Helpful Internet Links

Really Useful Web Sites that everyone needs.

The Internet can be used either for entertainment, communications, business, research or shopping. Some Web sites are so universally useful that they should be on just about everybody's list (Bookmarks for Netscape users, Favorites for Internet Explorer users). Here is my list of useful Internet Web sites.

http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/
This is the Home Page of the IRS / U.S. Treasury. Taxes are an inescapable fact of life. Should you need tax information or an extra copy of a regular form or a hard-to-find one, especially with a deadline to meet, all you have to do is go online. Make sure you are familiar with the site and requirements before you encounter an emergency.
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/sitemap/index.html
The site map is the fast track to the informative links on the Internal Revenue Service / U.S. Treasury Web site.
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/formspubs/index.html
Go directly to the Forms and Publications page, which has links to download and/or print the document you want, including prior year(s) forms, and to look up Instructions. Find a list of Frequently Asked Questions, some related to the downloading and printing of IRS tax forms. The freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader software is required to view, print and search PDF documents; download it from the site, if needed.

Select from the list of forms and publications on that page.
http://www.ct.gov/drs
At the top of the Home Page for the Department of Revenue Services of the State of Connecticut, there is a link to forms.
http://www.state.ma.us/dor/forms/taxform.htm
This is the Web page for forms of the State of Massachusetts Tax Department.

Another universal presence in our lives is the United States Post Office or "snail mail" as it is often called nowadays.
http://www.usps.com
From the welcome page of the USPS Web site, there are links to obtain information about rates and services, both domestic and international; to find address information, zip codes, zip+4 and other postal information; to buy stamps and other merchandise; to send money and payments; and, to track and confirm shipments.
(Revised 5/17/04 because of changes on the Web site)

I consider maps one of life's necessities. The online maps are useful not only to plan a trip, be it a day trip or a vacation out of state, but also to send to a guest the directions to your house or to include with research documentation.
http://www.mapquest.com/
The MapQuest Web site, mentioned by our Editor in a previous issue, is useful in printing maps of various degrees of details and getting blow-by-blow directions between two points. Get and print maps worldwide; see their travel guide and other interesting information.
http://www.maps.com/
This Web site gives excellent directions; the map is provided with the directions and features zoom options. Maps.com boasts of amazing map collections and has maps galore for sale, both street maps and atlases, wall maps, globes, travel maps and world maps.

This next item also concerns everyone. The weather forecast, today's and for the next few days is great for planning. You can look up not only your local forecast, but also the weather anywhere in the world, whether this is a spot you are heading to or a place someone else is staying at or visiting. Both of the weather sites below are attractive and informative.
http://www.intellicast.com/
The Intellicast Home Page has a map of the world to quickly pick a spot abroad.
http://www.weather.com/
Weather.com has an area called "Customize My Weather" and is affiliated with the Weather Channel.

The last grouping of Web sites are the "People Finders." At one time or another, we all have the need or the curiosity to locate a college friend, a long-lost relative or a specialty business. You may have some information but need more, such as a fax number or an address. Most of these "People Finders" also offer much additional information.
http://www.555-1212.com/
This site has Yellow Pages by name, category, fax number; White Pages for residential or business search; email addresses and celebrity search. International directories are available for several countries. Reverse lookup is offered by phone number, address, email address and fax number.
http://www.switchboard.com/
At Switchboard.com, find a person, a business or an email address. There are message boards, including some for missing persons. The Home Page offers free email and links to maps and directions.
http://www.4phonenumbers.com/
This Web site features phone numbers in four online phone books, an Internet 800 directory and government toll-free numbers. The page has links to "end harassing phone calls" and to "hang up on fraud." Additional links to related sites, hot lines and calling codes are available.
http://www.anywho.com/
AnyWho offers telephone numbers, email, Home Page URL, fax, toll-free numbers and addresses. Its Home Page features search query boxes to either find a person or find a business; you can also find a business by category.
http://www.infotel.com/teldir
"Telephone Directories on the Web" claims to be the Internet's original and most detailed index of online phone books, with links to Yellow Pages, Whites Pages, Business Directories, Email Addresses, Fax Listings from over 150 countries all around the world. Unlike the preceding four Web Sites, this is all it does.

NOTE: Use the "BACK" function of your browser to return to your point of origin. If you spot a dead link, alert the author by e-mail marked as such in the Subject.