%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20684.6%2068.1%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20684.6%2068.1%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cg%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M444.1%2C29.3h-17.4v14.5h17.4V29.3z%20M36.4%2C68.1l29.3-50.8V0H50.4L32.9%2C36.8L15.5%2C0H0v68.1h16.7V45.8l12.4%2C22.3H36.4z%0A%09%09%20M49.1%2C68.1h16.6V23.4L49.1%2C52.1V68.1z%20M76.6%2C68.1h45V53.8H93.3V41.6h21V27.1h-21V14.8h28.3V0.1h-45V68.1z%20M175.6%2C68.1h17.3v-68%0A%09%09h-16.5v40.3L150%2C0.1h-17.6v68h16.7V27.7L175.6%2C68.1z%20M235.8%2C14.8h15.4V0.1h-47.4v14.7H219v53.2h16.8V14.8z%20M290.3%2C45.9h-17.1%0A%09%09l7.5-15.6h2L290.3%2C45.9z%20M298.7%2C68.1h18l-32.2-68h-5.7l-32%2C68h18l3.3-7.1h27.1L298.7%2C68.1z%20M325.2%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1h-16.7%0A%09%09V68.1z%20M423.7%2C14.8h27.2V0.1H407v68h16.7V14.8z%20M462%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1H462V68.1z%20M564.8%2C34.1c0%2C10.7-7.2%2C19.2-18.5%2C19.2%0A%09%09c-11.4%2C0-18.5-8.5-18.5-19.2s7.1-19.2%2C18.5-19.2C557.6%2C14.9%2C564.8%2C23.4%2C564.8%2C34.1%20M580.6%2C34.1c0-19-14.2-34-34.3-34%0A%09%09c-20.2%2C0-34.3%2C15-34.3%2C34c0%2C19%2C14.1%2C34%2C34.3%2C34C566.4%2C68.1%2C580.6%2C53.1%2C580.6%2C34.1%20M604.8%2C20.5c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2%0A%09%09c4.4%2C0%2C6.6%2C3%2C6.6%2C6.6h14.7C631.8%2C9.1%2C625.1%2C0.1%2C611%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8%0A%09%09c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6%0A%09%09c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8C610.6%2C26.1%2C604.8%2C25.3%2C604.8%2C20.5%20M670%2C20.9h14.7C683.8%2C9.1%2C677.1%2C0.1%2C663%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6%0A%09%09c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8%0A%09%09c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8c-5.4-1.6-11.3-2.4-11.3-7.2c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2C667.7%2C14.4%2C670%2C17.3%2C670%2C20.9%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
It’s been almost a year since I posted a list of niche blogs, that is, blogs built around one obscure idea or that are narrowly focused on one subject. Unless it happens to be your favorite topic, you might not want to check these sites every day, but they are all worth a look. And they might even inspire you in some way.
1. Histagrams
The name of the blog Histagrams is a combination of history and Instagram, which reveals its shtick. You’ll find mocked up Instagram entries from folks you know from days of yore, from extinct animals to world leaders to pop culture icons, and what they would post if they lived in the age of Instagram.
2. LOL My Thesis
A new Tumblr blog asks graduate and undergraduate students to submit their thesis in one sentence. Some cannot keep it to strictly one sentence, but that's all right, as long as it's short. The thing is, ask anyone about their thesis and they'll either talk your ear off or say it's too complicated to explain. When boiled down to one line, they become completely ridiculous. It’s called lol my thesis.
3. Sad Desk Lunch
When you feel like the leftovers you took to the office for lunch aren’t the greatest, turn to the blog Sad Desk Lunch and see what other office workers are eating. It might make you feel better. Or it might make you feel worse, in which case, just snap a picture and send it in. The real point of the blog Sad Desk Lunch is that eating without even moving away from your work is in itself sad, no matter how appetizing the food is. Get away from your desk and take a real break!
4. The Container Spore
On a related note, The Container Spore posts pictures collected during the infrequent cleaning of the office refrigerator. If you’ve ever been the one to contribute to this ghastly task, you can imagine the horrors that await you. The upside is that the next time you are assigned the job, you will want to bring your camera and submit pictures of the carnage.
5. Gitmo Books
Guantanamo prison library books for detainees is Tumblr blog that's a photo archive by Charlie Savage of his trip to the naval base. The prisoners who have been there for twelve years now have a lot of time to fill, and the books they have access to have been donated, so it’s an eclectic and often weird selection.
6. TL;DR Wikipedia
If you think the articles in Wikipedia are too long to read, there’s a new Tumblr ready to enlighten you on all manner of subjects. TL;DR Wikipedia bills itself as “Wikipedia condensed for your pleasure.” It’s a hoot! Some of the entries are mkuch funnier than these; I picked out a few that lacked objectionable language to show here. Otherwise the air conditioner entry would be at the top.
7. Sports Balls Replaced with Cats
Sports Balls Replaced with Cats is exactly what it says on the tin, and it’s just goofy. The blog hasn’t been updated in a while, but the archives are full of laughs.
8. WTFBadRomanceCovers
There is no dearth of websites that make fun of romance novels, or even the covers of them, but there’s always room for more. WTFBadRomanceCovers delivers the goods, with short snarky commentary for each book cover. Their Objectified Scotsman Thursday is particularly fun, with a parade of shirtless men wearing tartan kilts.
9. Hair Apparent
Hair Apparent is an archive of hair styling salons with pun names. There are more of them than you may realize.
10. That's Not How You Pipette
Here’s one specifically for scientists, but especially graduate students, the ones who have to do the delicate but mundane work of science day in and day out. That's Not How You Pipette calls out pop culture illustrations of pipetting about how far from reality they are. I’m told it’s hilarious if you are in the business.
11. Heds Will Roll
You’ve seen plenty of pun headlines on the internet, but there are so many more that never get published, because they are rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. Heds Will Roll is a fairly new Tumblr blog for news headlines that are clever, but were rejected for one reason or another. I’m sure you can figure out why. Be warned that some are offensive, or even NSFW. You can submit yours, too, and check back as the blog receives more material.
12. Texts from TNG
Texts from TNG is an image macro site dedicated to the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Screen shots serve as the inspiration for going off-script and making them much more entertaining out of context. Will Wheaton is a fan. Many have NSFW text. You might also want to check out Texts from TOS and Texts from Deep Space Nine.
13. Photoshop Wil Wheaton
Speaking of Will Wheaton, he’s been a meme for some time now. Specifically, it's the act of putting Wheaton's image, or the image of his erstwhile Star Trek: TNG character Wesley Crusher, into humorous situations via Photoshop. This habit inspired the blog Photoshop Wil Wheaton, which makes a fine repository for those humorous mashups. One man, so many websites.
Find more in our previous lists of Niche Blogs.