WEB DESTINATIONS
LCWEB.LOC.GOV/EXHIBITS/TREASURES
The Library of Congress has always done an exceptional job of creating online versions of its exhibits, and its treatment of its ''American Treasures'' display is no exception. American Treasures is a permanent exhibition of 200 of the rarest or most historically significant items in the library's collection. Among the items featured in the online show are the manuscript of George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights, Abraham Lincoln's first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, Thomas Jefferson's design for a pasta-making machine, and an illustration of Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion from the first edition of L.Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
WWW.PCPROFILE.COM
Most attention on Year 2000 computer woes has focused on mainframes and their elderly software. But there's a growing realization that PCs are far from exempt. While the hardware and operating systems will generally survive the coming of the millennium with relatively minor glitches, software is another story. There are all sorts of large and small issues with commercial programs and unknown difficulties with custom applications. Like many others in the Y2K business, PC Profile is interested in selling consulting services. But this Web site also offers a variety of free resources for diagnosing and dealing with Year 2000 problems on desktop computers and local area networks.
WWW.BSW.NET/~BGIBSON/KNOTS/
Scouts these days can earn merit badges in computing as well as such traditional scouting pursuits as rope work. So it shouldn't be surprising that Boy Scout Troop 9 in Billings, Mont., has come up with a Web site that uses the latest technology to teach the ancient art of tying knots.
If you've ever been stumped trying to tie a knot following typical printed diagrams, try the Scouts' animated instructions for tying eight basic knots, including the bowline, the square knot, and the sheet bend.
WWW.INVESTORWORDS.COM
What is ''shorting against the box''? Or ''straight paper''? You can find definitions of these and thousands of other arcane financial-market terms in InvestorGuide's online glossary. The usefulness of the glossary is enhanced by 15,000 hyperlinks that cross-reference the entries.
BY Stephen H. Wildstrom
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