I'd like to point out that using PHP to display images in the way he is doing is perfectly valid, since proper browsers look at the actual mime type, and not the extension. If a particular browser is hanging, it's not Donatos fault.

The current problem is that his host is currently down, thus resulting in a broken image. If he attached his avatar and signature code here, it would be blocked by the security, and also not be allowed to be as dynamic.