[tech] Slashdot reports that the Internet goes into orbit after a satellite is pinged from earth. 15 minute ping times, sure. But how the fsck will RIAA stop us from downloading MP3s when the servers are located in deep space? :) :) :)

[major for london] Voting day tommorrow — here’s a BBC News timeline on how the race developed… and a guide to how the vote works.

[ebay] A spooky haunted picture sold on Ebay… WARNING: DO NOT BID ON THIS PAINTING IF YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO STRESS RELATED DISEASE, FAINT OF HEART OR ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH SUPERNATURAL EVENTS. BY BIDDING ON THIS PAINTING, YOU AGREE TO RELEASE THE OWNERS OF ALL LIABILITY IN RELATION TO THE SALE OR ANY EVENTS HAPPENING AFTER THE SALE, THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PAINTING. THIS PAINTING MAY OR MAY NOT POSSESS SUPERNATURAL POWERS, THAT COULD IMPACT OR CHANGE YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER, BY BIDDING YOU AGREE TO EXCLUSIVELY BID ON THE VALUE OF THE ARTWORK, WITH DISREGARD TO THE LAST TWO PHOTOS FEATURED IN THIS AUCTION, AND HOLD THE OWNERS HARMLESS IN REGARD TO THEM AND THEIR IMPACT, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.

[something fell!] newsUnlimited talks about Space Junk [Text Only] after a large red-hot metal ball falls on South Africa.

[weblogs / tech] WinerLog — very funny if you visit Dave Winer’s Scripting News. Speaking of disconnects, I got an email from Dave Userland support. It begins “We’d like to stop hosting winerlog.” Weird. We’d say, “Sure Dave, whatever you want, because we love you!!!!!!!”

[tech] Richard Stallman on Metallica: Metallica justifies their lawsuit saying they think it is an outrage that their music has become a “commodity”. Apparently they think music is a commodity when shared between fans, but not when large companies sell copies through record stores. What hypocritical absurdity! Such drivel is normally laughable. But Metallica is presenting it as an excuse to attack our freedom, and that is no laughing matter. I encourage people to write letters to periodicals that cover this story, stating disgust for Metallica’s lawsuit and rejecting their views. [via Slashdot]

[comics] Whatever happened to Reverso-Brendan McCarthy? [via 2000AD Links Project]

[comics] Comicon reports Alan Moore is to change his name to “Alan Marvel-Vagina!” [second story on that page]

[uk] Coca-Cola plan mini-me Wembley Stadium at the Millenium Dome. Another stupid idea… the dome seems to generate them…

[uk internet] BBC News is reporting that T-Online wants to buy Freeserve.

[mp3] Another MP3 application I use all the time MP3ext gets updated. Useful if you have a large collection of MP3’s stored on a Windows PC. It enhances Windows Explorer so you get a properties pages when looking at MP3 files. Very useful and free as well!

[comics] PopImage has a fantastic profile on Matt Wagner and his work (creator of Grendel, Mage and various other comics).

[tv] Ali G to star in Madonna video reports BBC News.

[mayor for london] BBC News reports that Ken Livingstone expects to return to the Labour Party after the election next week.

[tv] Channel 4 have a list of the greatest UK TV ads.

[tech] The wisdom of Jerry Pournelle: Installing A Linux Server Takes Savvy. Guh?

[films] filmUnlimited reports on the state of the British gangster movie. There lies the key difference between gangster flicks new and old: they used to be fully rounded thrillers which, due to the nature of their setting, would inevitably involve elements of violence and black comedy.

[comics] DC Comics ordered the complete print run of Alan Moore’s League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen #5 destroyed because the reproduction of a Victorian age advertisement contains the phrases “Marvel Douche Company” and “vaginal”. Moore comments: ‘My parents raised me as a gentleman and everyone at Marvel should rest assured that I would never make reference to any person there as a “douchebag”.’

[uk] jobsUnlimited reports on the man who got fired for having porn delivered to his workplace the old fashioned way. “The tribunal decides against Steve in a relatively uncensorious fashion. There seems to be a tacit agreement that he has suffered enough. We can all go home and forget about Planet Mammary. Am still puzzled myself about double anal. But please don’t write in to explain.”

[comics] “Nothing ends that isn’t something else starting. So which side are you on? Do you know yet?” I’ve just read the last issue of the Invisibles… [Personal Shite]

If you want to find out more about the Invisibles check out: The Bomb and the Nexus.

[comics] The final issue of the Invisibles is out. I still have not got a copy — deliveries in the UK were delayed by the bank holiday on Monday!

[mayor for london] This is London reports that Ken Livingstone has a 34% lead. [I’m using the UK Yahoo’s version of This is London because the real This in London web site is just to damn slow.]

[books] booksUnlimited has Adrian Mole on the web: Diary of a Provincial Man.

[comics] Warren Ellis reports that he will produce a run of three-issue serials, original graphic novels and trade paperbacks for Image Comics.

[tv] FilmFour to broadcast banned sex scenes on web. FilmFour will show a doctored version of The Idiots, which caused controversy when it was given a cinema certificate, on its subscription channel. But it will “webcast” the most controversial scenes, uncut, on its website.

[uk news] BBC News asks: Would you use a unisex toilet? “I’ve encountered unisex toilets in various places, but yes, some men urinate on toilet seats. On most occasions it doesn’t bother me, but it’s disgusting for the lasses.”

[comics] Neil Gaiman has a website.

[comics] Ain’t it Cool reports that Neil Gaiman is to direct two films Death: The High Cost of Living and another called Chivalry. Also Frank Miller is returning to mainstream comics … he will work on a Daredevil story with Bill Sienkiewicz and sequel to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and possibly something with John Romita Jr.

[history] newsUnlimited reports on six men who survived for seven months on the Antarctic coast in 1912 after being left by the ill fated Captain Scott with rations for seven weeks and no winter clothing. [Text Only] “What, after all, are a few months of darkness and blubber lamps,” Levick asks, “when we have an allowance of a couple of pipes a day to console us?”

[funny] TVGoHome is pretty much the funniest thing on the web. Even its submissions guidelines are amusing: “We run very few listings whose title is a weak and obvious pun on an existing show: i.e. Changing Wombs, Ainsley’s Big Cock Out, Blind Rape, Scooby Poo, etc etc.”