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Name of Site: Astrology.com.au
URL: http://www.astrology.com.au/
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Ease of Navigation: Walk in the Park
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Review: Dadhichi is a face-reading esoteric astrologer with powers way
beyond mortal men. He managed to register a generic .com.au domain name
way before the stars allowed anyone else to do so, and he has harnessed
the universal conciousness to build a very attractive Website, complete
with splendid animations and interaction. Members can join chat rooms
to meet soul mates and discuss philosophy - although at the time of review
the only philosophical question I had was "what is the sound of one
man chatting?" There is a daily reading, general star sign guide
and the ability to contact the man himself for a full report. The "shopping
for the soul" e-commerce section allows you to spend up big on a
whole range of cosmically enhanced products, including the chance to have
Dadhichi arrive at your corporate event and wow your guests with his esoteric
charm. When it comes to cosmic enlightenment, Dadhichi is right on the
money. - SS
Name of Site: Matrix Australia
URL: http://www.matrix.com.au/
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Ease of Navigation: Signposted
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Review: No, the Wachowski Brothers haven't suddenly turned all new agey.
Matrix Australia sells astrology software - and lots of it. Whether you
are a beginner who wants to dabble in astrology, or a professional who
wishes to market reports, charts and readings to believers the world over,
Matrix has the program for you. Computers are very good at maths, so calculating
a whole bunch of angles, times and positions is no problem. (Whether the
data is astronomically correct, that is something you'll have to take
up with your local astronomer.) From an astrological perspective though,
Matrix will give you enough colourful wall charts to wallpaper your house
and tell you more about yourself than your own mother knows. There is
an incredible range of software here - some free, some on sale - including
moon, Jupiter, I Ching, fishing guides and biorythms. Suspend your disbelief,
open your wallet and prepare to be amazed. - SS
Name of Site: Ed Tamplin
URL: http://www.edtamplin.com/
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Review: Ed is radio 2GB's resident astrologer. He also has a Website with
a promotional photo where his face is half orange and half purple, so
he must be good! Actually the site is a little lacking in stellar qualities,
though there is a fair bit of his musing to rummage through. Ed's claim
to have predicted war in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks puts
him on a psychic par with just about everyone in the western world, however
he has put a lot of effort into his horoscope analysis. He explains everything
from Kashmir to the Royal Family in terms of whether or not Pluto is rising
up Uranus and he shows how a rising Mars a day can help you work, rest
and play. If you believe any of this stuff, perhaps it's time to book
in for a personal consulation. If not, then you can amuse yourself with
his monthly and annual predictions for your star sign, or find out how
specific astrological events might effect your bank balance, job opportunities
and chances of winning on the pokies. - SS
Name of Site: Astrology on the Web
URL: http://www.astrologycom.com/
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Review: It's quite plain to see, after looking at a few of these sites,
that astrology is a big money spinner. All you need to do is spout off
the good old tried and true character descriptions of the 12 distinct
human types according to a join-the-dots nighttime sky, then tempt us
all with a personalised wall chart and planetary analysis. Since it is
so easy, style and substance of delivery are the essence. This site packs
a punch. It delivers the usual "Leos are Proud, Scorpios are sex
maniacs" zodiacs, but goes way beyond that. Astrology and health,
relationships, runes, sexuality, quiz and a nude horoscope (read them
in the nude) - they even poke fun at themselves with a tongue in cheek
'bad news' horoscope. There are a lot of contributors, each with their
own 'angle' on the whole subject that makes for interesting reading. Because
they put so much value into the site, you will find it much easier giving
value back by buying an interpretation or two in the online store. - SS
Name of Site: Astrosearch
URL: http://www.astrosearch.co.uk/
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Review: These days every subject under the virtual sun seems to have its
own private search engine, and Astrology is now no exception. The difference
here seems to be that just about the entire contents of this engine resides
within the site itself. A massive archive of astrological discussion on
all manner of topics, from sun signs to planets, moons to asteroids, personality
to interpersonal relationships. The discussions delve deeply into historical
studies, a bit of science here and there and a lot of common sense advice
on living a good life. The only difference here is that it is mercury
telling you to drink 8 glasses of water a day, not your doctor. After
a few hours poking around here, you will walk away quite enlightened as
to where this whole astrology thing is at. Plenty of great stuff here
too, like a free tarot reading, I Ching oracle and a sun sign guide to
life's little problems. If you are searching for answers, maybe astro
search has the clues you need. - SS
Name of Site:
URL: http://astrosurf.ninemsn.com.au/astrosurf/
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Review: Kerry Packer and Bill Gates have jumped into bed and produced
a lovechild called ninemsn. One of its many arms is the astrology section.
