If you are the "Do-It-Yourself" type, then I have listed some resources and hints to get you started.

Domain Registering

Gandi.net: Gandi is a French Registrar accredited by ICANN and the corresponding Registries for extensions .COM, .ORG, .NET, .BIZ, .INFO and .NAME

• Their contract states that "The Client owns the Domain Name registered. Gandi simply acts on the Client's behalf." Not all registrar's are registered or give you ownership.
• They offer FREE url redirection so you can point your domain to your personal homepage if you like.
• They offer FREE email aliases/redirections.
• Their rates are low and you can register for one year at a time.
• Their domain management pages are easy to follow so managing your own domain is simple.

Domain Hosting

ICD Soft: ICD Soft offers everything you need for a fully interactive website. Their facilities include:

• Shared Secure Server
• Cgi-bin for custom scripts
• Perl, PHP, and MySQL
• Mailing Lists
• SSI - Server-Side includes
• Unlimited email alias with redirection
• Excellent FAQ pages and tech support.

Email Aliasing/Forwarding

An email alias is the part of your email address BEFORE the "@" symbol. In something@yourdomain.com, "something" would be the alias. Gandi will let you forward your "alias" to any real email address that you specify. Hosting at ICD Soft offers unlimited aliasing/forwarding.