Lesson Objectives

• To discover fun and interesting Web sites that you may not have heard about. These sites will assist you with shopping, planning a trip, getting ready for the day, having fun and getting a job.
• To get used to clicking on hyperlinks and navigating around the Web by looking at these sites.

The Lesson

Can you really buy a pizza on the Internet? Currently, there is no Web site with the name pizzapie.com, but Elvios Pizzeria (elvios.com) in North Conway Village, New Hampshire, proudly proclaims that they sell "the best pizza north of the Bronx." They offer Free Delivery, but if they won't come to your town, try the Gourmet Pizza Club instead. They deliver anywhere in the U.S.A.

Business on the Internet

One of the most popular uses of the Internet is for business. Commercial (.com) Web sites account for 8 million of the nearly 30 million Web sites.

Commercial Web sites on the Internet range from retail stores that have gone online, to a new breed of mail-order operation that has no physical parent store to speak of, from entrepreneurs offering services to a widening audience, to blue chip corporations that see the wisdom of having a presence on the Web.

Consider using the Internet to meet many of your everyday information needs. You can shop through the Web, buying everything from books to boots. You can find out about entertainment and ways to spend your leisure time. You can get those bits and pieces of information that help you get through each day a little more easily or that simply satisfy your curiosity.

Click on a part of the "web" below to let the Internet take you to where you can find the information you want.

I Love to Shop

Shopping on the Web can be as free and easy as window shopping down your favorite avenue. It also lets you get down to business and buy what you see, either by writing for more information, calling in an order, or submitting an online order form. Web sites that allow for online orders offer encryption protections for consumers giving credit card information. This prevents any unauthorized people from learning your credit card account number.

These are links to Web sites that are fun to explore no matter what you are shopping for.

Multiplex Sites

Like their physical counterparts, these Web sites bring many vendors under one roof. Also like a physical shopping mall, not all of the stores included within a mall are equally rich in what they have to offer.

Malls.com
        malls.com
Access to hundreds of Web-based malls and individual stores. Search the metalist or look through one of these categories:

• Large Malls
• City/State/Regional Malls
• Ethnic/Country Malls
• Global Malls
• Theme Malls
• Electronic Villages/Cities

The Internet Mall
        www.internetmall.com
The Internet Mall offers products and services from 27,000 sources. Try a keyword search or choose from one of 12 categories that include:

• Books and Media
• Travel and Entertainment
• Technology Center
• Fashion
• Gifts
• Household
• Professional Services
• Personal Services
• Crafts and Hobbies
• Food and Beverages
• Sports, Health and Fitness
• Transportation

Books

Amazon
        www.amazon.com
Browse through 25 subject categories or keyword search through 3 million titles. All entries depict the book cover and include bibliographic, price, availability and ordering information as well as links to related book titles or subject areas and a chance to comment on the book. Many entries also include a book synopsis and comments from the author and readers.

Cars

Car and Driver
        www.caranddriver.com
Browse through the current issue or check the online archives beginning in 1995. See the buying guide for makes and models from 1996 forward. See reports on car shows, road and excursion reviews and the classifieds.

Computer Software

ZDNet Software Library
        features.yahoo.com/zdshareware/index.html
Find games, internet, screen savers, multimedia, education and utilities.

Cosmetics

Heather Kleinman's Cosmetic Connection
        www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/index.html
Find product reviews, tips, online advice, links to beauty magazine/information/company sites and ordering information. Product categories for nearly 100 brands include department store, drugstore, boutique/salon and hair care brands. Ordering requires an e-mail address. Payment is paid by mail with check or money order after order is verified.

Fashion

Designers Direct
        www.designersdirect.com
Go to the main directory and get access to dozens of designers. Major names include Polo by Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Levi Strauss, Perry Ellis, DKNY, Guess, Charles River and others. Find clothing, eyewear and fragrance. Entries include description of items and pictures, item number and price. Order online or by fax, phone or e-mail. Pay online or through the postal service.

Music

CDNow
        www.cdnow.com
Browse categories including Rock/Pop, Jazz/Blues, World/New Age, Urban/Electronic, Country/Folk and Classical or keyword search speedily by specifying CD title, song title, artist name, soundtrack, or record label. Entry info includes price, release date, label and length. May also include works listing, audio clips and notes. Find CDs in ten languages.

Sporting Goods

SportSite.com
        www.sportsitedirect.com
They call themselves "The World's Sporting Goods Store," and offer over 9400 products from 14 catalogers. Keyword search or browse by sport (baseball, basketball, fitness, football, running,skiing, snowboarding, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, wrestling), category (footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, videos, team logo gear), or brand name (137 included). Order in English, French, German or Spanish. Register for e-mail updates on products.

Back to the top

I'm Going On a Trip

The Internet can provide a great opportunity to travel for a few moments without ever leaving your computer, or a great place to go for planning a real trip. The graphical capabilities of the Web become a real resource for your computer explorations of places as close as your own city and as far away as a distant continent. These are some sites you might want to visit.

Around the World

Excite Travel by City.net
        www.city.net
Scroll to the map and choose a region and then a location. This will be more effective than starting with a keyword search. Then refine search within your general location. Link to information on countries, culture and language, education, government, lodging, newspapers, travel, sports, etc. Links are external and vary in quality.

Total Travel
        www.totalweather.net/travel
Consider this site if you'd like some ideas about where to go. Read the columns and get contact information. Sites would be better with more graphic enhancements and links to contacts.

The Good Ol' U.S.A.

Citysearch.com
        www.citysearch.com
Includes a limited number of U.S. and world cities, but each entry is very fully developed to include articles, arts and entertainment, food, shopping, sports, visitor information and a weekly planner. Extensive indexes and pull-down menus make refining searches simple. Although entries are very informative, they do not include URL for item discussed.

