25 Best Blogs 2009

BoingBoing is a blog written by geeks. But we mean geeks in the best sense of the term — the smart, eternally curious seekers of information, not the smug know-it-alls with questionable personal hygiene. The self-described "Directory of Wonderful Things" is compiled by four regular bloggers and a revolving corps of guest geeks who present the bleeding edge of technology and fringe culture. BoingBoing is equally adept at uncovering can-you-believe-this photos ("Carved watermelon resembles human mouth!") as it is rallying readers to demand greater digital freedoms. The blog helped direct public pressure on Google and Yahoo! when the companies caved to China's Internet censors, and the site reserves a special spot in hell for music and film companies that prosecute small-time file sharers.

Sample BoingBoing post: Check out the latest Creature From The Black Lagoon/Green Army Man mash-up, and then dig into the archives for things like the Gay Stormtrooper and a Micronauts/Fisher-Price Little People mash-up.

Entry you'll never see: If Sony hopes to stay alive in the music and film business, it's got to start cracking down on Internet pirates.