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39,202 of them, to be exact, of anything you can imagine relating to Harry Potter. Ciaran and his team have been working like house-elves for months putting together our newest section, the MuggleNet Gallery, so thank Becky, Natalie, Suraj, Jess, Emily, Caroline, Sarah, Ann, Matt, Rachel, Laura, Dan, and Andrew for all their hard work. You guys did great!
Posted by Emerson
06-11-2006
at 4:37 PM
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Over 12,000 of you entered our contest for a free first edition, deluxe copy of Book 6. Entries closed on Saturday and the winner is Kamille Fowle from the USA! Thank you to everyone who participated - look for more book giveaways in the near future.
Posted by
07-25-2006
at 07:45 AM
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Posted by Emerson
04-08-2007
at 10:15 PM
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A new article by the AP examines the rise of Harry Potter fan sites and includes a bunch of quotes from MuggleNet webmaster Emerson Spartz. The piece states, "Spartz and his many fellow Webmasters are looking back at their own place on this record-breaking ride. The story of Potter has all along been a story of its fans, and, like everything else about Potter, the fan sites are in a special class, for their size, and for their influence."
Posted by
04-11-2007
at 5:42 PM
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Because of high demand, we are now translating our news into Portuguese. You can check out our Portuguese page here (also accessible via the flag above).
We hope to introduce new languages in the coming weeks.
Posted by
04-26-2007
at 4:01 PM
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We have updated our gallery with a new, broader layout, allowing you to browse photos with more ease. Also, we recently surpassed the 50,000 image mark, and continue to strive to keep it the most comprehensive collection of Potter images online!
Thanks to Douglas and Dylan for their work on this layout!
Posted by
05-05-2007
at 2:27 PM
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Posted by Emerson
05-10-2007
at 9:11 PM
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Hey guys, the tour has been going great - Ben and I are finishing up the last two events on the West Coast leg of the tour and catching the red eye to Chicago Tuesday evening to start the East Coast leg. Thanks to everybody who has come out to support us!
We recently added another event, scheduled for tonight, June 4, at 7 PST.
Danville Village Theatre
233 Front Street
Danville CA 94526
For information: 925-837-4889
Click the link below to view a video Mikey put together with clips and information on remaining events.
Posted by Emerson
06-04-2007
at 1:32 PM
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Hello from Boston! Ben and I are having a blast on the road meeting all you crazy MuggleNetters. Thanks to everybody who's come out to see us so far - especially Sammy, Cara, Jessica, and anybody else who has given us presents in the form of pineapples, ninjas, rubber ducks... you get the idea.
Tune in to Fox and Friends at approximately 7:40 AM EST on Friday, June 15 to hear us discuss what we think will go down in Deathly Hallows and promote our new book MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7. The book, which we are SO proud of, is currently #2 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller list and there are over 335,000 copies in print. Also, I will be a guest on a Potter Panel on MTV next week - stay tuned for airtimes.
Finally, while this has nothing whatsoever to do with Harry Potter, more than a few MuggleNet staff members are graduating from either high school or college this year, so join me in saying CONGRATULATIONS to Andrew, Ben, Brendan, Dylan, Katie, K'lyssa, Laura, Nick, Rachael, Damon, and Emily!
Posted by Emerson
06-12-2007
at 10:17 PM
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UPDATE: Thanks to staffer Rosey, video from our appearance is now available right here on YouTube!
Hey all, Emerson and I just received word that our debut on FOX's Fox and Friends has been postponed until Saturday around 9:40 AM EST. We'll keep you posted if anything changes.
If you capture a clip of the TV spot, please e-mail it to tips at staff dot mugglenet dot com.
Also, we'd like to take time now to thank our wonderful sponsor, Alivan's, for providing us with prizes to giveaway on our tour.
Posted by
06-14-2007
at 9:32 PM
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For those of you who missed us on Fox and Friends ( video) yesterday, you have another chance to catch Emerson and me on the tube. This morning around 11:20 AM EST, we'll be appearing on MSNBC to discuss the fate of Harry. If anyone captures a clip of the interview, please send it to us at tips at staff dot mugglenet dot com.
We already appeared on the show around 8:15 this morning and if anyone captured it, please send it in!
Posted by
06-17-2007
at 07:44 AM
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Posted by Emerson
06-21-2007
at 6:26 PM
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WARNING: This is a very opinionated post!
Keith Olbermann has made some bold public predictions about the end of the series on his TV news show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Make sure you read the second page of the article before making judgment. It is my personal belief, and not necessarily that of the rest of the MuggleNet staff, that he is not far off the mark in his guesses. Except for that whole Harry turning into a Muggle business. I mean, really?
In other news, Scholastic has published the results of their fourth fan poll question. They claim a majority of fans - 56% - believe that Harry will end up with Hermione, 20% believe that Ron will end up with Hermione and 19% believe that Harry will end up with Ginny.
Um, was Scholastic polling people who have actually read the books? 56% of fans are wrong. I quote JKR, in the interview Melissa and I conducted with her two summers ago:
JK Rowling: Yes, we do now know that it's Ron and Hermione. I do feel that I have dropped heavy hints. ANVIL-sized, actually, hints, prior to this point. I certainly think even if subtle clues hadn't been picked up by the end of Azkaban, that by the time we hit Krum in Goblet...
I would think it's difficult to interpret "Yes, we do now know that it's Ron and Hermione" and "anvil-sized hints" any other way, but apparently 56% of fans disagree with me (or just haven't read the interview... or Book 6... or Book 5... or Book 4...). But then, many fans still believe Dumbledore is alive, despite JK Rowling saying that he is " definitely dead." Come on, guys. Wishful thinking isn't going to bring him back.
Note that the question wasn't Who Do You Want to End Up With Whom?, but Who Will End Up With Whom?. There's a difference between wanting something to be true, and believing it is true. There is a word in the English dictionary for holding a belief without evidence, and in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary... I'll give you a hint, it starts with a D.
UPDATE: I don't know if I can make this any clearer, but I will try one more time.
I am not calling all Harry/Hermione shippers delusional! I respect H/Hr shippers who acknowledge the obvious: that JKR paired up Ron and Hermione, but wish she hadn't. The only people I am calling delusional are the shippers who try to wriggle and rationalize their way around "Yes, we do now know that it's Ron and Hermione" and still believe the two will make babies in Book 7. Right, because JKR was lying to us? HOPING is different from BELIEVING!
Posted by Emerson
06-26-2007
at 4:02 PM
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MuggleNet's very own Emerson Spartz was a guest on a Harry Potter panel on MTV News, where he debated the end of the series with Melissa Anelli from TLC, Alex Carpenter of The Remus Lupins, Caroline Bartels, Jennifer Vineyard of MTV, and Matt Vines of Veritaserum. Links to videos are below, and a transcript can be found here.
"Will Harry live or die?"
"Which side is Snape on?"
"Is Harry a Horcrux?"
The roundtable discussion, hosted by MTV's legendary Kurt Loder, first aired on TRL this afternoon. More showtimes can be found below (all times are EST).
MTV:
--Fri. 6/29 - 3:50 AM, 5:50 AM
MTV2:
--Thurs. 6/28 - 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM
--Fri. 6/29 - 2:30 AM, 3:30 AM, 4:30 AM, 5:30 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM
MTVU:
--Thurs. 6/28 - 7:45 PM, 8:45 PM, 9:45 PM, 10:45 PM, 11:45 PM
--Fri. 6/29 - 12:45 AM, 1:45 AM, 2:45 AM, 3:45 AM, 4:45 AM, 5:45 AM, 6:45 AM, 7:45 AM, 8:45 AM, 9:45 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:45 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:45 PM, 4:45 PM, 5:45 PM, 6:45 PM
Posted by
06-28-2007
at 2:43 PM
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Just a quick note reminding fans in the Chicago area/Northwest Indiana that I'll be doing my last event of the summer tomorrow in Merrillville, IN. I know... tear!
It's been so much fun touring the country with Ben and others, meeting all you guys and seeing a new Holiday Inn Express every night. Here's the info for tomorrow:
Sunday, July 1, at 2 PM
Borders
2060 Southlake Mall
Merrillville, IN
219.795.1925
If you live in the area, I hope to see you there!
Posted by Emerson
06-30-2007
at 9:42 PM
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After over two years of being on a "temporary site," MuggleNet Interactive has finally opened the doors to its brand new site. Complete with Galleons and shopping in Diagon Alley as well as other things from the old site and some brand new features never seen before. It's terrific fun so check it out! MNI is ready to begin and registration is now activated again!
I'd like to offer a huge thanks to the MNI staff for their toil with getting the new site up and running. Keep your eyes peeled for exciting new features in the near future.
Posted by
07-10-2007
at 2:11 PM
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Every year in March, millions of Americans sharpen their No. 2 pencils and fill out brackets picking the college basketball teams they think most likely to win the NCAA Tournament. Now, Harry Potter fans across the globe are all doing the same thing - but instead of predicting basketball game outcomes, we're making predictions about how the series will end. For us Potter prognosticators, we're not suffering from March Madness, but Deathly Hallows Madness.
Similar to how college hoops fans attempt to select the winner from a pool of 65 teams, we want MuggleNet visitors to choose their best answers to 65 Deathly Hallows-related questions! The fan whose predictions most closely match the events that unfold in Book 7 on the 21st wins the opportunity to be a guest host on MuggleNet's Award-Winning Harry Potter Podcast, MuggleCast! In addition, 1st - 5th places win a MuggleNet shirt and their choice of Alivan's wand.
Good luck!
Posted by Emerson
07-13-2007
at 9:28 PM
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MuggleNet's Emerson Spartz will be appearing live on Fox News's At Large with Geraldo Rivera Sunday evening, sometime between 8:40-9 PM EST. If anyone can capture it and send it to us or put it up on YouTube, we would be very grateful! Emerson also filmed a segment for CBS Evening News, which will be airing this week. We'll keep you informed!
Posted by
07-14-2007
at 8:39 PM
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MuggleNet's Senior Systems Manager Damon Brangers turns 22 today! Damon is a recent graduate of the Louisville Institute of Technology, and nobody looks sharper in a suit and tie. He's been keeping MuggleNet from crashing since 2003. Happy birthday, Damon, we hope you got lots of waffles!
Posted by
07-14-2007
at 10:55 PM
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We apologize to those of you who tuned in to Fox News's At Large with Geraldo Rivera expecting to see Emerson tonight - his Potter segment ran at the beginning of the show, not the end. However, the show re-airs tonight at 11PM EST, so tune in then and record it for us if you can!
