Bruce Tognazzini, longtime UI guru, has written a terrific piece about Apple Squandering the Advantage.  I like his thoughts about how UI design isn't moving, and some of his suggestions for innovation (a return key on the left side of the keyboard so you don't have to drop the mouse, "piles" on the desktop, people as objects, etc.).

Paul Graham considers the Hundred-Year Language.  In 100 years "we know that everyone will drive flying cars...  What kind of programming language will they use to write the software controlling those flying cars?"  I say it won't be Java.  He says it will be Lisp.  { I don't know what it will be, but I bet the compiler for it will be written in C. }

Andrew Sullivan, writing in Salon, notes the best reasons for supporting the war were liberal, humanitarian ones in Swinging Left.  I am as confused about the left's strange opposition to the war to liberate Iraq as I am about a similar phenomenon: environmentalists' strange opposition to nuclear power.  Sometimes you must choose the lesser evil.

New Scientist reports that the human genome is being published, and observes that the total number of human genes is now estimated somewhere between 27,000 and 40,000; significantly less than past estimates which ranges as high as 140,000.  So that's it, an equation with 40,000 parameters...  [via slashdot]

I think this is important: Slate reviews Mail Fraud; yet another shortsighted plan to bail out the Postal Service.  This pseudo-private corporation with a public monopoly is one of the most inept and poorly run businesses around, and it is time for them to put their house in order.  If they had public shareholders, the problems would solve themselves...

Two notes on the Masters: Tiger Woods didn't win (Canadian Mike Weir did), and the protests against Augusta National for not having women members died in a sea of silliness.  Read the story - it is pretty amusing.

Wired notes software that turns your cell phone into a sex toy.  Please.