Best Websites - Fun, Useful, Interesting or Downright Weird Websites I've Found
I don’t know about you but I surf the internet every day for one reason or another. I’m always online doing something and there are some websites I find myself going to on a regular basis. You probably do too. Everyone knows about sites like Google and Yahoo and we all use them regularly but I’m going to introduce you to some that may not be quite so well known to you but may be of interest. Some provide valuable information or are handy reference sites, others are fun, interesting or just weird but all are worth a look. You may know about some of the websites on my list but I bet there will be some that are new to you, so browse through and have fun.
Reference, Helpful and Information Websites
So, let's start out with some really useful sites for reference and information:
Wikipedia.org - A very extensive encyclopedia site. It's edited by it's members so some don't think it's the definitive source but good nonetheless.
Dictionary.com - I use this one a lot because I'm not the greatest speller in the world. It's a great tool for writers and includes a thesaurus, encyclopedia, translator and other tools.
Anagram Finder - Type in a word and it gives you all the anagrams for it.
Online Conversion - How many times have you wanted to know how many liters to a gallon or pounds to a kilo? This site will convert just about anything for you.
The Internet Movie Database - Pretty much THE best source for movie and TV show information on the Internet. It’s the most extensive movie database I have ever come across.
Time.gov - The time standard for the U.S.
Web MD - Handy medical database loaded with information. It's not a substitute for a doctor, but can give you a lot of good information on diseases, symptoms, treatments, etc.
Open Office - The free alternative to Microsoft Office Suite, open office programs are totally compatible with their expensive counterparts, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. and are available to download completely free.
Gas Buddy - Find out where the cheapest gas is in your area. Free to use and you can register to update the site as you see prices change.
The Gutenberg Project - Like to read? Want to add some books to that new ereader you got? Well, here's over 33,000 ebooks you can download for free. That ought to keep you busy a while.
Fix It - Something broken around the house? Here’s some information on how to fix household items and just about anything you can think of.
How Stuff Works - How does that thing work? This site will tell you. Fun site to explore.
Download.com - A secure and reliable source for shareware and freeware programs for your computer. You'd be surprised at how many useful programs you can get for free or for a small donation.
U.S. National Debt Clock - Be careful, this one will scare you if you look at it too long...
Do Not Call List - This is the National Do Not Call Registry for the U.S. If you're tired of getting those annoying telemarketer calls, register your phone number here and get on the "Do Not Call" list. Then, if they do call you, you can report them.
Shopping Online
Internet commerce, buying, selling, trading, we all end up doing it sooner or later. I shop on my computer and a few days later it arrives at my door. I love it.
Amazon.com - This continues to be my number 1 internet shopping site. I can usually find what I want here and with their free shipping on orders over $25, I save even more.
eBay - It's got to be THE definative auction site on the net. It's one of my "go to" sites when I'm looking for something online or if I'm just researching prices of used items. Fun to browse too. You might be surprised at what you can find for sale here.
Craigslist - More than just a free classified site. It really works. I've bought and sold items using this site. It gets a lot of traffic, so it's probably the best place to place an ad for free on the internet.
Fun, Weird or Interesting
Here are some sites that are just for fun, weird in some way or just interesting.
YouTube - Ok, everybody knows about YouTube, but I had to include it anyway. I use it a lot and I usually end up spending much more time there than I intended. So much fun stuff to see, it's almost addicting.
Falling Sand - Falling sand? Well, ya... I know... pointless, right? Somehow, it's almost... hypnotic...
Fly Swatter - What can I say? Try not to spend too much time playing with this...
Roadside America - A traveler's guide to odd tourist attractions throughout the United States. Ever wondered where you could see the world's largest ball of twine or a good vacuum cleaner museum? Find them here along with some more conventional tourist attraction across the U.S.A.
News of the Weird - Weird news stories you probably won't find in the mainstream media.
AllMyFaves.com - A site full of links to just about everything. It might take a while to explore everything...