News
Gmail Goes Social Fashionably Late
Shannon Hassett :: Monday, February 8th, 2010 4:25 pm
The Wall Street Journal of all places, a paper not normally known for its fun loving audience, announced earlier today that Google will be adding a social feature to Gmail. Held sacred among email providers for its organizational capabilities, cutesy background theme options and chatting service accessible in the corposphere (and conveniently made to look like regular email), news of a social networking device from fan favorite Google has caused quite a stir. While details are still at a minimum, the new feature will likely combine user updates from Google’s sister sites — YouTube and Picassa — with personal status updates, an option currently available through standard GChat that would most likely see a significant upgrade. GChat has long been considered AIM for grownups (yes, that’s AOL Instant Messenger), and the latest announcement positions Google to similarly school Facebook. Imagine a newsfeed minus all those people you hated in high school, or in other words, social networking sans the spam (just like Gmail!). Let’s all breathe a collective sigh of relief — except for China, of course.
Bands, Contests
Free Stuff = The Best Kind of Stuff
Amy Laviero :: Friday, February 5th, 2010 2:00 pm
Free concert, free drinks, free prizes!
Baeble Music is holding a free, hi-def screening party for a pre-recorded Passion Pit concert that took place last September in Central Park. If you need more incentive to check it out, there will also be free booze between 7:00 and 8:00. The screening will take place next Wednesday, February 10th, between 7:00 and 10:00 at Public Assembly in Williamsburg, 70 North 6th street between Wythe and Kent.
They are also giving away three Passion Pit prize packs, each with a signed vinyl of Manners and a signed poster from the Central Park concert. To enter the contest, log-in to Facebook, connect with Baeblemusic.com, and leave a comment about the concert on this page. The announcement didn’t specify what kind of comments they are looking for, but it said that winners will be announced via Facebook.
Comedy
Aziz Ansari Is Often Better Off Sticking With Postmodern Randy Jokes
Amy Rose Spiegel :: Friday, January 22nd, 2010 4:05 pm
Aziz Ansari’s new comedy special, Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, was released this week. Recently, he became the king of viral videos with a web “documentary” about Randy, a character he played in the movie Funny People. Randy’s a obnoxiously vulgar loudmouth who jumps around a hell of a lot…actually, I could probably sum the act up best by saying Randy is a darker-skinned Dane Cook. The act is a perfect send-up of every comedian who chooses to bark dick jokes in order to make their living.
News
Ethical Floridians Destroy the Joy of Facebook Friendships
Amelia Kreminski :: Friday, December 11th, 2009 4:00 pm
How many times have you asked yourself: When is it okay to friend? Do I really know Water Cooler Joe well enough to be buddies on the Internet? Do I really want to know Water Cooler Joe on the Internet? Would you call him “a contact or acquaintance?” Or do you have “feelings of affection and personal regard” for said person? These universal questions of our technological age have recently been troubling even the austere minds of Florida’s Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. Yeah, I know, kinda seems like those Floridians don’t have enough to do… But apparently the judiciary system of this great state of sunshine, orange juice and retired folks decided that judges and lawyers are no longer allowed to be friends on Facebook, according to this NY Times article. Now, the committee’s ruling is apparently only advisory-they think friending between judges and lawyers displays some “impropriety.” But I wouldn’t be surprised if next time Mr. Head of Ethics Committee logs into his Facebook account he’s got some angry wall postings awaiting him.
In my opinion, this is just yet another grand example of why Facebook is slowly destroying the world. After years of addiction, I’m happy to say I destroyed mine last month. Use this WikiHow article to stop the cycle yourself.
News
Friends Forever! Until I Unfriend the Shit Out of You
Brenna Ehrlich :: Thursday, November 19th, 2009 3:25 pm
So a few days ago it was reported that “unfriend” is the word of the year, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary. The designation of such an honor can only mean one thing: We’re all becoming assholes.
News
You Don’t Have To Be A Groupie, But You Should Be A Fan
Brenna Ehrlich :: Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 4:27 pm
Death+Taxes recently discovered that its Facebook fan page was eaten by Internet monsters. Which is a problem for all y’all who want to poke us and send us digital teddy bears and whatnot. Therefore, we have remedied the situation. So sign on to Facebook and pledge your allegiance to this publication. Yeah, you’re at work-but you’re probably FB-stalking that girl over in corporate anyway.
