Learning to search the net can be invaluable for normal everyday uses.... Below are a few good reasons to start using the net for your own 'homework' and peace of mind:

1. Storm season UGH! be prepared by visiting www.bom.gov.au
2. Sick of getting that school newsletter too late, many schools have good websites that keep you informed, find out if your's does
3. Unsure about what you can expect from your Local Council? Each council has a website, have a look, you might learn a lot.
4. Maybe unhappy about governement decisions? Both State & Federal Government have great websites which are departmentalised.
5. Hitting the beach? Want the family to be safe, never really understood all the flags? Visit www.lifesaving.com.au

Many of us use the net for banking, news, eBay, Real Estate, normal work needs, but there are an awful lot of sites out there that are non commercial and can help you do your homework. Obviously the above are just a few, but if you learn simple searching on the likes of google, you can find just about whatever you need. A few tips with searching:

1. Google tends to be the easiest to find things on www.google.com
2. Try to use more than 1 or 2 words for your search, i.e. don't type in 'weather', you will get billions of results, try the likes of "Sunshine Coast weather forecast".
3. If you get too many results, under the text box you will see 'Pages from Australia', tick that and it will refine it for you.

I am sure a lot of you are most likely very aware of these simple things to do above, BUT, many are not, so please if you can help others with simple hints & tips, then do so! OR you need a few more hints on how to cruise around more effectively, ASK!!! Remember: The only dumb question is the one that was NOT Asked...

Best Regards, Noely, Community Site Co-ordinator