I thought it would be useful for any web designers/developers out there if I posted some of the web sites I visit regularly to keep up with the latest news and get some useful tips (this was after reading this article). Since I am a freelance web designer, I will also list a few Freelance related blogs/web sites.

Actually I will start of with a couple freelance web sites. Freelance folder and Freelance Switch. Both sites have useful advice for freelancers including interviews with successful freelancers out there. As well as being useful, its an entertaining read.

Now to the web designer related web sites. The first two I visit every day (often several times a day) are Smashing Apps and Smashing Magazine. Both sites have loads on the web site from useful web sites and software, showcases to give you inspiration, how-tos, useful resouces. On Smashing Magazine it quite often showcases some beautiful looking artwork e.g. posters, web sites backgrounds, artwork, etc.

Some other general web design “blogs” I visit regularly and find useful:

• You the designer - similar to Smashing Apps and Smashing Magazine. This site has lots of great articles, sources of inspiration, freebies and more.
• Web Designer Wall - full of “design ideas, web trends, and tutorials”.
• CSS Globe - this site is full of really useful CSS tips and “hacks”.
• CSS Beauty - another great site with the latest web design news. Also has a section for submitting your own work and “showcasing” it.
• Stylegala - latest news and useful sites. Like CSS Beauty you can submit your own web site to showcase and also submit your own news in the public news section.
• A List Apart - deals with the design and development of web content with particular focus on web standards.
• 456 Berea Street - another one of those sites for of useful articles and tutorials.
• Web Development Blog - this site has got some great examples and code extracts of some cool Javascript techniques/effects.
• Web Resources Depot - every day this site has a free web resource for you ranging from a sliding gallery to social networking icons.
• Just Creative Design - a personal blog of graphic/web/logo designer. Many interest and useful articles and resources.

Most of the sites I visit are updated regularly, often more than once a day. Sometimes its hard keeping track of new updates and for that reason I use RSS feeds. Loads of web sites have RSS feeds to help the visitor find out when there are new posts or new news. There are lots of RSS readers from those within the browser such as Wizz RSS or sites like Google Reader. There are also standalone readers. I personally use Wizz RSS. However, the choice is yours - all down to personal preference

If you have had enough of all these web design related blogs, here are some blogs I like to visit which arent all about web design. They are a bit techie though (aka “geeky”)

• Kevin Rose - this is the blog of the one and only Kevin Rose. If you didnt know hes the founder of Digg.com (the place for people to discover and share web content). He also co-presents the brilliant online video podcast show Diggnation.
• Veronica Belmont - the co-host of online video podcast show Tekzilla. She also happens to be very attractive and into gadgets/computers etc.
• Larissa Meek - like Veronica, Larissa is another rather attractive women whos into “tech”. Shes an artist but has been in the past a 3D animator, Miss USA finalist, model, actress and reality TV star
• Jason Bradbury - blog of The Gadget show TV presenter

It seems that politicians recently havent got more important things to talk about than reality TV. They should worry about helping run the country!! Today, a cabinet minister (Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy) is saying the judges in Strictly Come Dancing should be “sacked” after John Sergeant quit.

Its been about a year since Fabio Capello has taken over as England manager and so far so good. After 10 games its 5 win, 4 draws and only 1 loss (against France).

Last night England played Germany in Berlin and won 2-1. It was the first time Germany had lost in Berlin for many years. The performance yesterday also gave Capello some problems, but “good” problems. Pretty much the whole of the 1st team couldnt play because of injury with just Terry and James who you would consider “first team”. The whole team played well and especially in the first half it was a brilliant performance. MOTM was given to Upson. Personally I thought it should have been Carrick. Downing also had his best game for England. The only bad point was possible Carson who played in goal in the 2nd half. It was a mess up between him and Terry which led to Germany equalising it to 1-1. I think it was abit of both of there fault, Terry really should have just kicked it clear into row Z.

Its looking good for the future of England football. How things can change!!! Just over 1 year ago it was all looking grim with that clown McLaren and his umbrella!

Im a celebrity has started again … seems ages since it was last on and ages since we last saw Ant and Dec. Its good to have Ant and Dec back!!

The “celebrities” this year range from tennis superstar Martina Navratilova to Carly Zucker (wag and fiance of Joe Cole).

The complete list is:

Brian Paddick (Ex-Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Metropolitan Police)
Carly Zucker (WAG - fiance of Joe Cole)
Dani Behr (former TV presenter)
Esther Rantzen (former TV presenter)
George Takei (Captain Sulu from Star Trek)
Joe Swash (Eastenders actor)
Martina Navratilova (former tennis player who won LOADS)
Nicola McLean (page 3 girl)
Robert Kilroy-Silk (former talk show presenter)
Simon Webb (used to be in the band Blue)

The celebs have been seperated into 2 teams and battle it out in the trials for better meals etc.

So far as expected Kilroy is coming across as a rude idiot. Carly has surprised me as she seems quite nice and normal. I am quite liking George too. Joe Swash didnt start off too well asking Martina Navratilova if Czech Republic was in Prague!!! LOL. George Takei, who I think will win seems great. Dani Behr has been pretty quiet so far but seems pretty nice. There is the obligatory “page 3″ girl and this year it is Nicola who seemed to moan at everything - at the start anyway. So far Brian has come across as being dull, not sure how he managed to run the Met police!

