A prep course for the month-long World Cup soccer tournament, a worldwide pheno

364 . ) Hit the Lifestyles and Interests conference icon ; go to the Rocklink fo

lder ; then the Rocklink forum ; then click onto the Alternative Rock Message Bo

ard , then browse the folders for Hole ( the name of Courtney Love 's band ) , a

nd Remembering Cobain .

 Found something intriguing , improbable , insane or especially useful on the In

ternet ? Tip The Washington Post 's Karen Mason Marrrero kmarrero ( at ) aol.com

 or Joel Garreau garreau ( at ) well.sf.ca.us .

 CyberSurfing : Potholes , perturbations and predicaments on the Information Sup

erhighway : Blowing in the Wind There 's been a song going through my head for s

ome time now , only I don't know the words . Actually , I don't know the tune ei

ther , but I hope to soon because of e-mail . The song is `` Hurricane Janet , '

' about the storm that hit the Caribbean in mid-September 1955 . It wasn't the w

orst hurricane of the century , but because it occurred the week I was born and 

we had the same name , I was never allowed to forget it . Growing up in Wisconsi

n , I was teased about my eponymous meteorological event , though in fact my par

ents had already settled on my name before the hurricane was a cloud in the sky 

. Later , when I began to spend time in the Caribbean , gentlemen of a certain a

ge would start humming the calypso song when they heard my name . They said the 

song was by the Mighty Sparrow , the greatest calypsonian of all time , though i

t seemed nobody could remember all the lyrics . I tried to find a recording in t

he Caribbean , but it was out of print . After I subscribed to America Online th

is year , I decided to give it another try . Searching the service 's membership

 profiles brief resumes in which subscribers can indicate their address , age , 

hobbies and any other information they wish to share with other members I locate

d Kevin Burke , a freelance writer , photographer and calypso fan in Cambridge ,

 Mass. . I messaged him about `` Hurricane Janet . '' I hit pay dirt . Kevin ans

wered , saying he didn't know the song but was working on it . First , he had le

ft a telephone message for Sparrow himself in Trinidad . ( For readers unfamilia

r with calypso , this is roughly equivalent to buzzing Frank Sinatra about a '40

s pop number . ) Kevin also gave me a list of calypso experts in this country to

 consult , including Steve Shapiro , who , he pointed out , lives in Takoma Park

 , as my profile showed I do . I recognized the name but I wasn't sure why . The

n I realized the answer was literally in front of my nose , on a list of neighbo

rhood telephone numbers taped on the wall over my desk : Steve Shapiro , federal

 worker and calypso expert , lives across the street , though we 'd never met . 

I introduced myself and over the next few weeks , we had several conversations ,

 but while Shapiro 's music knowledge and record collection are both legendary ,

 he didn't have `` Hurricane Janet . '' In mid-March , Burke messaged again . ``

 I talked to the Mighty Sparrow today , '' he wrote , `` and he told me that the

 song about Hurricane Janet was sung by Lord Melody . '' Melody , a calypso elde

r statesman best known for his 1956 classic `` Mama , Look a ' Boo-Boo Dey , '' 

