Falling within the Category of Reference

I want to...
Have something you want to do online? Here's where to start looking for help. Via Coudal.
XHTML Character Entity Reference
I can never remember what codes make what HTML characters. This is pretty helpful. From Jeff Croft.
Design Encyclopedia
This could work out really well. It's a wiki, so it's built by users adding their own two cents on the subject — now... go be an author. From k10k.
NYPL Digital Gallery
The New York Public Library's 275,000 image archive of ephemera and memorabilia. It's now even easier for me to be a shut-in. Via Zeldman.
The Shoelace Site
Ian Fieggen has put together the most comprehensive site about shoelaces and shoelace-tying I've ever seen. Now I don't need to buy velcro shoes anymore!
Designer's Toolbox
Need an envelope size? How about Character codes? A snippet of CSS? Or perhaps the measurements of a CD label? Well, you should probably look here first.
Languagehat
A wonderful site dealing with... well, issues of language.
AIGA Design Archives
The AIGA is keeping an archive of all the work they judge annually. A great reference to check out contemporary artwork.
Forbidden Library
Reading any of these books will turn an everyday hobby into an social-norm bucking thrillride! Well, to a seventh grader, at least.
Digitally Branded
The portfolio site of Kent Hertzog. A clever way of presenting his work, downloadable photoshop brushes, and fonts.
Fallacious Arguments
In the ancient art of rhetoric, there are proper argumentative avenues, and paths which prove poor reasoning no matter what you have to say. You already knew that, eh? Well, suck poop.
300 Images from 1800 Sites
Ro London started collecting "iconesque" web images for reference and study, and amassed them here. There's some great idea generators.
British Library
The British Library takes such notable artistic works as Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook and the Lindisfarne Gospels, couples it with "faux-book" navigation, and tops it off with audio/text commentary. God, I hope this never goes offline.
Logo Resources
A good site for finding company logos in .eps form. You can also try logotypes.ru.
advanceflash
Motion graphics effects for purchase. Not sure about the inevitable knitting together of other's work, but it promises to be a pretty good effects reference.
Time Capsule
I'm sure you've seen one of these before. Input your birthdate, and find out the news headlines for that day. Salvadore Dali was born on my birthday... maybe I should grow a handlebar mustache!
Find A Grave
Bring out your dead! Or, look them up here and bring 'em out yourself. Via Bored.
Newsmap
Definitely the hippest way to present the news I've ever seen. Sort by country or article type. Link stolen from the irrepressible Inman
Rhymezone Quizzes
Gotta stay sharp for when aliens come to earth and make the smartest of us breed!
Encyclopaedia of Typography and Electronic Communication
Although garnering typographical advice from a site with poor typography is a pretty bad idea, these are just definitions, after all. There's some awfully interesting tidbits of information here.
Ye Ol English Sayings
The entymological roots of many of our sayings. It's inspired me to give all my houseguests bacon upon entry.
Russian Avant-Garde Book
An all-encompassing presentation. Details the history of the Russian Avant-Garde, in three major periods, with well-displayed samples of work.
Urban Dictionary
Who needs Websters? Finally, a resource that lets me learn the difference between a chud and a choad.
HTML Character Codes
Always useful to have this page bookmarked. I always need the correct code for em dashes.
Go Greek
Sometimes you need greeked text. It's as simple as that. ADDENDUM: I eventually found this slick generator, which is even better!

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