Happy Memorial Day!

We thought we’d offer up a few Tech Ticker highlights for the holiday. We all sincerely hope that Jerry and Steve and Carl and Eric will give us a break and not announce anything major until at least the crack of dawn Tuesday. Is that too much to ask?

Anyway, Sarah and half our team are headed to Carlsbad, Calif., for the big AllThingsD conference starting Tuesday, and Henry and Aaron will be back, large and in charge, bright and early in NYC.

Until then, here are some of our more popular pieces, including a couple from last week:

Why It’s a Bad Time to Buy a Home

Oil Crisis: Blame Failure of U.S. Leadership, Not Big Oil

Get Ready for Woz!

I Asked Arrington Point Blank: Are You an Arrogant A**?

Silicon Valley Real Estate, or Why Everybody Works So Hard

The Secret to Tech Investing

Some Silicon Valley superstars who lived through the dotcom bust are providing more than just funding for their Web 2.0 counterparts. These "friendtors," as Sarah Lacy calls them in her new book, Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good, take a more personal approach to the VC role as a means of helping up-and-coming tech entrepreneurs.

In the accompanying video, Sarah and I discuss the new rules set down by high-profile friendtors like Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and Marc Andreessen.

But Andy Kessler, former hedge manager, All-Star tech analyst, author and Tech Ticker contributor, often bucks consensus and does so again here.

Rather than shrinking, he says Silcon Valley is on an upswing with jobs plentiful and smaller companies enjoying the tickle-down effect of growth at big names like Google, as well as big trends like cloud computing.

In the final segment of my one-on-one with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, we discuss the potentially touchy subject of Forbes senior editor Daniel Lyons, better known as Fake Steve Jobs. Turns out Woz has met Fake Steve, and is even a fan. Things take a turn for the worse, though, when Woz and I end up on opposite sides of the Mac-PC line in the sand. Tune in as we square off in a Segway joust -- maybe not the best idea I ever had, considering Woz sponsors an annual Segway polo tournament.

Here are the earlier excerpts from my Woz interview. Enjoy!

• Get Ready for Woz!
• Wozniak: Creating the 'Computer of My Dreams'
• Wozniak on Today's Young Innovators
• Wozniak's Favorite Gadgets (Yes, He Packs a Laser)
• Wozniak: Stock Jock? No. News Junkie? Yes.

Steve Wozniak is no day trader. But he is intrigued by certain opportunities in tech-related industries now. And how does he keep in touch with the world? Hear his thoughts on news and community in a Web 2.0 world.

For the earlier excerpts of my Wozniak interview, click here, here, here, and here. Plus, stay tuned to Tech Ticker for more from the Woz!

As you'd expect, Steve Wozniak is a real gadget guru. In this segment of my one-on-one with the Apple co-founder, he talks among other things about being an early adopter of calculator watches, using his Garmin Nuvi GPS on walks, and the mobile phone he really prefers. He also reflects on his love of music, which led him to sponsor the legendary US Festivals in the early 1980s.

To see earlier excerpts from my Wozniak interview, click here, here, and here. Plus, stay tuned to Tech Ticker for more from the Woz!

The Woz describes the days of building the Apple 1 and 2 Computers in his free time. He thought he had it made with his $24,000 a year salary at HP. Then came the first order!

Stay tuned to Tech Ticker for more from this interview -- and here's what we've released so far: Get Ready for Woz!