Some links and a video

Taking a break from music and from abstract politics to share with you some of the most awesome pit stops on the information superhighway.

First up, Lifehacker. It's been around for a few years, it's been popular for a few years, but maybe you're like me and have somehow managed to completely ignore it until recently.

Every update on Lifehacker is designed to improve your life or help you with a common problem - with solutions that are either free or extremely thrifty. Although not as tech-y as sister site Gizmodo, technology still features prominently in Lifehacker updates - new applications, new ways to use existing technologies, et cetera.

However, Lifehacker also has plenty of tips that are more suited to a DIY lifestyle and involve no tech support whatsoever - the front page currently tells you how to make any pair of gloves work with a touchscreen device, how to use sand to prop up awkward objects you might be repairing, how to properly gorge to maximize your enjoyment of a feast and minimize the after-effects, and how to wipe water marks off of wooden furniture with toothpaste. A nifty little site that's updated many times daily.

If Lifehacker's plethora of time-saving ideas has left you with untold hours spare and no idea what to occupy your time with, maybe you should give Sporcle a try.

Sporcle is a site full of trivia quizzes. And that's all there is to it. You can try and name common foods in Spanish, countries of the world, MLB all-time stolen base leaders, song titles from opening lyrics, or just about anything else you can think of.

There are hundreds of games - all timed, and all with the ability to compare your results to everyone else - with six new games added every day (three on weekends).

Word of advice: stick to the games on the main site. Do not go into the 'User Created' section - not a quality issue or anything, but it'll get far, far too addictive at that point.

And if you're still bored - or even if you're not - take five minutes to watch this video. It's completely awesome.



--Ryan