Websites: Fifaworldcup.com, kokogiak,com, scratchdisk.com and others

10 best sites of the week

By Ash Pro

25 May 2002

http://www.fifaworldcup.com/

Well, it all kicks off big time next Friday, so head straight for the source if you mean to follow the 2002 World Cup. There are maps, games, interviews, and, happily, the official Fifa site will be providing video highlights of all 64 matches. Less happily for some, this particular service will cost you £13.62 to access (according to exchange rates at time of writing), as the move to a subscription service for online content continues apace.

http://www.kokogiak.com/

A kokogiak is a 10-legged white bear, a legendary beast from Native American folklore, and this fabulous creature provides the impetus for a fabulously creative site. Enjoy and explore the Luciferous Logolepsy, where more than 9,000 obscure words are "dragged into the light of day", MegaFauna, which describes the remarkable, extinct beasts that once roamed the earth, and a history of Whittier, the strangest town in Alaska.

http://www.scratchdisk.com/

Shockwave Forecast. Fever Nightmare Generator Version 1.0. Rising tide of crosses, scratches and sundry marks. Pressure imminent. Point, click and release mouse to grow patterns. Falling intensity according to intelligence engine driving site. Visibility: good. New click produces new dream. Low hums, carefree beeps and tinny voices keep ears motivated. In time, screen fades to black. Clear space possible according to creative vision of user.

http://www.cutoffmyfeet.com/

Somewhat harrowing site where a guy called "Freck", aka Paul Morgan, wants to cut off his feet with a guillotine. Morgan was paralysed below the ankle in an accident, and prohibitive medical costs prevent him from having the amputation and prosthetics he needs to improve the quality of his life. His response is to raise the money he needs by organising a live webcam home amputation, financed by subscriptions.

http://www.theyesmen.org/

Pranksters with a point, the Yes Men are confidence tricksters who sneak their way into meetings and deliver ludicrous speeches. Previous escapades, which you can peruse at their amusing site, include one of their number posing as a member of the World Trade Organisation (who "deplore" the Yes Men), ending his address to a trade conference by stripping off his suit to reveal a golden leotard bearing a three-foot long phallus.

http://www.shine02.org/

Shine celebrates 40 years of campaigning for human rights by Amnesty International, by inviting web designers and artists to contribute appropriate projects to mark the occasion. A clever navigation system triggers a variety of responses, including screensavers, doctored websites and arresting images. Highlights include Fischerspooner's interactive growing garden of hope, and Hexstatics Videoharp, which plays back the voices of a concerned global population.

http://www.ctrlaltdel.org/

Minimalist text-based decor on the splash page belies the thoughtful fun and games inside. Pointerpointerpointerpointerpointerpointer is a Shockwave sound engine, delivering pulsating ear-damage via six arrows of indifference. Object 14 offers the same electronic hacksaw-buzzing, but this time in Technicolor, letting you ride the waves of sonic sustenance as you (de)compose a symphony of static.

http://www.foodreference.com/

No mere recipe site, Food Reference.com provides the sort of background minutiae on food that can only enhance your eating pleasure and reputation at the dinner party table, as you wow fellow guests with your remarkable knowledge of foodstuffs, all of which you've filched from this site. There are also cooking tips and trivia aplenty; plus, of course, more recipes than you can shake a spatula at.

http://www.sandcastlecentral.com/

Summer is almost upon us, and that means it's sandcastle season. Of course, simply filling up a plastic tub and tipping it upside down, as in days of yore, won't suffice any longer. The humble sandcastle has given way to elaborate sand sculptures, and this site gives you the lowdown on an unlikely hobby, including tips on how to build. There's also a cool image gallery.

http://www.homelands.co.uk/

Thoughtfully scheduled so that its finish leads nicely into England's first match at the World Cup, this year's Homelands will provide the prerequisite night before to make that morning after go as smoothly as the event's site. Details of the acts at this 10-stage, one-day festival are neatly presented here; plus, there's all the info you need, from buying tickets to getting there.

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