My new book: "50 Sad Chairs"

I probably should mention that my new book is out. It's published by the weird and wonderful folks at BlueQ. It's a nice little photo book of the sad chairs of St. Louis. No, really. Discarded chairs in alleys. Abandoned chairs on street corners. Abused chairs on loading docks. You get the picture. You're gonna like it.

Check out www.50sadchairs.com to see some page samples and (if you want) by it at Amazon or Blueq.com.

C'mon!

Well, that's that

Hey all -- I left the PD to go back to XPLANE so I'm no longer doing the blog of the week. This here Bits page will be rethought, as I have threatened once before.

Happily, it looks like the Post will continue to do the blog of the week feature though, every Tuesday in the Here and Now section. Later!

Comically Large Things

All I can say is if you don't think the Comically Large Things wbelog is a huge laugh, then you're a big loser. Whether it's giant boots, oversized checks or really, really big slices of cherry pie, site proprietor James loves his stuff extra large. Get your big on at comicallylarge.wordpress.com.

Yard Sale Bloodbath

Yard Sale Bloodbath contains reviews and recaps of yard sales, swap meets and such, and includes photos of some of the weird stuff you sometimes find for sale. An example observation: "Oh my God, I can't believe that person was trying to sell their used granny panties." Witness the carnage at www.yardsalebloodbath.com.

Strange Maps

Attention map geeks: Strange Maps is a blog full of delicious cartographic oddness. Want to know what a map of the world would look like if land and water were switched? Want to see the what the state of Sequoia would have looked like had it been split from Oklahoma? Want to see the fictitious "Map of the Truelove River," and old postcard featuring terrain that includes "Indifference Hill" and the "Valley of Disdain?" Then go to strangemaps.wordpress.com.

What Did You Buy Today?

Kate Bingaman-Burt has been running her Obsessive Consumption site for years now, fueled by the slogan, "consume/document/make." She's best known for making highly-detailed drawings of her credit card statements, which she plans to do until they are paid in full. She also draws the various things she buys every day at her new blog, What Did You Buy Today? Find out what Kate bought today at obsessiveconsumption.typepad.com.

Indexed

Jessica Hagy's blog, "Indexed," isn't just clever -- it's brilliant. Every day she draws a deceptively simple diagram on an index card, scans it and posts it to the web. Hagy does this to "make fun of some things and sense of others." The result is sometimes hilarious, occasionally sad, and always insightful. And take note: A book is in the works, due early next year. Get indexed at indexed.blogspot.com.

Was on vacation

No posts from me for 7/17. I was on vacation and someone else wrote the blog column.

Neatorama

The world of Harry Potter is strange and the Simpsons' universe is pretty weird, but the truly odd things in our world are almost always real. Neatorama is a blog dedicated to finding those unlikely (or underappreciated) things and writing up quick, photo-driven blog posts. Topics have included the World's Worst Molasses-related Disaster, the 30 Strangest Animal Mating Habits, Missing Body Parts of 10 Famous People and the 30 Strangest Deaths in History. It's not just neat, it's Neatorama: www.neatorama.com.

How to Photograph Fireworks

Fireworks -- they look and sound great in real life but your 4th of July photos always turn out dark and blurry. Well, we can't make your pictures louder but professional blogger and amateur camera geek Darren Rowse can help make them better. He writes the Digital Camera School blog and he recently published a post called "How to Photograph Fireworks," featuring 10 useful tips plus some reader suggestions. Light the fuse, back away, and click on over to http://digital-photography-school.com/blog.

One Sentence

The group blog One Sentence is filled with fragments of real lives. Many of the one sentence stories are just chilling enough to cause you to worry about complete strangers, though some are humorous or insightful and some are just inane. In the founder's words, "One Sentence is an experiment in brevity. Most of the best stories that we tell from our lives have one really, really good part that make the rest of the boring story worth it. This is about that one line." Browse the good parts at www.onesentence.org.

The Beer Mapping Project

Mix hops, maps and geeks and what do you get? You get The Beer Mapping Project, a web site for folks who like to know exactly where they are and how far they need to go for a good beer. The goal is admirable and ambitious: Use Google Maps and an army of volunteers to locate and review places that brew and/or serve delicious craft beers. Find your way to www.beermapping.com to get your map on.

Dad Gone Mad

Who's hilarious, insightful and (almost always) a good dad? Dad Gone Mad, that's who. Written anonymously, the Dad Gone Mad blog makes up for that with well-told stories featuring a rich cast of nicknamed characters (Hot Wife, Wondersis, The Champ and The Artist Formerly Known As Barney's Biggest Fan). The language is sometimes Rated R -- but that's just how dads talk when they're having a conversation with the entire internet. Visit the madhouse at www.dadgonemad.com.

