GMA: Tiffany Shlain, Internet Expert

Sept. 26, 2000 -- We all know how great the books for “Dummies” series is. Now in the same spirit there is a Web site that has everything you wanted to know about … anything.

It can answer any question under the sun organized by category or by topic. It can be the ultimate guide to life.

The site eHow.com will help you in the area of appearance. Say you want to look like a million-bucks but you don’t even know how to iron your shirt — you type in:How to iron a shirt. eHow will give you instructions step by step with visuals. It may be a simple task, but it’s easy to tell that many people haven’t yet mastered the art of ironing. Seeking help over the Internet can be a lot less embarrassing.

Now you look slick, like a million bucks and now you’d like to have a million bucks to back up your look.

If you have a decent job and want to invest in the stock market the sit can definitely get you started with the basics and point you in the right direction. While the site won’t give you in-depth financial information, it will give you a starting place. You simply type in, “how do I invest in the stock market?”

And once you’re there it will also point you to related topics. It will suggest different areas to look into such as investing with $5,000 or less, setting up an IRA or finding a stockbroker

Shlain even found information about how to throw a curveball. “I was kind of surprised that it could show you how to throw a curveball,” says Tiffany. “How to hold the ball, how to wind up and position your hand. But I was even more surprised to find that it told how to throw an even bigger curve ball … like proposing marriage. It had step by step instructions ? even for that.”

Shlain has the latest on a new development in e-mail that will instruct you on how not to lose friends or your job. Communicating vie e-mail can be a little dangerous sometimes because people often say things on e-mail that they would never say face to face.

The makers of an e-mail program called Eudora have developed a feature called Moodwatch.

Moodwatch actually checks through the full text of every e-mail you might send and it will alert you to potentially offensive language, or tone that might sound too aggressive or harsh.

It will rate your e-mail with little chili icons. Here’s an e-mail Moodwatch rated: “you’ve been acting like a paranoid freak lately and it’s got to stop. Grow up or start looking for another job.“ This e-mail earned 3 chilis and moodwatch suggested that the author “consider toning it down.“

So if you’re about to fire off a nasty note, this feature might help you think twice and prevent apologies and regrets after it’s too late.

It’s only available on one e-mail system now, but Shlain thinks this area will surely grow.

Tiffany Shlain is the founder and director of the Webby Awards.