Matching issues and candidates

The site: The candidates

Thirteen candidates, according to the site, say they intend to run for president in 2004. Who’s getting your vote? Figure out which one is most aligned with your views at www.select smart.com/PRESIDENT. The site asks users 17 questions about taxes, federally funded social services, terrorism, foreign affairs, education, health care, social security, guns, abortion and other issues, then matches your answers to the candidate it deems most appropriate.

The site: Next J.K. Rowling?

With Harry Potter mania again sweeping the globe, about 600 aspiring children’s book writers answered the call of a BBC News Web site competition, “Are You the Next J.K. Rowling?” Louise Arnold, a 24-year-old drama student from Canterbury, England, won the contest. “The Invisible Friend,” her story about an unsuccessful ghost named Grey Arthur, is published on the site at news. bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment /3039436.stm. Use the menu on the right side to access all five story installments.

The site: Spacerunner

It isn’t Asteroids, but it may be the next best thing. Spacerunner is a simple online game whose astronaut protagonist runs, jumps, rolls and dives over obstacles. Play it at www.karn. nu/spacerunner.html.

The site: Custom shoes

Despite all their swooshes, stripes and logos, the perfect athletic shoe is still a challenge to find. This one would look better with that sole; that one would look better with this tread. You get the picture. If you’ve ever wanted to mix things up a bit, check out customatix (www.customatix.com), a site that allows users to design their own shoes from heel to toe. Select a type of shoe (running, skateboarding, etc.), then pick colors, materials, logos, even designs for the tread. In the end you’ll get what you want, and it might even cost less than a trip to Foot Locker -- about $100.

-- Susan Carpenter