(bits) lives!

The blog of the week will return to the Post-Dispatch on June 12 as part of the new Here and Now section. Yay!

Rethinking...

The Everyday section in the Post-Dispatch is no more so I'm no longer writing up these shorts on cool web sites and local blogs for the paper. But I'll probably be continuing to post here.

How to make the best paper airplane in the world

Do you want to know how to build "the best paper airplane in the world?" This site makes that bold claim -- and it takes 35 steps, so it better be good. The author includes both text/photo instructions and a video how-to, as well as the story behind the airplane. Fly on over to: http://zurqui.co.cr/.

16 Must Read Articles For Bloggers

Usually the best way to figure out how to do something right is to do it wrong so many times, in so many ways, that you learn what works. But some of us would rather not learn the hard way -- so let's learn the easy way! If you want to become a better blogger, read these "16 Must Read Articles For Bloggers" by those who've had some success in the blogging nation: thewrongadvices.com.

Twitter

Maybe you don't really have the desire to start a full-fledged weblog or maybe you're afraid of technology, but you still want to broadcast yourself to friends and strangers online. Well, Twitter is here for you. The site makes it easy to post short updates about your life via the web, text messages or chat software. And you thought starting a blog was the only way to tell the whole world what you ate for lunch. Twitter your life away at www.twitter.com.

No new sites this week

No new site this week. Sorry!

WebsterBloggers.com

Featuring posts on topics ranging from homelessness to music venues to fruit smoothies, WebsterBloggers.com is a new weblog for students at Webster University. It's produced by school's online journalism class. Point your web browser to Webster: www.websterbloggers.com.

No new site this week

No new site this week. Most of the Everyday section featured winners of the Peeps contest!

Foos On First

Is this an April Fool's joke? No, it's real. A rag-tag squad of avid kickballers has publicly challenged Dave Grohl and his rock band Foo Fighters to a game of kickball to take place July 1 in San Francisco's Delores Park. It gets better: If you help spread the word you could land a spot on the team. Follow these fools as they follow their dream at www.foosonfirst.com.

On My Desk

What is On My Desk? It's just what you think: A place where artists, illustrators, designers and creative people from around the world share, via photos and descriptions, the stuff on their desks. Join the clutter at www.onmydesk.com.

ghostco.org: with hands and hair and eyes and bones and knees

Matthew Woodson is a wildly talented young illustrator working in St. Louis. His weblog, "With hands and hair and eyes and bones and knees" is where he explains his artistic process, showcases his beautiful in-progress and finished works, complains and curses. Be in good company at www.ghostco.org.

what's in rebecca's pocket?

Rebecca Blood has been involved in weblogs since the beginning. She's been running her site, Rebecca's Pocket, since 1999 and she wrote a popular book titled "The Weblog Handbook," which was released in 2002. She also interviews bloggers for a recurring web feature called "Bloggers on Blogging." Get some blog in your blood at www.rebeccablood.net.

Things Other People Accomplished When They Were Your Age

Are you not quite in the place you thought you'd be at this point in your life? Feeling like you haven't done as much as you though you would? Then don't visit the Museum of Conceptual Art's "Things Other People Accomplished When They Were Your Age" web page. Just enter your age to get a list of things other people had accomplished by the time they were the same age as you. If you dare, go to www.museumofconceptualart.com/accomplished.

NoRelevance

NoRelevance is a web site for lovers of visual junk. It was created to house some of the "mountains of graphical ephemera" that the owner, a design-obsessed guy named Art, has collected. For example, he's assembled online galleries of hand-painted signs, beer labels and 45 rpm record label designs and more. Enjoy the graphic revelations at www.norelevance.com.

Five Dollar Camera

Things you will learn from reading Five Dollar Camera: The author won't eat cheese except as a pizza topping. She never did that "tuck and roll thing" with jeans in the 1980s. She read 87 books in 2006. And, of course, she likes old cameras but won't pay thrift stores more than $5 for one. Learn more at www.fivedollarcamera.com/blog.

A Million Penguins

Attention bad writers: A few weeks ago we pointed you to "The Cringe Book," citing it as your only chance to be published. Well, it seems you have another chance. Penguin is attempting to harness the wisdom of crowds in order to publish a novel written by a group of people on the web. A Million Penguins is a collaborative, wiki-based creative writing exercise (we'll see how that goes). Type away at www.amillionpenguins.com.