had died in the 1980s , Burke said . Sparrow had sung a few of the lyrics to Bur

ke on the telephone : `` Janet , stay in the mountains ! `` Janet , you go blow 

down plenty buildings ! `` Janet , your sister is Katie ! `` Janet , go straight

 to Miami ! '' I ran across the street to tell Steve , who said he had some Melo

dy recordings and would look into the matter . The next day , I walked out my do

or to find Steve in his front yard , waving his arms and shouting something . I 

finally made out the words : `` Janet ! It is by Sparrow !! '' Steve had located

 a fellow calypso maven in Oneonta , N.Y. , who had a recording of my song . App

arently , Sparrow either meant that he had sung the song but didn't write it , o

r had recorded so many songs over the years that he had simply forgotten . Now ,

 I 'm waiting for the tape of my song to arrive by `` snail-mail '' the U.S. Pos

tal Service . Until then , I have another project : How about this Hurricane Kat

ie ? Janet Higbie higbiej ( at ) twp.com GETTING THERE : Sign on to America Onli

ne . To locate other subscribers interested in the Caribbean or other topics , s

elect Search Member Directory from Members menu . Type in topic for list of memb

ers who have indicated similar interest . -0- Old Scams in New Electrons `` MAKE

.MONEY.FAST '' read the message sent recently to hundreds of subscribers to `` D

EAF-L , '' a computer discussion list for people interested in deafness-related 

issues . The note was filled with heartrending tales of people who had been down

 to their last few dollars when a miraculous solution appeared in the form of an

 e-mail letter . Suddenly their bank accounts were full , their spirits were lif

ted , and they were overcome with the desire to share the secret of their wealth

 with their fellow Internet travelers . In summary , the note 's words of wisdom

 were this : Send $ 10 to the person at the top of this mailing list , add your 

name to the bottom and send it to 100 friends . That 's right , it was one of th

ose chain letters that kids and gullible adults copy and mail out to their frien

ds . Now they 've hit cyberspace and the possibilities are endless . With one me

ssage , one can , as the DEAF-L subscriber did , send the chain to hundreds , ev

en thousands of people . Cyberspace legal experts who were consulted through a p

osting on their discussion group CYBERIA-L said such a chain may constitute a py

ramid scheme and posting it on the Internet might be illegal under the statutes 

prohibiting wire fraud . The `` send money now '' chain isn't the only old chest

nut floating around cyberspace . Remember Craig Shergold , the ailing kid who wa

s once trying to collect a record number of business cards ? That effort stopped

 years ago , but just last week an e-mail asking for business cards appeared on 

several discussion lists . The infamous cookie recipe that Neiman Marcus alleged

ly sold for $ 250 a story the store adamantly denies showed up not once but twic

e recently on a discussion list for fans of the `` Highlander '' movies and tele

vision show . `` This is a perfect example of how Internet perpetuates Urban Leg

ends and is a perfect example of how things should not be reposted everywhere , 

'' wrote DEAF-L subscriber Claire Maier in an effort to forestall further chain 

postings . `` The only explanation I have is that people are sheep , '' wrote Ma

ier , a PhD candidate in neuroscience at Emory University . `` Someone says , ` 

Post this to a zillion newsgroups ... ' and people do it . '' Brooke A . Masters

 mastersb ( at ) twp.com GETTING THERE : To subscribe to DEAF-L , sign on to any

 commercial ( America Online etc. ) or private network capable of sending messag

es on the Internet . Follow the `` mail '' prompts that set you up to send an e-

mail message . Send a message to LISTSERV SIUCVMB.BITNET and leave the subject l

ine blank ( AOL users do specify subject ) . In the body of the message , write 

SUBSCRIBE DEAF-L and your name .

 After any disaster , the question always arises as to when a destination that h

as been hard hit whether by hurricane , earthquake , fire , flood or war is read

y to give visitors their money 's worth . Often these places , although not yet 

in the best shape , will offer an incentive to tempt more adventurous travelers 

to be the first to return . Such is the case of war-torn Croatia , which is desp

erately in need of the potentially lucrative tourist income . This summer , and 

perhaps for another year , it is promising low prices-particularly for lodging .

 In the beautiful old resort city of Dubrovnik , I stayed last month for about $

 70 a night less than half the price I had paid for not nearly as nice a hotel r

oom a few days earlier in Milan , Italy . Right now , rooms in private homes in 

Dubrovnik are going for as little as $ 10 a night . `` The prices are very low ,

 '' says Pave Zupan Ruskovic , president of Atlas , one of Croatia 's biggest tr

avel agencies . `` It 's one way to bring tourism back . '' This is , I think , 

a fair exchange . With a civil war still rumbling in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegov

