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Outernet
by Dennise Ryder
Surf's Up!
Get your feet wet (or plunge in deeper)
with two fo the Net's most popular and well-done websites
Grab your board—keyboard, that is—and surf
with us to two of the more frequented sites on the gay
web. Both sites are known for being information packed;
however, each has their own special characteristics
which makes bookmarking both of them a must.
The
first stop on our surf is gay.com (www.gay.com). If
you haven’t been there for a bit, the first thing
you will notice is the new look that gay.com is sporting
these days: The new layout is cleaner and makes finding
what you are looking for much easier. Gay.com is known
for its many chat rooms—at times the number of
chatters has topped 10,000!
If
you haven’t ventured past the chat rooms, or have
only skimmed the first page while waiting to bounce
into a room, then know this, there is much more to gay.com
that is well worth a look.For
instance, go to the News Channel and visit Signorile’s
Web, where you can participate in or just read what
others have to say about the latest hot button issues.
Never boring. Want to know how to deal with long-distance
affairs? Or what to do if she acts like you’re
just friends? The Relationship Channel can provide you
with the answers from their “Love Talk” experts.
If
you find you have some spare time on your hands and
want to get involved within the e-community, gay.com
is looking for volunteers to help out as chat monitors,
chat hosts, and message board monitors.
PlanetOut
(www.planetout.com) is another site that will keep you
up-to-date with what is happening in the community.
A look at the Entertainment area will give you the lowdown
on the latest books, movies, and music; and if you find
you don’t have the time to read it all, sign up
and get the “Cliff’s Notes” version via
electronic newsletter. Have a work gripe or want to
get the 10 money tips for LGBTs? Then check out the
Money and Careers area. While you’re there, take
a quick look at the 401 Kalculator, a handy little device
that will tell you how much you need to be saving for
retirement if you plug in your age and income.
Of
special note: PlanetOut is a major sponsor of the Millennium
March on Washington in April and features a “one-stop”
area where you can get travel information, make reservations
for hotels and flights, register for the march, or become
a volunteer. PlanetOut also has an interactive side
where you will find community centers, chat rooms, and
message boards, including a personals area where members
can tell a bit about themselves and post a picture.
PlanetOut
and Gay.com are the two mega sites for the LG community.
Both do a lot to keep you informed, interested, and
interactive.
Check them out and take the time to go back and visit
them—it is well worth the surf!
Dennise
Ryder is OutSmart's internet marketing manager. Got
a site you'd like to share with OutSmart readers? E-mail:
Dennise@outsmartmagazine.com.
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