stumbleupon.com

Everyone probably knows about this but I just discovered stumbleupon.com. This little, unique search engine has provided HOURS of fascination. It has given me a new perspective on the internet.

You see, if you don't already know (which you probably do), you select all the various subjects that you are interested in from a extensive list. Then you just simply click on "stumble" and you literally stumble through the internet. But it's not stumbling at all. It's really a controlled hop through ALL the areas of knowledge that you are interested in. The website picks videos, pictures, articles and other sites that it thinks you might like. Things that you would never know existed. Subjects you never even knew you were interested in. I can feel my brain growing already.

I have always felt the internet was this archive crammed with everything you ever wanted to know. I love to wonder through it and see what I can learn. Whether it be skin diseases or information on inflammatory breast cancer, the internet has all the information you could want. Possibly too much information for a hypochondriac to absorb in a healthy way. Just wondering around the internet, though, has it's limitations. The limitations of one's own interests. You only go to places that you are interested in and rarely venture to anything else. 

Stumbleupon.com is simply an aid to your brain. The only thing that I know of that comes remotely close to this is Wikipedia's "random article" feature. While this feature gives you access to various topics that you wouldn't normally think of it doesn't hold your interest. After 5 or 6 articles about the specifics of various roads in Iowa, you get bored out of your mind and lose interest. 

The first 5 places that I "stumbled upon" made me laugh out loud, gasp in astonishment and learn something new about drinking water. All in five minutes. 

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv8kNTH-KDY

* That is some talent.

2) http://www.bellybytes.com/articles/29foods.shtml

* You might know some, but probably not all.

3) http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/basset-hounds-running

* This is the funniest thing you will see all day. Seriously

4) http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/

*How useful is this?!?!?!?!

5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-rn7N39X-M&feature=player_embedded

* Bring your tissues.

So, disregard the question "What did she pick to come up with those random topics that include basset hounds running?" Pick your own topics and have a blast. Expand your knowledge base and impress your friends! I am hoping it helps me with those epic battles of Trivial Pursuit. You know, random bits of useless knowledge :)