Site explores human rights in North Korea

In October of 2001, a group of foreign policy and human rightsactivists launched the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Koreato promote human rights in North Korea. At the heart of their effortis an educational Web site, "The Hidden Gulag: Exposing North Korea'sPrison Camps," which explores the full horror of life under Kim Jung-il. It presents expert analysis, satellite photographs and storiesprovided by former prisoners to document the repression of NorthKorea's "forced-labor colonies, camps, and prisons where scores ofthousands of prisoners -- some political, some convicted felons --are worked, many to their deaths, in mining, logging, farming, andindustrial enterprises."

www.hrnk.org

TAX PREPARATION

Consumer Reports is offering a free online report on whether itmakes sense for you to prepare your own taxes this year. The numberof Americans who used outside help went up to 60 percent a year agoand this primer goes through the pluses and minuses of each path tohelp you decide what makes the most sense for your situation.

www.consumerreports.org

DEMOGRAPHICS

For those curious about the demographics of our very owncommunity, the full 2000 census breakdown is available throughAreaConnect.com. It covers gender, race, age, etc., in whole numbersand percentages. If you are curious about any other Coloradocommunity, just go up into the URL and replace "Colorado Springs"with the name of the town you want, then hit enter.

coloradosprings.areaconnect. com/statistics.htm

ANTIQUES

Curioscape is designed to help those who collect antiques -- orwould like to start -- to find the best Internet resources by area ofinterest. Search by keywords or browse specific categories such asart deco, figurines or tools. Looking for Colorado ephemera? ThePortals of the Past Web site is waiting to sell you a 1916 Pikes Peakbooklet for $16 or a Manitou Cliff Dwellings brochure for $6.

www.curioscape.com

GRASS-ROOTS POLITICS

Campaign for Reader Privacy is a nationwide effort to obtain onemillion signatures in support of legislation to amend Section 215 ofthe USA Patriot Act. The groups hope to persuade Congress to restoresafeguards for the privacy of bookstore and library records that wereeliminated by the act. The campaign will gather signatures inlibraries, bookstores and on the Web site.

www.readerprivacy.com

EGYPT

The Sphinx still has its nose and King Tut's tomb is still crowdedwith gilded furniture. At least, that's how Egypt can be seen in thevirtual world of Eternal Egypt, an interactive Web site launched lastmonth by Egypt's Ministry of Communications and InformationTechnology and IBM. With maps, timelines and 3-D images of artifactsand monuments, the site can be searched by topic, place, or timeperiod.

www.eternalegypt.org

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0126 or bainbird@gazette.com