UPDATE: The clip is available here on YouTube.
Posted by
07-15-2007
at 8:47 PM
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MuggleNet is offering an all expenses paid trip to its UK Deathly Hallows release party at Waterstones, Piccadilly Circus, London. This special prize includes accommodation at the 5 star Meridian Hotel opposite Waterstones, access to the live MuggleCast and entrance to the VIP party, along with a copy of the seventh book (the competition does NOT include travel). The prize is for two people, one of whom must be over the age of 18. As this contest has been announced relatively late, the winner will be chosen randomly.
Email dhgiveaway at staff dot mugglenet dot com if you would like to enter. The contest will be closed tonight at midnight (GMT). Please include your name, address and telephone number and remember that this contest is open to those residing in the UK only. Do not apply unless you can travel to London on July 20th. Check here for full details on the Waterstones party or, for our US visitors, information on MuggleNet's "Countdown to Midnight" taking place in Oak Park, Chicago
Posted by
07-18-2007
at 12:03 AM
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For the past two days, fans have been lining up outside Waterstones Piccadilly Circus where MuggleNet staffers/MuggleCast co-hosts Andrew Sims, Kevin Steck, Jamie Lawrence, Eric Scull, and Laura Thompson will be podcasting from tonight, as part of the many REALLY superb festivities in their massive Book Seven release party!
We've compiled a video with footage from so-far, including several burly Waterstones staffers loading boxes of the books in through the back door of the six-story shop! Set to the video is "The Final Countdown" by Europe. There are no spoilers in the clip.
Posted by
07-20-2007
at 10:37 AM
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...at 2:50PM EST to hear Emerson discuss his thoughts on the final book, and YouTube it for us if you can!
Just a reminder, Emerson and I will be hosting a discussion in Oak Park, IL beginning at 8:30CST tonight on the main stage in Scoville Park. We hope to see you there!
UPDATE: Thanks to Craig who captured the video for us!
Posted by
07-20-2007
at 10:05 AM
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Click here to watch a video of JK Rowling reading from the first chapter Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the Natural History Museum in London.
OBVIOUS SPOILER WARNING: She's reading from the beginning of the book.
Posted by Emerson
07-21-2007
at 10:58 AM
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Hey guys, I know this is really last minute, but for MuggleNetters in Northwest Indiana, I'm going to be at the Valparaiso Barnes & Noble at 7pm Friday night (that's tomorrow - 7/27). Hope you'll come out and say hello if you live in the area!
I will also be joining the MuggleCasters on their summer tour starting Saturday, July 28 in Chicago, and finishing the second half of the tour with the guys.
Posted by Emerson
07-26-2007
at 8:39 PM
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Hello from Detroit! We've gotten word from fans in San Diego that Comic-Con has been promoting that MuggleNet was supposed to host a Harry Potter debate at the convention on Friday, and hundreds of fans waited hours only to be disappointed when no one showed up to represent the site. We were never contacted about attending by Comic-Con, who claims no responsibility for the occurrence, so we can only assume a breakdown in communication somewhere. We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience this caused.
Posted by Emerson
07-29-2007
at 7:59 PM
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Every year in March, millions of Americans sharpen their No. 2 pencils and fill out brackets picking the college basketball teams they think most likely to win the NCAA Tournament. Now, Harry Potter fans across the globe all did the same thing - but instead of predicting basketball game outcomes, we made predictions about how the series would end. For us Potter prognosticators, we weren't suffering from March Madness, but Deathly Hallows Madness.
Similar to how college hoops fans attempt to select the winner from a pool of 65 teams, we had MuggleNet visitors choose their best answers to 65 Deathly Hallows-related questions! The fan whose predictions most closely matched the events that unfold in Book 7 on the 21st would win the opportunity to be a guest host on MuggleNet's Award-Winning Harry Potter Podcast, MuggleCast! In addition, 1st - 5th places would win a MuggleNet shirt and their choice of Alivan's wand.
BUT... we had a problem. Someone leaked Book 7 early, and there was a suspiciously high number of fans who guessed every question correctly, or nearly every question. Since we cannot ensure the legitimacy of the results, we had no choice but to select 5 random participants. So, congratulations to Raganarok, rainbowlaces, BigD, VGokub, and thewritewroute!
Click here to see the results in poll form, and here to see what the MuggleNet staff thought Book 7 would hold in store.
Posted by Emerson
08-09-2007
at 6:59 PM
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The MuggleNet founder will be a guest on At Large with Geraldo Rivera on FOX tonight, Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7:30ish (the producers said he would be on during the second half of the show). He will be discussing the ramifications of Jo's revelation as to Dumbledore's sexual orientation.
UPDATE: The video is now available.
Posted by
10-20-2007
at 2:11 PM
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On its spectacularly stunning *fifth birthday*, MuggleNet's premiere fan-interactive segment The Crazy Caption Contest is given a new title... 'version 2.0'!
First begun in 2002 by webmaster Emerson Spartz himself, this segment has since grown into the mighty MuggleNet's largest and most fan-interactive segment throughout these many years of Potter. To celebrate, the contest has been given a *double dose* of fan interactivity, as all visitors now have the opportunity to vote on each week's winners. Not only this, but voting has been made available on every one of the contest's 250-week lifespan, creating hours of hilarious fun to be had in reading and 'judging' the winners of the past!
There has never been a better time than now to check out this cool segment on MuggleNet, and become hooked! We are VERY proud to bring such a cool renovation to the section that has been loved increasingly for the past five years, and which may very well continue for a few more.
Posted by
10-23-2007
at 3:32 PM
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UPDATE: The clip is now online on YouTube. Thanks to everyone who have been sending clips in!
We've heard from fans that a skit aired last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live parodying MuggleNet founder Emerson Spartz's interview last Saturday on At Large with Geraldo Rivera. We would love to see the clip, so if you recorded the show, send me an email at ben at staff dot mugglenet dot com and let me know - even if you don't know how to transfer it from your DVR/Tivo to your computer. Thank you!
Posted by
10-24-2007
at 4:32 PM
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Posted by
11-05-2007
at 3:47 PM
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The online social network has just released a new feature that lets websites of any sort promote their own website or company online. We created one for both MuggleNet and MuggleCast, so join up and become a fan to let your friends know who you love!
Posted by
11-07-2007
at 11:55 AM
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"The MuggleNet Express" is making its rounds again across England and Scotland this Summer, and it's a trip only for fans of this website! Only 20 spots are available this time, so we encourage all of you who missed out last year to check out the details:
From splendid castles to spectacular lochs and mountains, there's something awesome every step of the way. For those who love rail travel or have never experienced it, this trip is a dream-come-true! Overnight accommodations for this tour will be in hostels specially selected for their outstanding locations and facilities.
A full itinerary can be found over at the Magical Tours website. Check it out today!
Posted by
11-09-2007
at 12:04 AM
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HP Fan Trips announced today its 2008 summer Harry Potter tour packages, celebrating five years of hosting the most comprehensive, fan-centric Potter tours on the market.
The "Sorcerer" Trip for MuggleNet fans is one of the packages and should appeal to all of you who visit this site. Special to the tour this year is a guest appearance by our own Jamie Lawrence of MuggleCast. He'll be having dinner with the group on the final night of the trip!
For more tour packages and full details, click here!
Posted by
11-14-2007
at 00:42 AM
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From our MuggleNet family to yours, we wish all of our American visitors a Happy Thanksgiving! Gather around the table, eat some turkey, and be thankful for over a decade of fantastic Potter craziness.
And Black Friday is tomorrow - don't forget to get a deal on all your Potter merchandise!
Posted by
11-22-2007
at 11:29 AM
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With only a few hundred copies left in stock, don't miss your chance to purchase MuggleNet's New York Times' bestselling book, What Will Happen in Harry Potter Seven. All copies are signed by Emerson Spartz and are being sold at the discounted price of $9.95. For additional savings, enter the code 14DAYSLEFT and save 10% off.
Posted by
12-13-2007
at 10:47 PM
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Ah, and what a year it was. 2007 was BY FAR the biggest year for Harry Potter fans that we have ever seen. It was filled with book releases, movie releases, theme park announcements, gay character announcements, and oh-so-much more.
We now present to you our fourth annual Year in Review, highlighting the biggest and most interesting stories of 2007.
Feel free to use the comments of this news post to reflect on this year and discuss what's coming in 2008. Also, look for two more big projects appearing here from MuggleNet within the next week!
Posted by
12-25-2007
at 00:40 AM
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The MuggleNet team wishes you and your family a safe, happy, and healthy 2008!
It has been over ten years now since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published in the United Kingdom. At that time, nobody knew what Harry Potter would become and its impact on the world.
To pay tribute, we have put together a Decade in Review highlighting over 50 news stories from the past ten years which shaped the Potter world we've all had the privilege of living in.
Take a look back and enjoy! As time goes on, we'll continue to use this page to chronicle the biggest stories in the Harry Potter fandom. Don't forget, we also have our 2007 Year in Review at this link. BIG thanks go to Kat, Rachel, Nick, Rosey, and Micah for their help in creating this section!
Posted by
12-31-2007
at 3:29 PM
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At approximately 7pm on January 2nd, a team of sexually frustrated men (hackers) penetrated MuggleNet's defenses, bravely fighting off Damon's armies of killer dragons and ninjas to breach our servers. The invaders were driven off, however, and the site has been restored.
We apologize for the interruption, and will now continue with our regular business of not messing in other people's business.
Posted by Emerson
01-05-2008
at 10:10 PM
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Four months in development, today we're bringing you our latest project: MuggleNet's Wizard Rock section! With over 160 bands in our database, you can read interviews, listen to samples, write reviews, and more! It's the perfect place for you to discover the fandom phenomenon that is the music genre of Wizard Rock.
MuggleNet will begin covering more Wizard Rock-related news now that we have an area to archive it all. We also have more plans for this section, so check back regularly as it continues to grow! A huge, GIGANTIC thank you goes to Christine Roberts who has conducted interviews with all of the bands and organized all of the information you see. We'd also like to thank Matt, our fantastic coder, who did a perfect job of creating the back-end of our database. This project would not have been possible without either of them.
Get listening, get reviewing, and enjoy!
Posted by
01-16-2008
at 11:59 PM
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Once again MuggleNet is on the job with a new talent search. We are teaming up with Magical Tours to find the perfect intern for their 2008 Harry Potter-themed tours in Britain. The person selected will participate in all three Magical Tours itineraries - all expenses paid!