Episode 2 has just finished and it had the bush tucker trial which involved the eating of the horrible bugs and other weird things. It will be on Youtube soon I am sure. You have to watch it!!!  It was Joe v Nicola and she won 5-4. Didnt expect her to do that well but well done!!!! I think the next trial will be Joe v someone else. The next trial will be Kilroy (YES!!!) versus Joe (again!)

The latest edition of the Collins Dictionary has a new word (amongst others) and its thanks to The Simpsons.

The new word is “Meh” and it means “an exclamation of indifference”.

Weekend premier league football is over. Chelsea continue to play well and are now at the top (level with Liverpool) 8 points clear of United who are in 3rd (with a game in hand). Liverpool beat Bolton 2-1 so kept up with Chelsea. I am still not exactly a fan of Chelsea - mainly because of players like Drogba and Mikel but I am really liking Scolari and his honesty!

United won 5-0, at half time we were 2-0 up but really should have been much more in-front. Ronaldo is now hitting form with 2 goals (freekicks) and one assist. (He has now scored 101 goals for United!) Wish I didnt change my captain in fantasy football team from him to Anelka (although Anelka got a couple goals himself). In his post match interview, he gave praise to Wellbeck who scored on his debut. Looking good for United’s forwards with Wellbeck and also Campbell (whos out on loan at Spurs).

Arsenal lost again - are they out of the premier league race??? They are going to have to go on a brilliant run winning most of their games.

In the other games, the only things worth mentioning were another mess up by Gomes and Owen scoring on his “comeback” - after missing a sitter.

Its Carling Cup games this week and there have been some interesting results. Last night Arsenal won 3-0 playing with lots of “kids” in the team. The kids of Arsenal really do seem very impressive. United didnt have it quite as easy winning only 1-0 with a Tevez penalty. I havent seen the highlights or even goals (thats on later on tonight) but it sounds like United had lots of chances like he have been recently but just not taking chances.

Tonights games involved the other 2 teams in the “big 4″. Liverpool played Spurs and Harry Redknapp has done it and Spurs won 4-2. At one point Spurs were 3-0 up at half time. Chelsea have been knocked out of the competition also losing on penalties to Burnley. Chelsea took the lead but Burnley equalised and it went to extra time and then penalties. Chelsea were first to miss with Bridge having his penalty saved. Burnley missed when it was 4-3 (it would have been the winning penalty).  Chelsea made it 4-4 on penalties and then Burnley scored the next. It was then up to the ever lovable Mikel who had his penalty missed!!! LOL. Couldnt happen to a nicer person. If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I am not a big fan of Mikel. Final score in penalties was 5-4 to Burnley.

After watching the highlights I will possibly have more to say…

It was the MTV European Music Awards last week held in Liverpool. I have seen little bits of it and seen the results. Pretty much all the winners were from the US apart from Rick Astley winning best act ever!! All to do with the Rickrolling phenomenom which has been all on the Internet.

I missed most of the performances but saw the end with Pink and also Katy Perry. The bit I saw of Katy Perry presenting were quite good. Pink’s performance singing So What was brilliant. Katy Perry sang Hot or Cold at the end which was pretty good too. You can see these videos below:

Football in the premierleague has finished for the weekend. Chelsea won, Liverpool and Arsenal won. United lost (to Arsenal 2-1)….. but enough about that!!!

Heres a funny video made by Nike Football featuring Man United kitman showing off some “Ronaldo” skills

There are some other good videos on the Nike Football web site. There is one which is backstage of the filming of that Take It To The Next Level video (featuring Ronaldo with a Manc accent):

http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikefootball-en_GB/2008/08/20/next-level-behind-the-scenes

Barack Obama!!!! YES!!!

Its now official!! After a couple hours of the polls closing, it really looked like Obama was going to win and in the end the electoral votes were 349 to McCain’s 162 - more than double!! In the popular vote 52% (62,293,537) to 47% (55,256,587). (There are a couple electoral votes still to come in).

I stayed up to watch the TV coverage and just before 4am GMT it was being officially announced by the US media. McCain was about to give his concession speech and Obama was about to give his victory speech. His victory speech was in Grant Park in Chicago (his home town) where 1000s of people were there. Unfortunately I fell asleep before hearing the speeches!! Got to see some of it though on the BBC news web site.

I started off watching the BBC coverage but ended up watching the ITV coverage. I thought it was better and had more interesting outside broadcasts. They regularly went to people in New York (election tower), McCain HQ, Grant Park etc. The BBC seemed to stay in the studio all the time! The TV was on in the background and I was looking at the BBC web site along with the CNN and NPR web site.

Obama is now the 1st black US president (although hes actually mixed race). Does this break down some racist barriers in the US. Barack said “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight… change has come to America”.

Very happy that Obama (Democrats) won!!! (Just wasnt sure at all about McCain and Palin). It also seemed like the whole media wanted him to win and pretty much all celebrities you saw on the TV (except Arnold Schwarzenegger). Here is what some celebs had to say. (You can see Obama’s full “victory” speech here).

If anything, at least by January the US wont have a monkey in charge in the White House now!

And just because, here is a great George W Bush related video: