“A young German entrepreneur has won a legal battle against internet behemoth Google on the use of its “Gmail” brand for free electronic mail service. Google The regional court in the northern city of Hamburg ruled that Google may not…”

Whether business or academia, how could this not be funny? 😉

“We should have predicted this. Second Life entrepreneur Kevin Alderman has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Second Life resident Volkov Catteneo. This is apparently the first time an avatar has sued another avatar in the virtual world.”

“During these “wilderness years”, it was Doctor Who fandom that was engaged in producing new stories for the franchise. I don’t think there’s been another SF TV fandom in history that’s had such an amazing opportunity to take control …”

Print this before you start spending time in Second Life, it’ll make your life a lot easier!

“Researchers are developing methods to dampen or wipe out specific memories.” (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind anyone?)

“Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist held hostage in the Gaza Strip since March, has been handed over by his Islamist captors to ruling Hamas officials…”

“I’m hoping the scientific community continues to go off like a fire alarm in a hotel, … and that that will do the trick. If they do, the democracies, the political leadership…will all recognize that this is a real threat.”

Apparently TV advertising is just as effective at ‘fast forward’ speed! (Ahem, but are they deadly … Blipvert!)

For anyone who loved Dune … He who controls the spice controls the universe … LOLCATS style! 🙂 [Via GardnerC]

“Blogger Backup is a small open-source Windows tool that, well, backups the posts and comments from a Blogger blog.”

Funny! By Doug Haslam.[See large view for detail.]

“iPhone theme for WordPress. Something a bit different! This theme is inspired by the new Apple iPhone, and is built on the infamous K2 structure. The iPhone theme has a single column design with sidebar information presented below the posts.”

An Adelaide woman has been arrested in the United States for allegedly trying to kidnap a 17-year-old boy she had met playing role-playing game World of Warcraft on the Internet.

“Plasma televisions are sending home power bills sky high as more people install bigger and more energy-intensive screens. Electric hot-water systems remain the No.1 energy guzzler in the home but plasma TVs are fast overtaking…”

“Richard Dawkins, the British ethologist and author of The God Delusion… reveals in a recent interview … that he has a digital alter ego — an avatar — who frequents the virtual world Second Life.”

Little website to FLIP text upside down and then lets you cut’n’paste the upside-down version.

“Channel Seven will broadcast two of its cult import dramas, Heroes and Prison Break on the same day as their US screenings in a ploy to lure drifting audiences away from DVDs and the internet.”

Alex Malik notes that Australian commercial TV broadcasters also have a nasty habit of editing US shows to fit timeslots and more ads in, especially in the late-night slots (eg Boston Legal).

Outsourcing social networking profile building?

Miles, Adrian. “Blogs in Media Education: A Beginning.” Australian Screen Ed.41 (2006): 66-9. (Good introductory piece/)

The publicly-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation turns 75 today and is still going strong! 🙂

Google aligns with the US Health Corporations against Moore’s Sicko?!?

“While 96% of online tweens and teens have used social networking technologies, 71% of online tweens and teens connect to a social network at least once a week, according to a study and white paper being released today…”

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine reported that a man was imprisoned for stealing cars and assaulting people with weapons, then sent to a psychiatric facility for “acting in a bizarre manner.” … he thought he was playing Grand Theft Auto