Go here for full application details. Qualifying candidates will post video “interviews” on YouTube, and MuggleNet fans will be able to help decide who becomes the intern.
If you're not interested in becoming an intern, but want to learn more about the tours, check out the great tours still available on Magical-Tours.com. Visit soon before all the limited spaces are filled!
NOTE: If you are from outside of the United States you are still eligible to enter. However, please include your complete address in the box beneath your 200 word statement on the entry form.
Good Luck!
Posted by
01-17-2008
at 3:26 PM
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You asked for it, now you've got it (a little late, sure, but better than never)! Editorial fans can now subscribe to an RSS feed and be updated whenever a new editorial or column is posted in the section. Just click on the RSS icon on the right side of your browser's address bar and select "MuggleNet Editorials RSS," or copy this link and paste into your favorite feed reader to subscribe. You can also subscribe to MuggleNet's news and MuggleCast feeds.
On a related note, we're still working like little house-elves to keep the editorial section going, but we need readers' help! Jo may have answered most of the questions that kept editorials busy before the final chapter, but there are surely topics still worth exploring. We've reopened The Burrow and are accepting submissions for February's topic, so tell us what you think. And hopefully we'll have some new features coming soon!
Posted by
01-21-2008
at 01:49 AM
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According to our numbers, 0.34% of our visitors visit MuggleNet via their fancy pants iPhones or iPod touches. Those visitors outnumber any other entertainment device besides a computer.
With Apple's latest software update (1.1.3), websites can create little buttons that will look nice on the iPod/iPhone home screen. We've now added this capability to our site. Simply load our home page, press the "+" button at the bottom of the screen, then press "Add to Home Screen." That's it! Enjoy the easier access!
Posted by
01-31-2008
at 2:47 PM
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We've had a fantastic response to our offering the chance to work as an intern for Magical Tours on all their Harry Potter themed tours next summer. The application period has ended with over 600 incredibly qualified candidates from 21 countires! Every applicant who furnished a valid e-mail address will soon be notified of the preliminary results.
24 super-star finalists will qualify to post video presentations on YouTube by February 14th. MuggleNet will post the viewing links so our fans can help choose the best person for the job. We'll announce the name of the winner by February 21st. There's still space available on next summer's Magical Tours, so click here for all the details.
Posted by
01-31-2008
at 10:55 PM
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Vote for your favorite candidate video today! Here's how to cast your vote (please, only one vote per person):
1) Check each candidate's video link on the right side of this page in the Poll area.
2) Watch all of the candidates and decide which person deserves and is most suited for the internship.
3) Come back to MuggleNet and vote!
The competition was intense with over 600 amazingly qualified applicants from 21 different countries. After an exhaustive process, the top 24 finalists were invited to post video presentations on YouTube to be voted on by our fantastic MuggleNet fan base. Several factors will go into the final selection, but your votes on the video "campaign ads" will be major!
Magical Tours plans to announce the winner and one alternate on February 21st right here on MuggleNet.Com. Magical Tours still has space available on their 2008 Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings tours, but some of the tours are almost filled. If you haven't made your summer plans yet, you should definitely check out their website here. Stay tuned to MuggleNet to find out which Summer Intern would be traveling with you!
Posted by
02-17-2008
at 6:01 PM
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I'd like to take the time to wish MuggleNet founder and webmaster Emerson "The Lean" Spartz a happy 21st birthday. Congrats, Emmy, you no longer have any age-related legal restrictions (except renting cars in some states, and lower car insurance rates.)
Emerson started the site as a homeschooler at the tender age of 12, many years before he began leaning 10 feet across the pong table. Emerson, now in his third year at the University of Notre Dame, has led the site from its original design (and minimal content) to the Harry Potter mega-site it is today.
From all of the fans and the staff here at MuggleNet: Happy birthday, buddy!
Posted by
02-17-2008
at 8:50 PM
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After considering more than 600 applicants, and then narrowing the field down to a group of 24 amazing finalists, MuggleNet and Magical Tours are honored to announce the winner of the position: Thomas Pardee of Salida, California!
The alternate is Paula DeSeure of Kansas City, Kansas. Congratulations to both of these truly remarkable Harry Potter fans! Thank you to everyone who participated in voting as well. You were all an integral part of the decision!
Posted by
02-21-2008
at 9:10 PM
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They apparently don't give Dylan enough work at school, because he's found the time to cook up three new designs for you to choose from:
Layout 1
Layout 2
Layout 3
Posted by Emerson
03-05-2008
at 1:21 PM
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In case you didn't realize it by now, we decided to spend the day coming up with lots of fun news stories that could probably happen in the Wizarding World (Yes, including sex scandals, alcohol abuse, and steroid use). Thanks goes out to Emerson, Micah, and Matt for writing these stories.
Also, for all of you MuggleCast listeners, the announcement that we'd be putting Twilight, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia discussions into our show was a prank. We fooled lots of you, and we feel bad for those people who e-mailed us lengthly explanations for why it was a really good/bad idea. We'd NEVER bore you with those other books.
We hope you enjoyed all of the stories for this year's April Fools, not to mention Fred and George's birthday!
Posted by
04-01-2008
at 9:25 PM
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UPDATE: By popular demand we have extended the deadline for submissions to May 21st. Several of you requested more time because school is wrapping up now and the previous deadline was too soon.
For all you budding screenwriters and filmmakers out there MuggleNet, Magical Tours, and Alivan's have come up with the perfect contest for you! All you have to do is re-write a scene from any of the seven Harry Potter books, film it on video, and submit it to YouTube. Go HERE for complete contest details.
1st Prize is a complete set of all the British versions of the Harry Potter books – adult covers, boxed and sealed!
2nd Prize is a Majestic Hogwarts School robe, and
3rd Prize is your choice of wands from the Classic or Majestic Collections both from our friends at Alivan's.
Also, Magical Tours has extended the sign-up dates for last-minute guests for the MuggleNet Express Tour. Go to Magical Tours for more details, and to see a new video from the 2008 Magical Tours Intern, Thomas Pardee check this out.
Posted by
04-28-2008
at 7:04 PM
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Remember, entries for this exciting contest are due by midnight next Wednesday, May 21st. Voting will begin on MuggleNet on Thursday, May 22nd, and the winner will be announced next Sunday, May 25th.
Magical Tours and Alivan's are offering some great prizes for the best re-written scenes from any of the seven Harry Potter books, filmed on video and posted on YouTube. Go HERE for complete contest rules, prizes, and other details. Good luck to all our contestants!
Also, Magical Tours has places for a few last-minute guests for the MuggleNet Express Tour. Go to Magical Tours for more details. Also, to see a new video from the 2008 Magical Tours Intern, check this out.
Posted by
05-17-2008
at 6:13 PM
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Normally, when we make posts here keeping you guys informed of MuggleNet events, the events aren't held terribly far from our staff's respective homes - or at least, not usually outside the US and UK. That's why I'm extremely excited to let you know that I've been invited to participate in a tour involving college football coaches visiting military bases in the Middle East from May 20-26.
I'll be travelling with Charlie Weis (Notre Dame), Tom Tuberville (Auburn), Jack Siedlecki (Yale), Randy Shannon (Miami), Mark Richt (Georgia), and Georgia State Senator Judson Hill. We'll be visiting troops stationed in Qatar, Germany, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Along with Ben and Dylan, I've helped put together the official website for the tour, which you can visit at CoachesTour2008.com. This is an incredible opportunity and I feel very privileged to be able to participate and contribute in any way that I can. Politics aside, our troops have some of the toughest jobs in the world and I feel honored to get to meet them.
Over the years we've gotten plenty of emails from Potter fans in this part of the world, including from members of our armed forces stationed overseas, so if you live near or are stationed in those areas, shoot me an email and we'll see if we can connect!
Posted by Emerson
05-20-2008
at 01:17 AM
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The MuggleNet, Magical Tours, and Alivan's video contest is now in full swing. All the amazing entries have been previewed and are ready for your votes to determine the winner. Voting for the best entry goes until midnight Saturday night, May 24th. Watch all the awesome videos using the links to the right side of this post to decide who you think the winner should be!
To Experience the Magic visit the contest sponsors: Magical Tours and Alivan's. There are still just a few places left on some of the great 2008 tours offered by Magical Tours. On behalf of everyone, good Luck to all our super-talented writers and film makers.
Posted by
05-22-2008
at 09:53 AM
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A group from Northwestern University is doing research on web communities, and they've chosen to study MuggleNet as an example community. They've asked us to put up a super short, 10 question survey to collect information on how people use MuggleNet. You don't need to type any personal information - don't worry! It'll take about 2 minutes, so help out - fill it out! Click here to take the survey.
Posted by Emerson
05-28-2008
at 8:46 PM
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As we did with our dual OOTP/DH countdown last summer, we now have a countdown for Half-Blood Prince that can be used on your own webpage, MySpace, Yahoo Widgets, Blogger, or most other places.
Visit this page for instructions on using the countdown. You'll always be able to enjoy it here on MuggleNet whenever you need to track how much time is left!
Thanks goes to MuggleNet fan Saul who created this great countdown very quickly. Thanks Saul!
Posted by
07-26-2008
at 9:27 PM
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MuggleNet Senior Staff member Benjamin C. Schoen turns the big 19 today! Where would MuggleNet be without Ben and his five years of service to the team? He's always working behind the scenes to make sure every last line of PHP has its respective quotation and question marks.
Plus, we all know him from his one-of-a-kind remarks and impressions on MuggleCast. Without him, the show would have never begun. He had the first words on Episode 1 when Kevin and I couldn't strike up the courage to kick it off.
From all of your fellow staff members, Happy Birthday Ben!
Posted by
08-24-2008
at 3:55 PM
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The 2008 Magical Tours Summer Intern, Thomas Pardee, has posted the anxiously-anticipated Third Episode of his on-going Harry Potter locations travelog made during the recent Magical Tours in Britain. This one features terrific information about early scenes in the upcoming film of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and MORE! To see Thomas' newest video report go to Episode 3. And if you haven't seen the first two editions, you can see #1 here and #2 here. Thanks to Thomas for creating an awesome collection of reports for MuggleNet visitors!
Magical Tours has also announced the fantastic 2009 tour schedule! Some great new locations and awesome events in Scotland and England have been added for what is shaping up to be the best Harry Potter travel season ever! Check out all the exciting tour plans for next summer right here . And be sure to bookmark their site to keep up with tour information and updates.
