A beta version of The Django Book — a guide to the Web application development framework Django — is being released free online, chapter by chapter. OK, nothing new there; I think it’s now illegal in 38 states to write a book about technology without either blogging the writing of it or posting it under a General Public License. What’s interesting is the system that the authors have cooked up for allowing comments on every paragraph. It could get totally overwhelming, if not implemented just right, but I think they’ve implemented it just right. Sweet.

I can’t tell you what I find so incredible about it, but I spent about 45 minutes just staring at this Flash program yesterday, and I don’t regret a minute of it. Turn down your speakers before you visit.

Another year, another anthology of science articles. The book is, as always, a highly recommended purchase. And if you’re not already a subscriber to Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, well, what are you waiting for?

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Atlantic contributor Marshall Poe asks MeFi, “If The Atlantic Monthly (or Harper’s, or The New Yorker) were founded today, would it be Metafilter?”

Might TV cause autism?

(Via Points of Note.)

I haven’t read any of Cormac McCarthy’s books, but his new one “The Road” looks good. It’s post-apocalyptic literary fiction!

And — this is a good sign, I think? — it has generated a lot of well-written book reviews. The NYT review by William Kennedy was a good read in its own right, and this CSM review by Yvonne Zipp sparkles. For instance, it describes the book as taking place in a “cauterized horrorscape.” Nice.

Item #602 on this Web page is my new favorite thing. It is — brace yourself — a staple-less stapler. Put your tongue back in your mouth. Buy one today! I got mine here.

Rabbit (giant MOV file) is a stunning animated short film by Run Wrake. (MeF.)

This American Life is podcasting.

My new favorite thing comes from MeFi Projects, and it’s called “two sentences.” The idea is to follow up one innocuous sentence with another one that’s surprising or delightful in some way.

E.g. “I’m leaving you. I’ll be back tomorrow.” or “She felt the hand move up her back. Surely it was a hand.”