www.kayak.com

Their blurb: Since we search hundreds of travel websites, you now have to search only one: Kayak.

Why I love it: I travel quite a bit, and Kayak is by far the best travel search engine that I have come across. I always get the best deals on the airfare and hotels that I want thanks to Kayak’s extensive travel site searches and useful filters. Kayak’s Search History and Fare Alerts have been helpful in snagging elusive low fares, too.

www.gmap-pedometer.com

Their blurb: A little hack that uses Google's superb mapping application to help record distances traveled during a running or walking workout.

Why I love it: Gmaps Pedometer has been an invaluable part of my triathlon and road race training over the past few years. I appreciate the site’s ability to calculate and include distances that I have run “off the beaten path” – on my campus’ quad and on the local bike trail. The site includes optional mile markers, elevation data, and a calorie counter to further athletic pursuits.

 http://electoral-vote.com

Their blurb: Electoral Vote Predictor tracks political polls for U.S. federal elections and was immensely popular in 2004. The site tracks state-by-state polls for presidential elections along with polls for Senate and House elections.

Why I love it: I have been a fan of The Votemaster (Andrew Tanenbaum, an American computer science professor living abroad) ever since his debut prior to the 2004 elections. Numbers and politics are two of my favorite things, and I am fascinated by the analysis of polls and political predictions presented on this site. The Votemaster dishes out an insightful political commentary to boot. (I should also mention FiveThirtyEight – Politics Done Right, another neat political number-crunching website.)

www.etsy.com

Their blurb: Buy, Sell, and Live handmade.

Why I love it: Etsy is an online venue to purchase and sell handmade articles and treasures. Buyers and sellers hail from more than 150 countries; needless to say, I never know what I will find! The search function allows me to sift through thousands of unique items with the click of a button, definitely less harrowing than trudging around a flea market. Many of the vendors at my local arts and crafts market have Etsy storefronts as well, which is helpful in case I decide that I do want that pair of earrings…

http://xkcd.com

Their blurb: A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

Why I love it: As a twenty-something engineer, how can I not love a comic that “occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)”? Simple and witty, xkcd comics always make me smile.