There's something in the water

Here's a round up of my favourite news stories from this week. Absolutely mental...

Hail Twitter Full of Grace
Fake Dalai Lama attracts 16,000 Twitter followers in one weekend. Twitter are now working to get His Holiness set up with a Twitter account. This follows the lead of Pope Benedict XVI who has his own YouTube Vatican channel. He believes that the Internet is "a new way to talk to God". Ahem.

I wish Twitter would get Prince Philip set up with an account. Can you imagine? I would follow him in an instant! For anyone unfamiliar with our Bush-like monarch, check out the Top 15 Quotes of Prince Philip

Website Coronation
Keeping with the Royal theme, the Queen unveiled a new-look website to better keep in touch with the "yoof" of today. The new site features information on several Royal Residences (including a category for "Unoccupied Royal Residences") and virtual tours of lavish rooms in Windsor Castle, complete with handwoven Indian carpets, marble statues, and gold finishings. All the things people love to see during a recession, really.

Unfortunately, the site crashed on the day of launch. Moments later, "Auff with their heads!" came echoing down the Grand Staircase and Vestibule... at least, it did in my mind.

A Boring Bunch
Google Streetview which showed a couple's driveway led to a lawsuit involving privacy violation, trespassing and "mental suffering". Quite rightly, the judge dismissed the claim made by the couple, who also have the unfortunate name of Mr. and Mrs. Boring. Ironically, filing the action led to more people than ever viewing the picture of their home. DOH!

Virtual Insanity
Online networking is now being accused of causing cancer, strokes, heart disease, altered hormone levels, and homosexuality... Right then. I strongly suspect that the Vatican could be behind these claims, spread via their papal blog network no doubt.

Hackers For Hire
Sore losers on XBox Live can now hire teen hackers to use an "Attack Tool" which throws other players out of the game. Being a highly-competitive bad loser myself, I'm liking this approach. If you can't beat 'em, hack 'em!