Chloe’s Web, Column for The Times by Chloe Barker
Headline: It's a baby boomer; Chloe's web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 5
If you are a new parent and need clothes or – very topical - organic food, this site is for you. You can order a starter-pack of sleepsuits and you can also buy organic baby food to be delivered to your door. (7/10)
Food from southwestern
symbol of Texas Czechoslovakian culture"? Mouthwatering. (9/10)
Most net-based humour magazines are American - and quite famous, too,
like "The Onion". So it's good to see a homegrown version that takes
a wry and weird look at the world. Some parts made me laugh out loud.
(8/10)
lana
Mediterranean paintings, suffused with sunshine and evocative
colours. She is now keen to reach a wider, worldwide audience for her
work. Beautiful. (8/10)
Headline: Gone out to lunch;Chloe's web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 5
www.prismrestaurant.com/ : Meet the manager of Harvey Nichols' new
restaurant and book a table - you can even win dinner for two. Absolutely fabulous, darling. (7/10)
www.ntenvironment.com/ : The National Trust is 104 years old and this site gives information on its policies on conservation and archaeology. (8/10)
www.disneylandparis.com : Anyone planning to take the kids to Disneyland Paris should visit this site to get details on its hotels, clubs, entertainment, restaurants and shops. The site also contains Disney games for children. Fantastic fun. (8/10)
http://wkweb5.cableinet.co.uk/dledger: Apparently Scotland is a centre for UFO activity and this imaginative site illustrates the point with wacky stories from the national press. One tells of a forestry worker who was attacked by two bouncy spiky balls that tore his trousers to pieces. (8/10)
www.sceneone.co.uk: An online guide to what's on in the entertainment scene. Original, comprehensive and up-to-date listings. (6/10)
Headline: Where there's a will....;
Chloe's web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 4
www.ca-probate.com/wills.htm : This wills-on-the-Web is a true peach for nosy people with nothing better to do than figure out who left what to whom in their will. Discover what Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon wrote in their wills. You can even order a copy of the original from www.celebritycollectables.com . Astonishing.
(8/10)
www.randomhouse.com/features/chopra :
According to Deepak Chopra, Infinite Wisdom is only one click away.
On this website (his home-page) someone's aura can be felt. Play the
relationship quiz and read an online preview of The Wisdom Within:
Your Personal Program for Total Well-Being. Wise or wacky, you
decide. (6/10)
www.arab.net : This site
is worth visiting if only for the A-Z of Camels page. Other pages offer more
serious, up-to-date news on events in
and the
www.abcparenting.com : This brilliant site contains all the basic answers to parenting and pregnancy queries.
Names are posted on the site to help trigger the imagination of expectant mums. (10/10)
www.virtualmakeover.com : On this site you can change the shape of your nose and eyes by ordering the demo CD-Rom from Cosmopolitan or
Essence Magazine. Then scan in your picture and play around with a funky new look to suit your taste. Feel like a teenager all over again. (7/10)
Headline: Thank you for the music;Chloe's Web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 6
www.spinner.com : This Internet music service streams musical tunes
to your PC through more than 100 channels. There are an impressive
175,000 tracks to choose from ranging from Top Pop to Jungle, and
Latin to Love Gone Bad. Best of all; it is free to download. (9/10)
www.whatis.com Do techy terms fry your head? They certainly do mine, but fear not, salvation is at hand on whatis.com, a fiercely ugly but practical site. Just type in a ghastly geek word and a translation, or rather explanation, appears in intelligible English. Brilliantly useful. (9/10)
www.alexlit.com : Culture buffs and bookworms will warm to this site which recommends books and literary works based on what you like to read. Comparable to a normal library, you'll need to register first before the virtual librarian Hypatia can offer you reading advice.
(8/10)
www.imvs.com : It is now possible to create your own personalised
CD, thanks to the Interactive Music and Video Store's
on-line shop.
Browsers can choose tracks from a selection of music catalogues and can even
add any special message they would like to appear on the CD. A
unique and original site. (9/10)
www.online-fengshui.com Time to chill with this online guide to the Oriental art of Feng Shui. The site serves as an introduction to the five elements of the Feng Shui philosophy: fire, wood, water, metal and earth, and explains how the ancient art of spatial design works both on the mind and on the body. (7/10)
www.sleepnet.com This American site tells
you everything you ever wanted to know about sleep, but were too tired
to ask.
