Research Blog : internet, useful web sites

Know before you go: travel planning online

googler@evpl — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:50:00 GMT

Wow. There are a LOT of travel websites out there. This is the time of year when blogs and magazines start rounding up some good sites for booking, researching, and deciding on your travel plans, which is a really good thing, because I think most of us would be lost without recommendations in this area.

Lifehacker published a post in April about the basics of buying airline tickets, figuring out the right time to buy, setting up a few passive tools for making the best deals come to your doorstep, and in general highlighting how to go about finding great deals on airfare. It includes information on

RetailMeNot : a source of coupon codes
Sidestep's list of current airline fees
Wikitravel's article on how to fly discount airlines

Booklist just published "Know Before You Go" (April 2010), focusing on sites that reach a particular niche in the world of travel. They include

Eurotrip : an online travel planner for European destinations, covering rail and air travel, lodging, activities. Especially recommended for backpackers.
MomsMinivan : ideas to keep kids entertained on those long car rides.
RoadsideAmerica : a guide to weird and wonderful roadside attractions

Kiplinger's "28 Best Travel Sites" (published in Augest 2009) presented what they felt are the best sites for airfares, lodging, car rentals and other key areas. They recommend many of the sites you've already heard of, like Kayak, Priceline, and Trip Advisor, but some others they cover are

Laterooms : for snagging last-minute bargainss on lodging
US Parks : for stretching your dollars while taking advantage of our amazing national parks system
CruiseComplete : where more than 300 travel agents vie to give you the lowest prices for dates, ports and ships you specify.

Happy travels! And if there are other sites you swear by, leave a comment!

Speak your mind…opinions welcome, wanted, and appreciated

SuDocQueen@evpl — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:11:00 GMT

Hello out there to everyone in EVPL blogland,

I have a dilemma that I could use your help with. Every year I sit down to plan a workshop on useful government documents and websites (more websites than actual documents now-a-days) and every year I get overwhelmed with the glut of information I could offer… Do I focus on how to find useful health and nutrition information? Or on how to find those interesting statistics you always hear quoted from the Census and Labor Departments? Or what about consumer safety information? Or how to navigate Social Security’s website? Or how about following legislation? The list can go on and on. So, I’m opening the floor to all of you, the people that the government is trying to reach with all of this information. What do you most want to know about? What do you need help discovering? Let me know how best to help you.

Government Fuel Economy Website Updated to 2009 Model Year

Bufkinite@evpl — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:03:00 GMT

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have developed a fuel economy web site to try and get the word out about the benefits of using more fuel-efficient vehicles. The web site contains an electronic version of the 2009 Fuel Economy Guide, and features updated fuel economy data for new and used passenger vehicles dating back to 1985, allows side-by-side comparisons of up to four vehicles you choose, and offers fuel-saving tips.

The web site also contains vehicle-specific air pollution emissions information and safety ratings, and provides links to car buying Web sites. This web site can help you make informed automotive purchase decisions, and can help you gain fuel economy with the car you have.

How does your car compare? Find out!