Network: Is this the bottom line?

Just when you thought you'd seen it all ...

sites

Nip and tuck site: Whenever you think you have found the weirdest, wackiest or tackiest site on the Web, something or someone goes one better. This week it is The Body Electric (http://www.surgery.com/body/welcome.html), a site that extols the virtues of body beautification (otherwise known as plastic surgery) and tells you how to go about getting those ugly lumps and sags smoothed out.

A clickable image of a female body appears when you arrive on the home page, from which you can select the bit that needs sorting. I went for buttock lipsculpture and was offered a choice of before and after pictures, showing just what a dramatic transformation a good buttock sculptor could achieve. I then checked on the cost of the operation and browsed through a list of qualified doctors. But I was a bit disappointed to find that they can't perform their operations via the Web.

Space site: We tend to think that space travel is only for big boys like the boffins at Nasa. But the AspireSpace Rocket Programme (http://www.gbnet/ orgs/aspire/asphome.html) believes otherwise. This group of amateur space enthusiasts based in Britain plan to have their own rocket in orbit by the turn of the century. They have tested various designs already and their Web site gives details of forthcoming test projects. There are also links to other space and even an AspireSpace Interactive Rocketry Tutorial, with beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

B&B site: Going on a last minute trip in Britain or Ireland and want a place to stay? Because B&Bs are so informal and often don't make it into guide books, it can be difficult finding out what is available. Stilwell's B&B guide (http://www.stilwell.co.uk/welcome.html) is the answer. This UK publishing company has produced directories for some time, but it has now decided to go virtual. Some 6,500 places are listed and you can search by area name or by map. There is a brief description of each B&B, as well as any grading by tourist boards or motoring organisations.

Olympic site: Might as well get this one (http://www.atlantagames. com/index.htm) out of the way before we all become thoroughly bored of hearing about the Atlanta Games. This is an unofficial site, produced by the local paper. Among other gimmicks, you can follow the progress of the Olympic torch as it goes across America in the last 60-odd days before the games begin. Zippee! It also offers discussion forums, ticket details and information on accommodation, transport, eating and entertainment.

News Site: There are now so many newspapers and magazines on the Web, the choice is overwhelming. Which is why a cyber newsagent is handy. One of the best is PanWorld (http://www.panworld.com/paneuro.htm), which has a vast selection of links to publications and news sources across Europe and the US.

Music site: On the Web everyone is equal and everyone has an equal right to say they are better than everyone else. So when the Supersonic music guide (http://www.uea.ac.uk/u920 1289/supersonic.html) says it is "the definitive directory of cool British music on the Internet", and "the world's most popular British music web site," you just have to believe it. It has links to 200 different bands, singers and labels, as well as an eclectic list of alternative . I must admit, I was quietly impressed.

Survival site: You heard it here first. Dragonflies are at risk, warns the home page of Britain's Dragonfly Society (http://www.rfhsm.ac.uk:81/golly/bds.html). These buzzing little beasties can trace their history back to 300 million years ago, well before the dinosaurs. But now their long-term survival is in doubt because their ideal water habitats are apparently being gobbled up fast by the draining of ditches and river canalisation work. If you want to help, you can join the society - details on line.

Network contact: David Bowen

network@independent.co.uk