Web Watch: September 2003

Life

1 April 2005

Every now and again certain websites catch our attention due to their presentation, skilful execution, novelty or other merits. In this Web Watch we highlight the five top international sites to merit a mention, followed by the Best of Irish.

Google Answers

A question and answer site from search engine giant, Google. Submit your question, set your fee and one of Google’s 500 researchers will try to find an answer for you. The lowest fee is $2 (plus a non-refundable 50 cent listing fee); the highest is $200. If you are particularly happy with your answer, you can choose to tip the researcher. Questions asked on the site range from those seeking company contact information to those who want to know the secrets of women.

Whichbook.net

Need inspiration for your holiday reading? Whichbook.net helps you find the kind of book you need, using a number of different criteria to narrow your search, such as happy and sad, and gentle and violent. Select your chosen category and use the sliding scale to look for a book that is humorous, sad or somewhere in between. You can also search according to a specific character profile, setting or plot.

Slipups.com

If you’ve got way too much time on your hands, you can pick every mistake and slip-up out of the films you watch, books you’ve read or TV programmes viewed, and post it to this website. And then people can comment on your perceived slip-up, backing you up or pointing out (sometimes quite vociferously) why it isn’t a mistake. Goofs and gaffes in quotes and speeches are also posted on the site.

Tacky Living

Not for the faint-hearted or hopelessly trendy, Tacky Living describes itself as ‘gracious living … with a difference’. Learn how to make a horrible TV antenna to annoy your neighbours, construct table centrepieces for holidays, or make Tic-Tac pie. The site even has its own version of Miss Manners — Miss Demeanour. Good for a laugh if nothing else.

Talk to Frank

A no-nonsense drugs advice site aimed at teenagers. The site offers practical information on subjects that are normally glossed over — such as drug cocktails and their effects. Worried teens or parents can e-mail or phone Frank for advice if they believe someone is involved in drugs or if they are involved themselves.

 

Best of Irish

Some good sites to help you book a holiday break in Ireland or abroad:

Time Out Tours

If out door activities in some of Ireland’s more picturesque and unspoilt parts are your cup of tea, then pay this site a visit where you can book a weekend away centred around cycling, horse riding, fishing or golfing.

Topflight

Skiing and snowboarding breaks to choice destinations in Andorra, Austria, France and Italy.

Sunway Holidays

Sign up for the Sunway e-mail newsletter and keep track of any late bargains on package holidays.

Stein Travel

Book a complete holiday package online, or just the flight or hotel room at this comprehensive and competitively priced site.

 

Blog of the month

Fans of the Matrix films will have an interest in this blog — Matrixessays.blogspot.com. The site features a collection of essays and discussions that delve deep into the different theories behind the film, including the religious similarities that many Matrix fanatics believe the film includes.

One interesting essay, which has been split into three parts, takes a look at the different ideas implied in the Matrix Reloaded that viewers may have missed first time around, such as whether Neo really is the One or whether he is destined to fail like the others before him. Anyone who hasn’t seen the Matrix Reloaded is advised to steer clear of the site until after they’ve seen the film; the site contains numerous discussions that would definitely spoil the film for you. Definitely worth a look for anyone with an interest in the Matrix Trilogy.

www.matrixessays.blogspot.com

22/09/2003

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