Author: Tom Coates

Fuck it. While we are at it, in the spirit of the times, and because I have never in my life felt more in tune with the spirit of a TV character (and you can laugh all you like, but if you do I’ll come around your house and punch you in the face), I am going to say it loud and I am going to say it clear. To the legions out there who understand, to the hordes of aggrieved individuals who feel angry about something or other all the bloody time whether they really need to or not, to Nails and Black Katherine for looking after Rabbit – say it with me one and all: “Dammit. You know what? I’m sick of this. I’m tired of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it’s over. I’m through being everybody’s butt-monkey!” [Deal with it]

“I’m gonna give you all a nice, fun, normal evening if I have to kill every person on the face of the Earth to do it.
” [Source]

My net access goes down for eight hours and I nearly snap from the strain of it all. I’m stuck at home unable to do anything – it’s like a limb’s been removed. Many episodes of Buffy later, I’m left considering the amount of crutches I need to be able to operate effectively at the moment, and whether or not it’s an attractive feature in a man to be gutted by a high-school awards ceremony with a toy umbrella covered in tinsel and marked with the words ‘Buffy Summers – Class Protector’.

Tuesday May 1st 2001: The May Day Demonstrations are happening in London today, about five minutes from where I am working at the moment. I have decided to take the day off work rather than deal with the fallout of moving in and out of town. Part of me thinks I should be there. Another part thinks I very definitely shouldn’t.

Where to go for online coverage? The Guardian is doing a Special Report online all day, which includes a statement of intent that you can’t really fault. There are also discussions on Barbelith, dossiers at disinfo and live updates at uk.indymedia.org. Meanwhile the BBC gets right down to the practicalities of being snotty and concentrating on violence and injuries.

Of all the questions about the net that people have asked or continue to ask, this one does seem to be one of the more significant: Why is it perfectly legal to post a diagram of how to build a bomb on the net, but you can’t post a code that descrambles DVDs?

Seethru once again proves itself to be of rather higher quality than your usual online zine, with the stunning feature 10 Reasons Why Jamie Oliver Is So My Bitch [made by: ampnet]. You can take Salon and shove it up your arse, frankly. I’m happy with my new ziny chums. I wonder if they’ve got any jobs going…

“The picture-story fantasy cuts loose the hampering debris of art and artifice and touches the tender spots of universal human desires and aspirations. . . . Comics speak, without qualm of sophistication, to the innermost ears of the wishful self.” — William Moulton Marston [Wonder Woman’s Powers]

Or to put it another way, comic books appeal to those people who are cursed to have imagination and desires far far beyond the ability of the world to fulfill, and who are not prepared to give up this magic in exchange for a suit and a desk job.

1. Having respect for what you do (equals creative input).
2. Doing that thing well (enjoying it to the extent that you don’t clockwatch).
3. Being recognised for same.
4. Changing the world in some way (for the better).
5. Getting enough money to not have to worry about stuff.

Today 3.00 GMT: Anti-globalisation protests : Naomi Klein Live Online. Get yourself a comfy seat and a packet of bourbons, as Ms Klein takes on months of media doublespeak. Then go buy her bloody book. If it doesn’t inspire aggression and post-capitalist ire in you then you’re a better person than I want to be.

Yesterday I went to see The Mexican with Meg. But afterwards I didn’t do anything creative at all. In fact I wandered into town, had a brainfart and came home again. My mind operates in prescribed orbits at the moment – and the orbits get faster and smaller. I want my old mind back – larger orbits, slower, more thorough. Peaceful.