Category: Uncategorized

I really didn’t know what to expect visiting a site who’s name is “HowToKillPeople.com”. The genre is “humor”, but everybody has a different opinion of humor. At first I assumed this was a link site, thinking that each link would take me to a different site. In actuality, each link took me to a different article or post.

First and foremost, this blog is NOT intended for children. That said, the posts are quite funny. The author’s sense of humor is spot on, in my opinion. Sarcastic, quirky, topical and a touch of slapstick in all the posts. There are also plenty of humorous graphics and pictures to accent each post. The posts are mostly well written, a few spelling and grammatical errors; but not enough to take away from the post.

As I mentioned, my first impression was that of a news or “link” style site. This is due to the design of the front page. Each post has it’s own icon or avatar with the title and a short description of the post to which it’s linked. At first glance, one can easily assume they’re links to other sites. Otherwise, the design is simple, easy to follow, and contains all the necessary elements of a blog: menu, archives, title graphic, etc.

One of the best reasons to visit this site is quite simply the content. Each post is a fun, quirky read. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for each post, because you’ll need it. If you’re looking for quick and easy-to-read, stick to browsing through the pictures.

HowToKillPeople.com has found it’s niche on the internet with humor. The author clearly has a sense of humor and is ready and willing to use it. People whom are easily offended should steer clear of the site as well as anybody under 18. Otherwise, if you’re ready to laugh and not faint of heart, read on!NULL

Diggings is a blog that coincides with the job search site JobDig.com, which is a site I’ve used several times for different job search related research. The brief about section on the site describes it as a “blog about recruitment advertising, media, publishing, HR, work, & technology, among other things.” I’m not sure what the “other things” might be, as everything I’ve read throughout the site falls right into the job hunt/research niche.

When I first entered the site, I was greeted by what seems to be a perfect layout for this kind of blog. It’s simple, easy to navigate, and doesn’t at all distract from the main purpose of the blog – the actual posts. If it is a default WordPress layout, it’s one of the better ones I’ve seen.

The archives are laid out in a very convenient matter, especially for a site like this. Readers can either scroll through monthly archives or choose from a list of categories along the sidebar. There’s also an option to subscribe to a newsletter, which is ideal for people that don’t have time to read this blog on a regular basis.

A good portion of the entries focus on things happening in the upper Midwest, particularly the ups and downs of our print media. Since I live in Minneapolis, I was able to connect with these entries, as well as learn other points of view on the subjects at hand, other than what I’d read in the local newspapers or blogs.

The blog began in April 2006, and several entries since then really popped out to me as a better than average entry. In May 2007, the author explains to the viewers why he blogs. He justifies why he spends his time posting frequently to the internet, and after reading his reasons, I don’t think anyone could argue with why he continues blogging.

While this site isn’t really something I’d find myself reading daily, I did enjoy the time I spent going through the archives. I certainly wouldn’t list the topics this blog covers as my favorite things in the world. However, next time I embark on a job hunt, I can honestly say I’m armed with some helpful information thanks to the time I spent reading Diggings.NULL

Had I reviewed this site 2 years ago, I would have had no clue what to think about it based on the name. Today though my thought was that the site would be about posts on Digg that the author found to be amusing, insightful, and well just entertaining. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

To quote Toby his blog is “A blog about recruitment advertising, media, publisingpublishing, HR, work, & technology, among other things.” Despite the spelling error, this is a very good description of the site. Funny thing though is that you wouldn’t assume a site about work and publishing and all that stuff would be entertaining. But it is.

What makes the site so captivating is how the author writes. It flows effortlessly as if this is something that comes naturally for him. In the past 4 days I have had this site up at least twice a day, not just because of the fact that I am reviewing it, but because I have enjoyed it a lot.

The design of the site is a very simple and clean almost web 2.0 design. It is a standard two column layout and headers in the navigation column have a slight gradient to them. He has a lot of buttons in this column that take you to other sites including a new feature I wasn’t aware of which is a community that you can join.

I only have one real complaint with the site. The archives when selected by month do not list the entire post. If I visit the front page then click “previous entries” I am presented with full articles. This is a much simpler way to read the site. I understand the snip it is there so if you are interested in the topic presented, you can read the rest of the article, but you probably want to read them all anyways. So I recommend using the previous entries link at the bottom of the page to go through the archives.

As I said, I enjoyed this site. The author knows what he is talking about and does it with out bragging about it. The writing is some of the best I have ever read. This is one of the few sites I will have added to my rss reader that I have reviewed.NULL

DemWork is just what I suspected upon seeing the title of it. It’s a place where the author will be, as I read in the about section of the site, “posting all of the jobs from the Senate and House job lists, typically with the name of the office. Plus, I’ll have a number of other jobs that I come across as a Hill staffer.”

It’s hard to call a site like this a blog. However, since Wikipedia says the definition of a blog is a “website where entries are written in chronological order and displayed in reverse chronological order”, DemWork definitely qualifies.

DemWork is a very well laid out and easy to navigate site. The simple white background and black text thrown together in a three-column layout function perfectly together for this site. The author has made it a point to make it easy for readers to add the site to any possible RSS reader they might be using. There’s also a search box, which is pretty standard on a blog layout, but it would come in especially handy on this site if someone were looking for a specific job.

In late May of this year, the author decides to expand the site from just available job descriptions to the occasional article as well. There haven’t been any articles posted yet, but it is a nice addition to the site. It’s a great supplement for the target audience for this site.

This site does not pertain to me one single bit. While I love politics and follow them closely, I have no desire to work in the field. Despite that, I found this site to be a great addition to the blog world. As an outsider, I thought the descriptions and qualifications listed under the jobs was quite captivating. I’m not even sure why, but it was!

Yes, this blog is geared towards a specific audience and that audience does not include the majority of blog readers. However, people that will find this site useful will be very pleased with this relatively new site.NULL

When I saw “Cruise Line Critic” on the list of sites to be reviewed, I jumped right on it. Having been on my first cruise just over a month ago, I can’t get enough of anything cruise related.

The layout of the site could improve. It’s a standard two-column layout, which is easy to navigate as always. The white text on the blue background made my eyes cross a couple of times, but the font size is large enough that I didn’t have to squint when reading. There’s not a lot in the way of extra design-related bells and whistles to talk about – it’s a very straight-forward design. The biggest part of the sidebar? Lists and lists of Google Ads.

Instead of actually being a Cruise Line Critic like the name implies, the creator of this site has just copied and pasted different cruise-related articles from other sources on the ‘net. The articles are very general and vague. A perfect audience for this blog would be people that are somewhat interested in a cruise, but don’t have any idea what to expect or how they work.

The site only rolled out last month, so I’m hoping that over time, the author can put together some more original writing and actually have some critiques about particular cruise lines or cruise destinations. It would fit the name of blog quite a bit better.

Cruises are so popular right now. This blog has the opportunity to really take advantage of it with the type of blog they have. Unfortunately, they failed to do so.
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