The Null Device
2000/5/26
In Germany, it is possible to sue for defamation on behalf of a deceased relative. Some theologians in Munich recently sued the Catholic and Protestant Churches on behalf of Jesus Christ (their "brother in spirit"). The case, however, was thrown out, with the judge pointing out that, as Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead, he does not count as a deceased relative. (Reuters)
Britain prepares to follow the Russian lead and institute universal monitoring of Internet traffic: (BBC News)
If the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Bill is passed, internet service providers will be forced to install black boxes in their data centres that connect directly to an MI5 monitoring centre in London.
Now that the lawsuits are piling up, is mp3.com doomed? The majors (represented by the RIAA) would want to keep mp3.com around (perhaps in exchange for control of the operation or support in phasing out the MP3 format in favour of SDMI), but medium-sized labels such as TVT may not be so pragmatic. (WIRED News)
If you were a Bond Girl, what would your name be? Find out here. (OK, so most of the names are a bit daft, but still...) (via gallia.org)
Was Jill Dando murdered by an obsessive Freddie Mercury fan? (Ananova)
It is understood the arrested man changed his surname by deed poll to Bulsara - Mercury's real surname - and claims to be his cousin. The star's family vehemently denied that the arrested man is a relative.
If this is so, what could be the connection? Was there a fringe sect which held Dando to be the anti-Freddie Mercury or something?
Revealed: the potato-powered PC was a hoax -- and both Slashdot and the BBC fell for it. (TheRegister)