Find lost friends using the Internet

— -- It isn't uncommon to fall out of contact with friends. Over the years, you've probably lost contact with a few friends. This year, resolve to locate friends from your past.

Start by searching Google. Enter your friend's name surrounded by quotes. Try nicknames and variations on the name, also.

For common names, narrow the search by adding a location, profession or interests.

Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts) may also help. You'll be automatically notified via e-mail when new pages meeting your search terms are found. Enter your friend's name, along with variations, and how often you'd like updates.

Your friend may also be looking for you. So search Google for your name.

Start a blog

People often search for themselves on the Internet. Take advantage of this by starting a blog. Blogger.com, LiveJournal.com and WordPress.com are free blogging services. You'll be up and going in minutes.

Use your friend's full name and any nicknames in postings. You might also list the last-known location and interests. Include a way to contact you. Just be careful not to give out too much contact information Your e-mail address is enough. Online hustlers use detailed contact information to lure the unsuspecting into various scams.

Search social-networking sites

Social-networking sites are incredibly popular. Maybe your friend uses one. But searching Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn individually is time consuming.

Wink.com searches popular social-networking sites, along with blogs and other sites. Simply enter your friend's name. Narrow search results by adding a location and interests.

You can click through to profile pages on the networking sites. You'll get a better idea if a listing is your friend.

Consider registering for a free profile on Wink. People can use it to locate you. Enter your name and information about yourself. If you wish, link to your profiles on other sites.

PeekYou.com is another site similar to Wink.

Search the deep Web

Pipl.com claims to search the deep Web. These are pages omitted from most search results. You can search Pipl by name and location only.