Here, in alphabetical order, are some sites that are personal favorites.
Betty Bowers is surely one of the most inventive concepts ever created for the Internet, and one of the funniest, if not (gulp) the funniest — a sharp pin in the balloon of religious pomposity and political chicanery. The apocryphal Ms. Bowers is an overly-involved church woman who says she is "America's best Christian," and "A woman known throughout Christendom for her joie d'après vivre". She encourages us to ask ourselves "What Would Betty Do?", and proudly claims to be "So close to Jesus we have joint checking." Betty is a heavenly read.
Bush Watch is the indispensable compendium of all things George; a baedeker through the twisted and knotty sub-universe of the Bush administration. The political potpourri includes serious commentary, hilarious satire and cartoons, activist advisories and alerts, articles by noted journalists, and detailed exposés of all manner of right-wing villainy and error — all gathered into one highly readable journal. Warning: this site is extremely addictive.
Dubya's Dayly Diary is humorist Madeleine Kane's wonderfully pointed and often zany contribution to the faux Bush genre, in which she reveals the day-by-day thoughts and frustrations of our marginalized commander-in-Chief, as history swallows him like a boa constrictor. Mad and I both launched our borderline treason on the occasion of the 2001 Inaugural. It's not clear who published first, and the issue must now be resolved by arm-wrestling. In the meantime, to secure my reputation I'm working on something totally original: a novel about a sea captain's obsession with a mysterious white whale.
The Journal of Hyperlinked Organizations, David Weinberger's eclectic (and, believe me, "eclectic" is the word we're looking for here) site is a lot like a candy store: there are so many goodies you don't know which to eat first. David, an author, columnist, media commentator and marketing consultant, mixes shrewd social observation with huge dollops of often non-linear, frequently off-the-wall humor. His success has been of great comfort to me personally because it means that people whose minds work this way don't necessarily have to be institutionalized.
The Journal of the Blue Planet is a big, gorgeous stew-pot for the intellect, an amalgam of new literature, historical musings, contemporary social commentary, links to a world of thought-provocation, and unredeemed wackiness. Also fun is the daily newsletter, which never fails to contain at least one item that is -- as the Reader's Digest is fond of saying -- "Of lasting interest," only in this case it's true. I am not doing you a favor by recommending this site: once you click on it you are lost. Days later you will snap out of it to realize that your family has left you, taking with them the dog. 
Liberal Slant is an editorial salon featuring articles ranging from literate satire to literate diatribe, written by a host of progressive writers ranging from the famous to the less well-known. In LS you are as likely to find an essay by Barbra Streisand as one by Ted Kennedy. Must-reading for thoughtful observers of the political scene.
Ray Berry's brash and sprightly "Bush-Toons" are a staple feature on numerous progressive and anti-Bush sites. His outrageously captioned re-imaginings of official photos literally put words in the mouths of the notably infamous. One of my favorite 'toons, shows our rugged outdoorsman President in one panel proudly holding a shovel — presumably after a hard day's job of work. In the second panel Ray has thoughtfully removed the pristine label from the shovel's blade — something the Prez' handlers had neglected to do. Shortly after 911, Ray began his Manhattan Journal, consisting of daily impressions and musings on the theme of post-attack New York.
Uncle Ernie's Issues and Alibis is an absorbing compendium of new and reprinted essays from some of the nation's finest political writers. Here you will find pieces by Thomas Friedman, Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, and editorial graphics by such cartoonist as "Tom Tomorrow," Jeff Danziger and Tom Toles. It's a rich mixture of fun and thoughtful inquiry.
