Tabloid.net for the 21st Century

Old pal Ken Layne's secret "job" went live today on the internets. This beauty is called Sploid. You should visit it each and every day for brilliantly sharp headlines and pictures of monkeys.

The New York Observer was all over it today in a report about Drudge.

On April 6, New York–based Gawker Media plans to launch Sploid.com, a British-style tabloid site meant to compile breaking news in a similar style to the Drudge Report. Gawker’s publisher, Nick Denton, described its politics as "anarcho-capitalist," pitted only against "all the lazy incumbents who thrive on hypocrisy."

A screenshot of Sploid, provided by Mr. Denton, showed a fairly literal interpretation of a U.K. tabloid sheet, complete with corpulent fonts and bludgeoning (yet merry!) headlines in a style seemingly ripped from Rupert Murdoch’s publishing playbook.

"We want to occupy the space between the whiny left and the ranting right," said Mr. Denton, who said he considered Mr. Drudge a brilliant news editor whose site was likely unstoppable for the foreseeable future.

However, his own project—which will be edited by ex-Gawker editor Choire Sicha on the East Coast and a blogger named Ken Lane on the West Coast—would avoid what he saw as Mr. Drudge’s weaknesses, he said.

"...and a blogger named Ken Layne on the West Coast..."

Hats off to the Observer for breaking the news that Reno is on the West Coast.

And I suppose Mr. Layne is a blogger although that is not the title that springs to mind when I read his novel and journalism, listen to his amazing music live or on one of his CDs, recall the drinks and conversation together in Budapest, California, Mexico and every stop along the way as we drove across the U.S. of A from D.C. to L.A. Old buddy Ken is a true, fresh and way too intelligent talent and it will be a sinful pleasure to see his art again each day.