note: in an attempt to be more informational and more in-tune with the real world, i’ve decided to start a category called “link out” to collect posts that include links to other sites as well as tech-related ideas and musings. hopefully this will allow me to update more frequently, draw more visitors, and increase the chances for me to make some dough on Google’s Adsense. yes, a man needs to eat, and hopefully Google will be good for at least a few meals. it already paid a month’s rent with a nice return on my investment of three shares one summer ago.

each day, i do a routine check of select websites and blogs to keep myself informed. aside from the staple NY Times and ESPN (and The New Yorker every other day), here are some of my favorite sites:

Kottke.org – some guy named Jason Kottke posts interesting and cool links throughout the day, daily. the internet is a vast place and it’s nice to have someone serve as a guide.

The Gothamist – started up by two Columbia College alums, The Gothamist is THE premier site for New York lovers. you can read about the latest MTA screw-ups, gem restaurant finds, indie music concerts, and humorous spins on everything New York.

Craigslist – sell stuff, buy stuff, meet people (well, at least try), and just see what kind of funky/weird people are out there by reading the posts. this place totally blows away eBay. too bad SAFs are always on the prowl for SWMs.

Signal vs. Noise – this site by 37Signals, a very talented design/usability firm, provides great insight into the latest technologies and best practices in running small businesses. it’s often been a source of inspiration for me whenever i’m feeling like a lazy bum on my way to corporate enslavement.

Eater – i came upon this last week and it’s quickly become one of my favorite sites. you can find reviews of new restaurants and also find news and tips about various cool spots. they also announce closings, so you can get a sense of how the New York restaurant world is doing and pick some new destinations.

Uncrate.com – this is a relatively new site for “guys who love stuff.” stuff includes clothes, cars, gadgets, furniture, and anything else a nice disposable income can buy. i enjoy the site not because it gives me any ideas of what to buy (most things are ridiculously expensive) but to see what the trends are in the world of material acquisitions. today they had a posting for a Napoleon Dynamite pen that sounds up to seven awesome lines from the movie. gosh.

i’m still looking to find some decent literary blogs and maybe a blog on cultural criticism. i’ve tried political blogs, but find them flat and repetitive at times. i think in general, blogs have done a great deal to change the landscape of the Internet, giving more people access to publish his or her thoughts for the public domain. at the same time, blogs contribute to the decrease in our attention spans as we speed-browse through dozens of sites each day, looking to pick up tidbits of information to amuse us. then again, who wants to stare at a blog reading a five-page single-spaced entry?