This is the age of computers. Slowly but surely, every task that would once have drawn people out of their houses is becoming slowly eroded away by the internet, which makes it increasingly possible to do anything you need to do without leaving your home. You can think of it as the slow decline of face to face communication, or you can think of it as an increase in convenience that means it's easier for you to buy an electric tubing cutter without changing out of your pajamas. It's up to you.

As internet billing and banking become more and more widespread and sophisticated, it was only a matter of time before city services like making property tax payments and getting someone to do utility locating on your lot became possible to do over the internet. In Lubbock, Texas, that time is now. By visiting the Lubbock Citizen Help Center on the city's official website (www.ci.lubbock.tx.us/citizenhelpcenter) you can take care of all your city accounts and have access to information you may need, including a directory of phone and email addresses for various city service people.

For those who are interested in keeping Lubbock looking nice, there's a special reporting service for anything you might see awry in town, such as potholes or leaking industrial valves. You can report cars being junked or parked where they shouldn't be, people or animals who are being a public nuisance, neighbors who are breaking the law by abusing animals or dumping illegally, as well as any trouble with traffic signs, signals, or street lights. All you have to do is log in to the appropriate web page.

Another convenient service the Citizen Help Center provides is the ability to review and apply for jobs in fields like parks and recreation or xray protection with the city online. Alternatively, you can apply online for a building permit if you're making additions to your home. Of course, you don't have to get a job with the city in order to make sure your neighborhood gets that new street light, because you can also request city services online. These services include traffic signals, dumpsters, trash pickups, permits, graffiti removal, road grading, and parking passes.

These services are great for agoraphobics who can't leave the house despite getting anxiety treatment in Hamilton, but what most people want is to pay their water and electricity bills and parking tickets online, so of course you can do that too. One other important feature you'll find is information and application on volunteer programs and other city services. At the Help Center, you can adopt a pet, learn about bylaws, and register for youth programs among other things.