Sunday Style InSite Feb. 11, 2001

Sunday Style In-Sites Feb. 11, 2001

Designosphere: Looking for new interior design ideas? Want to see the latest trends in lighting and furniture? Then this is the place for you. It not only highlights innovative design concepts but also underscores the practical aspect of things. What that means is, even if some items look odd, they are meant for real use in real homes. There're lots of enlargeable thumbnail photos in the 'Products', 'Lighting' and 'Furniture' sections, and the '3D' page has an image gallery that lets you marvel at everything from a rotating TV set to striking images of lamps that look like croissants on legs. Besides home decor, the site also spotlights "the best examples of industrial design" and includes a useful 'Links' section that lets you explore the subject further. You can also sign up for an e-mail newsletter.

Dream Emporium: Want to know what your dreams mean? Having recurring nightmares? Well, this site offers you some useful tips on how to interpret them even if it doesn't seem too authoritative on the subject. The design affects readability -- large typeface in Italics on black background may look cool but just doesn't cut it for lengthy chunks of text -- but at least the information is fairly well organized, and the essays on topics like 'Dream Symbols', 'Dream Themes and Triggers' and 'Nightmares & Recurring Dreams' are illuminating to some degree. There're also basic explanations of such matters as sleep paralysis and sleep walking, and the pages dealing with 'Helping Children', 'Lucid Dreams' and 'False Awakening', are filled with fascinating tips. Tracking down topics can be a wild goose chase at times, and there's no search box to ease that, but since dreams are a big part of most people's lives, a site like this will still draw surfers despite its bad design.

International Amateur Athletic Federation Online: Amateur athletes will love this first-rate resource for news and views on major athletic events around the world. It's a site with a catchy design that not only offers current coverage of competitions but also deals with the history of athletics and tries to engender a sense of community among people who take track and field sports seriously. The lists -- 'IAAF indoor Performance Lists', 'IAAF Outdoor Performance Lists' and 'IAAF World Rankings' -- are great for browsing. And the 'Multimedia' (video interviews) and 'Exchange Zone' (coaching tips) sections offer visitors a chance to be interactively involved. The home page provides headlines and news summaries, updated daily, and if you're interested in race stats, just click on 'Results'. The writing may not be stylish but it's clear and crisp, especially the pieces in 'The Sport', a section that deals with athletics from various angles.

Islamic Arts and Architecture: Hosted by a non-profit organization, this refreshingly simple site houses a wealth of information on some of the most significant artistic and architectural creations of the Muslim world. You can find images and descriptions of ancient artefacts, art works, coins, buildings and all kinds of items found in the palatial homes of Muslim rulers. Pages are grouped under 'Architecture', 'Calligraphy', 'Coins' and 'Rugs' with conveniently labelled sub-links. For instance, the 'Architecture' page has "doors" to such topics as 'Metal Work', 'Influencing the West', 'Decorative Arts', 'Faith & Knowledge' and 'Materials & Techniques'. And the home page comes with a search box that lets you zero on specific topics besides offering direct entrance to such sections 'TV Shows', 'Radio Show', 'Bibliography' and 'Exhibits & Museums'. You have to click through quite a few pages to find what you're looking for at times, but since the pages are swift-loading you won't have to keep gritting you teeth like you would normally. In fact, the arrangement actually gives you the facts in manageable doses.

SkyscraperPage.com: Those obsessed with tall buildings -- and you don't have to be ashamed of it if you are -- will go giddy with excitement at this site that ranks and rates the world's tallest skyscrapers. And the photos and diagrams of and achitectural data on the towering constructions around the world should make for some mesmerising moments of wonder. The 'Site Contents' list includes 'World's Tallest Diagram', 'Skyscraper Forum', 'Skyline Photos' and 'Photo Pages', and there's a 'News & Updates' section that offers items on the latest skyscraper "finds" and links to the latest skyscraper sites put together by high-rise buffs in various parts of the world. The shots in the 'Panoramic Skyline Photos' and 'San Francisco Skyline Gallery' are terrific, and the 'Manhattan Skyscrapers Book' is worth checking out as well, If you're seeking architectural insights, you'll find the 'World's Tallest Buildings Database' absorbing. The home page is tastefully designed with all summaries and links cleanly arranged and boxed.

26 Pigs: Comic Library: Comics fans are usually a fiercely devoted lot who not only dream of owning as many collectible and rare editions as their budgets would allow but also have an insatiable thirst to know everything about their hobby. Which is why a fact-packed site like this, intended for young people who collect UK-published comics but wide-appealing enough to interest the more mature comics buffs, will be checked out by those who care at least once. It actually traces the evolution of comics over a 100-year period, with an A-Z index highlighting classic British comics like 'Beano' and 'Dandy' as well as touching on American titles like 'Batman', 'Superman' and 'Archie'. The selected cover images alone are worth the effort of admission, but you also get some old strips which can be nostalgia-inducing. The layout is excellent with a search facility at the top that includes fields for 'UK Comics', 'UK Annuals', 'US Comics', 'Manga & Alternative', 'Books' and extensive sub-categories.