Reflections of a crazy Colombian

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As a technologist and avid reader, I have crawled the internet for over 10 years. Unlike most web engines, my crawling has been snail-paced, carefully considered, and rather random.

The result of this process is a cherished list: My Hall of Fame, where I honour writers that have captured my imagination. Their ideas are simple, practical, and full of wisdom. This page is my gift to you: an attempt to connect you, my loyal readers who are hungry for practical & insightful knowledge, with my favourite internet authors.

I have divided the list into four sections: Mind, Body, Heart, and Soul. Many authors cover more than one of these areas, so make sure you work through all four sections, one item at a time. Enjoy!

Mind

I, Cringely (link)

Written by The God of Knowledge in the information era, “I, Cringely” is updated weekly with unusual insights into the world of technology. With 30 years in-and-around the personal computer industry, Bob Cringely has developed a unique ability to spot trends and insights.While reading his ramblings about Google’s plans of world domination; his tale of how IBM is dying a slow dinosaur-like death; or discovering how a bunch of rocket-scientists will save the world from global warming by flying kites, you will find that Bob’s articles are short, packed with information, and entertaining. I strongly recommend you subscribe to his blog or podcast now.

Randy Cassingham’s This is True (link)

If you want to read from the person who invented internet publishing, Randy Casingham is The Man. Randy is well known for his weekly publication This is True, a compilation of bizarre-but-true news stories from legitimate newspapers from around the world (never “tabloids”). Randy ends each story with a tag-line which is either humorous, ironic or opinionated. An online pioneer, Randy started This is True since June 1994, and has launched several other publications including The True Stella Awards; Heroic Stories; Jumbo Jokes; and Cranky Customer. If you want to read insightful commentary from someone who was there before the ‘Net was born, head over to Randy’s web site or blog and subscribe for free

New Scientist’s Environment blog (link)

Before the net was born, people read magazines to learn new things and stay up to date with new developments in most fields. In 1956, New Scientist magazine started its mission of helping people stay abreast of discoveries in the fields of Science & Technology. With the advent on the Internet, New Scientist decided to embrace the new technology and openeds its’ web site in 1996. Then in December 2006, the New Scientist Environment blog opened it’s doors to the public. Whether you simply want to become more informed about our environment; learn what impact is global trade having on our planet; or whether climate change is a conspiracy theory, NS’s environmental blog is the place for you.

Body

Seth Godin (link)

Did anyone say The Father of permission marketing? According to his online official biography, Seth “writes the most popular marketing blog in the world;is the author of the bestselling marketing books of the last decade;speaks to large groups on marketing, new media and what’s next;and is the founder of Squidoo.com, a fast-growing recommendation website.”(link) If you want to read from America’s greatest marketer, head over to his blog. You will not regret it!

Brian Clark’s Copyblogger (link)

Is writing good ‘copy’ a lost art? Not when you subscribe to this blog about great copy-writing for online success. The brain child of Brian Clark and founded in 2006, this blog has quickly become a Mecca for aspiring internet writers and marketers alike. Full of good advice on how to get traffic; gain subscribers; attract links; and sell something (anything!), Copyblogger gives you the required knowledge to master the Art & Science of writing compelling copy.
If you have an online presence, and want people that visit your web site to respond in specific ways, Copyblogger is a must have subscription (and like all other entries in this Hall of Fame, it’s free)

J.D. Roth’s Get Rick Slowly (link)

If you want to get rich quick, don’t go to JD Roth’s blog. But if you want to slowly - and surely - build your wealth, then this is the web site for you. Full of practical information about personal finance and related topics, Get Rick Slowly is a place where JD Roth shares stories and information that will help you eliminate debt, increase your savings, and invest wisely.
J.D. is not an investment professional. Just your average every-day guy, he discovered that although very few people manage to get-rich-quick, almost anyone can get-rich-slow; and shares his findings with anyone willing to pay attention.
He will show you that becoming wealthy is not rocker science; that you just need to learn some of the basic principles, and apply them with discipline throughout your life. And no, his blog will not tell you how to accumulate enough money so that when you’re in your death-bed you can enjoy it. His principles, when applied on a regular basis, will allow you to create abundance in your life now. To learn the twelve key beliefs of the Get Rich Slowly philosophy, go to this page on his blog.

Heart

Zen Habits (link)

How would you like to regularly receive articles that will help you achieve goals, increase your productivity, be more organized, Get Things Done? And what if the same subscription helped you increase your motivation, gave you ideas for simplifying your life, guided you in your quest for happiness, and coached you in successfully implementing good habits ?

Welcome to Zen Habits, the creation of Leo Babauta and source of inspiration for thousands of people. Leo is a father of six, lives in Guam, and spends his life, writing, running, and writing his reflections in this highly popular blog. Some of his most popular articles are a bit more grounded and full of tips on eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, living frugal and parenting; so don’t let the mystic name of his web site keep you away from visiting this fantastic resource.

Soul

Dan Millman’s The Peaceful Warrior ’s Way (link)

If you have followed my blog for the last couple of months, you will now what a heavy influence Dan Millman’s writing has been on my writing. A Peaceful Warrior himself, Dan has a web site where he promotes his work as a teacher of aware living. Within this web site, he has a no-frills blog that is updated irregularly. And whenever he publishes an article, it is always filled with wisdom. A must read for aspiring Peaceful Warriors like you and I. (What? You don’t know what a Peaceful Warrior is? Head over to this page to learn more)