Random Internet

The other day, just for fun, I typed "random" into Google to see where it would go. I remember in the good old early days of Google finding it fascinating to just enter strange and unusual search strings, just to see what you'd get.

At any rate, what I did get was a site called "Random Website." This site simply send you, when you click "Randomlink" to... a random link! Clicking it a few times sent me to Rotten News (about what you'd expect), Quincy Shanks Records (horrible hardcore punk artists), a story about Morocco, a minimalist blog called "Unraveled," and a story about Ted, the homeless man with the golden voice.

Seriously, one of my favorite things about the web is the things you don't think, or expect, or even want, to find. Yes, I use it every day for information that I actually intend to use. I can't even estimate how many times a day I look up some fact or figure for the work I'm doing, but I never fail to be amazed at how much sheer, crazy, unexpected, well - random - information is available.

Another fun way to track down the untrackable is via Stumbleupon, another site that lands you in unexpected spots. For this one, though, you have to join (become a stumbler), and then you can select topics (such as movies, multimedia, magic/illusions, science, spirituality... and about 490 more.

Needless to say, either one of these will keep you occupied for far too long. And whatever you do, don't access them at work!

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