You need to sign in first, because they need your demographics. Market
research has told them that you believe in astrology, so you'll probably
buy anything. Here you find your daily or yearly horoscope - yes you are
at a turning point and a lot of things you have been thinking about are
going to start happening. You can play the name game - putting your name
and your partners name in and getting an instant reading as to your compatibility
- change partners or, hey, just change your name! Check your biorhythms
and your career horoscope. It's all a little too pop for me, and I wonder
if the only reason I am here is to feed the marketing machine, and the
info I just put in to get my readings just qualified me for a discounted
insurance policy. - SS
Name of Site: Aussie Horoscopes
URL: http://www.ozhoroscope.com.au/
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Review: Designed to help you achieve a 'happier, richer and more meaningful
experience' in life, the down under zodiac provides an interesting and
detailed look at all aspects of astrology. They delve into the historical
perspective - when people knew nothing about anything, they believed in
astral configurations and attached a whole bunch of meaning to them. These
beliefs have been embellished over time to the point that now anything
and everything from world events to spraining your ankle can be explained
by the alignment of the heavenly bodies. A lot of explaining is done here
about how this actually 'works', and eminent astologers have written a
few interesting articles on celebrity astrology, ascending planets and
the dilemma of being born on a cusp and not knowing what the hell you
are. Once you have it all explained, it's time to grace the order form
for some quite resonably priced charts, including a "Mother Goose"
chart for the kiddies, so you can imprint their minds when they are most
vulnerable. - SS
Name of Site: The Zodiacal Zephyr
URL: http://www.zodiacal.com/
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Review: When it comes to astrological resources, this one is one of the
more diverse and interesting sites I've come across. It isn't much to
look at, apart from a nice header graphic and a few colourful icons, but
it provides a great range of tools and information about this whole celestial
thing. Some of it goes a bit far, like attributing a spam email to a divine
configuration, but they do give you plenty of rational and reasoned resources
to begin your astral journey. Moon phase charts, biorhythm calculators,
chart creators, bibliography, celebrity horoscope data, greeting cards,
a Sabian Oracle, articles and an astrologers toolbox are just some of
the treasures to be found here. I think the philosophy here is "throw
it all at the wallchart and see what sticks" - and it's not a bad
philosophy because everyone is looking for something different. I'm a
total sceptic when it comes to astrology (as if you couldn't guess) but
even I found some interesting stuff here. - SS
Name of Site: Astrodienst
URL: http://www.astro.com/
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Review: A consortium of highbrow astrologers and psychologists have banded
together to create a whole new level of astrology - "Astro*Intelligence".
They have built software solutions that they claim to be the best in the
world at providing accurate and personalised horoscopes. This site is
packed with content - input your date, time and place of birth and find
out not only who you are, but who to love, what to do and where to go
for a holiday. It doesn't stop there - endless reams of interviews and
articles go indepth into how Saturn and Pluto caused September 11, Chiron
and Pluto caused George Harrison's stabbing and why Russell Crowe starred
in Gladiator. If you can swallow any of this, it's time to head to the
shop and discover your place in the solar system through a magical combination
of credit card numbers and expiry dates. - SS
Name of Site: Fatewatch
URL: http://www.fatewatch.com/
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Review: Fatewatch puts it all together in a cornucopia of mysticism. Numerology,
astrology, Chinese astrology, mantras - if it's mystical, you're looking
at it at Fatewatch. "Astrology is a science, not a fiction..."