Posted by
08-30-2008
at 1:26 PM
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A couple days ago, we announced MuggleNet's Ministry of Magic Elections. Now, the first round of voting is here for 24 hours!
How to vote: First, just like any election, review each candidate's beliefs and stances right here. In this round's case, you want to take a look at Harry and Hermione.
After reviewing that information, don't vote just yet! Micah and I have prepared this campaign trail update (MP3, 3.6 MB) to let you know what Harry and Hermione have been up to.
Next, use the poll on the right side of this page to cast your vote. Also don't forget to follow all of the candidates on Twitter! You can find their respective accounts on the Wizocrats and Hogicans pages.
Posted by
09-23-2008
at 00:51 AM
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A few days ago, we told you about MuggleNet's Ministry of Magic elections that we need YOUR help with! The United States election is keeping everyone in the country very busy, but we'd like to know who Potter fans would choose if they had to elect a new Minister.
Round Two is now open for the next 24 hours, and the battle is between Wizocrats Lucius Malfoy and Dolores Umbridge. The other day, round one of our election found that MuggleNet-ers prefer Hermione Granger over Harry Potter. What will today's results find? Help us vote!
Election Coverage: Micah and I have recorded another election analysis, this time focusing on today's candidates. You can listen to it here (MP3, 4.24 MB).
Posted by
09-26-2008
at 00:31 AM
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In late-August, we asked you all to send in your stories of how you discovered the Harry Potter series. We ended up receiving over 500 entries for this area of the site that we're putting together, and it's now available right here!
We encourage everyone to take some time to read these stories, as they remind of why Harry Potter became the success that it is. Thank you to EVERYONE who contributed with their stories. We couldn't include them all, but we believe that the ones chosen for publication on the site reflect the best parts of the fandom. Enjoy!
Posted by
09-28-2008
at 5:13 PM
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The wonderful team at MuggleNet Fan Fiction have introduced a brand new feature that opens up a new era of fan fiction: AudioFiction!
If you're looking to listen to a fan fiction instead of reading it, this service will be for you. Right now they have one episode up with some poems, but in the future they will hire a team who'll read stories from the site as requested by readers.
And as always, we encourage you to visit MuggleNet Fan Fiction when you're looking for your Potter-story-fill.
Posted by
10-10-2008
at 5:57 PM
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The happiest Halloween to all MuggleNet visitors! We hope you're enjoying the fall season, and we encourage you to get in the mood by using this year's Halloween theme created by Dylan. The cool Harry Potter pumpkin to the left was created by MuggleNet visitor Kate from Canada. Great job!
Don't forget that we're currently holding a Potter costume contest with Magical Tours and Alivan's! For full contest details, click here. We have some awesome prizes too: a Beedle the Bard Collector's Edition for first place, a robe for second place, and a wand for third place! Be sure to take pictures tomorrow night, and send them in by the end of November 5th! Big thanks to our wonderful sponsors: Alivan's and Magical Tours!
Posted by
10-31-2008
at 01:02 AM
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The MuggleNet, Magical Tours, and Alivan's Halloween Costume Contest Semi-Finalists are ready for your voting! MuggleNet fans were challenged to create their best Harry Potter-themed Halloween costume. We were very impressed with the enthusiasm and creativeness of all our amazing entrants. Good job everyone! The problem for us is that there are too many great choices, but we’ve narrowed it down to the top 25. Vote NOW for your favorite between now and November 11th. The top 7 Finalists will be announced on Friday, November 14th. These are the great prizes:
- 1st Place: The Collector's Edition of Beedle the Bard from Magical Tours
- 2nd Place: Your choice of a Majestic or Regal School Robe from Alivan's
- 3rd Place: Your choice of any wand from The Classic Collection from Alivan's
Good luck to the 25 semi-finalists!
Posted by
11-08-2008
at 10:14 PM
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Posted by
11-14-2008
at 10:32 AM
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Yesterday we announced the semi-finalists in our Halloween Costume Contest, and today we have determined the winners! Below are the top three selections and the prizes they won:
1) Trelawney (Mattie) : she wins a Beedle the Bard Collector's Edition courtesy of Magical Tours!
2) Boggart Snape (Courtney) : she wins her choice of a Majestic or Regal School Robe from Alivan's
3) Dobby the House Elf (Tynan) : he wins his choice of any wand from The Classic Collection from Alivan's
BIG thanks to Alivan's and Magical Tours for the prizes and organizing the contest with us. We highly recommend checking out both sites; Alivan's for their excellent collection of wands, cloaks, and various other magical items, and Magical Tours for their great lineup of tours across England (don't forget about Thomas' exclusive reports from Half-Blood Prince filming locations!)
Posted by
11-15-2008
at 9:07 PM
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From the MuggleNet family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you have a day full of delicious turkey and good family.
Harry Potter fans have a lot to be thankful for this year. A new book by JK Rowling, three great trailers for Half-Blood Prince, and our great fandom.
Posted by
11-27-2008
at 11:13 AM
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Posted by
12-05-2008
at 9:02 PM
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Hey guys, I have bad news and good news. First, the good news: if you're one of the many people who has asked us how you can get your own highly fashionable MuggleNet shirt, here's your chance. If you spent $25 or more at Alivan's, they'll send you a free t-shirt! Make sure you use the coupon "FREETEE" when you're checking out.
Now for the bad news: we only have one size - small. So think of this is a giveaway... for little people!
I am sad to report these are the last MuggleNet shirts ever printed (tear).
Posted by Emerson
12-06-2008
at 11:34 AM
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**** UPDATE: There are less than 50 shirts left! ****
Hey guys, for a limited time, if you spent $25 or more at Alivan's, they'll send you a highly fashionable MuggleNet t-shirt for free. Make sure you use the coupon "FREETEE" when you're checking out. Unfortunately, we only have one size left - small. So this is a giveaway for little people!
Hold back your tears: these are the last MuggleNet shirts ever printed.
Posted by Emerson
12-15-2008
at 6:32 PM
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The kinks have been worked out, the bugs have been fixed, and MuggleNet Topsites is back online! Let us send you free traffic - add your Harry Potter site today.
Posted by Emerson
12-22-2008
at 1:38 PM
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We are SO proud to announce our newest, greatest, and latest time-wasting project is now complete: MuggleSpace!
Create your profile, meet new people, and discuss your love for the books with other crazy Potter people!
We've all had at least one moment where we declined to add more HP stuff (gasp) to our Myspace or Facebook profile for fear of scaring our non-HP friends. But now it is time to come out of our proverbial spider-infested cupboards and be, for the first time, as HP as we want to be!
P.S. You should all definitely add Andrew Sims as a friend and spam and stalk him like crazy. He likes it, I promise. We should totally make him the Tom of MuggleSpace.
UPDATE: Four hours into the opening, and already 1,400 members! We're thrilled to see everyone enjoying it.
Posted by Emerson
12-24-2008
at 10:29 AM
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Posted by
12-31-2008
at 6:37 PM
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MuggleNet's Harry Potter top site list is working and ready for action. We, um, got a bit ahead of ourselves and all the bugs have (we're pretty sure) been fixed.
So if you're a webmaster, add your site and let us send you free traffic! Note to fans: it might take some time for the best sites to rise to the top, as it has just been re-released.
Posted by Emerson
01-03-2009
at 4:05 PM
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Back in October we told you about a new feature that our awesome MuggleNet Fan Fiction team debuted: AudioFictions! Basically, they're audiobook versions of Harry Potter fan fiction stories.
Now, their first full AudioFiction is now available for your listening pleasure - it's an extended episode to include several stories. You can download and listen just like you would an episode of MuggleCast; by direct download or by subscribing in iTunes.
They sound great, and we highly recommend 'em for those days you've had enough of the MuggleCast nonsense (as if).
Posted by
01-03-2009
at 11:55 PM
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Have you ever wanted to volunteer for the most visited Harry Potter fansite online? We've just updated our Job Openings page with four new areas that we're looking to fill: Content Editors, News Editors, Graphic Designers, and Programmers.
Content Editors and News Editors will be hired as part of an internship program for a trial period. In that time, you will do different tasks around the site to show us why you'd be an excellent long-term MuggleNet staff member. Once the trial period is over, we will review who the most dedicated interns are and make them official MuggleNet staff members (remember: these are all volunteer positions).
If you're on the fence about volunteering for us, we encourage you to check out this new site feature: The Top 7 Reasons to Volunteer for MuggleNet. Please visit the Job Openings page for full details on applying for each position. We hope to see you on the team soon!
Posted by
01-10-2009
at 5:24 PM
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We're very pleased to announce that MuggleSpace, our Harry Potter social network, has reached the 10,000 member mark in just one month!
Released on December 24th, MuggleSpace has provided Harry Potter fans with a social network to connect with fellow Potter diehards. We're so happy to see that fans are making new friends, and we hope it continues to provides an excellent friendship-making outlet!
Thanks, MuggleSpace members, for making the community what it has become!
Posted by
01-24-2009
at 01:36 AM
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A couple quick site updates: first, we have chosen the eight interns for our Content Editor program. Congratulations to Noah, Melissa, Nick, Arielle, Rosie, Jen, Kyle and Versha for making the cut! We've also chosen Mercedez and Andrea for graphic designer and news editor positions respectively. Congrats to them as well! A couple more graphic designer and news editors may be chosen, so keep an eye out if you applied.
Thanks to everyone who applied. It was honestly very hard to narrow it down to a select group of people out of hundreds of great applications.
Additionally, our Fan of the Week section is now back up and running thanks to MuggleNet staff member Kat! You can read profiles on the biggest Potter fans we can find, and submit your own if you think you're worthy. Enjoy!
Posted by
01-24-2009
at 1:55 PM
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MuggleNet founder and webmaster Emerson Spartz celebrates his 22nd birthday today! And can you believe its been 10 years since he started this website? Little 12-year-old Emerson launched the site in October of 1999. Hundreds of Wall of Shame submissions, thousands of news posts, and millions of "GO IRISH" chants later, he's the reason why the site is what it is today.
On behalf of the MuggleNet staff and its visitors, Happy Birthday buddy! And visitors, don't forget to leave Emerson a birthday wish in the comments and on MuggleSpace!
Posted by
02-17-2009
at 9:33 PM
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It's been a busy time around our site lately and we wanted to let you know about a few things going on.
New addition to Level 9: Our area that examines the Wizarding World's deepest mysteries has been updated with an in-depth look at Wands. We have plans for new areas of Level 9 coming in the future as well!
