Picks of the Week: 11th December 2000

Kids, students, gardeners, synchronized swimmers, sticky tape enthusiasts, Daniel O'Donnell fans ... no matter who you are or what you're into, there's bound to be a club or site devoted to your group out there somewhere. Here are some of the many UK based sites devoted to specific groups:

Youngsters are well served by Kidsevents.co.uk, which contains information on everything from the best Christmas grottos and pantomimes in the country to places to stay on your summer holidays. There are also story writing competitions, book and film reviews, and party planning links, amongst other things. That should be enough to stop the little tykes from pestering you for Thunderbirds or consoles.

The Departments of Health and Education and Employment have combined to produce LifeBytes, a guide to health, safety, and drugs (the legal and illegal kinds) for 11 to 14 year olds. There are quizzes, "Did you know?" factoids, and bright colours aplenty. The tone is a bit over-eager for teenage cynics, but kids will appreciate the honesty and openness of the information.

Surprisingly, The Yooneeversity of Life isn't a forum for codgers to tell us how they learned more from their time as a child chimney sweep than they teach at those fancy colleges. It's a guide to the student's life of loafing the day through at taxpayer's expense. There are drunken photos, free mobile phone messaging, and nightlife reports from University towns to play with, plus job links, academic books, and more serious info. Everything is presented nicely, with a lovely orange pants motif throughout.

Slightly worried by these sites on the basis that they mention going outdoors? Brushing your StarFleet commander's badge while reading this? Wearing a "Smoke me a kipper" T-shirt? Then Sad Geezer's Guide might just be for you. As well as episode guides, character, culture, and spaceship information for favourites like Lexx and Red Dwarf (including ratings for extra sadness!), the site offers membership, with accompanying sad geezer memorabilia and news bulletins.

RubShoulders.com is the new reference work for anyone who wants to know who showed up to which premier with whom, and whose clothes both of them were wearing. The site also helps you to replicate the star's looks, with fashion and beauty tips, and to feel superior, with cutting remarks about our celebrity chums (of his recent treading the boards: "to call Archer wooden is an insult to furniture", for example). There is also an archived picture gallery, so you can a trace celebrity movements over the last few months. Vapid fun.

Sites Featured in Picks of the Week:

• Kidsevents.co.uk  - a kid's life.
• LifeBytes  - signs of life.
• The Yooneeversity of Life  - best years of your life.
• RubShoulders.com  - the high life.
• Sad Geezer's Guide  - it's life, Jim, but not as we know it.