they say, and with that all disbelief is suspended as you blame your entire
life on the moment you were born. Makes you wonder why more doctors don't
induce labour more often to create a race of superhumans with perfect
birth charts. This site is set up very well, with categories for men,
women, teens, love, money, travel, passion, gems, etc. There are a lot
of free services and of course the paid ones, once your curiosity has
been piqued. This is the 'gateway to authenticate your destiny' (and credit
card details) so get on board the magical cosmic ride to inevitability
as the stars control your every move. Submit and surrender (your money)
and all will be revealed (in the financial pages as Fatewatch floats on
the stock exchange) - SS
Name of Site: AdZe MiXXe
URL: http://www.adze.com/
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Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 50
Review: Strange name, not so strange site. WIth an emphasis on making
astrology enjoyable as well as useful in your day-to-day life, AdZe provides
a good selection of services. Daily horoscopes are a click away, there
are a few "try before you buy" readings and a large selection
of personalised charts, reports and personal planners that you can order
for immediate download or snail-mailing to your door. There are celebrity
reports, hints on finding your star-crossed lover, general astrology info,
and plenty of marketing devices built into the site to ensure its popularity,
which of course makes for a better site all round. The natal chart looks
good for this baby. - SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: Oz Horoscopes
URL: http://www.ozhoroscope.com.au/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Low, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 30
Review: Basically, this site is provided as in introduction to astrology
and to the various astrological products on offer. There is quite a bit
of general info about the history and significance of the various zodiac
signs, some explaination about the types of readings available, and some
articles written by astrologers. Numerous charts and readings are for
sale, including a special "Aussie Portrait", "Yearly Forecast",
"Mother Goose" for toddlers, and a relationships compatibility
chart. A little background info about the company and the chance to subscribe
to their monthly mailing list. Not a huge site, but enough to satisfy
the curious. - SS
Rating: ***
Name of Site: Matrix Astrology Software
URL: http://www.matrix.com.au/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Medium
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 30+
Review: Where would an on-line astrology business be without astrology
software? Matrix are the creators of a galactic selection of applications,
and have been in the business for eons. They have developed very complex
analysis techniques and reporting functionality and have managed to package
a program for every need. Their flagship, WinStar, covers most bases,
then there is the talking program, that reads your chart to you, Tibetan
Astrology, Oracle, Woman to Woman, Child-Star and a whole constellation
of other specialised products. If you don't want to buy the software and
set yourself up as a fully fledged consultancy, you can order personalised
reports direct from Matrix, all at quite reasonable prices. Why not buy
straight from the manufacturer? - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: Clairvision School
URL: http://www.clairvision.org/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Medium
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 30
Review: You too can learn psychic powers, and save thousands on all those
expensive clairvoyant sessions you've been forking out for. Awaken your
third eye, travel back through your past lives, map your subconscious,
see auras, master "throat friction" and "psychic sleeping".
Soon you'll be setting up your own 1900 number, appearing on talk shows
and syndicating yourself to hundreds of magazines. Astorolgically, there
is a free downloadable program and a astro-newsletter. The school seems
very established with courses both residential and correspondence, covering
all manner of esoteric practices. A range of books are for sale, as well
as music and some free vegetarian recipies thrown in for good health.
All you need for your new life of psychic, cosmic and karmic wonder. -
SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: Merlin The Wizard
URL: http://www.merlinthewizard.com/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 3
Review: Whether you own a cafeteria, caravan park or hotel, you can set
up your own instant astrology centre with the magic of computers. Merlin
is a complete kit that installs on your own computer and comes with a
laminated sign, instructions, brochures and artwork to get you going.
Merlin covers Western and Chinese astrology, tarot and numerology and
adds a few entertaining tid bits to keep your customers coming back for
more. If you don't want to splurge all the money up front, a profit-sharing
arrangement can be made. Will you make truck loads of money out of it?
