These are sites run by people who formerly were Guides at About.com and/or The Mining Company (ExploreNorth was the Arctic/Northern Culture site at About.com for over 4 years).

For more great information sites, see:
Explore Other Cultures (includes music, literature, art and customs)
Explore Other Places

Brass Lantern
Stephen Granade provides a comprehensive guide to interactive fiction, from resources for beginners to news and game reviews.

CareerFrames
Michael and Mary Schumacher provide fresh, original articles, tools and an online directory to help you discover the best career for you.

CocoaJava.com
'Where Chocolate and Coffee Are Not Merely Edibles - They're A Lifestyle'

Daily Reckless
Tabloid parody with a Scottish lilt. You must be older than 2 to enter this site. "If you wet your pants we are not responsible."

GIS Lounge
The complete source for GIS (Geographic Information Systems) information and resources. Find out where to find GIS data and applications and learn about GIS careers.

The Glassine Surfer
Stamp collecting on the WWW, column archive, chat room, Web list, and guides.

GoodChatting.com
Dedicated to bringing people together in chat, Julie Martin's site has lots of information on chat, from clients to etiquette.

Hall of Game Show Fame
Charlyn Keating Chisholm guides you through game shows from the 1940s to today.

Places 2 Ride
A motorcycling guide to scenic highways, tracks, off-road trails and backroads across North America. Go there before you get there.

Wisdom Quotes
Quotations designed to inspire and challenge. Arranged by topic.

Worlds of JMS
Mike Helba's site focuses on the works of J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5.

Writing.org
Durant Imboden's articles for writers.