ina , Croatia is a problematic destination and personal safety is a matter of at

 least some concern . But at bargain prices , the new country is also an invitin

g place at least for those who are aware of the drawbacks of a visit . Before it

s breakup , Yugoslavia was a popular vacation spot for other Europeans and for A

mericans . As it happens , the new Croatia now possesses old Yugoslavia 's prima

ry tourist asset , the long , still mostly pristine Adriatic Coast stretching so

uth from the Istrian Peninsula to Dubrovnik . Among the nations formed from Yugo

slavia , its tourism prospects are brightest . Currently , the U.S. . State Depa

rtment is warning Americans to stay away from Serbia , Montenegro and Bosnia-Her

zegovina because of continuing strife or safety problems . No such warning has b

een issued for Croatia , neighboring Slovenia and the former Yugoslav republic o

f Macedonia . Slovenia is probably least affected by the ongoing Bosnian crisis 

, and it offers plenty of scenic and cultural attractions and good dining and lo

dging . Macedonia is a developing nation with limited tourist facilities . The s

evere impact of the war on Croatia 's tourist income is evident in statistics qu

oted by national tourism officials . Before 1990 , Croatia reported 60 million o

vernight stays annually , says Velimir Simicic , Croatia 's deputy minister of t

ourism . In 1993 , the figure was only 13 million most of them Germans and Easte

rn Europeans vacationing on the Istrian Peninsula . This summer , the country ho

pes to double last year 's number . Before the war , the city of Dubrovnik count

ed on tourism for about 90 percent of its income . Should you go to Croatia now 

to take advantage of the bargains or wait until peace is assured ? It is a quest

ion individuals must answer for themselves . Some factors to consider : Safety T

he situation in Zagreb , the capital ; on the Istrian Peninsula ; and in most ar

eas of Croatia is calm , says the State Department . But it warns against travel

 to four United Nations Protected Areas that border Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbi

a . Localized shelling has occurred adjacent to these areas . With one important

 exception , the Adriatic Coast the principal destination that Croatia currently

 is promoting is not affected . The exception is the coastal road just north of 

Zadar , where a pontoon bridge replaces the former bridge that was destroyed in 

Croatia 's war to defend its independence . The bridge , which crosses an inlet 

, is within potential enemy shellfire , according to a public affairs officer in

 the U.S. . Embassy in Zagreb , who asked not to be identified . However , the b

ridge is open , and motorists including tourists are using it regularly without 

harm , says Karen Suric in Atlas 's New York office . According to her , travele

rs who want to drive the length of the Adriatic Coast to Dubrovnik but avoid the

 bridge can take an auto ferry that operates far outside the shelling range . As

 for street crime directed at tourists , incidents are low . But as in any count

ry , you should beware of pickpockets and muggers in tourist sites such as bus a

nd railway stations . For a current safety report , contact the State Department

 's Citizens Emergency Center , ( 202 ) 647-5225 , or the U.S. . Embassy in Zagr

eb , 011-385-41-444-800 . Visas Americans must have a visa to travel in Croatia 

, but a tourist visa valid for three months can be obtained at no cost on arriva

l either at border crossings or the airport . There is a drawback to this proces

s , however . When I arrived by plane in Zagreb , about 25 passengers werelined 

up at the visa window , and only one immigration officer was on duty . Each visa

 took him two or three minutes to fill out . I was near the end of the line and 

waited for more than a half hour . Only after I had my visa could I proceed thro

ugh immigration to baggage claim and customs . Also , the Croatian Embassy in Wa

shington warns that some airlines deny boarding for flights to Croatia if you do

n't have a visa . To avoid a delay , you can apply for a visa in person or by ma

il from the Croatian Embassy , 2343 Massachusetts Ave. NW , Washington , D.C. 20

008 , ( 202 ) 588-5899 . Embassy-issued visas are valid for 12 months . By mail 

, there is a $ 9 return postage fee . Where to Go & Stay As in the past , most v

isitors probably will stick close to the lovely turquoise waters of the Adriatic

 . Although lodgings from modest to luxurious dot the long coast and the many of

fshore islands , the area is relatively undeveloped in contrast to the French or

 Italian rivieras . In the north , the Istrian Peninsula and the offshore island

s of Krk , Cres , Rab and Pag offer excellent beach vacation possibilities in an

 area untouched by the war . It is easily reached by car from northern Italy and

 elsewhere in Europe . The area around Dubrovnik experienced heavy damage . Beac

h pleasures are possible , but the ancient city should appeal more to travelers 

interested in seeing the impact of the war for themselves and the recovery that 

is being made . Among the top hotels now open are the Hotel Argentina ; its neig

hboring affiliate , the beautiful Villa Orsula ( where I stayed ) ; and the char

ming Hotel Villa Dubrovnik . All are within a 10-minute walk of the old city . A

 10-minute drive away is the large and modern Hotel Dubrovnik President . All fe

ature either sand or rocky beaches and good sea views . At the Hotel Argentina ,

 a room for one is about $ 58 ; for two , about $ 90 . At the Villa Orsula , a s

ingle is $ 68 and a double is $ 116 . Breakfast is included . Other top hotels a

re in the same price range . But budget travelers can stay in a room in a privat

e home for about $ 10 for one or two people . Zagreb is pretty and culturally in

teresting , and there are scenic drives north of the city into countryside that 

still retains the look of old Europe . Because Zagreb gets a lot of business tra

velers , its hotel rates are higher . Rates in the best hotels-which include the

 Palace , Dubrovnik , Inter-continental and Esplanade-range from about $ 95 to $

 150 a night for a room . Some tours have resumed out of Split to the Catholic s

hrine of Medugorje , which is located across the border in Bosnia . Aboard my pl

ane from Zurich , a group of 16 New Englanders planned a week 's pilgrimage . Ho

wever , the U.S. . Embassy in Croatia discourages such trips , says a spokeswoma

n . Escorted sightseeing and outdoor adventure tours and air/hotel/rental car pa

ckages are available throughout most U.S. or Croatian travel agencies . I paid A

tlas $ 879 for a package that included two nights lodging in Zagreb , three nigh

ts in Dubrovnik , five full breakfasts , flights between Zagreb and Dubrovnik an

d Split and Zagreb , a car and driver between Dubrovnik and Split , and all airp

ort transfers . For Information : Croatia does not maintain a tourism informatio

n office in the United States . However , information including lodging choices 

and island ferry schedules is available from Atlas Ambassador of Dubrovnik , the

 New York office of the Atlas travel agency ( Lincoln Building , 60 E. 42nd St. 

, New York , N.Y. 10165 , 212-697-6767 ) .

 No mere day at the beach , that 's the D-Day Normandy Commemorative Celebration

 Weekend in Virginia Beach , Va. , June 3-5 . The battle plan for the 50th anniv

ersary weekend includes a Fort Story commemorative ceremony and re-enactment of 

the invasion at the fort 's Omaha Beach , June 4 ; a parade and Stage Door cante

en show ; historical displays ; and a wreath-laying . The 29th Infantry ( Maryla

nd , Virginia , West Virginia and District of Columbia ) was the first unit to l

and its troops on Normandy 's Omaha Beach . Visitors are advised to arrive early

 for the re-enactment . Above events are free . Information : ( 800 ) 822-3224 .