Carefully and colourfully put together, this site aims to group all the
available documentation on sleep disorders on the Net. There's informative data
on narcolepsy, sleep apnoea and insomnia, as well as useful contact support
groups. (7/10)
www.ufn.co.uk : Created by fans for fans, The Unofficial Football
Network's website contains the latest match results, league tables and news on the transfers talks, as well as lots more football-related matter. If you're passionate about the beautiful game this site spins for you. (7/10)
www.pponline.co.uk : Peak Performance Online is a sport site and is
devoted to stamina, strength, fitness, nutrition, physiology and the
treatment of injuries.(8/10)
Headline: Chloe's Web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 6
www.idrink.com . There are 5,211 alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink recipes to suit all tastebuds on this site. Just type in the names of what's lingering in your drinks cupboard into the site, and idrink comes up with a wonderful little concoction. (9/10)
www.north-wales.com . Wales now has its own little place on the Net map; this site boldly attempts to teach English browsers how to pronounce the longest place names in Wales, as well as providing a general introduction to the area's business and tourism. A well-coordinated site. (8/10)
www.thesmokinggun.com . This is a conspiracy theorist's dream. Dig the dirt behind the headlines with this site that allows you to view confidential documents online in their original format. Materials are obtained from courts, governments and law-enforcement sources, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act. Astonishing. (8/10)
www.eta.co.uk . Nothing to do with Basque terrorists, this is the official website for the Environmental Transport Association. Its down-to-earth site offers online membership and enables browsers to read the electronic version of Going Green, the ETA magazine. (8/10)
www.acdo.co.uk . This is an animated soap opera online, with emphasis on the soap. Set in the year 2034 after a great drought, it is a time when washing machines have been outlawed in the home but launderettes are still legal. A truly bizarre way to promote a washing powder. (9/10).
While British fans count the days, minutes and even seconds until the new Star Wars film - the Phantom Menace hits the cinema screens in mid-July - fans in the States are already basking in the glory of full galactic bliss, writes Chloe Barker
Despite being dismissed by the
The film's official site is www.phantommenace.com which holds all the usual information on the new film's characters, sells many a Star
Wars product in the online shop and offers chatting sessions with other fans.
Another site, which could easily be taken as being the official site for the film, is www.theforce.net which notoriously posted a trailer of Phantom Menace before the official one got round to it.
On the ultimate fan site, www.countingdown.com , which has its very own box devoted to Star Wars, one writer called this glut of websites
"the Fandom Menace". Not all are necessarily worth a visit. Searches need to be narrowed down because the Star Wars cult is booming.
Headline: Chloe's Web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 4
www.loversonweb.net : Launched ten weeks ago, this online dating
service guarantees lonely hearts a partner within 72-hours, with
4,000 registered members looking for love. (7/10)
www.tvcomedycollege.com : This site serves as an introduction to the
TV Comedy College. Designed by three well-known comics, the course
offers invaluable practical advice. Trial courses available for less
than Pounds 30. (8/10)
www.adventure-mag.com : A site for adrenaline seekers and would-be
explorers. (8/10)
www.museumsweek.co.uk
: A guide to what's on in 800 museums in the
during Museums Week - May 15-23. (6/10)
www.british-airways.com/concorde : Spirit, speed, ambition and harmony
are Concorde's key words here. This site even allows you to pilot a
virtual Concorde from
Headline: Crying out loud;Chloe's Web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 6
www.londonstowncrier.com Peter Moore,
own website. Find out about his history - in a trade that dates back
to 1066. You can even book him for a function. (6/10)
www.sweetmart.co.uk Based in
which specializes in the sale of ethnic foods and spices to the
public and the restaurant trade. Coconut product, sauces, curries,
lentils, even ethnic toiletries available. Too aromatic to resist.
