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Advertisement | Fall's Coolest Web SitesAOL's Regina Lewis On Where To Find Most Searched TopicsNEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2004 ![]() ![]() 'Top Five Web Sites'AOL consumer advisor Regina Lewis pinpoints five of the most-searched-for Web resources for the busy fall season. | Share/Embed (CBS) There's no question that the Web can make your life easier, but finding what you're looking for online is not always a simple task. That's where AOL's consumer adviser, Regina Lewis, comes in. She has pinpointed five of the fall's most-searched-for topics, and she tells The Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen where to go for help online. A big part of Lewis' job at AOL is tracking what's hot online. So the categories she has highlighted for the segment are not random. They are truly things that people want to know about right now. Vital Records If your student is attending a new school this fall or enrolling in a fall sports league, you'll need to provide a certified birth certificate. "Ever since that Little League scandal, verifying the age of your children is serious business," Lewis says, "And the older your kids get, the harder it seems to be to find the original copy." Check out www.cdc.gov and look for the "National Center for Health Statistics" link. Here you will find state-by-state listings of how to obtain a birth certificate. In a matter of minutes, a certified copy can be authorized and put in express mail to you. In addition to birth certificates, you can ask for death, marriage or divorce certificates. Lewis warns that you should be prepared to answer a series of questions in order to prove your identity. Back-To-School Shopping Kids today are all about personalization and customization, according to Lewis. The same outfit in a different color no longer cuts it. Teens in particular don't want to be limited by what's at the mall, so they are heading online to specialty sites such as www.T-Shirts.com. You can buy T-shirts that are for sale on the site or you can design your own. Prices begin at $19.95; the more shirts you order, the more you save. "There's also a run on uniforms and plus-size kids clothing, both of which can be difficult to find at retail," Regina adds. Another great shopping site to try: www.catalogs.google.com. Someone at Google literally scans the pages of more than 6,000 mail order catalogs, page by page, into the site. Although you can't order directly from the site, you can browse and then grab the telephone number off the bottom of the page, call and place an order or simply get yourself on the catalog's mailing list. "It's a great way to selectively build the list of catalogs you regularly receive," Lewis says. TV's Fall Season Networks are gearing up for the new TV season, and once again, reality shows will hold a major place in the prime-time schedules. For all of the reality fans out there, Lewis suggests going to www.RealityTVWorld.com. From here you can link to any possible reality show's Web site. You can read episode summaries, and keep up to date on "news" in the reality TV world (who is a part of the next Survivor cast, etc). Also, you can find out which shows are holding auditions, and how to get your hands on an application. Although the majority of show applications can be found here, Lewis cautions that some are a bit more "stealth." "So be sure to keep an eye on classified listings as well," she warned. "Apparently, this is how Bravo cast 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'; they posted something very generic on Craigslist.com." Leaf Peeping If fall foliage is your thing, www.RoadTripAmerica.com is the site for you. They've pulled together a conclusive list of sites where you can read foliage reports from across the country. Never miss peak season again! The site also recommends places to stay and eat while on your journey, and points out other fall attractions such as apple and beer festivals. Get Organized Summer's fun is morphing into fall's scheduled madness, and many women may be looking for a little (or a big) organizational boost. If you are one of these women, you're in luck: The FlyLady is here to help. Fly stands for "Finally Loving Yourself" and FlyLady is a real person who acts as "the personal online coach to help you gain control of your house and home" at FlyLady.net, she offers encouragement to people who have CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) in their homes, she motivates people to act by breaking down jobs into tiny parts like the "Five-Minute Room Rescue." Her Web site is full of tips, tactics and strategies for getting your life and family organized. FlyLady has a whole system that you can adopt if you truly want some help. More than 200,000 people have already signed up to receive daily free e-mails full of encouraging advice. ©MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Advertisement Wall Street Ends Wild Ride Down 370 Points$700B Bailout Fails To Ease Worries As Dow Plunges 800 Points Before Recovering Somewhat |
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