Midomi

Use Midomi.com to search for music and friends by singing or humming part of a song at your computer. This is great for two reasons: 1) You can find songs even if you don't know the artist or title; 2) You can annoy your coworkers and family. Well, it's great for three reasons: You can also listen to other people sing snippets of songs -- so it's kind of like a social web service for American Idol wannabes. All you need is a microphone. And a computer. And an internet connection. And a Midomi account. And vocal chords. Sing along at www.midomi.com.

LO-FI SAINT LOUIS

Bill Streeter is St. Louis' videoblogger extraordinaire. He covers "lo-fi music and culture from River City USA," and he does it on his own terms, covering things in that might not get attention in mainstream media. Get the low-down at www.lofistl.com.

The Cringe Book

Are you a horrible writer with dreams of being published in a great book? The Cringe Book may be your only chance. Sarah Brown of Brooklyn, New York is looking for brave souls willing to share old diaries entries, journals, letters, notes, songs or poems. Basically, anything written during the your supposedly miserable adolescence has a chance. According to Brown, the more "dramatic, embarrassing or excruciating the writing, the better." The project started as a monthly reading series and the book will be published by The Crown Publishing Group in spring 2008. Let it all hang out at www.cringebook.com.

Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society

Hands down, one of the most interesting, mind-boggling sites in the internet, Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society is a group that catalogs and appreciates strange art and science. You'll learn about blind photographers, shrunken heads, messages in bottles, telegraphic snails and more. Nothing is too weird, not even the Australian man who typed to one million (in words and with one finger). Open up and say "wow" at www.kirchersociety.org.

Free Candy

Free Candy is a non-broadcast, live, unscripted St. Louis-based talk show focusing on local issues, hipsters and happenings. You won't find it on TV or the radio -- if you want to be a part of it, you have to show up at the Hartford Coffee Company, usually on the last Sunday of the month. The hosts say the event owes as much to improv and theater as it does to the talk show genre (and it's 90% funny and 100% free). More info: www.freecandy.net.

No new sites this week

Vacation. No local blog or any other site this week. Sorry.

Things Magazine

With the holidays upon us, many of us are thinking about "things" -- things we're giving, things we're getting, things for which we're thankful. Well, Things Magazine also has "things" on the mind, year-round. The publication and its weblog explores the idea that objects and their meaning can open up new ways of understanding the world (the site is more interesting than it sounds). Explore things galore at www.thingsmagazine.net.

Temporary hiatus

I was out sick for a while so there were no new sites for 12/10 or 12/17.

Fimoculous.com: 2006 Lists

The close of the calendar year brings us hundreds of "Year's Best" lists. How can we possibly keep up? Head on over to fimoculous.com and enjoy the fruits of Rex Sorgatz's labor -- last year he linked more than 700 lists. Go to Fimoculous.com: 2006 Lists

Instructables

Instructables is a collaborative website where people can show off things they make and share instructive how-tos for those projects. Things already posted include shelves, lamps, purses iPod chargers and other things of varying usefulness. The best part? All of the tutorials are free. The other best part? The site is really cool. Get instructed at www.instructables.com.

Neato Coolville

Where is Neato Coolville? "Neato Coolville is a small place located at the junction of Imagination Street and Nostalgia Road." Or so says proprietor Todd Franklin of Lake of the Ozarks, who enjoys collecting "old stuff" that reminds him of his childhood. That stuff includes some pretty neato ads, marketing materials, pamphlets, toys and more from the mid- to late-20th century. It's all posted to the web for us to see at neatocoolville.blogspot.com.

RetailMeNot.com

Love discounts? Of course you do, so check out RetailMeNot.com. Lots of online stores have a field to enter a coupon or promotion code during the checkout process. RetailMeNot allows you to view (and share) those codes for a variety of online stores. Start saving at www.retailmenot.com.

No new sites this week

Most of the standing features in Everyday section were given over to the shopping guide. No local blog this week.

Give Me Back My Google

We love using Google's search engine to find products but we don't care for all the comparison shopping sites that clog the results without giving any extra useful information. G.M.B.M.G. removes those sites from Google's search results. Check it out: www.givemebackmygoogle.com.

swissmiss

Tina Roth Eisenberg is a Swiss designer living in New York City who spends her time raising a baby daughter and blogging about all sorts of wonderfully designed products. These products -- everyday objects like chairs, rugs, key holders and chopsticks -- are so clever and beautifully constructed that they make your head spin. Get dizzy at swissmiss.typepad.com.

Zinfully Delicious

Zinfully Delicious is a pictures and recipes blog by local foodies Bruno and Duane. Wine, breads, desserts and St. Louis restaurants are recurring themes, and although it was started just this year Zinfully Delicious seems to be on a roll. A soft, warm, doughy roll: www.zinfullydelicious.com.

