A whole Web site devoted to a technophobe philosophy? Thats some knee-slapping irony, kids! If youre a true Luddite, then youre probably not surfing the Web or reading this magazine. However, if you enjoy a little humor, and I do mean a little, check out Luddites Online. Test your Luddite Purity and decide if life was better before sliced bread. Or study with the modern Luddite, Bill Gates, and discover how Microsoft will bring the end of this technology age with zero-productivity software. This site might amuse briefly, but I doubt it will find a home in your bookmark file. - Katherine Clary Alward
Good intentions get you only so far, especially when it comes to Web sites. The WholeFamily Center clearly has the best of intentions, but its execution leaves much to be desired. Designed as a resource for parents and children, the center aims to give all members of the family information and solutions. Topics cover everything from adolescent depression to parenting troubles to sexual issues. Aside from the sites gaudy design and lack of organization, the information provided is trite and out of touch. This is a good example of trying to do too much and not succeeding at any of it. - Katherine Clary Alward
On my way home tonight, I spotted a bumper sticker that read, Doing my part to piss off the religious right. I have a feeling this review of Growing Families International will be my contribution to that movement. Per se, I dont take issue with what GFI wants to accomplish, which is helping families raise thoughtful, moral children. However, this is not a non-profit, volunteer organization. Instead, GFI is a non-denominational Christian corporation that sells books, tapes, and seminars to teach families how to raise their children, and it makes quite a bit of money doing it. The site is an advertisement for these products, with little value beyond that. - Katherine Clary Alward
Are tabloid television and magazines failing to fulfill your craving for dirt on the British Royalty? Jump the pond to RoyaltyUK, and find enough information for the most ardent Anglophile. All the usual suspects are hereDiana, Charles, Fergie, the Queenbut theres also plenty of history to be found. Read up on the history of royal infidelity and the Windsor genealogy while keeping tabs on Prince Williams new pimple. But dont think this wealth of scuttlebutt comes free, because you have to pay to be in the know; despite the sites promise of freebie news updates, the real dirt is under lock and key. - Katherine Clary Alward
Even the tragically hip are on the Web these days. InterJackie is the online home of Jackie 60, a New York club thats become something of an institution the past five years. And this isn't just your average 70s/80s revival, Long Island Iced Tea-drenched, blondes in spandex-type club; its the New York underground, so dont say you havent been warned. The site archives party invitations and themes from the past (my favorite, Homo Erectus: Gay Archeology); articles from Verbal Abuse, the clubs quarterly zine; and pages for club personalities such as Glam Nerd. This is a peek at a world most will never know, so cruise by, absorb a few factoids, and impress friends at the next geekfest you attend. - Katherine Clary Alward
AgeScape, more aptly entitled OldAgeScape, seeks to help the older members of our community to redefin[e] retirement." Updated daily, the online magazine accomplishes its goal by providing ideas about second careers, profiling active seniors, and offering online forums on a wide range of topics. Unfortunately, the site contains no archives, so if you miss an interesting article, youre out of luck. Given the incredibly large and growing number of codgers and bluehairs in our society, you might expect the forums to be buzzing with activity, but this is certainly not the caseperhaps the geriatric set has yet to become sufficiently wired. - Mike Hase
Kolene Tanner, mother of 13, has spent 10 years of her life pregnant, 13 years nursing, and 24 years as a mother. Somehow, amidst dealing with her gaggle of children, she has also found the time to offer her acquired knowledge in an attractive, well-laid-out site. Her articles cover the many aspects of motherhood (as well as womanhood and wifehood), such as coping with pregnancy, overcoming burn-out, and cooking on the run. Many of the articles can be read for free, while others require you to pony up a $30 per year membership fee. Mom accepts most major credit cards. - Mike Hase
Good grief, what a huge site. Created by parents for parents, Parents Place.com offers tips on all aspects of parenting, for mothers and fathers alike. From pregnancy to adolescence to education, everything seems to be covered somewhere on this site. If you can't find an article with the information you need, try one of the dozens of chat rooms, which cover a multitude of subjects. The site also features several online shops, such as the Breastfeeding Shop and Piddlers (for potty training). I cannot imagine needing to go anywhere else for parenting information. - Mike Hase