Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

Well, more like minimal makeover. But I just thought I'd call your attention to some blogstretch improvements, here and hear.

Please note the addition of links on the sidebar. These are sites that I like and visit all the time, ya know, the ones not run by friends of mine. I saved myself the trouble of witty quipping on the sidebar, so here's a guide for ya:

• Hip Clicks: A writer at USA Today's blog. She's got a great sensibility and is generally fun to read. She links to various things of note going on 'round the Web.
• Fark: AKA, The Productivity Zapper. This eternally updated site compiles links to the absurd, obscure, or just plain interesting. With the added bonus of witty headlines!
• Slate: An MSN news magazine with great feature takes on current events. Well written and always compelling and thought provoking.
• The Onion: Fake news, some could say a TDS predecessor, but I just say it's funny. And if you don't already read it, you're way out of touch.
• The Onion AV Club: They pull great interviews with a really eclectic mix of musicians, filmmakers, artists, etc. Their reviews are always pretty good too, and their features are on point.
• Spin: Website of the other music magazine. I particularly like their band of the day feature. Good for perusing and, ya know, keeping cool.
• Pitchfork: An alternative music online magazine with reviews, news, and more. They tend to be a bit effusive when they love things, and a bit damning when they don't, and I don't always agree, but it's a pretty solid place to start.
• Alternet: One of a few liberal news/opinion sites on here. Tends to have really well written essay style stories.
• Talking Points Memo: A favorite democratic blog. This guy is on top of absolutely EVERYTHING. No breaking news, scandal, detail or explanation is left uncovered.
• Tetris: Yes, that's right. Tetris.
• Screenhead: In its own words: "Screenhead is an online review of funny shit. Gross Photoshop humor, idiotic Flash animations, laughable Japanese commercials—updated twelve times a day."
• Bob and David - It's Official!: Bob Odenkirk and David Cross run this hilarious site. That should tell you enough.
• dcist: The Life section of the Post not really giving you the tips you had in mind for weekend plans? dcist is a great site with event notices, reviews, news and more, all aimed at the twenty-something sect that's not lashed to capitol hill.
• Oliver Willis: Another great liberal blog. Tells it like it is. When "gimme a break" is the most logical response, that's where he takes you. Then backs it up with support. In his own words, this site is like "kryptonite to stupid."
• Overheard In New York: The site that spawned eVesdropper. A hilarious and widely used site posted to by a gaggle of new yorkers with the absurdities uttered in their midsts.
• Rocket Kids: The blog of a poet recommended to me by a coworker (who is friends with said poet). She's got some pretty good stuff on there, makes my inner English major happy.
• You Yes You: This is a great site; an artist posts sketches. The style very unique, but the site still maintains that blog element of running commentary.
• 10x10: Pretty cool site. Every hour, they update with the 100 most relevant images (judged by some sort of advanced googling practice I believe). Quite literally, a snapshot of the moment.
• Washington Post Blog: Just read this for the first time the other day, but seemed to be promising. Just some dude, blogging via the post.
• Redskins: Hail to 'em!
• Page 2: Sub-page to ESPN.com with great columnists, hilarious contests and great concepts. Just plain funny.
• Gardenstate: Zach Braff's blog. It's as funny and charming as he is.

Soon to come (when I can convince my good friend Drew to give me another HTML 101 lesson), there will also be some frequently updated sidebar action regarding my current media intake and mental output. Hope you enjoy!

I've gotten some complaints that for some of you, the blog content doesn't show until after the sidebar content (i.e., tons of scrolling down). This is a problem with Internet Explorer that I'm not sophisticated enough to know how to remedy from my end, so I urge you to download and use Mozilla's Firefox, a much safer, friendlier, better browser.