In 1994, Hakon Wium Lie proposed the concept of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to the world, moving web design one small, significant step closer to perfection (read a brief history here).

For the virgin, the W3C has a short tutorial for those of us who have never used CSS before. There’s also a more robust tutorial (by the W3C) here, and another by The Web Design Group here, all of which are well worth bookmarking.

In addition to the above, html.net’s CSS section is also a good place to go to, especially since it’s HTML tutorial is only a click away.

For an actual reference you can touch and feel, nothing beats The Ultimate CSS Reference by Tommy Olson and Paul O’Brien. While you’re there, check out some of Sitepoint’s other priceless titles

For inspiration, there’s cssBeauty, and the CSS Zen Garden.

And as usual, Smashing Magazine has a plethora of tools, tutorials, and techniques the wanna-be CSS expert should not live without (of course, these are not the only CSS materials they have available).

In no particular order, here are the links to some of the better posts in the [EssentiaList] series to keep entertained over the weekend:

1. The Secular Sabbat
2. Discover New Things Onlin
3. Take a Minute to Enjoy Somethin
4. Of Things Well Don
5. The Change, Jargon & Idea Editi
6. Cheat Sheet Editio
7. The Concentrate Edition

I’m gradually working my way to the “ultimate workstation”, and here are some of the better clippings currently in the archives:

1. This article on setting up the ultimate home office by the always fantastic D. Keith Robinson is a good place to start.

2. Obviously it’s important to take the long term consequences on the body into account, so I’m paying some attention to this article on healthy computing habits.

3. Worth mentioning from the article above is the online tool that will help you arrange your workstation for maximum comfort, and the workstation assessment from the same company.

4. Coding Horror’s article on computer workstation ergonomics lays out the basic steps needed to avoid getting hurt at your desk (no joke, it is possible to hurt yourself at your desk).

5. IMO, there’s also a lot to be said for standing while you work, and I eventually want to alternate between between standing and sitting.

6. Once it’s all setup, why work with a clunky monkey after going through all the pain, sweat, and tears of setting up the perfect workstation? Go Mac, Go!

7. Would this be the ultimate Mac setup then?

• Dynamic Web
• Amazon’s A9
• BBC News
• Merriam-Webster
• USA Today
• Technorati
• Wikipedia

• MoinMoinWiki
• PBwiki.com
• PmWiki
• DokuWiki
• Wetpaint
• Google Sites
• TiddlyWiki
• Wikispaces
• Although it’s not a wiki, strictly speaking, Google Notebooks can be used like one, and will come in handy if you get the Firefox extension

Bonus:

Why use a wiki? Which wiki is right for you?

Apart from being a Google product, there are many other reasons to use Blogger.

Profy is still invite only, but I can’t wait for the amazing stuff that’ll come out once it’s out of beta, and here’s why.

In the meantime, Vox is easy to use, and is almost as comprehensive as Profy.

Proof that less is more: Tumblr.

Typepad: Because not all blogging platforms are created equal.

Apart from being a great blogging platform, Wordpress can also serve as a solid CMS.

1. Tutorial9’s School of Photoshop (highly recommended)

2. 23 Most Incredible Photoshop Tutorials

3. Photoshop Tutorials and Design Resources for Designers (from MickM.com)

4. Create a 60’s Psychedelic Style Concert Poster (from PSDTuts.com)

5. Colorful Typography Photoshop Tutorial (from Photoshop-Garden.com)

6. Photoshop Tutorials.ws

7. Only Photoshop Tutorials

8. 100 wonderful photo effects Photoshop tutorials (from The Photoshop Roadmap)

Of course, you can also “stick it to the man” and use 10 free web-based alternatives to Photoshop

In market for a website and don’t know where to start? Lucky you, because here is a list of all of the top web design directories:

• BodyModified.com
• TopDesignFirms.com
• WebDesignFinders.net
• Killer Sites Directory
• WebDesignStuff Web Design Firms
• Web-Designers-Directory.org
• DesignDir.net
• WebDesignersByState.com

Did we leave something out? Leave a comment and let us know!