Tasty Research

Tasty Research is an interesting weblog by a University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Masters student who blogs about psychology and sociology research to procrastinate from doing computer science research. Recently summarized topics include Cutting in Line; Why Men Commit Crimes (and Why They Desist); and Does the Internet improve social relationships and psychological well-being? Have a taste at tastyresearch.wordpress.com.

JPG Magazine

JPG Magazine was created for photographers who have typically shared their work online but would like to see their photos in print. Created in 2004 by the husband and wife team of Derek Powazek and Heather Powazek Champ, the magazine's goal is "to honor the fantastic work coming from nonprofessional photographers all over the world." Join the community to www.jpgmag.com.

Dividing By Zero WIll Get You Nowhere

The Web's got MP3 blogs out the kazoo these days so you have lots of places to go to discover new music. But the Dividing By Zero WIll Get You Nowhere weblog is locally based, so it gets bonus points. "Dividing" is a radio show on KWUR 90.3 FM and this blog is an extension of the show, providing mp3s, playlists, short concert previews and reviews, and much more. Do the math and head over to nowherenothin.blogspot.com.

Hotel Bed Jumping HQ

Don't deny it -- you've done it. Now show everyone you're not ashamed. Bed jumpers of the world have united at the recently established Hotel Bed Jumping HQ. The site is basically a bunch of photos of people jumping on hotel beds. And that's all. Jump on over to www.bedjump.com.

15thWardSTL

Steve Wilke-Shapiro moved into south city in 2003. Always a big fan of the South Grand area, he recently started blogging about goings-on in the 15th Ward. In his words: "This web site is dedicated to the idea that through critical observation and open discussion, residents can help our elected and appointed officials make more informed decisions." Join the conversation at www.15thwardstl.org.

Pop Culture Junk Mail

Pop Culture Junk Mail catalogs and comments on weird food, strange products, and 1970s and 1980s nostalgia, and has done so since August, 1999. That makes it one of the great-grandmommies of weblog weirdness. Pop on over to pcjm.blogspot.com to get your daily dose.

Zunafish

Zunafish lets you list your old CDs, books, DVDs and the like and trade them for new titles you'd rather have. Sick of listening to your old Byrds CD? Trade it for a Doves disc. Bored with your Mr. Mom DVD? Swap it for Mr. Show. It all happens at www.zunafish.com.

The Mayor of Affton

Despite the fact that the position is non-existent, J. Patrick O'Brien considers himself the (un)Official Mayor of Affton, Mo. He blogs on any and all topics Afftonian -- from the serious to the silly -- at afftonmayor.blogspot.com.

the show with zefrank

What? You haven't seen Ze Frank's always funny, often weird, occasionally crude web broadcasts yet? Although he's been around for a few years he's gained a huge following just in the last few months. Hurry up and check him out so you can say you knew about him way back when. Click the giant baby at www.zefrank.com/theshow.

The Popularity Dialer

Want to get out of a boring meeting? Need an excuse to ditch an uncomfortable conversation? Maybe you just want to look important. Use "The Popularity Dialer" and have your phone ring right when you choose. At the time you choose, the service will dial your phone and you will hear a prerecorded message when you answer. The recording is one half of a conversation, allowing you to easily fool those around you. Fake 'em out at www.popularitydialer.com.

Skip To The 'Lou

LOCAL BLOG: Allison is a South-sider in love with St. Louis and its potential. Her blog, Skip To The 'Lou, is meant to be part of the renaissance and features musings on St. Louis' neighborhoods, art, culture, politics and more. Get a taste of city living at stlrenaissance.blogspot.com.

popurls.com | popular urls to the latest web buzz

Stay excruciatingly up-to-date on the latest news and web buzz at popurls. Popurls aggregates popular and recent links from nearly 20 group blogs and social media sites ensuring that you know everything there is to know about what's happening now -- whether or not you need to know. Pop on over to www.popurls.com.

No new sites this week

Most of the standing features in Everyday section were given over to the 115 hot things feature. No local blog this week.

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Tuesday marks the 27th anniversary of Skylab's demise. Five years after the last mission, solar activity had decayed the space station's orbit and it reentered the atmosphere. NASA's nerves were frazzled as thousands of guys in ties hoped it would burn up over an unpopulated area. It did, and the re-entry display was spectacular -- for a few people in the Indian Ocean and Western Australia -- but you can see amazing space sights every day at NASA's long-running Astronomy Picture of the Day. Space out at: antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov.

