computer shut

Wired Shut: Copyright and the Shape of Digital Culture
$15.95
Here Tarleton Gillespie has created the most comprehensive book-length treatment of a topic that is gaining the notice of more and more researchers in intellectual property and technology law. The digital information revolution has made it easier to trade and share cultural items, with the potential to weaken the financial and political grip of the culture industries. While those industries fought back against Napster and similar technologies by claiming that the copyright protections of starving artists were being trashed, here Gillespie shows yet again that in the modern legal and political environment, copyright law has been mutated into a tool for maintaining corporate profitability. Meanwhile, as they complain about unfair public use of digital technology, the culture industries have used that same technology to lock in profits and social controls that are far beyond what copyright law allows.

Gillespie tackles this unwieldy yet crucial subject with a strong backdrop of theories of society and technology, as well as intellectual property law. He finds that the corporate lockdown of culture has been achieved not by transparent and reviewable changes in the law and the legislative process, but by technological design that cannot be countered by consumers. Not only is this process undemocratic, it also does not bode well for culture unless creative people choose to remove themselves from market forces (actually anti-market politics) over which they have less and less input.

The only real problem with this book is not the strength of the argument, but readability. Some of the different chapters, especially in the middle portions of the book, unnecessarily repeat the main thesis and probably originated as separate research projects (a common occupational hazard for academics); and Gillespie's initially unique coverage of industry standard-building coalitions tends to dissolve into tedious coverage of parliamentary infighting. But with those flaws aside, Gillespie concocts a fascinating argument, utilizing everything from cultural studies to law to scientific philosophy, in bringing together a previously scattershot school of thought into the definitive book-length treatment. [~doomsdayer520~]

Sunbeam 4222 Steam Master Iron with Automatic Shut-Off
$59.05
This is a good steady and, so far, reliable iron. Ironing is done quickly due to the good amount of steam that comes out of the unit. The retractable cord is a plus. Another plus about the iron is the large water resevoir. The only minus that come to mind is the weight of the unit - it is fairly heavy for its size.

Eyes Wide Shut: Music From The Motion Picture
$11.98
Loved the soundtrack, hated the movie. Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise bastardized an inspired and original script. But luckily their talentless egos did not leak into this wonderful audio selection. Enjoy!!

WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth
$29.99
THIS GAME IS THE BEST WRESTLING GAME OF THE 6TH GENERATION OF GAMEING. IT
HAS SO MANY MATCHES EVEN LUMBERJACK.