1. I Need a Virtual Break. No, Really

2. 52-nights-unplugged

3. Thou Shalt Unplug: Implementing A Secular Sabbath

4. The Journal Times Online: Secular Sabbath

5. The list of things to do on your secular Sabbath are endless: read (nothing beats a cup of coffee and a good book on a Saturday), learn to play bass guitar, exercise, or volunteer for starters.

1. Reduce Stress

2. Minimize distractions (on your Mac)

3. The mind can only focus on about 3 or 4 things at a time so this is certainly a logical thing to do

4. “…Mitigate the Attention Crash”

5. Judo everything

6. Beat Brain Drain

7. Develop “Razor Sharp Concentration”

8. Do you know where you spend your time? Map your time

9. Take Small Coffee Breaks- Just so you know, it is possible to defend your coffee habit

10. Get wiki-style organization

11. Get some sleep

1. 15 stunning motion typography videos

One of my favorites: V for Vendetta in Kinetic Typography

Note 1: Some of the videos contain French of the bawdy kind so some of the videos aren’t for the soft at heart

Note 2: Pulp Fiction in Kinetic Typography is another great vid (although you should keep the previous note in mind)

2. From Typographica: Favorite Typefaces of 2007 (a.ka. the Oscars of Typography)

3. Does Olicana remind you of Benjamin Franklin. Or is it just me?

4. Another great example of typography in motion (well worth the download if typography is your cup of tea)

5. If you ever want to have some real fun with typography (like designing your own font, for example), this interview with Jos Buivenga is a great place to start (this wiki from Typophile is also a good starting point)

6. Characteristics of Type on the Web from the Web Style Guide

In no particular order:

1. One of the most attractive things about the Internet for me is the fact that I can read about 12 different subjects at once without cracking several books open. Add an element of randomness (using user-generated content), and my dreams have finally come true: Stumbleupon (Warning: Crucial Productivity Killer)

2. The Internet really is del.icio.us

3. Not only can you stumble on new stuff, but you can also talk about it in real time with others: Me.dium (Serious Productivity Killer. Consider yourself warned)

4. Everything should have a soundtrack: Musicovery

5. Discover and share: Yoono (very simple on the surface, but dig a little deeper to uncover more of its features. It’ll be worth the time)

6. If it’s really that precious, why don’t you share it? Email This!

7. Get smarter. Read reddit (not Digg. Another Serious Productivity Killer)

8. Write it all down with Google Notebook

1. Why’s (Poignant) Guide to Ruby
A tutorial like you’ve never seen before, complete with talking foxes and examples based on chunky bacon. Also, keep an eye out for the most entertaining side bars you’ll ever come across.

2. More great tutorials:

• Nuby on Rails.com
• Really Getting Started in Rails

3. Ruby on Rails on Hotscripts.com

4. PHP vs. Ruby on Rails. An evolutionary story of a Web Developer and his tools- A great comparison of the super-hero abilities of RoR and PHP. At the very least, this is a good primer on the differences (and similarities) of both.

5. Ruby User’s Guide

6. The Complete Ruby on Rails Manual

7. For more links, screencasts, and other RoR goodness, go to Ruby on Rails.org

1. Handmade French candles

(thanks Cisco)

2. Autumn (pic)

3. Vijay Singh’s swing (vid)

4. Nigerian Folk Music (wiki)

5. Penn & Teller explain sleight of hand (video)

6. Albert Einstein’s Relativity Theory

7. The Elegant Universe (documentary)

1. Kobe Bryant

Exhibit A: Kobe’s Top 10 plays of 2007

Exhibit B: The impressive numbers he’s consistently posted

2. Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point

3. Apart from the fact that it gets the equivalent of 137 mpg, and is one of the most beautiful cars on the road today, the Tesla Roadster is undoubtedly a solid choice for a car (assuming the $98,000 tag doesn’t scare you, that is).

4. Michelangelo’s Ceiling

5. Hans Rosling’s Debunking 3rd World Myths (this is a highly recommended video, if only because it’s very interesting. If you like numbers, you’ll also love the material from Gapminder)

6. The Ipod

7. Alaska Air’s Airport of the Future (say goodbye to those dreaded airport queues)

8. Google

9. Mariah Carey’s voice (video here)

10. StarChase: To the growing dismay of Cops fans, one day high-speed police chases might be a thing of the past!