Netscape lost. Then several years later, Firefox rose from the ashes of Navigator with all new code. Then took the Web by storm.

Although before Firefox there is another browser called Opera that seems to always be setting trends in the background. Although, it never really made huge waves as far as market share.

Much later, Apple wanting more of the browser market so they released a Windows version of Safari. I have to admit I have personally never tried it, and never have really heard too much good or bad news about it in the press.

With all these choices, I wonder if people are just getting tired of this all. I only use I.E. and Firefox, and as much as I like Google products, there would have to be real compelling reason for me to change. Although, I might try Chrome out of curiosity to see if I like it.

Plastic Logic's eBook Reader

Here is a light, flexible, and strong e-book reader designed for business workers to avoid having to carry papers and books everywhere with them. The product also features some inking capability (a limited ability to mark up documents).

One of the problems with the technology will be the time and effort required to scan the documents electronically to carry them with you. Although, this can be avoided if the documents are printed to PDF instead paper to begin with.

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment

From the creators of the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment, EeepyBird show us how to have fun with sticky notes. eepybird.com

A deaf girl learns to play violin

A beautiful, feel good commercial created for P&G's Pantene Chrysalis brand, created by Grey Thailand.