For those who have ever wanted to build a kayak, this site has a free CAD program to design a kayak. It also provides support for design and building a strip built kayak.
“The Reluctant Blogger,” a blog by Henry Kisor, the retired book editor of the Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. Henry’s musings include his interest in books, piloting, railroads, photography and the mysteries and non-fiction books he has written. Just amazing! http://henrykisor.com/blog/
- South Side Mike - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:11 am:
I don’t visit too often, since they post new de-motivators only every few months, but www.despair.com never fails to crack me up.
I have worked and gone to school with people who plaster traditional motivational posters all over the walls, but I identify more with posters that say:
“Consulting: If you’re not a part of the solution,there’s good money to be made in prolonging the problem.”
www.detroityes.com as a member of the sadly growing detroit diaspora, it keeps me in touch with what’s happening in one of America’s most interesting cities and has links to great sites on detroit’s Fabulous Ruins and the motor city’s unparalleled musical legacy.
Monz Yummy Lunch — some guy (guys) from my grandparent’s hometown (Waukegan) who blogs about his lunch and whatever else is going on in his life. I think I’m missing part of the joke, but the pictures are great!
YouTube is the best overall non-political website outside of The Capitol Fax Blog. Can you also ask us to suggest the worst political and non-political websites? Examples, as always, are legion.
Aside from countless sites for old cars, car parts, and car shows, then throw in a few Christian websites and the Southern Illinoisan, I would have to say my favorite place to go and do nothing but waste time is Jigzone.com for jigsaw puzzles.
It’s literature, so it gets political at times. But mainly it’s a website that worships all things fiction and nonfiction, and is full of smart columnists.
“Concerned, if you participated in that drinking game, you’d die of alchohol poisoning withing a few minutes.”
No, I’d probably get sick reading about all the “wonderful” that have been done by the guv.
My question, where’s the press release on state govt running smoothly and everyone acting like adults, not little backstabbing children?
- Also a gardening geek - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 4:15 pm:
When not reading the tidbits of wisdom here, I most often find myself deep within the pages at http://davesgarden.com/ where I can plot and plan my next landscaping adventure, and check out the reputations of nurseries.
My favorite non-political site is the Virtual Stamp Club (www.virtualstampclub.com). I have been a stamp collector since the age of four, and I am presently the Secretary of the Chicago Philatelic Society (the oldest stamp club in America in terms of continuous operation, dating back to the 1880s). This site provides the latest news that a stamp collector wants, and often scoops members of the Postal Service about what other Postal Service departments are doing (sound familiar?).
The site owner is a well-known aviation consultant with definite opinions about the FAA, TSA, and a number of other issues. His writings are usually on point and often hilarious.
I second http://www.lthforum.com (because of its Chicagoland and beyond foodie tips) and http://www.achewood.com (because it makes me laugh, esp. the Great Outdoor Fight thread). Also, you don’t need to be an Irish Catholic to get some solace from the Irish Jesuit website http://www.sacredspace.ie –when you just need to chill out and pray.
Nobody covers F1 like Autosport, and nobody covers the SPL at all other than the Celtic site. You can’t even get up to date results on places like ESPN or SI.
- Squideshi - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:36 am:
Wikipedia. It’s an amazing non-profit global effort, showing the power of governance by consensus.
- Siyotanka - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:36 am:
A little bit off center…but fairly dead on most of the time… http://urbansurvival.com/week.htm
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:43 am:
http://www.blueheronkayaks.com/kayak/index.html
For those who have ever wanted to build a kayak, this site has a free CAD program to design a kayak. It also provides support for design and building a strip built kayak.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:44 am:
Geek porn - Wikipedia
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:49 am:
http://www.Fark.com
a little bit of everything with a reader forum.
- Poli-Sci Geek - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:58 am:
http://www.damninteresting.com/
Strange stories and odd facts
- Marshall - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 9:59 am:
“The Reluctant Blogger,” a blog by Henry Kisor, the retired book editor of the Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. Henry’s musings include his interest in books, piloting, railroads, photography and the mysteries and non-fiction books he has written. Just amazing! http://henrykisor.com/blog/
- Big Red - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:05 am:
http://www.worth1000.com/
Photoshopping skills I wish I had.
- bored - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:05 am:
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:10 am:
The best food site around:
www.lthforum.com
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:10 am:
www.profootballtalk.com Quality NFL discussions, rumors and lots of snark!
