Remember
Since Blair Witch showed us how far the net could be used as a marketing tool, film trailers have been getting curiouser and curiouser.
The latest addition is the thriller Memento (See www.otnemem.com), released in the UK next week. Directed by Christopher Nolan and co-written by brother Jonathan, the film is an elliptical murder mystery that has won rave reviews in the US.
The site, designed by the brothers, includes scraps of evidence that are not in the film. The website revolves around a newspaper article detailing the grizzly murder of a character in the film. But roll over certain key words and fragments of evidence are then revealed. The site is really just an interactive trailer, but a friend, who was lucky enough to see a preview, says that revisiting the website after seeing the film can reveal hidden meanings.
For full effect, make sure you have the sound turned on.
Turf accounts
Wembley Stadium and online auction house QXL.com are selling off sections of its hallowed turf (at £26 per square foot reserve price). Bidding started on Saturday after England's atrocious performance against Germany. It will run until October 23. Just how the organisers can judge the very spot where Geoff Hurst scored his famous hat-trick is unclear, but you will get a certificate to prove it. The special microsite is also full of other memorabilia; see the home page of www.qxl.com for details.
Robotic
Amorphic Robot Works (ARW) was formed in 1992 by a group of San Francisco artists, engineers and technicians to create robotic performances and installations. To date, the society has built 100 interactive and computer-controlled machines ranging from 12 inches high to 30 feet long. A number can be viewed on their website ( www.cronos.net/~bk/amorphic in QuickTime VR and RealVideo formats. The works are touring Europe, and will be on show at the Sketch Gallery in Nottingham from October 25-28.
Only connect
Citizens Connections is a community based site funded by Camelot as part of its contribution to the UK's millennium celebrations. The site is still "in prelaunch" but already it is encouraging people to give their time to a number of charity groups and voluntary organisations. Also, Oxfam has just launched the UK's first online charity shop at oxfam.org.uk/shop.
Game on
"Where the boundaries between real and virtual life disappear," is how Nokia describes its new cross-media game at www.nokiagame.com. The game, based around the mobile phone and the internet, will take place in 18 different countries. Participants have to solve a series of cluesprovided through text messages, on TV and in newspapers. There are lots of prizes up for grabs, including snowboarding trips, prizes and cash. To play you need a mobile phone that can receive SMS text messages and a PC with an internet connection. The game starts on November 1, and the final stage will be played on December 1.
Do it all
Overwhelmed by Oxford Street? Help could come from the palm of your hand, or so claims DoLondon.com, a Wap and website service, that aims to promote high street shops. Realising that the wired still like to go shopping, the website attempts to collate things like promotions and sales and help plan a shopping trip, while the Wap service will try to keep you informed while you are on the move. No Wap phone? Don't worry, says DoLondon. An SMS service will be available soon.
Tasty site
It probably won't achieve the cult status of the dancing hamsters but the prancing goose pictured here gives a lively introduction to the London Food and Film Festival, which starts today. See www.londonfoodfilmfiesta.co.uk for two films for two days of films, cookery, celebrity chefs, and more cookery and food.
Nuntii Latini
Nuntii Latini (News in Latin) is a weekly review of world events in the language of the ancient Romans -not the Latin Americans as Dan Quayle said - by YLE, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, at www.yle.fi/fbc/latini/summary.html.
New and noted
The National Gallery has an e-shop at www.nationalgallery.co.uk; RocketSki.com is a site for skiers and snowboarders. Liveanduncut.com is yet another site for unsigned bands and thepeoplevillage.com is a new IT recruitment site - no relation to the Village People.
Six of the best: Climate change
The Met Office
World Met Organisation
Tornado Project
Global warming
www.globalchange.org
El Nino & La Nina
www.pmel.noaa.gov/toga-tao/el-nino/nino-home.html
Watching the weather
www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/weather
