ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 19, 1996 TAG: 9612190028
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Computer Bits
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
The Reader's Digest Association has created a highly usable Web site for people searching cyberspace for information on family and consumer topics.
The site, LookSmart, has been up and running for two months, and has already been rated as a Top 100 site by PC Magazine. The site offers access to 115,000 Web sites with editorial content of interest to American families.
Besides offering a search engine feature, the main page has links to topics such as: home and family, health and fitness, travel and vacations, sports and recreation, education and reference, and shopping and services.
Reader's Digest touts the site as a reflection of the magazine's "global leadership in editorial selection and condensation." But unlike the handy size of the magazine, you can't take this electronic version to the bathroom with you, unless you have a modem-equipped laptop and a telephone handy.
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Fans of the Roanoke Valley band Radar Rose will want to check into the band's lavishly artistic Web site, which features - among other things - a band history, information about upcoming appearances, sound bites from the band's performances, and a gallery of the art and poetry of band members.
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The host or hostess preparing for the wave of holiday entertaining may want to check in at Club Bacardi's site on the World Wide Web. Of particular usefulness might be the Drink Wizard, which allows bartenders to plug in the ingredients on hand and get back a list of recipes to stir up some potent refreshment.
Information on bartending tips and techniques is a click of the mouse away. A cocktail search engine allows a visitor to type in the name of a cocktail and get a recipe for it in return.
A list of Bacardi's recommended bars around the world is available on the site, and visitors are asked to recommend their favorite bars.
The site is not limited to the topic of imbibing, however. It also offers music and, in the Martini Casino section, interactive games such as cyber blackjack and netroulette.
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If you're thinking about buying a new home or remodeling the one you're in, you should stop by the National Association of Home Builders' site on the Web. Among the more popular features are a consumer's step-by-step guide to buying a new home, an index of housing affordability in 200 major markets and a housing industry daily news update.
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