INTERNET---PFH66, 63 DAYS LEFT

The Internet is an important part of the daily lives of millions of Americans, and it continues to grow rapidly. But it has not always been a happy story. In the late 1990's, everybody was in love with the Internet, and stock prices of on-line companies were very high. After the stock 'bubble' burst, a large number of Internet companies went bankrupt. Many services, such as website and photo hosting, were once free. Now, companies are starting to charge for these services.

Despite these troubles and changes, the future of the Net is very bright. People regularly use the Net to read news, check stock prices, and conduct banking. Businesss are moving more and more of their operations on-line. Many companies no longer sell items in stores, prefering to sell exclusively on-line. Within businesses, e-mail communication has become the number one means of sending out messages and information.

The personal lives of Americans have also been strongly affected by the Internet. E-mail is extremely popular, as are chatrooms and forums. Every day, thousands of new friendships are formed on-line. This could have a strong impact on social relations.

The Internet is still very young, and its full impact has yet to be felt.