"Baratunde" is a very unique version of the much more common Nigerian name, "Babatunde." Years ago, I remember looking for other Baratundes, and I found maybe five. I'm definitely the most public and the only comedian/writer/entertainer dude. One was a Louisiana teacher owed some money. Another was Miami carjacker heading to jail. Yes, a carjacker also tried to jack the reputation of my name.

And then there was Baratunde A. Cola who recently got some press for his scientific endeavors. I can't even make up this headline:

Nanotube forests grown on silicon chips for future computers, electronics
Mechanical engineering doctoral student Baratunde A. Cola, from left, looks through a view port in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition instrument while postdoctoral research fellow Placidus Amama adjusts settings. The two engineers recently have shown how to grow forests of tiny cylinders called carbon nanotubes onto the surfaces of computer chips to enhance the flow of heat at a critical point where the chips connect to cooling devices called heat sinks. The carpetlike growth of nanotubes has been shown to outperform conventional "thermal interface materials." The research is based at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in Discovery Park at Purdue.

Uh huh. Go head wit yo bad self other Baratunde! And if anyone out there thinks I'm a geek, you don't know how geeky we Baratundes can get :)

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