“The search service of choice for individuals looking for information on current affairs, politics and new science” DisInformation lives remarkably well to its promise and includes a ratings system for featured sites. If you think the world today is unbelievable and tragic, take a look at what the news isn’t telling you.

“Yet another example of misguided religious Thought Police aggressively inflicting their ignorance, hatred and prejudice on everyone else… Now they’re trying to get 1979 Oscar-winning film The Tin Drum banned… Read all about it (while you still can!) in Censorship.”

Among the stranger sites of the www, 99 Secrets is exactly that. Intriguing secrets you can keep or share with a friend via an online email form, which is certainly better than yet another virtual postcard.

“once she told him a story about a white knight, and a princess that didn’t need saving. am i the knight? he asked her. no, she answered. you’re the person i’m telling the story to.”

Is Big Brother watching? Yes – if you believe this site, which invites you to spend the weekend surfing a hundred links on personal privacy, or rather, the lack thereof in this modern day of electronic surveillance. Even if conspiracy theories are not your usual surfing fare, the fact that this site is up for sale at $69,750 and a cameo mention of Singapore should get you curious.

“One of the links on this page shows where every car that enters London is electronically checked with license plate monitoring technology to watch anyone as they travel around town. The cameras turn on for an additional look.”

Were the Pyramids and Sphinx really built by man? What’s their connection with the “face” and pyramids found on Mars? A look at a mystery four and a half thousand years old, or, mayhaps, older.

“The world’s oldest structure is so advanced that it can’t be duplicated today, even using current technology.”

What’s in a name? More than what we call a rose, apparently. Contains Popularity Listings (How common is YOUR name?), meaning of names from Aaron (To Sing) to Zyta (Polish for Teresa), and even a personalised naming service for the baby along the way. Also contains helpful info for the parents of any newborn.

“Aurora : Dawn / Kelly : Of the Kelts/Celts”

See title. ’nuff said.

“SMASHING PUMPKINS – Some BS around this one: Billy Corgan claims Gene Simmons told him in a dream that ’Joe Strummer is a pumpkin, drunken and smashed’. Corgan has also claimed he meant ’smashing’ as an adjective, as in ’daring pumpkins’. Smashing people’s carved pumpkins is also a favorite Halloween prank in the US.”

So the movie is a few years old… thing is, have you been to the site, or more importantly, the ’hacked’ site? Whether or not it was a publicity stunt, someone obviously has a sense of humour.

“Many of your comments have reflected a belief that we “hacked” our own site. We thought you might be interested in reading the letters that were received a few days ago from the real hackers.”

You don’t have to buy a book and make Scott Adams any richer to get a whole month worth of Dilbert strips. Add Catbert’s Anti-Career Zone, 3D Virtual Reality Dilbert, close an eye to the advertising, and laugh your head off.

“How are the Dilbert Indices faring after the Clinton Tapes?”

The quickest way to getting some culture without drinking yogurt. A whole new genre of poetry unique to the entire www. Monoverbum – “one word” – poetry is poetry for everyone, with enough simplicity for a five-year old and enough depth for any artist to appreciate.

Genre
A poem by Duane Wade

Genre

“Genre” is in a category all to itself. The poet is frustrated by society’s urge to pigeonhole everything from poetry to video games. Like people who try to classify music by using such terms as “bluesy”, “jazzy”, “rocking” and “baroque”, the poet is trying to satire by classifying his poem. The poet’s use of the soft “G” aids the poem in delivery and pronunciation. The use of the “re” is a mocking jeer at categories by misspelling in one language, but spelling correctly in another. The grouping of the soft “G” and the “re” into one word demonstrates the futility of classification of all objects.

“let’s just say that cowtipping involves sneaking up on sleeping cows and tipping them over, just for the hell of it.” There you have it, among the most pointless ECAs ever. And you can virtually do it all the more fulfillingly in this newly improved version of the Official page.

“Moo!”

If you only read one online newspaper, it has to be The Onion. The top story for the 23rd September 1998 issue reads “Tenth Circle Added To Rapidly Growing Hell”. How’s that for news that not only covers this universe, but the afterlife as well? Marvelously well done, with professional graphics.

“After nearly four years of construction at an estimated cost of 750 million souls, Corpadverticus, the new 10th circle of Hell, finally opened its doors Monday. The Blockbuster Video-sponsored circle, located in Nether Hell between the former eighth and ninth levels of Malebolge and Cocytus, is expected to greatly alleviate the overcrowding problems that have plagued the infernal underworld in recent years.”

Coke is it. And here’s the site that has Only the Real Thing. Intentionally poor navigation (some people have warped ideas of “fun”) and high bandwidth aside, this site is cool enough for even a diehard Pepsi fanatic. And of course, that’s a special place just for you Coke collectors.

“do a little finger yoga first – get your mouse in the proper metaphysical state.”

Divided into “Why is a diamond so special?” for her, and “So you’re buying her a diamond…” for him, this site acts as a how-to guide on the care and feeding of every gal’s best friend. While not very comprehensive and littered with propaganda from sponsor De Beers, it is worth a look if you happen to collect (or, at least, want to find out more about) diamonds.

“To establish a diamond’s quality, jewelers examine each of the 4Cs – cut, clarity, carat weight and color.”

A look back in time. A vibrantly detailed site that lets you view the interior of a house in 1953, find out the price of a 42-day, round-trip cruise to New Zealand from San Francisco with someone you love ($1515) and see the height of fashion.

“1950 through 1959 brought many changes in women’s fashion. In the early fifties, the cinched waists and long, voluminous skirts of Dior’s ’New Look,’ radical in 1947, were seen in brightly colored day dresses and lush evening wear.”

A huge list of melodies for the Ericsson 688/768/788 cellular phone – No Doubt’s Don’t Speak? Monty Python’s Flying Circus? It’s here baby.

“Garbage, Stupid Girl: dd+dp+cAfgpgpfGc dd+dp+cAfgpgpfG”