Mark Templeton surfs the net

AMERICA'S FBI is often shrouded in secrecy but their web site is an open house and a great source of information...particularly for tabloid journalists.

Recent stories about Elvis being a cocaine addict came from the FBI home page after official documents were released on the net.

Apparently the King couldn't get enough of the white stuff and it was his fear of getting caught or exposed that prevented him from performing in Britain.

Although the FBI stress Elvis was not under investigation for anything, they did keep a check on him...and the dubious characters who were regular visitors to Graceland.

There is also loads of other stuff here to keep you enthralled.

America's Most Wanted provides a rogues' gallery of the most dangerous criminals on the run today. Click on their picture and their crime CV appears on your screen, detailing exactly why you shouldn't approach any of them if spotted.

And anyone interested in the work of American investigators should take a look at the CIA home page.

But beware, there's a stark warning that anyone accessing it may be liable to investigation themselves! Nice people.

Web sites: FBI: http://www.fbi.gov

CIA:

http://www.odci.gov/cia/

Zapping cash to Pudsey

THIS year's Children in Need fund raiser may be boosted by Internet users.

For the first time in the charity's history, people can make donations with their credit card over the world wide web by accessing a special page set up by BT.

Anyone taking a look at the pages will also find more information about the BBC appeal and the fund-raising events staged across the country.

BT is assuring users there are no security risks involved with handing over your card details or, as they put it, "zapping your cash." Organisers hope the Internet will have people overseas dipping their hands into their pocket and bump up last year's £18.7 million total.

Web site: http://www5.btwebworld.

com/cin

Judgment data

PLANS have emerged to put some of this country's High Court judgments on the Internet so they are freely available to lawyers and the public.

Judgments about particularly complex cases involving issues in the technology, engineering or construction industries, will be posted on a Web site, having been read out in court first.

The cases concerned are those in the Official Referees division of the High Court, which traditionally deals with complex cases of this kind.

From now on, the judge in each case will be able to order that his or her judgment is posted in full on the Web site, for the benefit of others. Not all cases will be suitable - only those that address an issue of wide significance or general interest are likely to be posted.

Web site:

http://www.open.gov.uk/courts/court/highhome.htmgov

Abracadabradotcom!

YOU know that feeling when you see a magic trick and just cannot fathom out how they do it? Hey presto...this site offers an amazing piece of online trickery that will leave you gasping with astonishment. You will be amazed

Web site: http://pw2.netcom.com/sleight/interactivemagic.html

Hits or misses

IF you have a Web page, you obviously want to get its location across to the rest of the online community.

To do that you need to submit your address to search engines. And to check that you have done that effectively, this site will conduct a swift search of 20 of the most popular ones and email the results to you.

A worthwhile tool for webmasters.

Web site:

http://www.did-it.com

YOU can contact Mark Templeton by e-mail at mtempleton@newsquest.

co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.