- South Side Mike - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:11 am:
I don’t visit too often, since they post new de-motivators only every few months, but www.despair.com never fails to crack me up.
I have worked and gone to school with people who plaster traditional motivational posters all over the walls, but I identify more with posters that say:
“Consulting: If you’re not a part of the solution,there’s good money to be made in prolonging the problem.”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:13 am:
http://snopes.com/ Shoots down all of that silly “urban legend” e-mail that everyone with email gets on an almost daily basis…
- yinn - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:17 am:
Don’t know why but I love looking at what is called “alternative housing.” Sorry, can’t choose between the three:
Tiny houses: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com
Yurts: http://www.yurts-r-us.com/
Earthships: http://www.earthship.net/
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:24 am:
For all my technology need, yah cant beat http://www.tomshardware.com/
- corvax - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:25 am:
www.detroityes.com as a member of the sadly growing detroit diaspora, it keeps me in touch with what’s happening in one of America’s most interesting cities and has links to great sites on detroit’s Fabulous Ruins and the motor city’s unparalleled musical legacy.
- hollyringo - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:31 am:
www.cryptomundo.com It feeds the other side of my things-that-can’t-be-explained quest for knowledge (besides politics).
- Meredith - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:42 am:
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
Pictures of cats with large text captions. Hilarious!
- Fan of the Game - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:44 am:
http://www.illinoishighschoolsports.com has all the latest in small-school high school sports. Great site. Great group of people.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:47 am:
http://www.monzyummylunch.blogspot.com
Monz Yummy Lunch — some guy (guys) from my grandparent’s hometown (Waukegan) who blogs about his lunch and whatever else is going on in his life. I think I’m missing part of the joke, but the pictures are great!
- Ken in Aurora - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:04 am:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/index.php - I have a passion for fine photographic gear and B&W photography.
- Glass Onion - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:06 am:
www.theonion.com. However, recent events in Springfield have made The Onion look prescient.
- patient advocate - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:07 am:
mobot.org — from the Missouri Botanical Garden. An excellent source of info for selecting plants and other issues of interest to gardeners.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:15 am:
Thanks, PA, that is a great site.
- Glass Onion - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:25 am:
Hmmm. “Mobots.” Are you sure that’s not political?
- Serendipity - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:33 am:
YouTube is the best overall non-political website outside of The Capitol Fax Blog. Can you also ask us to suggest the worst political and non-political websites? Examples, as always, are legion.
- Kiyoshi Martinez - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:39 am:
Might be a generational thing, but I’m going to say Facebook.
While it’s addicting, it’s probably the most efficient way for me to find new links, organize photos, read friends’ blog posts and keep in touch.
- General Assembly Watcher - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:40 am:
ndnation.com. This is collection of links to Notre Dame football comments and articles. Not very joyful these days.
- Little Egypt - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:54 am:
Aside from countless sites for old cars, car parts, and car shows, then throw in a few Christian websites and the Southern Illinoisan, I would have to say my favorite place to go and do nothing but waste time is Jigzone.com for jigsaw puzzles.
- TJ - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 11:55 am:
I like refdesk.com. Links to all the current news and info. Makes a great homepage.
http://www.refdesk.com/
- 312 - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:01 pm:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
So I can keep up with what the ‘kids’ are saying…
- Just a guy - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:41 pm:
Fark.com and
http://www.Makezine.com, the web site for MAKE magazine.
http://www.Worth1000.com has awesome photoshop images from their contests, make for fun desktop wallpaper.
- Pat Collins - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:44 pm:
http://www.avalanchepress.com/
Nice games, and you get a daily history lesson with fun facts.
I especially liked the one they ran when Gerald Ford passed away.
http://www.avalanchepress.com/WarPresident.php
- Ken in Aurora - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:53 pm:
“- Meredith - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 10:42 am: http://icanhascheezburger.com/ Pictures of cats with large text captions. Hilarious!”
OMG - I almost messed myself with a few of those!
- Crimefighter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:53 pm:
Heads up Rich, the JRTC building in downtown Chicago is now shut down due to a protest going on. ADAPT I guess didn’t get to meet with the gov.
- Crimefighter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:55 pm:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-il-disabilityprotest,1,7308354.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout&ctrack=3&cset=true
- unbiased - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 12:58 pm:
whitesoxinteractive.com
Totally Biased white sox talk
- scoot - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 1:17 pm:
ESPN.com
I need my sports more then politics!
