There are some people with whom I would like to have dinner. These are people who have claimed hours and hours of my internet time with the work they present online. I find these people genuinely interesting. It would be fun to have dinner with them and have the opportunity to talk with them. In lieu of dinner, visiting their sites regularly is the next best thing.

I will continue to add to this list. If you have a suggestion, please send me a note (contact_us@flyinghamster.com). Here is your chance to distract me with one of your favorite sites.

Bill Simmons

Bill Simmons makes me laugh out loud. Really. He is genuinely funny and he is a wonderful writer, who just happens to love his sports. Bill is not afraid to say which teams he likes ( for example, the Boston Red Sox ) and he unabashedly states his case. He is passionate about his sports and he has claimed more of my time that I care to admit.

Anna Quindlen

Anna Quindlen is a Pulitzer Prize winner. She is a journalist and novelist. She used to write an Op-Ed column for The New York Times. Now, Anna Quindlen is a contributor to Newsweek. My complaint is that she does not publish enough. Her work is brilliant. I often read her columns more than once. Not only is her content superb but her presentation is outstanding. Americans simply should consider Anna Quindlen as a national treasure.

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell has a blog! It’s addictive. You have been warned - you will lose track of time there. When I read Malcolm Gladwell’s work, I am often left wondering how he put those ideas together. It is brilliant. Here is an example: “What do Wayne Gretzky, Yo-Yo Ma, and a brain surgeon named Charlie Wilson have in common?” This article and many others are listed at the Gladwell site. That site is like a treasure. The blog is just a daily addiction.

Hayley Westenra

Hayley Westenra has a phenomenal voice - and she is only nineteen. Her first commercial recording was done when she was fifteen. The voice is absolute purity and her phrasing is superb. Hayley has the largest selling album ever for New Zealand; and more and more people are discovering this wonderful talent. You will be amazed if you have not heard Hayley sing already. I am waiting for her to tour in this corner of the planet.

Molly Ivins

Molly Ivins has a unique style. One might say that she is ‘homespun’. Reading her work is like having a conversation with your favorite aunt. But, don’t be fooled. At the end, she will have made her point - and illuminated. She is an iron will with the graciousness of southern charm. I read Molly Ivins as much as possible. She is not afraid to tell the truth.