Kiddley

Summer vacation is here and the kids are home all day -- and driving you crazy. You need Kiddley, a weblog filled with bright ideas and fun craft projects for parents to enjoy with their kids. Says editor Claire Robertson, "Kiddley is about taking a little time out every day to remember how exciting childhood (and parenthood) can be with just a tiny bit of imagination." Kid around at www.kiddley.com.

I'm Not A Slacker

Let's peek in on Kevin, a full-time stay-at-home dad (and part-time geek) who chronicles his adventures with son Gavin, now two. His weblog is called "I'm Not A Slacker" and his first post, from June 2004, was: "Well today is the first day of my new job. So you may ask, “What am I doing sitting at home?.” My new job is caring for my wonderful new son Gavin. My wife makes the money and we couldn’t justify outsourcing parenting so we could have a few hundred extra dollars at the end of the month." In addition to having fun in the sun with his son, Kevin also links up news stories of bad parents in a disturbing occasional feature called Dumb*** Parent of the Day. Click kev.homelinux.net.

No new sites this week

Most of the standing features in Everyday section were given over to a User's Guide to Forest Park, celebrating the park's 130th anniversary. No local blog this week.

One Thousand Paintings

Not quite paint by numbers, One Thousand Paintings is a project by Sala, a young artist living in Zurich, Switzerland, featuring paintings of numbers. Each of the 1,000 paintings is unique, showing a number between 1 and 1,000. Sala has set up an interesting pricing scheme too, banefiting those who buy early. Punch in www.onethousandpaintings.com and buy your favorite number for your home.

Waveflux

Waveflux is where St. Louis transplant (and Bettie Page fan) Philip Barron weighs in on local news, politics, entertainment and whatnot. He's also a writer of fiction, and notes that he has "had three short stories published, all of them in magazines that ceased publication afterwards." Get your fill at www.waveflux.net.

Photojojo

Summer's coming and you're going to be taking lots of photos. How about doing something different with them this year? Photojojo will show you how. It's an email newsletter that, in the words of the editors, scours the internet, rips pages out of magazines and ransacks closets to find the very best photo tips, DIY projects, and gear: "Turn a photo into a mural at home in five minutes, print your friends' faces onto cupcakes or [make] a bottlecap that turns any soda bottle into a tripod." They'll show you how at www.photojojo.com.

MAKE Magazine

"The first magazine devoted entirely to DIY technology projects, MAKE Magazine unites, inspires and informs a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements and garages." Learn how to make robots, Tesla coils and Lego pinball machines or how to recycle candy tins and refrigerators into pinholes cameras and workbenches. It's like Martha Stewart for supergeeks. Make your way over to www.makezine.com and check it out.

Life Among The Savages

Sunday is Mother's Day, that one day of the year when little savages buy their moms a present or dinner or flowers or something. But what about the other 364 days? Read all about them at Life Among The Savages ("A Mommy Blog"), run by a local mom named Tempe. She will regale you with everyday tales of teething, bottle wars, poop, rashes, nap disasters and bedtime drama. Live life among the savages at www.lifeamongthesavages.com.

Underground Ozarks

A few months ago we went underground with the St. Louis-based urban exploration blog Irrational Ecstasy. This week let's head west and get unlawful with the Underground Ozarks blog. Here's what blog author White Rabbit says about the site: "If it's in the Ozarks area, or just close enough to drive to, and you're not supposed to go there... We'll get it on the site eventually." Seek and ye shall find adventure (and misadventure) at www.undergroundozarks.com

Morale-O-Meter

What is Morale-O-Meter? It's a way to track, publish and compare your "daily morale, health, sleep, alcoholic consumption, and caffeine intake" with friends and strangers on the internet. Why would you want to do that? Don't ask me. Go public at morale.erikbenson.com/account.

The Roundrock Journal

The Roundrock Journal is an excellent little blog dedicated to 80 acres of upland forest on the edge of the Missouri Ozarks. Written anonymously, the journal documents and celebrates the plants, rocks and wildlife of the area, and the highs and lows of maintaining and enhancing the property. Why name the property Roundrock? "Nearly anywhere in our woods you can scratch away the leaf litter and turn up a perfectly round rock... Most are about the size of a grapefruit, though some are as small as golf balls, and we’ve found several as large as bowling balls." Round up the crew and head to www.roundrockjournal.com.

Sustainablog

Next Saturday is Earth Day, so give the Earth a hug. When you're done, wipe the dirt off your shirt and point your web browser to Sustainablog. Run by St. Louisan Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, Sustainablog links up "news, information and personal meanderings related to environmental and economic sustainability, green and sustainable business, and environmental politics." Go green at sustainablog.blogspot.com.

