So you are sitting at home (or wherever), with nothing else better to do than to look for creative ways to waste time on the Internet. Maybe you actually have something to do, but you are desperately searching for a distraction to take you away from the impending, mind numbing task lurking around the corner. In any case, you have come to the right place. Listed here are 10 entertaining websites just waiting to feed your hunger for a distraction while providing good entertainment as well.
1: Bored.com (www.bored.com)
This site is the ultimate of random Internet entertainment. It has everything form virtual bubble wrap, to games, video, and comics. The name of this site says it all, there is not much I can write to further describe it - it has it all. Hours upon hours can be whittled away here cruising through the links and paths within the site; visiting a hilarious website here, and playing addicting games in another website over there… I highly recommend checking this site out above most others first. It has something for everyone.
2: This is broken.com (http://goodexperience.com/tib/)
Ever noticed an ad that was worded in a way as to create an unintentional yet hilarious double meaning? Ever noticed signs or other print warning of something that should be so obvious that it seems to be a joke? How about conflicting street signs or misspelled notices that accidentally caused an entirely different meaning to be conveyed? This site is a collection of all those things. Cruise through pictures and explanations of advertisements, print, signs, and other media that companies and individuals placed in public view without proper proofreading or consideration of their surroundings.
3: Engrish.com (www.engrish.com)
Many companies hire translators to translate their printed media from the company’s domestic language to other foreign languages. But what happens when the company cuts costs and hires translators that are not completely fluent in both languages? This site serves as a hillarious example of those consequences. It has an enormous collection of misstranslated messages or properly translated messages but with undesirable double meanings.
4: Kaleco Auto.com (http://kalecoauto.com)
This site claims to sell all those ridiculous and hard to find automotive parts and accessories. Looking for blinker fluid, cross-drilled brake lines, or a muffler bearing? These are just a small sample of their extensive product line. This site is a fun and sarcastic tribute to all those who invest hundreds in ridiculous and useless modifications. However, don’t take this site too seriously and actually try to order these parts, or you will be the one the rest of the Internet community is laughing at.
5: Think Geek.com (www.thinkgeek.com)
This site sells wonderful items for that computer whiz or office drone in the family. I, myself, have purchased a couple of items I found I could not live without. Even if you have no shopping intentions, this site is worth a look. Just browsing through their “geek” themed products is sure to keep you entertained for quite a while.
6: Despair.com (www.despair.com)
While you can order and view some of their products on ThinkGeek.com, I thought this site needed a spot all on its own. The entertainment aspect of this site comes from reading through the various Despair posters, which all contain a sort of sarcastic humor, or you can create your own poster. Simply upload your own image, provide the text and the site will create the poster and send you a JPEG of the file for free. If you want a full size printed version of your custom poster, they will print one up for a fee and ship it to you as well. You can also order or create your own Despair calendars on this site.
7: Jalopnik.com (http://jalopnik.com)
A great website for automotive enthusiasts. Provides current news, usually written in a satirical way, and also periodically collects many funny automotive related stories and pictures. Cruising through the comically written but true automotive news stories on this site can provide hours of entertainment for the automotive enthusiast (it is sure to elicit a few chuckles from the rest of us as well).
8: Motley Fool Caps (http://caps.fool.com)
Great website for those who are into the stock market. You can set up your own “imaginary” portfolio and watch how it grows compared to others within the Caps community. You can also read what others have to say about a particular stock (why they think it will go up or down, and what they think the future holds). All in all, this site provides a great risk free (the Caps site is a free site) way to try your luck in the stock market, or for practise and experimentation in choosing stocks. If you have always wanted to invest, but were not sure if you had what it takes, build a portfolio on this site and monitor your progress for a year or two.
9: The Onion (www.theonion.com)
The Onion is a collection of made up news stories (often based on actual events). There’s new content almost every day. Many of the stories are sure to put a grin on your face. For those interested, The Onion also offers a print version of its newspaper. The online version is free.
10: Dumb Laws.com (www.dumblaws.com)
The catch phrase on the site’s homepage says it all: “Big Government. Small Brains. Dumb Laws.” This site is a collection of all the dumb and strange laws that are usually not enforced or even known about. Search under each state, and you are bound to turn up many unknown ridiculous laws that you are expected to live by and may even be breaking. Examples for Washington state are: “People may not buy a mattress on Sunday”, or “When two trains come to a crossing, neither shall go until the other has passed”.
