Wednesday, June 18, 1997

Spidering around the Web

By Doug Williamson / Abilene Reporter-News

Today's column is a true hodgepodge from the World Wide Web.

We look at maps, mosquitoes, Thomas Jefferson, classical music goofs and the like.

-- Old-time maps are available online from the Library of Congress. The panoramic mapping technique was a popular way to show American and Canadian towns 100 years ago. Find some interesting ones at http://lcweb2loc.gov/ammem/pmhtml/panhome.html/.

-- My wife ventured out following the storm Monday evening. She came back five minutes later with eight mosquito bites. It's that time of the year, so it's time we learn more about theme. Enjoy 18 pictures of a variety of species at http://www.ent.iastate.edu/ImageGallery.html#Mosquitoes/. Mosquito trivia is found at http://whyflies.news.wisc.edu/016skeeter/sketter(underline)facts.html/. To avoid them check out http://whyflies.news.wisc.edu/016skeeter/self(underline)protection.html/.

-- For my friend Charles Hundley, who would only give up his present job if he had the chance to be Thomas Jefferson...here's the "Interpreting Thomas Jefferson" homepage at http://www.th-jefferson.org/. Clay Jenkinson, who is recognized as an authority on Jefferson, commands this site. It has a variety of information about Jefferson, along with some promotional plugs for Jenkinson.

-- Just in time for vacation season, the National Park Foundation has put information about all our national parks online at http://www.nationalparks.org/guide.htm/.

-- For some chuckles, try "American's Favorite Classical Music Bloopers" at http://hubcap.clemson.edu/(tilde)alevin/Bloopers.html/. (You've got to wonder about a classical music site with the word "hubcap" in its URL.

-- I just found a fun site for words. "Jesse's Word of the Day" is maintained by Jesse Sheidlower, senior editor in the Random House Reference Division. He specializes in slang and new words (clean ones) and answers (web) surfers' questions about words. This is really neat, and you'll find it at http://www.randomhouse.com/jesse/.