Mega Mom
Candace Hurley weaves a Web of support for women in risky pregnancies

Candace Hurley had endured years of fertility treatments and a miscarriage when she thought she was going to lose another baby—in 1986 she went into preterm labor in her 20th week of pregnancy. But Hurley, 45, a Laguna Beach, Calif., speech pathologist who had to spend four months in bed, spoke by phone to one of her doctor's patients who had suffered the same scare. "When I heard her baby crying," Hurley says, "that was the first minute I had hope."

Today, the mother of two runs the nonprofit Sidelines National Support Network (www.sidelines.org), which connects women in risky pregnancies by phone and, increasingly, e-mail. "It's hard to believe there are really people like that out there," says Cathy Colby, 43, of Fullerton, Calif., a new mom of twins helped by the 5,000-volunteer network. "They go all out for you."

Slim Pickings
The cabbage soup diet? Sooo last millennium. If you made a New Year's vow to slim down, jump online for the latest skinny. One prime site: Cyberdiet.com, which serves up fad-free advice, friendly support groups and nifty calculators to plan a personalized regimen. Or buddy up with a similarly situated dieter at iVillage.com or on America Online's message boards (keyword: dieting).

My Favorite Sites

Al Roker
Away from Today, the mostly sunny weather dude gets his forecasts at intellicast.com and weather.com" I check them once or twice a day on the weekends," Roker says. "People always say 'How's the weather?' and I'm expected to know." His own warm front is on roker.com, where he posts cartoons and snapshots, and he gets his giggles at CartoonNetwork.com.

Modem Manners

Can I use e-mail to send thank-you notes for my holiday loot?

Nice try, lazybones. You think a few electrons can repay Grandma for battling the shopping-mall hordes (never mind those Amazon.com boxes in her trash)? Pick up a pen—retro is trendy! E-mail is okay for informal notes to pals and in geek enclaves like Silicon Valley, where, folks e-mail wedding invitations (!), But when in doubt, write it out.

Winning Bids

•A staff ID card for Elvis Presley's 1969-70 concert tours: $350 on eBay

•The blanket worn by Secretariat after he won the 1973 Belmont Stakes to complete the Triple Crown: $39,100 on sothebys.amazon.com

•Two tickets for an exclusive party after 2000's Grammys: $3,560.01 on eBay

•A monkey-head prop from the primate-brain feast in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: $2,070 on eBay

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