 -0- Calling the World The world 's calling get the message ? AT&T 's new WorldP

lus Communication Service offers travelers a range of calling and messaging feat

ures-from more than 40 countries . By dialing a toll-free access number and ente

ring account and identification numbers , subscribers make calls from abroad , b

ack home or elsewhere ; set up conference calls ; use a personal mailbox to send

 and receive voice and fax messages worldwide ; and tap into information service

s ( interpreters ) , travel services and more . Cost is $ 70 annually , plus add

itional charges for calls-for example , $ 1.99 per minute for any call within Eu

rope . Information : ( 800 ) 382-5612 . -0- TRAVEL TRIVIA WHAT CARIBBEAN CITY HA

S THE LARGEST POPULATION ? TRIVIA ANSWER : HAVANA . -0- Soaping Up A little fanf

are , please , for the stars of daytime TV and the Soap Opera Fan Fair , in Mack

inaw City , Mich. , June 1-5 . Ogle more than 50 soap producers , writers and st

ars including Linda Dano ( Felicia Gallant on `` Another World '' ) and Eric Bra

eden ( Victor Newman on the `` The Young and the Restless '' ) ; get autographs 

, plus the inside scoop from soap editors ; or do moonlight cruises . Tickets fo

r the fair , on the Mackinac Straits ' State Ferry Dock , are $ 25 per day or $ 

75 for five-day passes ( cruises extra ) . For tickets and help with accommodati

ons , call ( 800 ) 817-SOAP ( 800-817-7627 ) . -0- ON TOURS New tours of Oskar S

chindler 's Poland , of movie and book fame , start June 15 . Travel writer and 

historian Stu Feiler has organized 11-day tours around the movie version of `` S

chindler 's List . '' The tour includes Jewish historic d istricts , synagogues 

and Holocaust memorials , including old and new Krakow and Plaszow and southeast

 Poland , to see the camp that held Schindler 's Jews , his factory , home and m

ore . Cost is $ 1,800 per person , double occupancy , including air fare from Wa

shington , accommodations and most meals . Information : ( 312 ) 587-1950 . -0- 

Ruff Stuff Dog tired of vacationing without Fido ? It 's board and bored no more

 , for your pooch , with Doggone , the bimonthly newsletter of `` fun places to 

go and cool stuff to do with your dog . '' Doggedly reported are pet-friendly lo

dgings-hotels , resorts , country inns , even five-star hotels that cater to Phy

deaux . The newsletter also walks you through pet-friendly attractions parks , b

eaches , even theme parks that allow dogs plus tips on health care , plane and c

ar travel , events and more . Subscriptions are $ 24 for one year . Information 

: ( 407 ) 569-8434 .

 Forget the Freedom Trail get on the JFK trail , with new tours of JFK 's Boston

 , starting Friday . Through Oct. 23 , the three-hour trolley expeditions ( desi

gned in conjunction with the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum ) visit famous K

ennedy landmarks from his birthplace in Brookline and the Harvard campus , to hi

s favorite restaurant ( the Union Oyster House , where he chowdered down ) and t

he Omni Parker House Hotel , where he announced for the presidency . Tours wind 

up at the Kennedy Library . Reservations are suggested but not required . Ticket

s for the Old Town Trolley tour which leaves from the Park Plaza Welcome Center 

, 52 Eliot St. are $ 20 for adults , $ 15 for students and those age 65 and up ,

 and $ 10 for ages 5 to 14 . Information : ( 617 ) 269-7150 .

 Wonk Inflation : When the political debate over health-care reform heated up a 

few years ago , New York publisher Faulkner & Gray compiled an annual directory 

with names , numbers , photos and profiles of `` the most influential health pol

icy-makers and organizations in the United States . '' They called it `` The Hea

lth Care 500 . '' The current edition has the same format but a new title : `` T

he Health Care 1,000 . ''

 Is Lewis Carroll 's timeless `` Alice 's Adventures in Wonderland '' simply an 

innocent children 's story ? Those who think so are in for a fascinating glance 

through the looking glass , courtesy of The Learning Channel 's `` Great Books '

' series , running Saturday night . The fourth installment of the Donald Sutherl

and-hosted series brings the background of mathematics professor Charles Lutwidg

e Dodgson ( alias Lewis Carroll ) out of the rabbit hole , describing how his vi

ew of childhood contrasted with the rigid social standards of 1860s Victorian En

gland . This program is not necessarily recommended for younger eyes , but it is

 required viewing for anyone who has read Lewis Carroll stories to their childre

n . The story of the independent Alice had its genesis on a Thames boat ride on 

July 4 , 1862 , when Dodgson related a tale to 9-year-old Alice Liddell , daught

er of the dean of Christ Church in Oxford . On Christmas of that year , Dodgson 

presented young Alice with a hand-illustrated copy of `` Alice 's Adventures Und

erground . '' The following year , he enlisted Punch cartoonist John Tenniel to 

illustrate the renamed `` Alice 's Adventures in Wonderland . '' That book and t

he follow-up , `` Through the Looking Glass , '' trail only the Bible and the wo

rks of Shakespeare as the most quoted books in the English language . The `` Gre

at Books '' program shows many of the hundreds of takeoffs and provides a look a

t how the 1960s popular culture melded with the works of 100 years earlier . ( J

efferson Airplane lead singer Grace Slick , who recorded the 1967 hit `` White R

abbit , '' noted a half-dozen drug references in Carroll 's writings . ) We also

 see Carroll on the front of the Beatles ' `` Sgt . Pepper '' album , and a snip

pet from the more recent `` Don't Come Around Here No More '' video featuring To

m Petty as the Mad Hatter . Carroll , described as `` a very clever man with the