(7/10)
www.paramountcomedy.co.uk Frivolity, gaiety and glee - summer is here and it's time to laugh. With both live and TV listings, this site is packed full of comedy info. To tickle those ribs, why not try the Comedy Panic Button, which tempts you with jokes at the touch of a button. (7/10)
www.whizz-kidz-trek.co.uk Whizz-Kidz is a
children's charity that helps put children on their feet by buying them
mobility aids. This site shows how three mountain climbers raised money by
going on a sponsored trek to the
www.yucky.com The yuckiest site on the Net is probably meant for kids but adults will find it just as entertaining. Beware of the creepy-crawlies and don't eat any of the recipes listed. Fabulous graphics packed with fun. (8/10)
www.sorcerers-shop.com On this site Babetta, the hostess, offers "irresistible drops" that can lure love and fortune into your life. So, if your charm's running thin, why not resort to a little Net-magic. Wait for the full moon to pass before you view this site. (7/10)
Headline: Nessie-watchers loch on to this;Chloe's web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 4
Picture Caption: Hippies: woodstock69.com
www.lochness.co.uk
A live Webcam watches patiently over
This site contains some beautiful images and you can even stare
blissfully over the loch at night thanks to an infrared Webcam. You
might run out of patience and fall asleep at your computer screen
before you spot Nessie though. (7/10)
www.kissthisguy.com This site will teach you the words of your favourite songs. So, if
you blush at the sound of your voice, then why not head for the
Archive of Misheard Lyrics and learn how not to die of embarrassment
when next in the pub? (8/10)
www.geocities.com/wellesley The
Women's International Net brings you closer to the women of the world and keeps you informed on women's
issues. It keeps clear of the
glossy-mag subjects and hopes not to be too academic. I think it
succeeds. (7/10)
www.insomniazine.co.uk InsomniaZine lists all that the London Tourist Board doesn't,
including gigs, club nights and a directory of more obscure venues.
The site's pride and joy has to be the celebrity spotting section. Enterprising. (7/10)
www.rainer.demon.co.uk The
Rough Guide has produced this handy guide to Police Law, which includes definitions of offences and their
consequences and the
latest updates on new Acts. Check out the crime prevention advice. A
bit dry but well worth a read. (6/10)
www.woodstock69.com
Hippies, music, painted school buses and 500,000 happy people in
(10/10)
www.opendiary.com Does your life need organising? If this online, interactive diary
fails to instil some kind of order into your daily chaos, nothing will. Easy and clear to use this site will make your day-to-day routine glide by. (6/10)
www.sante-gcg.com
This is a guide to some of
know the city or not, browse through the listed venues catering for all wallets and palates. For a special night out, try the theatre dinner packages. (7/10)
DANIEL and Leo Gestetner, grandsons of the man who pioneered modern
copiers, have brought a new version of "comparison shopping" to the internet with their ShopGuide website.
Unlike other online shopping services, this site is on the side of
the consumer; it does not promote advertisers' messages nor do any of
the shops featured pay to be listed in the directory. As there is little publicity material and no fancy graphics, pages download within seconds, offering a smooth and welcoming ride into the world of virtual shopping.
In Bargain Finder, 350 stores are ranked and rated with a consumer's
eye, giving an objective view. Different prices for a CD or a video,
for example, are listed in a chart. In one case the results proved
startling; Brassed Off, the video, was available in various outlets
but the prices ranged between Pounds 3.99 (Entertainment Express) and
Pounds 15.99 (Video
Until now this service has only been available in the
but the site has already secured a steady flow of online browsers.
The site has been active for eight months now but has been revamped
this month with a new look and updated services. Items for sale
stretch beyond books and CDs; thousands of products are available,
from holidays to flowers, with retailers
such as
Diesel, British Airways and Interflora.
"People are put off shopping on the internet because of a belief that
online shopping is terribly complicated and that it is practically
impossible to find what you're looking for," says Daniel Gestetner.
"Many internet users steer clear because of concerns about security."
Other than security, users also fear spending hours online, building
up a horrendous phone bill, only to find in some cases, that the
object they wish to purchase is not available. This site will save
users time, energy and most importantly, money.