Audio Fictions now daily: MuggleNet Fan Fiction's Audio Fictions service brings you 'audiobook' versions of their world-famous fan fictions. And now, new readings are released every single day! You can subscribe here on iTunes or get direct download links right here. Look for a reading from yours truly in an upcoming episode.
Several areas accepting submissions: Our great intern team has picked up lots of areas around the site that are now looking for new submissions from YOU: Fan Art, Fun Lists, Madam Rosmerta's Recipes, and Fan of the Week. Each area has information on how to submit content or an application.
New MuggleCast.com design: Finally, the official home of MuggleCast has received a face lift! Check it out and enjoy.
To stay on top of what's new around MuggleNet, keep an eye on the Updates box located on the right side of this page.
Posted by
02-20-2009
at 6:45 PM
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Yep, we had you! All the news from asking for donations to 5-minute long episodes of MuggleCast were pranks.
We fooled some of you (who were very sad and supportive), and just entertained the rest of you. At any rate, we're glad to have everything back to normal!
Special thanks goes out to MuggleNet staff members Dylan, Micah, Nick, Matt, and Ben for pulling this one. In case you missed it, you can view all of the pranks we had yesterday right here. We also have our posts from last year's prank at this link.
Posted by
04-02-2009
at 00:37 AM
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Note: We'll have video and pictures of the event up soon!
We take a break from our normal Potter programming for a special announcement within the MuggleNet family.
At tonight's Chicago Bulls/Philadelphia 76ers game, 22-year-old MuggleNet founder Emerson Spartz  proposed to his girlfriend Gaby Montero while she participated in a contest on the court that ended with a kneeling boyfriend and a surprise engagement ring. We can only assume that with over 21,000 people in attendance at the United Center she had no choice but to accept.
In all seriousness, from everyone here at MuggleNet, congratulations to Emerson and Gaby!
Posted by
04-09-2009
at 9:40 PM
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An unbelievable array of magical creatures have found ways to enter our latest contest, which we first told you about last week.
The creativity shown by our truly awesome readers is incredible! We would like to include all of them in the voting, but our discerning staff has had to narrow the field to the top 25 finalists. Now it’s your turn to help us find the four best entries. Voting closings at 11:59 PM EST on April 14th.
Just GO HERE to view the line-up of unusual suspects and cast your vote. Please also visit our sponsors: get set for all your magical adventures with wizarding supplies from Alivan’s, and our friends at Magical Tours have extended their summer tour sign-up deadlines to take advantage of some of the best airfares in years! Check out the website, and send them an e-mail to ask about some great discounts just for our readers!
Posted by
04-11-2009
at 11:54 PM
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MuggleNet visitors have voted, and it's time now to announce the winners of our Fantastic Beasts contest. First, we'd like to thank our fantastic sponsors: Alivans, Master Wandmakers for all your wizarding shopping needs, and Magical Tours for all your journeys to where Harry Potter was born!
Now, here are the winners (you can see all the entries right here):
1st Place) Graphorn, created by Jaci S.
2nd Place) Feras Doloras (pictured above), created by Andrew M.
3rd Place) Garden Gnome, created by Ivonne L.
4th Place) The Will O the Wisp, created by Rowland C.
Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to EVERYONE who entered this contest! We all loved checking out the creativity you all put forth.
Posted by
04-15-2009
at 00:58 AM
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First, I just want to say THANK YOU for all your congratulations and kind words of support! I echo your sentiments about how fast the past 10 years have gone. I'm 22 now - can you believe it? We're both graduating from Notre Dame in three weeks! As promised, here are some pics and videos from our engagement last week.
Here's what happened: I told Gaby I "pulled strings" and she was going to get to do a contest at center court during a time out at the Chicago Bulls/Philadelphia 76ers game. She was blindfolded, spun around, and told she had to "find" Benny the Bull in 30 seconds. The crowd cheered and booed to help her out as she blindly made her way around the court in front of 22,000 people.
But she didn't find Benny... !
Here are two videos:
Video one (2:24) - taken by one of our friends, up in the press box (I was able to get passes so our friends/family could watch!)
Video two (2:34) - from the scoreboard. High quality, but there's no sound for part of it so watch Video 1 first.
And a few pictures:
Gaby searching (Isn't she cute? ...sorry.)
Almost there...
"O...M...G..."
Yes!
Posted by Emerson
04-24-2009
at 6:50 PM
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For all of you who experienced malware warnings on MuggleNet by Google: they should be all gone now.
Darn Peeves. We apologize for the inconvenience!
Posted by
05-28-2009
at 11:28 PM
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I have some very exciting news!
Everybody has heard of FMyLife.com, where people post stories ("FMLs") about the event that completely ruined their day. FML is one of the top 300 sites on the internet, and it has one million followers on Facebook.
FML is hilarious. But as fun as it can be hearing about people's misfortunes, it can be a downer.
So I, along with my like-minded HTML-literate lifemate Gaby Montero from DailyCute.net, decided to create the anti-FML: GMH - GivesMeHope.com
On GMH, people share with the world their most hopeful, uplifting moments and allow others to draw strength from their experiences.
Here are a few examples that tugged at my heartstrings and filled me up with hope for the future:
---
Four years ago, I tried to kill myself by swallowing a bottle of painkillers. My online friend, who I'd never met, was the only person who knew. He called 911, they pumped my stomach to save my life. Today, I got my bachelor's degree in sociology. I'm starting grad school in August. GMH
Freshman year, there was a crippled girl bound to a wheelchair. For 4 years, she did physical therapy and progressed to crutches. When we graduated a few weeks ago, she handed her crutches to an officer and walked across the entire stage. The applause from the seniors was deafening. She cried the whole way. GMH
Two years ago, my husband and I were planning to get divorced. My mother was dying of ovarian cancer and didn't know we were separating. Her last wish was for us to work out our problems and not get divorced, so we agreed we had to at least try. I've never been happier. I've never looked back. GMH
For years, I have been donating $10/month to sponsor YMCA memberships for poor kids, but never seeing the results. Then during a basketball game I coached, one kid asked if he could play just the second half. I asked why. "Because my brother is wearing the shoes." His brother is on the on the other team. They share one pair of shoes. GMH
----
I don't know how big GMH can get. But with all the suffering and misery in the world, I believe GMH has the potential to be a much-needed source of hope and inspiration. GMH is a breath of fresh air from the negativity of the mainstream media and dealing with life's hassles.
It's like Chicken Soup for the Soul - the 21st Century, Twitter-style version.
I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is. GMH a cause I believe in strongly, and I will do whatever it takes to get the word out about this resource. I am going to donate every penny I receive from sales of MuggleNet's new book to raise awareness of GMH.
I need your help. If this is a cause you believe in, please take 17 seconds and click here to digg it! (You can now log in using your facebook account.) If enough people digg it, and we get it on the front page, it will get tons of exposure.
Props to Ben for the tech assistance. On a side note, now that I'm done with school, I'll have more time to work on MuggleNet!
Thanks, guys. If you enjoy GMH, please spread the word and tell all your friends and family! I really hope you find the stories as inspirational as I do!
UPDATE: News is spreading like WILDFIRE! It's now the #1 STORY on digg.com - ROCK ON, fellow optimists!!
Posted by Emerson
05-30-2009
at 6:58 PM
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**** SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES AND CHARITY INFO!
Read the back of the book for more info. Look for it in bookstores June 1st!
Click here to pre-order at Amazon!
And yes... this means Ben and I are going BACK ON TOUR this summer! Stay tuned for tour dates and locations!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
WE DON'T ACTUALLY THINK Harry should have died. Well, I don't, anyway. Ben does. But Ben is evil.
This is ONE VIEW that people hold. In the book, we reach the conclusion that Harry should have lived!
The title is a double entendre - it references the view some people hold, that Harry Potter (the character) should have died. It also speaks to those who thought Harry Potter (the buzz) should have died.
But Harry Potter didn't die. It didn't go away when DH came out. In coffee shops and on message boards, we're all still fiercely debating the most controversial issues.
We thought putting our extensive analysis in to book form was the best way to reach out to Harry Potter fans who haven't yet found their way onto MuggleNet (and don't listen to MuggleCast!).
So in this book, we discuss about what really happened, what could have happened, and what maybe should have happened.
----------------------------
UPDATE (June 11): IT'S IN STORES!!! You can pick it up at your local bookstore or you can order it on Amazon here! Go - do it!!
In related news, earlier this week, Gaby and I launched GivesMeHope.com (GMH) - "Like FMyLife, but for optimists!" It's a website where people share their most hopeful, uplifting moments. Or another way of saying it - it's a collection of "Bite-sized, Chicken Soup Stories for the Twitter Generation."
The response has been incredible. You guys did an AMAZING job spreading our message of hope - the website received 185,000 hits in its first 24 hours! Wow! We were voted the #1 story on Digg.com, ranked one of the "Top 10 Hottest Urls" of May 31st, and also got written up in several newspapers and magazines, including Esquire.com.
As I mentioned in my last post, GMH is a cause that I believe in so strongly, I'm going to donate every penny I receive in proceeds from the sale of our new book to promoting GMH.
I'm proud to announce today we have selected a charity to align the website with: GivesMeHope will be used exclusively to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. It is consistently rated as one of the most efficient and effective charities, and I've seen the impact my local Boys and Girls Club has made in my community. It's definitely an organization whose mission is aligned with ours.
So, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to everybody for all your support. I have read over 1000 of your stories, and I'm just brimming with hope and optimism for our future. As you can tell, I can't even contain my excitement. I hope you'll continue to visit the website, and help Gaby and I spread our message of hope! THANK YOU!!
EDIT: Thank you for all of the positive feedback on the book. We're so glad you guys enjoy it - we had a blast writing it!
Posted by Emerson
05-05-2009
at 12:04 AM
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Posted by Emerson
06-17-2009
at 10:04 PM
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What if you could raise money for charity every time you searched using Google?
Now, you can. I'm SO proud to share with you guys the new website Gaby and I created, Givoogle.com.
Givoogle is the same Google search you love. But advertisers pay us for every 1000 people who see their banner ad. Then, we donate 100% of the money to the American Cancer Society. Cool, huh?
If just 0.01% of people currently using Google switch to Givoogle, we can raise millions to fight cancer! I'm so pumped!
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
By far the most important thing you can do to help is vote for us on digg! (You can use your facebook login)
You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
Just setting Givoogle as your home page will raise $74 a year or more. Do it now!