The Loft Style Blog

St. Louis is going loft-crazy and the The Loft Style Blog is here to help. Sporadically active, Loft Style features tips on how best to take advantage of loft space along with recent news items about loft living -- including lots of links to sleek Modernist furniture for sale at local online botique STLLoftStyle. Just loft on over to loftstyle.blogspot.com.

Make Me Watch TV

If you are bossy and love (or hate) tv, flip on over to Aric McKeown's site, Make Me Watch TV. There, you can vote on what primetime shows Aric will watch each night. If that's not thrilling enough, he has set up a webcam so you can watch him watching tv. Now go vote for him to watch "Joey" so all of us can watch him squirm: www.makemewatchtv.com.

Officially Over: News of the no-longer hip

This week we peek in on 'Officially Over: News of the no-longer hip,' where you can learn about the hot new thing just as it's becoming the lame old thing. In blogger Nate's own words: "I am a man in my twenties going to school in Saint Louis, Missouri. I've tried keeping up on trends in fashion, the arts, and on the Internet, but I always seem to get wind of something just as the backlash forms... once the next big thing leaves the coasts, it must be on its way out. And I'm in prime demographic and geographic position to hear about things on the way out." Stay out-of-date at officiallyover.bloghorn.com.

Cockeyed.com

The Weird Wide Web is an odd and entertaining place and that's why we love it. We especially love Cockeyed.com, where web celeb Rob Cockerham shares his funny product tests (how much really is inside a can of shaving cream?), his goofy pranks (changing the drive-thru signs at his local McDonalds) and his useful science experiments (yes, toast almost always lands buttered side down). Learn about everything you never needed to know at www.cockeyed.com.

Route 66 News

Why are so many of us fascinated with historic Route 66? I don't know, but you can feed your fascination with the Mother Road by keeping up on all the latest news and events at the surprisingly active Route 66 News blog: rwarn17588.wordpress.com.

Web Hosting Handbook

We're always talking about other peoples' web sites and blogs here, but why don't you go make your own? Use the Web Hosting Handbook to determine which web hosts deliver on their promises of service, uptime and customer satisfaction. Do your research at www.webhostinghandbook.com.

Irrational Ecstasy

Irrational Ecstasy is a fascinating urban exploration blog. Started in January by a 24-year-old named Casey who lives in St. Charles, the weblog features photos and descriptions of adventures into vacant buildings in the St. Louis area (and, of course, music reviews). Dangerous and probably illegal, Casey and his friends dare to explore our forgotten, forbidden places. Recent outings include the old Lemp Falstaff Brewery, the Carondolet Coke Plant and some of the city's underground tunnels. Explore more at irrationalecstasy.blogspot.com.

President for a Day

Tomorrow is President's Day, so let's honor someone special -- the man who was President of the United States for only one day. Of course we're talking about David Rice Atchison. Turns out that in 1849 James K. Polk's term ended on Sunday, March 4 at noon and Zachary Taylor's inauguration wasn't until Monday. So, as president pro tempore of the Senate Atchison was thrust into the presidency for about 24 hours (rumor is that he slept through it, and in fact he was never sworn in). The best part? There's a commemorative monument in Plattsburg, Missouri that you can visit. Learn more about Atchison and other American oddities at RoadsideAmerica.com.

secretadmirer.com and lovecalculator.com

Valentine's Day is Tuesday and you're crushing on a certain someone, without a clue as to how to get things started. So go to www.secretadmirer.com ("The Electronic Cupid") and take a chance on love! Wait, you're not a risk-taker? Then find out the probability of having a successful relationship with that said someone by going to www.lovecalculator.com first.

WALT NOW!

Walt Jaschek is a Clio- and Addy-winning copywriter and creative director (and Jennings High School graduate, 1973) who likes to make funny-funny ha-ha's on the web. Currently, he has a poll where you can vote on who he looks most like: 1. Syndicated talk-show host Michael Medved; 2. "Cat's Cradle" author Kurt Vonnegut; 3. Dr. Clayton Forrester, Mystery Science Theatre 3000; 4. His Mom. Have a look -- it's harder than you might think. Goof off a little and take the poll at www.waltnow.com.

Ecology of Absence

Ecology of Absence is a local site that "chronicles changes in the built environment of St. Louis with occasional coverage of Chicago, Gary, Peoria, Detroit and the greater midwest." Michael Allen and Claire Nowak-Boyd try to "reveal the odd interaction of social and ecological forces that lead people to build, abandon and reclaim buildings and structures." Check it out at ecoabsence.blogspot.com.

diggdot.us

Are you a link junkie, a news geek? A web addict, a blog beast? If so, diggdot.us is the site for you. Aggregating posts from popular web sites Digg, Slashdot and Delicious, diggdot.us provides links galore for the nerd in need. All signal, no noise. Click away at diggdot.us.

