You shouldn't have to tackle all of your important life decisions alone, and with online oracles, you don't have to. Everything from the Tarot to the Magic 8 ball is online, making it quicker and easier than ever to while away the hours divining answers to the deep questions in life (Should I eat in or out tonight? What's the meaning of life?) or just having a good laugh.

Your first stop on your online oracular tour should be The Matrix Oracles. Their Tarot and Rune programs are quite good, offering a variety of different card decks and spreads. My Tarot reading here was not only stunningly accurate, but the cards nearly matched the ones I got in a real-life reading the day before!

The coolest thing at the Matrix is the Friends & Lovers Oracle, which simplifies the astrology of relating birth charts to each another. Be sure to choose the "Overview" option. Though this style of "cookbook astrology" lacks all the insight and complexity of a proper chart interpretation, it's a hoot to type in a couple’s birthdays and instantly see why you and your ex were star-crossed from the beginning.

The Oracle of Changes at features gorgeous paintings and thoughtful, modern interpretations of the ancient Chinese I Ching. Use it for free online, or buy the much richer, detailed CD-ROM through the site.

In addition to serious oracles, weird and wacky fortunetellers abound. The Little Astrology Prince Fortune Telling Center can tell you your fortune with sushi. That’s right, sushi! Pick your fish and discover your true self -- but if you dig Ebi on your sticky rice, be warned that in love, you are "naive, easy to fall in love at the first sight." Another irresistibly cute Japanese oracle resides at Fortune Corner. Here, the Sanrio company lets Hello Kitty and the whole gang of uber-cute characters moonlight as online fortunetellers.

If your future’s still not clear enough for you, try asking the Mystical Smoking Head of 'Bob' a Yes/No question to receive "Terrifying Truths and Puzzling Evidence." If he says No when you want Yes, try a turn at the Sarcastic Ball. It will be happy to give you a snide response. Diehard dot-commers might also want to click on over to the Silicon Valley Tarot to deal spreads with cards like The Four of Cubicles and Flame War. The question "When will I make my first dot-com million?" yields: "When you're a deluded, fearful stress-monkey, you stockpile jungle fruits day and night. When you're a relaxed, happy, self-actualized monkey, a single banana is too much." That’s good advice -- I think? -- for any warrior of the silicon jungle.

If you face a truly tough decision, you might go all-out and Ask a Klingon. Don't worry if you don't comprehend the runic Klingon responses. They come with handy translations like "something about smiting enemies and glorying in their agony."

Next time you face important questions, why not ask the all-knowing, all-seeing Internet? Make sure to choose the appropriate oracle, though. Ask a Klingon about the meaning of life, and you’re likely to find that it’s "something about holy war and gushing blood."

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