Prefer the search box in Firefox/IE? Use the Givoogle Search Box.
Tell two people - start a chain reaction! Instead of $74, you could raise $74,000. Who knows?
GO SPREAD THE WORD!! Update your Facebook, your Twitter, blog, anything! Then let us know in the comments what you did to spread the word!
MuggleNetters helped launch GivesMeHope.com into a bustling hub of hope and optimism - I hope you'll help do the same for Givoogle! Thank you for always supporting me. I love you all!
Posted by Emerson
06-23-2009
at 3:33 PM
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Ben and I are back on the road this summer, hitting up bookstores all over the country to talk about Harry Potter and promote our new book, MuggleNet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died. We're looking forward to jousting with you over the more controversial positions we hold in the book!
Click here to see the current tour schedule. DON'T WORRY if your city isn't listed - we will be announcing more dates.
We really hope you'll come out and visit us if you live near any of these cities. We promise to give away tons of free MuggleNet stickers and make fun of each other often. Ben will make sure his hair is especially well kempt.
Remember, the book profits are for charity, so order your copy today!
Posted by Emerson
06-27-2009
at 2:36 PM
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MuggleNet.com has teamed up with Showmasters Ltd to produce MuggleMayhem, a not-for-profit convention devoted exclusively to all things Harry Potter. MuggleMayhem will take place on the weekend of August 7-9 2009 at The Park Inn hotel, Northampton, UK.
Many stars from the Harry Potter movies will attend, and there will be an opportunity to get their autograph, as well as have your photograph taken with
them in a professional photograph session. Tickets are strictly limited, are on a first come first served basis, and include all the following:
-Registration pack/Goody pack
-Access to three themed parties over the weekend
-Access to all guest talks over the days of the event
-1 free autograph from each of the 4 supporting cast
-Fan fiction competitions
-Cosplay competitions
-Academic symposium
-Auction
Please visit the MuggleMayhem website for more information, or email jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com if you have any questions. If you are looking for accomodation, we have negotiated a special room rate for the duration of the event; more details are available on the website.
All profits from this event will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland, of which JK Rowling used to be a patron.
Posted by
07-04-2009
at 3:05 PM
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Hey guys, some updates on the tour:
1) The date and time for the Logos Bookstore event in NYC has been changed. The event will now be Wednesday, July 8 at 6pm - mark your calendars!
2) We'll be updating our Twitters constantly with updates from the road. Follow us! @BenSchoen and @EmersonSpartz. We will also be posting video blogs from the road - follow muggletour on YouTube!
Click here for a full list of cities and dates (more to come). We hope to see you out there - we can't wait!
Posted by Emerson
07-05-2009
at 8:02 PM
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I'm pleased to announce the first supporting guests to appear at MuggleMayhem, MuggleNet's not-for-profit summer convention in association with Showmasters Ltd. Genevieve Gaunt (Pansy Parkinson) and William Melling (Nigel) will both be included in the free autographs that each attendee will receive. Keep your eyes pealed for the main guest appearances, which will be announced shortly.
Also, I'll be running the academic symposium part of the event, and am looking for around five people to present papers and discuss the issues raised with the audience. If you'd like to submit a proposal, or have a Harry Potter issue you'd like to present on, please get in touch with me at jamie at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Hope to see you there!
Posted by
07-08-2009
at 09:39 AM
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Thanks to everybody who stayed up for the 3am LeakyMug last night! Now, we have more info on our three discussion/signings remaining in San Francisco on Saturday and Sunday:
SATURDAY, July 18th - 10am
Parc55 Hotel (Market Street Room)
55 Cyril Magnin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
SATURDAY, July 18th - 3pm
Books Inc.
2251 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, Ca 94123
(415) 931-3633
SUNDAY, July 19th - 6:30pm
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres included!
AZKATRAZ - Market Street Room
This event is ages 18+ - Azkatraz attendees only.
We hope to see you there! We're in the process of planning a second tour now, so stay tuned!
Posted by Emerson
07-17-2009
at 6:51 PM
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Great news for fans attending MuggleMayhem: we have some last minute guest updates for you. Joshua Herdman (Gregory Goyle) and Robbie Jarvis (young James Potter) will both be attending the convention. Also, Natalie Tena's (Tonks) band will be playing a set on the Saturday night themed party.
For those of you not attending, you still have time to buy a ticket!
Posted by
08-06-2009
at 03:12 AM
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MuggleNet's very own Micah Tannenbaum, the beloved news anchor of our podcast MuggleCast turns 27 today. Micah is known for his segments such as, "What's Buggin' Micah?" and more recently, "Micah's Dungeon" where he imprisons fanfic writers until they let him read their stuff on the air in his smooth, certain voice. Micah recently kicked a lot of butt in the news-posting position on the main site here and should probably have a ninja turtle named after him, well, just because. Happy birthday, buddy! 
Posted by
08-17-2009
at 01:20 AM
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Senior staff member, MuggleCast co-host, teen icon, Kansan, entrepreneur. These are a few titles Ben Schoen has collected since he started working on MuggleNet several years ago.
Unfortunately Ben lost the "teen icon" title today (he'll always be our idol though). He's now the big 2-0 and I'd like to be the first to welcome him out of the teenage years.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN! Be sure to leave your birthday wishes in the comments, or wish him well via his Twitter or Facebook.
Posted by
08-24-2009
at 7:48 PM
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UPDATE: The kitties were having some issues in our image gallery so we moved them to their own area of the site. View them starting right here!
Kitty Cats. We love them. They're adorable, fluffy, sometimes innocent, and most of all: exploitable.
That's why we've opened up a new section on MuggleNet today that was inspired by the internet phenomenon affectionately titled "lolcat".
We call ours: I Can Haz Pottur! Visitors have been submitting their best Potter-related lolcat images and we now have them online. You can also visit the page to find out how to submit your own images. This area will be permanently accessible from the link under "Fun" on the left side of MuggleNet. Enjoy!
Posted by
09-05-2009
at 01:07 AM
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Twitter is a very popular social networking site that allows you to follow people's "tweets" (short messages that explain what they're up to, etc).
As it turns out, many Potter stars use Twitter! In the past we've learned cool info through the tweets of Tom Felton, Warwick Davis, and others.
Recently we discovered a cool service that lets you create a list of people on Twitter so they can all be followed in one click. We used this service to create a list of Potter stars on Twitter. Click here to check it out and follow all their official accounts instantly! The list also includes the official Harry Potter Film and MuggleNet accounts.
We also made a list of MuggleNet staff members that you can easily follow (we all tweet Potter stuff from time to time). Check that list out right here.
Posted by
09-20-2009
at 2:05 PM
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and MuggleNet would like to encourage prevention and early detection, as one in eight women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer in her lifetime. This issue is close to the Potter community, as Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) is herself a breast cancer survivor.
A BeMitt is a new tool designed to assist women in performing their monthly self-breast exam. Beth Bromberg, creator of the BeMitt, had several benign lumps removed from her breasts yet still wasn't doing her monthly exams. When her then 20 year-old daughter Jenna, a Harry Potter fan and MuggleNet visitor, discovered a lump in her breast, she decided it was time to spread awareness to make self-exams not just easier but more effective. She invented the BeMitt, a mineral oil-filled mitt that magnifies texture - allowing women to better know their breasts and increase the likelihood of early detection.
For every BeMitt sold during October, BeMitt will make a donation to Susan G. Komen For The Cure, and MuggleNet will match that donation in an effort to raise a total of $10,000. Show your support by purchasing a BeMitt at this link.
If you have a Twitter account, please help us spread the word by clicking here and Re-Tweeting our goal.
Posted by
10-04-2009
at 1:16 PM
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Earlier this week I attended the London Premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, to cover the event for MuggleNet. I was given a spot in the online pen on the red carpet to conduct audio interviews with the stars but since the harsh weather and noise made audio recording difficult, I siezed the opportunity and captured the proceedings on film. We had to interview as a group at times but we managed to get some interesting information about the next film.
My videos from the event are now online and can be viewed here;
Part 1 (Includes Helen McCrory, Daniel Radcliffe, Matthew Lewis, Jessie Cave, Tom Felton and Jason Issacs)
Part 2 (Includes Jim Broadbent, Emma Watson, David Barron, Freddie Stroma, the Phelps twins and Hero Fiennes.)
I will be posting a full report and pictures shortly so be sure to keep an eye on our Movie Section, where we will shortly be adding our 'Premiere's Page'.
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Once upon a time, a 12-year-old kid was suffering from crushing boredom. He thought it would be fun to make a website. So he did. And at first, it completely sucked. Then he got really, really obsessed. He quickly found other obsessed fans -- and you know the rest!
HarryPotter.com just wasn't giving us enough of what we wanted, so we took matters into our own hands: MuggleNet is a 10 year long project of collective success involving millions of passionate Harry Potter fans from every corner of the Earth. Every fan contributed in some way - whether it was posting news, submitting fan fics, or engaging in discussion on forums while we went delusional waiting for each book. WOW, has it been fun!
We'll be posting fun new features throughout the month looking back at the past 10 years, so stay tuned. Embarrassing baby photos of Andrew Sims are likely. T-shirts possible. Thank you, MuggleNetters, for your continued support!
How long have you been with us?
Posted by Emerson
10-01-2009
at 3:21 PM
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In September, we gave you a handy link to help you follow all the Harry Potter stars - from JK Rowling to Tom Felton - in one easily click using a third party service.
Since then, Twitter has created their own Lists feature which is now available to a good amount of Twitter users.
So we went ahead and created a Twitter List of Potter stars. It can be accessed right here. If you're logged into Twitter you'll be able to easily follow all the Potter stars in one easy click! You'll also be able to follow the MuggleNet and MuggleCast Twitter accounts.
If the link above does not work for you, it means you don't have the Lists feature yet. Don't worry... Twitter will give it to you soon!
A list of MuggleNet staffers on Twitter can be found here. To the 168 people who have already put us in their own Lists: thank you!
Posted by
10-29-2009
at 7:42 PM
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It's a holiday frequently celebrated in the Potter books, and we're all for celebrating it too! Be sure to switch MuggleNet over to any of our three Halloween themes to get in the spirit:
- 2009 Halloween Theme
- 2008 Halloween Theme
- 2007 Halloween Theme
Don't forget that we're looking for pictures of your Potter-related Halloween costumes! Take a picture of yourself in costume today and send it in to halloween09 at staff dot mugglenet dot com. Also please include your name and location. We'll post them on the site in a few days!