Yahoo Maps
        maps.yahoo.com/yahoo
Includes information on how to get from here to there; search retrieves both major route and street-level maps as well as door-to-door directions for locations in the U.S.; maps include zoom options and links to adjoining maps; reasonably fast download and clear layout.

The Great Outdoors

The National Bicycle Tour Directors Association
        www.okfreewheel.com/nbtda.html
An up-to-date calendar of bike tours for the current year. Each entry includes location of tour, date, general route and distance, cost, and contact information.

Parks of North America
        www.fodors.com/parks/
Browse through a region or get specific information on several dozen parks, seashores, forests, and monuments. Find overviews, tours, hikes, drives, activities, flora, fauna, geology and other useful information for each site.

TheBackpacker.com
        www.thebackpacker.com/dir/index.html
Find backpacking services, books and maps, clubs and organizations, company products, newsgroups, personal pages, pictures, trails and weather.

New York City

NYRock Hot Spots
        nyrock.nyhotspots.com/
Information on clubs, restaurants, shopping, lodging and gigs. Addresses, hours, fees, etc.

Help Me Get Ready for the Day

Some people see logging on to the Internet as a necessary morning ritual similar to their first cup of coffee or their morning newspaper. The Internet shines as a provider of up-to-the-minute information, so that you can go on the Web to read the latest news, know how to dress for the day, or look up an important phone number. The Internet is a good choice to help get you ready for the day.

Getting in Touch

Switchboard Directory
        www.switchboard.com
Find telephone, address and e-mail contact information for people and businesses.

Have You Heard the News?

Yahoo News
        dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/
Search your topic or use the category index. Categories include top stories, business, technology, politics, the world, human interest, entertainment, sports, health, local, weather, community, comics and the classifieds. Search results include articles from Reuters, the Washington Post and other news sources with some illustrations. Link from title list to related Web sites and from articles to earlier, related stories. Read news in French, German, and other languages.

What's the Weather Like?

The Weather Channel
        www.weather.com/twc/homepage.twc
Information for U.S. and abroad. Includes maps. Additional information for travelers, golfers, skiers, allergy sufferers, gardeners, and aviators. Input city and/or state and get forecasts and current conditions for 1600 locations.

I'd Like to Do Something Fun

Turn to the Internet when you have some free time and find out where the happenings are in the real world or stay online and enjoy the virtual playground.

Entertainment

High Five Tickets to the Arts
        www.high5tix.com
If you live in or near New York City or are planning a trip there in the future, check out this home page. Get tickets for the theater, concerts and dance performances as well as museum exhibits. Single tickets for weekend shows cost $5. Weekday shows are two tickets for $5. Buy tickets at the box office, from Ticketmaster or at selected Rite Aid drugstores.

Movie Link
        web7.movielink.com/index.html
Visit this site no matter where you are in the U.S. to find out what's playing where and when. Enter your zip code and search by theater, time, title, star or type of movie. Hit list allows you to click on titles to get movie synopses, credit lists and relevant links. "What's New" section highlights new releases and upcoming films. The "Movielink Cafe" offers trailers and a parents' guide.

New York Rock
        www.nyrock.com/index.html
Includes music reviews and audio clips, feature articles, interviews, profiles, a gallery (1996-98), archives (arranged as features, interviews and confidential) and links.

Off-Off Broadway Review
        www.oobr.com/top/index.shtml
Again, for those in New York, an affordable alternative to major theater productions. Ticket prices average $10. Read reviews or check out the internal links to dozens of shows with synopses, locations, times and prices. Updated frequently. Includes achives from volume 2 and an A-Z title index.

Friendship

High School Cyberpals
        studentcenter.infomall.org/school-pals.html
A sub-page of The Student Center. Search for students with a common interest or add your own personal ad.

The Student Center
        studentcenter.infomall.org/index.html
Visit the Hub to participate in StudentCHAT, StudentMAIL and discussion forums. Meet Cyberpals. Find directories of student home pages and e-mail addresses. Also get information on jobs, colleges and student resources, find links to sites for music, e-zines, movies, television, computers, games and sports and get today's news, sports and weather.

Games and Sports

Brain Candy
        www.newarkonline.com/candy
Choose games from these categories: Arcade, Strategy and Simulations, Sports, Grand Classics, Crosswords, Trivia and Puzzles, Mystery, Role Playing, Multi-User Dungeons and Game Centers. Games included are previewed and selected for quality. Some require plug-ins.

Total Sports
        www.sportinggreen.com
Total Sports covers professional and collegiate sports including baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, golf, tennis, boxing, and autoracing. Get the news and the scores.

I Want a Job

The Internet serves as a national classified ad forum. Whether you are looking for a career, a summer job or something part-time that you can do at home, these sites will help to get you working.

High School Recruiter Employment Web Site
        www.adguide.com/highschool/
From the main page, click on the button for Job Search. Then select from one of several dozen categories (from Administrative through Volunteer) and pinpoint the desired location (U.S. and abroad). Entries include information and direct link to organization or business. List of hits somewhat limited and often targets post-high school population.

Monster Board
        www.monster.com
Find jobs and internships in the United States and abroad. Find out if there are openings at the company of your choice. Get help with your resume and see calendars of hiring events.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
        stats.bls.gov:80/ocohome.htm
Wondering what to do when you finish school? Check out the OOH to learn what it takes to be a drafter, a phlebotomist or a securities compliance examiner and set your educational goals accordingly. Entries include DOT number, description of jobs, work conditions, necessary training, job outlook, earnings and related occupations. Use the alphabetical index, see the occupational clusters (there are 11 major areas) or search by keyword.