Every day, tens of thousands of people turn to the Web seeking updates from a mysterious scribe whose detailed accounts of life in besieged Baghdad have made him a cyberspace celebrity. Little is known for sure about Salam Pax, whose nom de plume means “peace” in Arabic and Latin. But his Web journal – ostensibly written from his Baghdad home – vividly criticizes the authoritarian rule of Saddam Hussein and the U.S.-British war on his nation. “Houses near al-salam palace … have had all their windows broke, doors blown in and in one case a roof has caved in,” Salam wrote in his journal. “I guess that is what is called ‘collateral damage’ and that makes it OK?” Salam’s Web log, or “blog,” has become so popular that the company that hosts it upgraded his account last weekend gratis so he could continue writing and posting photos. Thousands of e-mails – from fans as well as skeptics who believe he’s a hoax – have paralyzed his mailbox. Salam’s journal and others focused on the war have boosted the profile of the so-called blogosphere, which includes more than 1 million blogs on everything from wireless networking to sex. American and British soldiers, German anti-war advocates, and even human shields are providing unique slants on the conflict in their “warblogs.” Full Story
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