Posted by
10-31-2009
at 12:22 AM
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Although October is over, we want to remind our visitors the importance in maintaining good breast health. Maggie Smith, the actress who portrays Profess McGonagall in the films, is herself a breast cancer survivor. She is not alone as one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime and 40,000 women perish each year from the disease.
Preventative care is essential in fighting this disease. A BeMitt is a preventative care tool designed to assist women in performing their monthly self-breast exams. Beth Bromberg, creator of the BeMitt, had several benign lumps removed from her breasts yet still wasn't doing her monthly exams. When her then 20 year-old daughter Jenna, a Harry Potter fan and MuggleNet visitor, discovered a lump in her breast, she decided it was time to spread awareness to make self-exams not just easier but more effective. She invented the BeMitt, a mineral oil-filled mitt that magnifies texture - allowing women to better know their breasts and increase the likelihood of early detection.
Early in October we announced our goal of raising $10,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. We didn't quite meet our goal, but remember it is never too late to take action when it comes to your health. You can still show your support by purchasing a BeMitt.
Remember, every month should be breast cancer awareness month!
Posted by
11-03-2009
at 10:55 AM
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You can now get the latest in Harry Potter directly on your Tumblr dashboard via MuggleNet's tumblelog. Follow us!
Besides Twitter, MuggleNet is also on Facebook. We'd feel really warm, fuzzy, and appreciated if you became a fan. :)
Posted by Emerson
11-11-2009
at 7:16 PM
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Once again MuggleNet is on a new talent search. We are teaming up with Magical Tours to find the perfect intern for their 2010 Harry Potter themed tours in Britain. The person selected will participate in all four Magical Tours itineraries - all expenses paid! Go here for full application details.
After the initial selection rounds the finalists will be invited to post video "auditions" on YouTube. The videos will be on MuggleNet for our visitors to vote for their favorites. Visit MagicalTours.org to check out the fantastic 2010 tour schedule. All tours are now open for reservations.
For full details and how to apply, download this Word document.
Posted by
11-19-2009
at 1:59 PM
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Help us continue to celebrate MuggleNet's 10th Anniversary online by nominating yourself (or any of this year's winners!) for MuggleNet's first ever Fan of the Year! Submissions will be taken through December 1st, only 5 days left! Head over to Fan of the Week to submit your application! Remember to be creative!
Posted by Kat
11-25-2009
at 5:10 PM
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From the MuggleNet family to yours, we hope you have the happiest of Thanksgivings! Remember, you know you need to stop eating if you have to let your bathrobe out.
I have a lot to be grateful for. My family and friends are always there for me, teaching me lessons and pushing me to be better. I'm especially thankful for all of the wonderful and passionate people who help run this site. You guys are the BEST!
Thank you Andrew Sims, Ben Schoen, Micah Tannenbaum, Eric Scull, Nick Myers, Rachel Godoy, Andrea Salazar, Kat, Jill Patterson, Dylan Spartz, Noah Fried, Kyle Greely, and Arielle V!
Thank you also to the MuggleCast transcriber team: Cam, Shannon, Margaret, Laura, Julie, Melissa, Lakshmi, Miriam, Eric, Lucas, Heather, Kristina, Ashlee, Emily M., Becca, Laura, Rebekah, Laura S., Shaun, Aldrin, PJ, Emily G., Anna, Rachel, Shelby, Ashley, Tracey, Rachel P., Sarah M., Kayla, Shana, Bryan, Amy, Olivia, Beth, Kevin, Katherine, Victoria, Emily C., Arialle, Thomas, and Ellen.
We also thank our COS Forums, MuggleSpace, and MuggleNet Fan Fiction teams for their hard work day after day!
What are YOU thankful for? (Besides Jo Rowling - that's too easy!)
Posted by Emerson
11-26-2009
at 12:41 AM
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At the time of this posting, 19,052 of you are "following" MuggleNet on Twitter. We're quickly on our way to 20,000, so we're kicking off a Twitter contest!
Once we hit 20,000 followers we'll be giving away a copy of MuggleNet's " Harry Potter Should Have Died". Everyone who is a follower of @MuggleNet will be able to enter the contest by following instructions sent out via our Twitter account.
Moreover, every time we gain another 2,000 followers we'll give away another prize! It may be another copy of the book, a copy of a Potter DVD, a wand, or whatever else we can think up!
Follow MuggleNet today and get ready to win lots of prizes!
Posted by
11-28-2009
at 10:43 AM
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With the Ultimate Editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, set to be released next Tuesday, December 8, MuggleNet is launching an exclusive sweepstakes.
All you have to do is go here and enter your e-mail address and date of birth for your chance to win. The grand prize package includes:
- A brand-new Blu-ray player
- Sorcerer's Stone Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray)
- Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray)
Three (3) first prize packages include:
- Sorcerer's Stone (Blu-ray)
- Chamber of Secrets (Blu-ray)
- Harry Potter Collector's Coin Set
- Harry Potter 5-Piece Bookmark Set
Please note this sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents only and you must be 18 years old to enter. Only ONE entry per person is permitted. The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on January 3, 2010.
Good luck to everyone who enters!
Posted by Micah
12-03-2009
at 11:15 PM
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I received this e-mail the other day from Johanna which pretty much sums it all up:
Hi MuggleCast! I just wanted to thank you for creating MuggleSpace. I met three other Swedes there, and we decided to meet for real. So we did. And it was awesome! If you hadn't created MuggleSpace, I wouldn't have met them at all. MuggleSpace is a great place to meet people that you have a lot in commmon with, so thank you!
It has been a fantastic year of social networking on MuggleSpace, and we hope it continues for years to come! Thank you to each and every member (now totaling close to 25,000) who has contributed to MuggleSpace simply by signing up and meeting new Potter-loving friends.
The success of MuggleSpace wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the hard working staff who maintain the social network and keep it fresh. Huge thank-yous go out to Luke the Referee, Madam Rosmerta, Luff 'puff, Duchess Bex Evans, Allie/Magical Sea Star of Hotness, Lucas, Ashlee, Queen/Empress Alexandra, Royal Peasant Christalina, Kelsey, Adri, Mikey, Fatima, Heidi, and Emmielovegood. You're an amazing team!
Posted by
12-24-2009
at 09:56 AM
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Posted by
12-24-2009
at 10:05 AM
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Posted by
12-24-2009
at 10:57 PM
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MuggleCast Episode 188, held live on Ustream yesterday, included our 2nd Annual MuggleCasties Awards. This year, the Award ceremony was based on a new concept where we allowed listeners to vote LIVE as we announced each category on the air. We then read the results and discussed if we agreed/disagreed with the consensus.
Those results are now available for viewing below. MuggleCast Episode 188 will be released later today!
Best Harry Potter Video
- (Winner) A Very Potter Musical - 48%
- Deathly Hallows Trailer 1 - 35%
- Half-Blood Prince Trailer 4 - 15%
- Wizarding World Fly Through - 2%
Most Interesting Potter star on Twitter
- (Winner) Tom Felton - 68%
- Matthew Lewis - 9%
- Warwick Davis - 3%
- JK Rowling - 21%
Most Shocking News Story
- Jamie Waylett convicted of cannabis possession - 29%
- JK Rowling gets a Twitter account - 9%
- (Winner) Dan Radcliffe to appear naked in Deathly Hallows - 36%
- Former Bush administration official reveals JK Rowling did not receive Presidential medal because books promoted witchcraft - 25%
Posted by
12-30-2009
at 11:20 AM
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2010 is looking to be another great year for Harry Potter fans. So far we know of two big events: the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in the Spring and the opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 on November 19th.
While you get ready to ring in the New Year, we wanted to remind you about two end-of-year specials here on MuggleNet. These were originally posted over the weekend.
- Our 2009 Year in Review looks back at the top Harry Potter news stories of the year. We also highlight some MuggleNet-related numbers and recall the best videos of the year.
- Our Harry Potter Timeline is an exhaustive look back at the Harry Potter franchise. From Jo's original idea in 1990 to the release of Half-Blood Prince earlier this year, you'll see all the news and events that made the franchise what it is today.
Do you have high hopes for Potter in 2010?!
Posted by
12-31-2009
at 11:56 AM
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If you're seeing this news post, you're back on MuggleNet successfully. ALL areas of the site (MuggleNet Fan Fiction, MuggleNet Interactive, MuggleCast, etc) are returning. Everything should be 100% in 24-48 hours.
We sincerely apologize for the downtime over the past few days. If we had any idea what was going to transpire we would've done things a lot differently.
MuggleNet 2.0 will be coming in a few weeks. We wanted to get everything back up and running so you all could enjoy the site again. We'll be sharing a preview of MuggleNet 2.0 soon!
Also, while we do not hope for it, there is a chance MuggleNet will be down again in the coming days as we finalize our server set up. We will give you all fair warning if this happens. We can promise that the downtime will not be as long as our downtime over the past week.
Thanks so much for your patience, support, and loyalty!
Posted by Micah
01-10-2010
at 1:58 PM
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There is a very special collection of Harry Potter-related items up for sale on eBay this evening. 100% of the winning amount will be donated to two not-for-profit organizations. 50% will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Mid Florida Chapter, and the other 50% will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Inc.
The gem of the collection is a Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows signed by JK Rowling and Mary GrandPre. What's more, Mary GrandPre drew a sketch of Harry within the book - it is the only Deluxe Edition copy with such a treat.
Other items include a wand, cloak, and scarf donated by Alivan's, signed copies of MuggleNet's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 and Harry Potter Should Have Died, two MuggleNet shirts, a signed copy of Melissa Anelli's Harry, a History, and a National Multiple Sclerosis Society t-shirt and wristband.
The auction runs from now until January 21st. You can see a video news report about the auction at this link. Click here to read more details and to place your bid!
Posted by
01-11-2010
at 8:46 PM
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As we announced on Sunday, MuggleNet is about to undergo a major redesign!
We decided to let everyone know about it ahead of the release after we suffered an extended period of downtime. Afterall, we're very appreciative of your support and loyalty to MuggleNet!
MuggleNet 2.0 will be online in a few weeks. For now, check out this visual preview which gives you a glimpse at the design and what new features you can expect.
Please keep in mind that this is a mock-up. We'll be making some adjustments between now and launch.
We're really happy with how it turned out, and can't wait to bring the design and all of its features online!
Posted by
01-11-2010
at 10:09 PM
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Attention, dearest Potter fans! You may remember that MuggleNet suffered several days of downtime just over a week ago. This was due to an unsuccessful attempt at moving MuggleNet to a new server.