MoOM: The Museum of Online Museums

Coudal Partners, a design firm based in Chicago, curates the Museum of Online Museums where you can find links to "online collections and exhibits covering a vast array of interests and obsessions: Start with a review of classic art and architecture, and graduate to the study of mundane (and sometimes bizarre) objects elevated to art by their numbers, juxtaposition, or passion of the collector." Amuse yourself at www.coudal.com/moom.php.

Stuck on you?

Elvis has been spotted in the conference room. And he can be seen in yours, too, once you read this detailed how-to by quirky graphic designers Charles Mangin and Todd Coats. If you've always wanted to make a gigantic Elvis Presley mosaic out of multi-colored Post-It notes, well... you're a little weird. But at least Mangin and Coats can show you how to do it. Just go to www.capstrat.com.

History's Time Portal to Old St. Louis

Another year has gone by, and time keeps on ticking -- so get clicking through the online archives of the "History's Time Portal to Old St. Louis" and look back into years past. Scott K. Williams of Florissant maintains this link-packed site, keeping it updated with old photographs, vintage postcards and historical stories and biographies. Set your Wayback Machine to www.stlouistimeportal.com.

The Fat Man Walking

It's Christmas day and Steve Vaught is in San Diego, home with his family, but he'll be back in the St. Louis area this week continuing his walk across America. Steve, who started the journey at nearly 400 pounds, has walked 1,757 miles on his way from California to New York, trying to lose weight and find happiness. Once a fit Marine, 15 years ago Steve was involved in a car/pedestrian accident that killed an elderly couple. Since then, his weight and depression have been difficult to control. His web site features a travel journal (he fell hard on the second day, in addition to having a Big Gulp cup thrown at him). Walk a mile in his shoes at www.thefatmanwalking.com.

(UPDATE 17 Feb 2006: Local man Gary Long has started his own weight-loss trek. Read more at stltoday.com or visit Long's site at www.afatmanwalking.com.

Ink Slinger: Blatherings of a recovering television writer

A recent post from Paul Guyot: "To anyone who may have had trouble connecting with me within the past 38 years -- the problem is now resolved." Heh. Mr. Guyot writes for television and relocated to St. Louis last year. Maybe you've seen some of the shows he's worked on: Judging Amy, Felicity, Level 9 and Snoops. And you might want to read his weblog, "Ink Slinger: Blatherings of a recovering television writer," to see what he's been up to lately. Just tune in to paulguyot.blogs.com.

Etsy - Your place to buy and sell all things handmade

The holidays are nearing and you have yet to find the perfect gift for your special someone? Try Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade goods. Making things by hand requires care and thought, therefore, buying handmade things is thoughtful and caring -- right? Right. Regardless, you'll also dig the fun and interesting ways to browse Etsy's products. Get clicking: www.etsy.com.

One Movie A Day

On October 1st, Colorado blogger and film school graduate David Wester watched a movie. He also watched one on October 2nd. And the 3rd. And the 4th. In fact, he's watched a movie every single day since the beginning of October and plans to watch one every day through the end of December. He must not have kids. You can read his short reviews on his weblog, One Movie A Day, located at movie-a-day.blogspot.com.

Fluid Pudding

Excerpted from Fluid Pudding: "Many years ago, I was friends with a bunch of musical theater folks... You're eating at Denny's. Just a simple Moons Over My Hammy, and we'll all call it a night, right? No. As soon as Tenor receives his chili, he starts singing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina." And then Alto joins in. Pretty soon, everyone at your Table for Eight is singing at the top of their lungs in four part harmony -- except for you." Read more stories and learn 100 things about Fluid Pudding at www.fluidpudding.com.

Pretty War STL

Thomas Lampe, proprietor of the Pretty War STL blog, is a regular guy taking pictures and making posts about the city in which he lives. He documents everything from new neighborhood restaurants and coffee shops to graffiti outbreaks to his memories of Busch Stadium. See it all at stl.prettywar.com.

I want to - A page of utilities that help you do stuff you want to

Do you find yourself saying "I want to..." or "I need to..." or "How do I..." a lot while at your computer? Then check out Phil Bradley's "I Want To" to learn how to share your digital photos and movies, do podcasting, publish a web page, manage your time online and more. Behold the power of the Web at www.philb.com/iwantto.htm.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)

Have you always wanted to write a novel? Well, November is the month to do it. That's right, we're six days into National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) leaving you 24 days to write 50,000 words. Read all about it at www.nanowrimo.org.

