Social Networks

Today, I received a mail from paypal.com presenting me their latest product, the PayPal Shop. Shops on the internet are nothing particularly new, however this one is slightly different: it is a products-comparison application and a shop in one. Networked media and inter-connected shops allow us not only to easily compare specifications amongst similar products, it also allows us to compare prices between different shops. (So does e.g. Kelkoo.) This has an impact on how we will do our shoppings in the future.

Nothing shapes our understanding and presception of how a computer works more than the metaphors that are being used in the graphical user interface (GUI).

"Evening Of The Reanimated Corpses is small 10 minute indie film done for a 'Mass Media' class and is going to be released under Perry Como Productions (a twilight zone reference). The film is a traditional zombie film and aims to have a heavy George Romero influence. Its releasy is planned for very early 2006. [...]

If I compare the Frieze Art show with 100%design show, here at Regents Park they present really better design, definitely yes, yes I think so, it’s much better design, some of it is gorgeous design, yes lovely, extraordinary, no kidding its challenging, how shocking http://www.friezeartfair.com/ , it’s a good update what is on and off in the Art market and its the biggest gathering of people in black in October 2005.

First impressions:
First sentence: I had an dinner with some very good friends of you....and...., I am a dealer, yes...(French art dealer to German art dealer).
Second sentence: Oh hay, how are you ........( two well dressed couples meet).
Third sentence: Darling lets have a coffee, ok lets have a coffee (good dressed woman to here poorly dressed husband, caring a baby).
Fifth sentence: you fucker, you bitch (London artist with sunglasses to bouncer of Deutsche Bank VIP launch, which refused him entry) you http://www.deutsche-bank-kunst.com .

The Republican-controlled Congress delivered a long-sought victory to the gun industry when the House of Representatives, with considerable Democratic support, voted to shield firearms manufacturers and dealers from liability lawsuits. The bill now goes to President Bush, who has promised to sign it. Yes we hope so.

The gun liability bill has for years been the No. 1 legislative priority of the National Rifle Association, which has lobbied lawmakers intensely for it.
Its final passage, by a vote of 283 to 144, reflects the changing politics of gun control, an issue that many Democrats began shying away from after Al Gore was defeated for president in 2000.

"It's a historic piece of legislation," said Wayne LaPierre, the N.R.A.'s president, who said the bill was the most significant victory for the gun lobby since Congress rewrote the federal gun control law in 1986. "

As of Oct. 20, the Second Amendment is probably in the best shape in this country that it's been in decades." Backers of the measure say it is necessary to keep the American arms industry in business, while opponents say the bill deprives people of a legitimate right to sue. Mr. DeLay issued a statement praising the gun bill vote as an important step toward revamping the nation's tort law system.

This is so best story of October 2005:

Military gambling is a big business. About $2 billion flows through military-owned slot machines at officers' clubs, activities centers and bowling alleys on overseas bases each year. Most flows back out as jackpots, but 6 percent remains with the house, about the same ratio as in Las Vegas.

Each year, the armed forces take in more than $120 million from on-base slot machines and $7 million from Army bingo games at home. These funds help pay for recreational programs for the troops.

Freeopen, no money, and all the way up to the “Ideastore” - impressions.

With slide bitter lemons on the lips of the originators and activists, ended the open congress: see we did again something valuable for free, means for nothing, means for not the adequate amount of public money we deserve to get. And yes you are right. Competition is tough between Londonistan and Londinium about budgets which are limited and a lot of folks need to be paid and lets face it, its was not a charity event for homeless Net artists.

"A new paradigm for the new times is needed and in order to do that we need to take a step back, break the concepts to reconstruct a new one. We, the people from the Third World, in this sense, are ahead of the others, as we are already back there, all we need is to move forward". With these words, Claudio Prado, the digital policy coordinator of the brazilian ministry of culture, opened the night, where, oddly, ideas from the tropic country were highlighted as examples for democratic development for the First World countries, United Kingdom in particular.