There's a long 15-post post up at Salam Pax' weblog "Where is Raed?"...  You'll remember this is the blogger in Baghdad who was posting up until just before the war to liberate Iraqi started.  Personally this makes me a little skeptical that the blog is "real", but we'll let time tell; in the meantime it makes for very interesting reading.

Salon asks To Breed or not to Breed?  "Studies show that couples who choose not to have children are happier than those who do. So quit leaning on me to spawn."  Sigh.  This is the very core of Unnatural Selection.

My friend and ex-colleague Reid Hoffman launched his new company yesterday: "LinkedIn".  The basic idea is to formalize your personal network, and leverage it to dine business resources.  Have you ever noticed that everyone you hire who was recommended by an employee seems to work out?  Have you thought that your friends' recommendations are much better than using the Yellow Pages?  Well, that's LinkedIn in action.  More on the philosophy behind this when I have time, but in the meantime it is a cool service, check it out...

I just started reading Michael Crichton's latest, Prey.  It is about nanotechnology run amuck.  Just in case you think this is farfetched, check out this review of a recent Nature article.  Meanwhile the U.S. House of Representatives just earmarked $2.3B for nanotechnology research.  This stuff is so cool I refused to be scared off, but caution is called for...

You might know, my little company Aperio makes virtual microscopy devices and software.  Nanotechnology could well be a whole new market for us; somehow you have to "see" what's happening to debug it...

I now declare that nanotechnology is officially "a Thing".  Let it be so recorded.

IMDB isn't a blog so I can't link this item, so here it is intact: [ via Slashdot ]

Letterbox Format Wins Out at Blockbuster
Movie renters, who once overwhelmingly preferred full-frame versions of their films now generally prefer the so-called letterbox version, according to the Blockbuster chain.  "We made a decision to purchase the majority of titles we bring in on DVD in the widescreen format," Blake Lugash, spokesman for the chain, said.  "We try to follow our customer preferences.  As DVD becomes increasingly popular, they become more familiar with the features and with the benefits of letterboxing.  They've learned it's a superior format to full-frame."

Please welcome Silflay Hraka to my blogroll!  I check them out every day, so hey, they should be there, right?  { My opinion, as you know, is that one should only blogroll sites which one recommends strongly and visits daily.  So there. }  P.S. Thanks, BigWig, for putting up an RSS feed.

Speaking of BigWig (chief blogger at Silflay Hraka), he invented the Carnival of the Vanities, the 33rd edition of which is on Common Sense and Wonder.  A very unique and cool approach this week, please check it out!

Dave Winer asks: "So what's worse than a rich guy who creates format protocols that are sticky, has a high flow weblog, and a fellowship at Harvard?"  Uh, someone who brags about it?

Think Macs are cool but a PowerMac is a little beyond your budget?  Why not build your own Mac?  Check out the CoreCrib!

Wrapping up - Acidman has something to offend everyone.  Man, is he funny.