As America goes to war, online information abounds

Suddenly, terrorism seems very real to Americans -- the way it has seemed to Israelis for years.

Big government is in; even conservatives who like bureaucrats as much as they like acne are proposing expanded federal programs and bigger budgets.

People around the country are turning to various agencies to learn what they can do to protect themselves and their families, and to contribute to the effort to root out the terror cells that destroyed the World Trade Center, wrecked part of the Pentagon and may now be engaged in a biological holy war.

An easy place to begin: The U.S. government's central Web portal, FirstGov, is an outstanding, highly accessible site that makes it a snap for visitors to tap into the sprawling federal bureaucracy.

The site was created early this year as an all-purpose gateway to federal government Web sites -- a kind of one-stop-shopping place where citizens could go to figure out how to write a senator, ask a question about senior housing, read about recent court decisions or find out how to get a visa.

But in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the threat of more to come, the site is also proving to be a valuable resource for Americans trying to cope with the challenges of this new war.

Here you'll find all kinds of information on what you can do: how to handle suspicious mail, tips for air travel at a time of increased security precautions, ways to help victims and their families.

There is detailed information on coping with bioterrorism and bomb threats, and links to help you report information that may help authorities prevent new terror attacks. The site provides access to the government's new most-wanted list, which includes a number of suspects in the Sept. 11 bombings, and official government terror alerts.

There are also links to help you avoid the many scams that have been spawned by the national emergency as sophisticated con artists exploit it to make some bucks.

There are even job postings related to this new war, as well: The government is looking for federal air marshals and linguists fluent in -- you guessed it -- Arabic, Farsi and Pashto.

Yes, it's depressing stuff, but this well-designed, information-packed Web site just may help you be a little better prepared for life in this uncertain new age. In more ordinary times, it can be a useful entry point for the vast resources available on government Web sites. It's at http://www.firstgov.gov

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Another useful war-related site is the public relations home page of the Department of Defense, at http://www.defenselink.mil

DefenseLink provides an abundance of resources on the current war against terrorism, including departmental briefings, press conferences by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and official statements on the progress in the war. The site is a cinch to use.

You can sign up to get important announcements e-mailed directly to you. There's also plenty of background information about the U.S. armed forces and the sprawling Pentagon bureaucracy. A few pictures, too, although this is not a graphics-rich site. Just the facts, ma'am.

*** You don't need to be a historian to know that Poland was once home to the biggest, most vibrant Jewish community in the world -- a community that was all but exterminated during the Nazi years. A new Web site is devoted to preserving the memory of that vanished community. Polishjews.org begins with a good idea, but then it stumbles; the site's content is spotty and navigation can be something of a puzzle.

A family finder section includes handfuls of names and towns, but almost no other information; you can fill out forms requesting research on specific names, but it won't be free and the site doesn't tell what it'll cost.

A Holocaust section includes a few maps and a smattering of articles, but there are dozens of sites with a lot more information and a lot more interesting graphics.

A photo section includes a somewhat haphazard collection of images, including pictures of famous Jews from Poland's past. You can also order pictures and videos of today's Poland.

The most extensive section is an excerpt from a history of Jews in Poland -- interesting, but nothing special, and not a picture to be found. Didn't these guys ever hear of multimedia?

The site is attractive, but the content is maddeningly thin -- a real surprise, given the rich history of this culture.

You'll find it at http://www.polishjews.org The writer is a Washington-based correspondent who has been writing about Jewish Web sites since the early 1990s. His columns alternate with those of Mark Mietkiewicz. Besser can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)