- Secret Obsession - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 1:50 pm:
This is my secret obsession, the site is updated every Sunday night
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
- Huh? - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 2:05 pm:
Also for the gearheads and those who like to work on their cars: http://www.uneedapart.com/
This site has used car parts from all over the US. It lets you comparison shop for the parts wou need to work on your car or truck.
- The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 2:37 pm:
Second City Cop Blog
- The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 2:39 pm:
Rogers Park Cheeto Bag Blog.
- Queen B - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 3:27 pm:
www.TelevisionWithoutPity.com
Hilarious!
- ZC - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 3:38 pm:
www.bookslut.com and www.bookslut.com/blog
It’s literature, so it gets political at times. But mainly it’s a website that worships all things fiction and nonfiction, and is full of smart columnists.
- Concerned Voter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 3:52 pm:
Another vote for http://www.fark.com wacky news kicker type stories
Also like http://ispeeved.blogspot.com views on things from our state police
Another http://www.woot.com shopping deals with an attitude
And a new drinking game. Go read http://www.illinois.gov/news and every time you see the guvs name, take a drink.
And of course http://thecapitalfaxblog.com
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 3:54 pm:
Concerned, if you participated in that drinking game, you’d die of alchohol poisoning withing a few minutes.
- Concerned Voter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 4:07 pm:
“Concerned, if you participated in that drinking game, you’d die of alchohol poisoning withing a few minutes.”
No, I’d probably get sick reading about all the “wonderful” that have been done by the guv.
My question, where’s the press release on state govt running smoothly and everyone acting like adults, not little backstabbing children?
- Jay - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 4:08 pm:
www.bostondirtdogs.com
- Also a gardening geek - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 4:15 pm:
When not reading the tidbits of wisdom here, I most often find myself deep within the pages at http://davesgarden.com/ where I can plot and plan my next landscaping adventure, and check out the reputations of nurseries.
- dis-connected - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 4:38 pm:
Food Network.com, pick a topic, pour an adult libation and, if we ever get outa here enjoy a homecooked meal!!!
- Some Guy - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 5:03 pm:
Baseball Think Factory.
Finally a watering hold for statnerds like myself.
- so-called "Austin Mayor" - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 5:16 pm:
Achewood is the reason God invented billionaire talking cats.
– SCAM
- Randall Sherman - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 5:16 pm:
My favorite non-political site is the Virtual Stamp Club (www.virtualstampclub.com). I have been a stamp collector since the age of four, and I am presently the Secretary of the Chicago Philatelic Society (the oldest stamp club in America in terms of continuous operation, dating back to the 1880s). This site provides the latest news that a stamp collector wants, and often scoops members of the Postal Service about what other Postal Service departments are doing (sound familiar?).
- Hazardman - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 5:41 pm:
I have 2: www.copcar.com and www.sicarnews.com
gotta have a hobby!
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 5:58 pm:
A couple of AA’s favorites:
www.aviationplanning.com
The site owner is a well-known aviation consultant with definite opinions about the FAA, TSA, and a number of other issues. His writings are usually on point and often hilarious.
www.autotrader.com
where else can you find the car (or truck, of you’re a truck person) of your dreams with a few keystrokes, even if you’re just a tire kicker?
- James D - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 6:48 pm:
My favorite cultural and news websites on Chicago, culture, the Northwestide and muckracking (some politics) are:
www.frankcoconate.com
amd
www.chicagoclout.com
- Moshe - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 7:13 pm:
Check out, not only for Jews, but some great Jewish websites, or from a Jewish perspective
www.aish.com
www.chabad.org
www.askmoses.com
www.kabbalahonline.org
www.meaningfullife.com
www.inner.org
- Kevin Highland - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 8:13 pm:
Parody articles and just good clean humor
http://www.bbspot.com
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Resident - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 8:45 pm:
I second http://www.lthforum.com (because of its Chicagoland and beyond foodie tips) and http://www.achewood.com (because it makes me laugh, esp. the Great Outdoor Fight thread). Also, you don’t need to be an Irish Catholic to get some solace from the Irish Jesuit website http://www.sacredspace.ie –when you just need to chill out and pray.
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 07 @ 8:46 pm:
The two best sports sites:
http://www.celticfc.net
www.autosport.com
Nobody covers F1 like Autosport, and nobody covers the SPL at all other than the Celtic site. You can’t even get up to date results on places like ESPN or SI.