Links

Newer stuff is highlighted in a different color.

Collecting sites that're harder to search for if you don't already know it. Or just sites I use all the time or think are useful.

Use your judgment. I'm particular about recommendations but obviously I can't guarantee anything once you leave this site.

I'm kind of just throwing things in here and will probably expand over time. I try to put stuff in roughly alphabetical order but sometimes it gets messy... I'm not super happy with organization

Search Engines & Directories

Utilities that enhance existing search engines

Utilities

Browser-based

Websites that do something useful, no download required.

Misc Programs

Free software that makes life easier.

  • Calibre E-book management program. Can change formats, upload to your ebook reader, etc.
  • Ditto Saves what you copy (ctrl+c) in a list so you can paste repeatedly.
  • Dracula Theme Unified theme for many apps.
  • Everything Lets you search your computer's files.
  • FreeTube Allows you to use YouTube privately (and avoid ads).
  • Kiwix Allows you to download and browse Wikipedia (and some others) offline.
  • LibreOffice Free alternative to Microsoft Office.
  • Notepad++ Free source code editor.
  • Penguin Subtitle Player Standalone subtitle player.
  • VLC Multimedia player.

Art / Design Programs

Free drawing or design software.

  • Blender 3D modeling and animaton software.
  • Fire Alpaca Painting program.
  • GIMP Image editor. Adobe Photoshop alternative.
  • Inkscape Vector graphics editor. Adobe Illustrator alternative.
  • Krita Painting program.
  • Paint.net Image editing software.
  • Piskel Sprite and pixel art program. Can be used in browser or downloaded.
  • Scribus Page layout design program. Adobe InDesign alternative.

Website Resources

Overviews / Introduction to Webmastering

These sites give an outline on getting started with a personal site.

Guides/Tutorials

Educational resources or specific guides that I've used.

Templates

I haven't personally used these but they seem slick.

Fonts

What I'm using.

Graphics

Collections of web graphics, like blinkies, buttons, stamps, glitter gifs, etc.

Generators / Misc

CSS generators, presets, and other tidbits.

Retro Web

Also check out the Search Engines section! There are several dedicated to personal sites / retro sites.

Archives of old websites

History preservation and design inspiration. (⌒.−)＝★

Webrings

Civics / Politics

USA oriented.

Contacting elected officials:

  • 5calls Directs you on how/who to call and provides a sample script on various topics.
  • Civicsearch Records of local public meetings.
  • FaxZero Spam free faxes at your senator, governor, or representatives.
  • Resistbot Lets you text/email/fax via your phone.
  • USA.gov Find Elected Officals If you want to do things manually, or want to contact your local officals, plug in your address here and get a list of contact info.
  • Federal Register Publically comment on regulatory changes made by the Executive branch
  • regulations.gov I believe this is the same as / goes to the same place as Federal Register, just different interface

Bill Information

Misc Trackers

Libraries, Educational Sites, and Free Publications

Free / Public Domain Texts

Free libraries, public domain works, etc.

Publications

News

News aggregators and stuff

  • 68k News Google News, but in plain text for better optimization
  • Fark.com News with joke headlines
  • Newshound News aggregator
  • NPR Text NPR stories in text format; a good daily brief essentially
  • Upstract Top posts / stories from various popular sites, all on one page.
  • Wikipedia Current Events Wikipedia's current events portal

Miscellaneous Visualizers / Educational / Infographics etc.

LGBTQ-related Stuff

Archives with some digital component.

Bugs!

Just some bug stuff. Look at the bugs.

Free Image Resources

Photos that you can freely use for your projects or whatever. Also just fun to browse.

Wikis

Educational

Educational, or instructional resources.

  • Rational Wiki Refuting anti-scientific, reactionary, fundamentalist topics. Often has a humorous tone.
  • Wikiart Encyclopedia of artworks.
  • Wikibooks Free textbooks, guides, even recipes.
  • Wikihow Sometimes useful, sometimes silly how-tos.
  • Wikimedia Commons Wide variety of public domain media.
  • Wikispecies Directory of identified species.
  • Wikisource An online library of published text.
  • Wikiversity Free educational materials.

Fan Wikis

A collection of fan wikis. Preference for non-Fandom hosting.

Interesting Wikipedia Pages

These websites offer different ways to explore Wikipedia.

Random pages that I think are interesting. (Click the headers to open the sub-lists)

Trans / intersex / gender nonconforming people *

*I do use modern terms here but often people are more complicated than that

Archaeology

Cool artifacts and stuff

random stuff

Events

Unusual Animals + Plants

Reptilians

Amphibinoids

  • Amphiuma Aquatic salamanders. Hilariously puny limbs. Species distinguished by amount of toes.
  • Caecilians What if a salamander was a tube. Sometimes makes milk?????
  • Frog, Turtle Those beefy arms can dig.
  • Olm Aquatic cave salamanders. They maybe live up to 100 years?
  • Purple Frog Uhhh. Look at it.
  • Siren Two legged aquatic salamanders. Why didn't anyone tell me??

Maminals

Plantoids

A lot of plants are weird and freaky but are widely cultivated so you can see them at the grocery store. I'll try to list plants that are rare or have an extremely unusual feature.

  • Albino Redwood Regular redwoods (if you can call redwoods regular) but with no chlorophyll.
  • Dodder Vampire spaghetti. Grows all over, sucking on other plants.
  • Ghost Pipe Seems like a mushroom, but isn't.
  • Ginkgo You think this is a normal tree from the public park? No. Its a dinosaur tree.
  • Hydnora africana Grows completely underground except its alien flower. Fruit takes two years to ripen?!
  • Sandbox tree Talk about busting a nut. (its fruit explodes when ripe)
  • Snow Plant Pretty red parasite.
  • Titan Arum Yes, its a huge flower that stinks like feces. But its also a big tuber with a single huge leaf.
  • Welwitschia Freak of all time, two-leafed cone-bearing desert plant that lives 1000 years.

Mental Health / Wellness Resources

Pick and choose what works for you, some things won't resonate.

Resources for cooking when struggling

Caring for your space

Fun Stuff

A mix of fun novelties, time-wasters, and entertainment.

Movies

Music / Radio

  • Radio Garden Listen to radio stations from around the globe.
  • Radiooooo Pick a time period and location to listen to music.

Background Noise

Niche Media Interest

Art

Misc

Games

Browser-based

Downloads

Video Recommendations

Just some tubers I think are neat.