You'll have to ask Merlin... - SS
Rating: ***
Name of Site: Dog Horoscopes
URL: http://www.doghoroscopes.com
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 24
Review: You've seen pet cemetaries, pet health insurance, now it's doggie
horoscopes - believe it or not! Now you can find out why your dog keeps
messing up the carpet or chewing up your favourite shoes - his Aquarian
nature is pining for a better world where dogs and humans live in perfect
harmony and equality. This site is definitely lighthearted and makes a
bit of fun of the whole Zodiac thing, assigning all the usual human astrological
traits to our canine friends. Dog lovers can send in their puppy photos
for inclusion in the dog-star gallery, find out how compatible they really
are with their pets, purchase popular doggie book titles through Amazon.com
and share dog owning tips with other visitors. A few links to other good
dog sites are provided as well. To sum this site up in one word..."woof!"
- SS
Rating: ****
(reviewer's choice)
Name of Site: Astrology.com
URL: http://www.astrology.com/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 100+
Review: The planets were definitely in alignment when the iVillage Women's
Network secured the ultimate astrology domain name and approached Aussie-born
Kelli Fox to be the figurehead, and turn it into her idea of the ultimate
Astrology portal. Her mission is to reveal to the world that astrology
is so much more than your daily horoscopes - although they are readily
available here. She believes that the stars, and your place in amongst
them, can guide all aspects of your life from romance to career to fitness
and even technology. She has packed enough in to keep even the most skeptical
reader amused for hours, with explainantions for celebrity break-ups,
dozens of quizzes and profiles, Karmas, Auras and Chakras galore. Although
most of what you will get is free, including emailed daily predictions
and general star sign info, you'll have to pay for any full charts and
reports. When you look at how thorough our Kelli is, a few dollars spent
here should be quite rewarding. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: Astrology.com.au
URL: http://www.astrology.com.au/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Heavy, Very Good Quality
Internal Links: 16
Review: The stars were definitely in their proper places when astrologer
and face-reader Dadichi was born. He has recently relaunched this domain
to be a heavenly outpouring of predictions, enlightenment and esoteric
shopping. A lovely flash intro takes you to the various departments -
zodiac, soul connector (a star-crossed meeting place), compatibility factors,
soul shop, and info about Dadichi's more personalised services. The visual
impact of the site is enough to keep you hanging around, and the well
presented free information will tempt you to try a more thorough reading.
Enter the paranormal contest and share your spooky experience with the
world. The value of this site is in the 'grand design'. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: 1Horoscope
URL: http://www.1horoscope.com/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Heavy, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 15
Review: If you can't secure a good domain name, why not just tack a "1"
at the front - it'll catch on for sure. Actually, though this site is
not the mega-portal you might expect, it has some very simple interactive
devices and tools designed to brighten up your starry night sky. Some
drop down boxes ask a few questions of each zodiac sign, both banal and
"sexy". Check your biorythm for the day, and even pick your
lotto numbers. There is a Palm Pilot program demo, free natal chart, paid
readings, a "save the world" on-line discussion and email newsletter.
That ought to keep you busy, at least until your biorhythms get back into
sync. - SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: Real Astrology
URL: http://www.realastrology.com/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 50
Review: Rob Brezsney writes horoscopes. He also writes books, political
ponderings, this web site and a lot of intelligent rock and roll. He is
an unlikely astrologer, more of an iconoclast, using the esoteric tendencies
of his world-wide audience to tune them into some new ways of thinking.
His Zodiac column is syndicated in 125 publications. Here you get to learn
a lot more about the man through his other writings, and even listen to
him recite your astrological predictions in Real Audio. All his work is
done with a sense of humour and a sense of irreverence for established
stereotypes. He calls it "predicting the present". If you really
like his work, you won't get a personal reading - he is way too busy -
but he'll connect you with a few like-minded practitioners. In the mean
time, there is plenty to see, do and hear right here. - SS
Rating: *****
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