VERDICT//
Website: www.shopguide.co.uk
Ease of use: 10 out of 10
Value for money: 9 out of 10
Encryption: Yes
Delivery times: 1 to 4 days
Headline: Better watch your art if you're technophobic
Headline: Get down and dirty then enjoy a massage;Chloe's web
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 6
dare to be dirty on this dusty site where dirt samples from exotic
locations are gathered. Sent in by scum-fans from around the world,
the 200 exhibits are sorted by colour, texture or country. Wacky is
the word. (8/10)
demon.co.uk: flex your fingers and oil that skin. The site of The
London School of Sports Massage, founded in 1989, it includes a
directory of therapists and information on BTECrecognised courses.
(6/10)
get healthy for an environmentally friendly summer with an extensive
reading list and a library of newspaper cuttings. A site dedicated to books on the mind, body and spirit. Bliss. (8/10)
www.bristolzoo.org.uk :a fantastically colourful site and now that
dive deep. Adopt an animal or read about the Millennium Awards for
Conservation. (10/10)
www.connectedtraveler.com : take a virtual cruise through the Yasawa
Islands of
guaranteed a good cinematic time. (8/10)
www.bflicks.com: devoted to independent cinematic masterpieces and hard-to-find films.
Requests and queries researched for free. Visitors can also win a
trip to
www.netcafeguide.com: the most complete database of all 113 cybercafes around the world.
(6/10)
Headline: Who wants to get on their virtual bike?;Chloe's Web;Internet
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 7
Picture Caption: Trees: a site for sore eyes
www.cybercycle.co.uk : is devoted to the art of the bicycle. The site
offers great equipment, as well as funky biker gadgets at
irresistible prices. Run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. Refreshing
and packed full of facts on forthcoming races and bike events. (8/10)
www.africawarehouse.co.uk
: This site is the web voice for the
Warehouse art and craft gallery. A vast and colourful array of
African goods on offer. This site is an ethnic jewel. (10/10)
www.organicfood.co.uk : Anything you ever wanted to know about ginger or ginseng, the marvels of nature are yours to discover. (8/10)
www.reminds.co.uk : claims to be the only reminder service in the
world. So if you need a virtual tap on the shoulder to prod your
memory, then this site might be exactly what you need (snag is it
costs Pounds 48.50 for an annual subscription). (5/10)
www.treecouncil.org.uk: Nature-lovers will love this site which is bursting with facts and
figures about trees. The site was set up to celebrate the Tree
Council's Silver Jubilee and offers extensive explanation on how to
go about planting a tree. (6/10)
www.beargarden.co.uk : The first teddy bear shop on the Net is packed
with the jolliest of designs ranging from Tyrons the Teddy to Lisenka
the Doll. Great fun. (7/10)
www.britsabroad.co.uk : Are you thinking of living abroad but
terrified of losing your regular supply of Marmite and PG Tips? This
site will make sure you don't lose your sanity because of an
addiction to Branston pickle while living in a tropical paradise.
Includes delivery (7/10)
www.discoveryinitiatives.com : Discovery is a specialist operator that
works in association with conservation agencies across the globe.
Their web site offers 35 wonderful adventure trips and treks. (10/10)
Headline: Political cause for a lama;Chloe's web//
Byline: Chloe Barker
Source: The Times
Issue Date:
Page: Interface 4
www.tibet.com : is a website from the top of the world, focusing on
the plight of
after 22 years behind bars Tsundue was the longest-serving political
prisoner. Not for the faint-hearted. (9/10)
www.all-languages.com : This translation site can be viewed in French,
Spanish or English. It's a bit too keen on the karma front but
redeems itself with linguistic witticisms, including: In an Acapulco
hotel, "The manager has personally passed all the water served here."
And in a
desk." (7/10)
www.craftdesign-london.com : contemporary British designers on a site
tended by a young entrepreneur, Stephane Elting. Ceramics, furniture,
metalwork and tableware at a range of prices. (8/10)
www.obesity.com : Is your belly wobbling and does your chin dance in the wind? Then this is the site for you. Don't worry, the exercise section is gentle in its approach. (7/10)
www.photodisc.com : Thinking of designing your own website? This will
serve you well. Buy high-quality digital pictures for as little as
Pounds 13. Gorgeous to look at, even if you're not spending. (8/10)
www.defenselink.mil : official website for the US Department of
Defense. Updates on Operation Allied Force. Don't miss the news
section. (8/10)