We are now going to attempt to move the site again, but this time we assure you it will be smooth. Our new server is already live, and this time it's just a matter of moving our domain name (in simpler terms: telling "mugglenet.com" to point to our new server).
The site will be down tonight or tomorrow but will only remain down for a few hours. We'll have a notice on the site that lets you know you're now looking at MuggleNet on the new server.
Once our new server is in place, it'll be time to program MuggleNet 2.0. Look for 2.0 to launch in a few weeks!
Thanks for your patience and support with everything.
Posted by
01-19-2010
at 5:09 PM
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Quick update just to let you all know we completed our server move. We didn't have any downtime, and all is up and running just fine!
We must give a big big BIG thank you to Richard, who runs the MuggleNet Chat. He stepped in and saved us when Emerson, Ben and I were curled up and crying in a corner, desperately trying to solve the problems that had risen about two weeks ago. Thank you, Richard!
Now we're hard at work preparing MuggleNet 2.0. We've also listened to some of your early feedback based on the preview we showed and will certainly take it all into consideration!
Posted by
01-22-2010
at 2:28 PM
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Do you think you're the biggest Harry Potter fan? Do you know more about the series than anyone else? Do you live, breathe, and dream Potter?
If so, we want you to apply for MuggleNet's Fan of the Week!
Fan of the Week is a section here on the site that has been running for a long time. After the server move, unfortunately we lost many of the submissions that came in. If you sent your submission in anytime over the past month, please send it in again!
If you've never sent in a submission, now is the perfect time. Just visit the Fan of the Week section to learn more!
Posted by
01-25-2010
at 1:52 PM
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Hey guys! I just wanted to give you a quick update about a few of the projects Gaby and I have been working on that we're really proud of!
Many of you know about Givoogle (Use Google to raise money for charity!), and GivesMeHope (FML for optimists), but a few weeks ago we launched LoveGivesMeHope - full of stories that make you go "AWWW!" Here's a recent one that got to me (yes, Gaby turned me into a big softy): When my sister was younger she came home from school one day and demanded I take her to the library so she could get books on sign language. ...I asked why? She told me there was a new kid at school who was deaf and she wanted to befriend him.
Today I stood beside her at their wedding watching her sign... "I DO". Today, we are proud to announce the launch of OMG Facts - the official website of the #1 fact source on Twitter. Created four months ago by 16-year-old Adorian Deck, a former MuggleNetter, @OMGFacts already has 335,000 followers.
OMG Facts uses GMH's user moderation system to ensure ONLY the most interesting facts are published. Here are a few: The average office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet bowl.
When you put a seashell next to your ear, it's the sound of your blood surging in your veins, not the ocean. Speaking of Twitter, if you've been seeing a lot of people retweeting the account @IDoThat2, it's because it's the #1 most-retweeted account on Twitter. We created it for fun a few weeks ago. :)
Oh yes, we have a date for the wedding - Summer 2011, in Ecuador. ... Thank you SO MUCH, everybody, for your support! We love you all!
Posted by Emerson
02-03-2010
at 6:47 PM
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Our fearless leader - who has now been running MuggleNet for 10 years - is turning 23 years old today!
Happy Birthday, Emerson!
We all hope he's enjoying his time in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. Has anyone seen him down there?
... oh wait, I just checked his Twitter. He's having a fine time.
If Emerson were available for comment right now, what would he say? My guess is it Gives Him Hope when people Save Watts and Do That Too. By "that" I mean visit his other sites.
Posted by
02-17-2010
at 08:34 AM
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Lots of things are cookin' in the MuggleNet oven, and tonight we wanted to updated you on a few of them!
- First, MuggleNet 2.0 is steadily moving towards completion. Our coders are feverishly working on the redesign and all of its new features. Today we can announce that MuggleNet 2.0 will be live in just under 4 weeks from now!
- Second, a couple months ago we created this Deathly Hallows, Part 1 event on Facebook to organize a mass group of Potter fans who are excited for the film. If you use Facebook, please click here and then RSVP! Be sure to invite your friends as well! By RSVPing, we'll keep you on top of the latest Deathly Hallows pictures, videos, trailers, and more.
- Finally, we're happy to announce a more solid release schedule for MuggleCast, our Harry Potter podcast. Over the past 2 years, MuggleCast has had a steady stream of new episodes but no steady release schedule. You can now count on episodes to be released every 2 weeks (and no later). We know you love knowing when the next one is due. On the next episode we'll let you know what day of the week you can count on the episodes being released.
Stay tuned for more updates - particularly about MuggleNet 2.0 - in a couple weeks!
Posted by
02-25-2010
at 4:41 PM
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Congratulations to the following three Potter fans on Twitter who each won a copy of the Harry Potter: Spells iPhone/iPod touch app! This giveaway was held a couple weeks ago through MuggleNet and our official Twitter account.
- Bkwrm0502
- MagicalMandy94
- SethMacFan
If you'd like to purchase your own copy of Harry Potter: Spells from the iTunes store, click here!
Posted by
04-11-2010
at 3:27 PM
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Read the fastest selling book series of all time and experience the adventure from the beginning! Our latest giveaway will award one lucky winner with a complete set of US edition Harry Potter paperbacks and a $100 Amazon giftcard.
To enter, simply become a fan of MuggleNet on Facebook and write the title of your favorite Harry Potter book RIGHT HERE. You must use that link to tell us your favorite book or else you will not be entered into the contest!
And don’t forget to check out Scholastic’s national sweepstakes. They are giving away 4 family trips to Universal Orlando Resort’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opens June 18th!
Posted by
04-12-2010
at 08:58 AM
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You are currently viewing a test of MuggleNet 2.0. Please note that this is not the final version.
MuggleNet has been serving the Harry Potter community for ten years, and today we are launching the biggest update to the site since it was born in the Fall of 1999.
Welcome to the all-new MuggleNet.com. This redesign brings MuggleNet into the Web 2.0 world and sets us up for the next ten years of the site's existence.
1) The Design. As you can clearly see, the site has been refreshed from top to bottom. We have several new banners that you can choose from on the right side of the page (The Trio, LEGO Harry Potter, The Wizarding World, Draco/Snape, Harry/Dumbledore, Hermione/Slughorn). We've moved our navigation to the top of the site so our exhaustive content is prominently featured.
2) The Features. Look around this page and you'll see several new things. Here on the news posts we have social media buttons that help you share MuggleNet news stories with your friends. On the right side of this page we have a few new boxes: Did You Know, Flashback, Trivia, Most Commented, and Big Commentors.
- Did You Know - every time you refresh the page you'll see a new fact about the Potter fandom.
- Flashback - every time you refresh the page you'll see a major event that occurred in the Potter fandom.
- Trivia - our flagship new feature, Trivia will offer five Trivia questions a day. For each correctly answered question you will receive one point. On Fridays, each correctly answered question will give you two points.
- User profiles - your existing MuggleNet account works on the new site. Once you login to post a comment or answer trivia you'll be able to view and edit your new user profile. Your profile allows for a photo of yourself as well as a bio.
- MNTV - MuggleNet TV is your home for the latest Harry Potter videos. New trailers, coverage from the Wizarding World theme park, live episodes of MuggleCast, and more will all appear in the MNTV box. Currently it features the Potter Puppet Pals because.. well.. they're adorable.
- Most Commented, Big News, and Top Commentors. Most Commented will show you the most commented stories over the past 30 days. It's a great way to see what's been 'hot' in Potter lately. Big News is an expansion of a feature we had in MuggleNet 1.0 - these are stories that the MuggleNet Editors deem 'Big News'. Big News posts will display differently on the home page. Finally, Top Commentors displays our most loyal visitors; those who contribute to MuggleNet through the news comments pages.
Over the next few months, look forward to additions as well as revamped existing content.
We hope you enjoy all the new site! Feel free to leave feedback in the comments. If you spot any bugs, please do e-mail them to bugs@staff.mugglenet.com. Thanks so much for your support!
Posted by
05-21-2010
at 09:30 AM
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It was a week ago today when we first test-ran this new MuggleNet, and after taking your feedback and ironing out our load issues we're ready to bring it live again!
MuggleNet 2.0 is a complete site revamp from top to bottom. It features a new design and new features that we hope you enjoy.
When we test launched last week one concern many of you had was that MuggleNet lost its dark feel. While we believe that MuggleNet 2.0 by default still holds that dark feel, we've listened to your feedback and added a link titled "Change Background" to the right side of this page under 'Follow Us". By clicking that link you can switch between a dark or light design. We are interested in your feedback concerning the darker style and will continue to tweak it over the coming days. We want to appease everyone so we'll be happy to continue making adjustments!
For a full list of features, please click here! If you spot any bugs, please send them in to bugs@staff.mugglenet.com.
A big thank you goes to MuggleNet Chat admin Richard, who has of late become more of our server admin and has completely saved us multiple times. He's a coding genius who streamlined this new site so it loads as quickly and efficiently as possible. Not to mention he fixed every single bug the site threw at him. And he loves Bruce Springsteen, so him and I quickly became good friends while finishing this.
Again, we hope you enjoy the new design!
Posted by
05-29-2010
at 11:25 AM
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The Harry Potter Alliance is STILL in the running for the Chase Community Giving Challenge's top prize of $250,000. The contest ends tonight at midnight EST and the HPA has been alternating between first and second place for the last few days. Let's push them over the top.
To vote, CLICK HERE, press the green "Vote Now" button, hit "Like" (if you haven't already), and then press Vote Now again.
The HPA plans to use the money improve literacy and help charities that make the world a better place. Don't miss out on your opportunity to make a difference. There are only a few hours left - VOTE NOW! Get all of your friends to vote, too!
NOTE – we’ve been getting notices that the link is not working. If it doesn’t work, keep trying until it does. There are so many people voting right now that the site is overloaded. But keep trying! This ls literally coming down to a difference of a few votes.
Posted by
07-12-2010
at 1:35 PM
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MuggleNet Senior Staff Member Micah Tannenbaum is celebrating his 28th birthday today!
Starting as a transcriber for MuggleCast back in Fall 2005, Micah impressively convinced us he should be a co-host on the show. Today he's still one of the most important and best people on both the MuggleNet and MuggleCast teams, and we can't thank him enough for all the true work and care he puts into the site.
Happy Birthday, Micah! Please join us in wishing Micah a Happy Birthday in the comments.
Posted by
08-17-2010
at 07:30 AM
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