A friend writes up the London protest:

The protesters all seemed to be enjoying themselves and the officials from the CoS that were placed at the front of the building seemed quite confused and bemused by it all. A later chant was ‘are your smiles hurting yet’. Some of the very angry faces that appeared at upper windows said a lot more.

There was a lot about it that was very interesting. This was not the hardcore mob that I’ve seen on anti-road or eco-protests. Geeky t-shirts were very much on display, as well as cute girly stuff. It wasn’t an angry protest. It was almost like it was a bunch of people genuinely trying to make a point about something that didn’t make sense to them.

As covered on Whitechapel:

Chelsea just showed me this on Whitechapel:

Cat is being transferred to the central prison tomorrow morning. His urine is being tested again and the results will not be available until Monday. He called Mil earlier to tell her this, and to tell her that he will not be able to speak to her (presumably will not be allowed to use the phone at all) while he is in there.

Mil adds: “Minor offenders have their own section of the prison, but recently two Italians were locked up with the felons because they ran out of room (read: rapists and murderers in a prison with a well publicized AIDS surge).”

If you’ve got friends in Dubai, it’s time to speak with them. Now.

A sequence of Twitter sends:

15:13 @umbralechoes Man, that’s fucked up. You know my first fisting experience scarred me internally. Broken minds: Ribbed for your pleasure.

17:16 That requires explanation, doesn’t it? I was on Sesame Street as a child. No one told me beforehand that puppets weren’t real.

17:17 So I’m on the front steps, pretending to read, and this latino rolls up to me on a dolly. He has his hand crammed into the ass of my hero.

17:19 I think, “There’s a homicidal maniac at my feet with a corpse on his arm. Surely, someone will save me.” Someone always does, right?

17:20 Nothing. Just maniac on wheels, fist, ass, and big, red fuzzy head with its dead eyes and gaping scream. Everyone is staring at me.

17:22 The sick bastard actually imitates his victim’s voice, crying out, “Give Elmo a hug!” I put my hands to my chest in revulsion. “No” I reply.

17:23 “Give Elmo a hug!” he screams again. Why isn’t anyone coming? Why doesn’t someone shoot him in the fucking head? He’s got a body on his arm!

17:24 “No!” I scream. He looks offstage, as if looking for the Muppet Police who will undoubtedly ram his ass like a castle gate with a giant fist

17:26 “Why won’t you give Elmo a hug?” he asks. “ELMO’S AN ARM!” I screamed, and ran offstage, holding my butt all the way.

• The world’s first time machine? Tunnel to the past could open door to future within three months, say Russians | the Daily Mail
  Russian mathematicians have claimed CERN accelerator could create a rift in the fabric of the universe.
  (tags: sci mad)

Xeni Jardin, I fucking love you.

“Not this! Not this no no no aaaaaaaa”

“Cornell University researchers have succeeded in implanting electronic circuit probes into tobacco hornworms as early pupae. The hornworms pass through the chrysalis stage to mature into long-lived moths whose muscles can be controlled with the implanted electronics.”

At her store right now:

Is in this show at Meltdown in LA.

• JOHANN KONRAD DIPPEL, 1673–1734
  (tags: frankenstein)
• Claire Clairmont – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (tags: frankenstein)
• Mary Wollstonecraft – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (tags: frankenstein)

Lisa Mantchev’s Théâtre Illuminata trilogy went to Jean Feiwel at Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan, in a three-book, hardcover deal for North American serial rights. Deal made by the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. The Curtain Goes Up Spring of 2009.

Been out of town, recording an interview for the extras section of the IRON MAN DVD that will doubtless be released three months after the film opens. Bloggery recommences later.

UK to end submarine goat tests

We’re going to be watching Super Tuesday all day. Also, Richard Kadrey’s around, and discussions on “extreme” music and postrock are going on and on…

(from his Shojo Beat cover, February 2008 issue)

You are apparently invited to ooVoo your favourite blogger, which, really, sounds like something you’d want to wear waterproof gear and a facemask for:

My ooVoo Day With is a week-long experiment in blogger to fan interaction. Rock star bloggers from across the ‘sphere will host interactive conversations on hot topics, facilitated by the multi-person video chat technology from our friends at ooVoo. Get face-to-face with your favorites and move beyond the post-comment-post world.

“Rock star bloggers”? Really? I’m reminded of a time, I think in the very early 90s, when some company wanting to move some trading cards described them as being created by “the comics megagods”…

Finally, a good way to actually get a look at who’s following you on Twitter.

(There are 1800+ people following me, for no good reason, and I almost broke the application, so be warned.)