Ghouls with Attitude

"Ghouls with Attitude" is a spine-tingling 2-CD Halloween-themed music compilation by audio maven Otis Fodder, available courtesy of Oddio Overplay. Oddio Overplay offers free and legal music sharing, so download all 51 spooky MP3s (and CD cover art) with a clear conscience at www.oddiooverplay.com/ears/hallowseve.

No new sites this week

Most of the standing features in Everyday section were given over to commemorating the 40th anniversary of the topping out of the Gateway Arch. No local blog this week.

STL Rising

STL Rising is a new blog by Rick Bonasch that is "dedicated to the renaissance of the City of St. Louis. It's a place to discuss issues and possibilities, all in the spirit of supporting the continuing progress of this great metropolis of the Mississippi Valley." Rick talks politics, sports, parenting, neighborhoods and more at stlrising.blogspot.com.

Ask Metafilter

Peek in on other peoples' problems and curiosities at Ask Metafilter, a popular online discussion area where digital citizens seek advice on any and all topics. Although you have to be a member to post questions, anyone can browse the answers. Expert advice columns are a dime a dozen -- click over to ask.metafilter.com to get real answers from regular folk.

EFF: Legal Guide for Bloggers

This week, instead of pointing out a local blog, we'll point you to a great blogger resource: The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Legal Guide for Bloggers. This is a comprehensive overview of liability issues that includes information on intellectual property, defamation, privacy, freedom of speech and Reporter's Privilege. Bloggers, bookmark this now: www.eff.org/bloggers/lg.

Architectural Ruminations

Andrew L W Raimist is a local architect working on a book about the accomplished Saint Louis modern architect Harris Armstrong, who died in 1973. Many of Armstrong's strong, beautiful residential, office and garden designs still grace the St. Louis region. Follow Raimist's research and ruminations (including lots of contemporary and archival photos) at remiss63.blogspot.com.

Pointless Website Blog

Why would you want to read "Pointless Website Blog?" Well, because it features pointless posts ruminating on the term hoosier and its many variations (Laduesier and Hoosieois, for example) -- and unimportant observations such as, "Wash U. can be a boring place if you don't find a way to entertain yourself. From 8:50 this morning until about 11:10, I amused myself by counting how many people wearing giant, face-consuming sunglasses I could find." Revel in the pointlessness at home.earthlink.net/~pointlesswebsite/blog/blog.html.

Brick City

Brick City is the weblog of a young graphic designer and aspiring photographer living in our city of bricks. "My goal is to offer a new perspective on the City of St. Louis and to share my experiences as an ex-suburbanite adjusting to life in Brick City."

Flickr: Photo sharing

Store, organize and share your photos with www.flickr.com. By marking your pictures with descriptive tags, the site becomes very social, allowing you to search everyone's photos for keywords and themes, and comment on pictures you like (you can also mark photos as private to restrict access). For example, currently there are more than 12,000 photos tagged "St. Louis," 32,000 tagged "beer" and nearly 50,000 tagged "honeymoon." It's free to join, but there is an annual fee for enhanced memberships.

It's Jim!

It's Jim! And Jim can be a funny guy. Recent post: "I found an arrowhead while digging a hole in my front yard. The guys all just said 'Wow!' The ladies said '"Why were you digging the hole?'" Read more of Jim's everyday adventures in Madison County at its-jim.blogspot.com.

(UPDATE 3 Oct 2005: Looks like Jim threw in the towel and quit blogging. The link now resolves to some other guy's web site called Far West Horizon. The other guy does not appear to be as funny as Jim.)

The Mirror Project

Ever take a picture of yourself in the mirror, or maybe reflected in the window, in chrome or a puddle? Then check out the Mirror Project, a web community where you can share your most reflective self-portraits.

Daddy Types: The weblog for new dads

It's not news that 20- and 30-something guys love gadgets, ironic t-shirts and books with pictures. But guys especially love those things when they can buy them for their new babies. Daddy Types features product reviews and news links about parenting for hip dads with cool kids.

JYOSEPH.COM

Here's all we know about St. Louis photoblogger Joseph Holst (jyoseph) from his web site: Age, 26; Location, St. Louis; Status, Married -- but we quickly figured out that he takes some pretty pictures, including this photoblog post on Lacede's Landing: "One of the first areas I became aquainted with in St. Louis. I worked down at the Spaghetti Factory which is where I met my wife. I was her server (and still serving to this day!) :)"

B.E.L.T. - BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS

Blog building: Architectural photographer Toby Weiss documents St. Louis' disappearing shopping and living spaces, with an appreciative eye for classic architecture and critical look at new development. She also catalogs the things many of us take for granted, including vintage retail signs, well-designed garage doors and prefab Lustron homes.