A Top List....

Top 10 Beaches for Shells

2007-03-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia

A shell is the hard, rigid outer covering, or integument, of certain animals. More specific scientific names include exoskeleton, carapace, and peltidium. A shell may be made of nacre (a combination of calcium and protein), chitin, bone and cartilage, or silica. While many sea animals produce exoskeletons, usually only those of molluscs are normally considered to be "sea shells".

Ok that is enough information about shells.

Let have a look at the top 10 beaches for shells as reported by CNN.

1. Sanibel Island, Florida
2. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
3. Bandon, Oregon
4. Galveston, Texas
5. Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
6. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby, Maryland
7. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
8. Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas
9. Great Peconic Bay, Long Island, New York
10. Stinson Beach, California

You can the complete description...here

(Source: CNN, Wikipedia)

Top 10 Rock Movies

2007-03-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the top 10 Rock movies......

10. Purple Rain
A time capsule movie if there ever was one, this sumptuously shot Prince vehicle is better known now for its Grammy and Oscar-winning score than for its quality as a film. Nevertheless, the rather misogynistic Purple Rain captures the music of its era (the mid-'80s) and is noteworthy for being one of the first feature films to bring music video style to the big-screen. The flimsy story charts "The Kid's" (a pompous, surly Prince) rise to fame from the Minneapolis music scene, his stormy relationship with his dad (Clarence Williams III), his wooing of the sexy Apollonia, and his rivalry with snide scene-stealer Morris Day.

9. Hedwig and The Angry Inch
This cult classic, based on an Off-Broadway musical, was directed by and stars John Cameron Mitchell. It tells the story of an East German youth named Hansel who undergoes a botched sex change operation after falling for an American G.I. Renamed Hedwig, she goes to America to follow her glam rock star dreams only to have that dream shattered when her lover Tommy Gnossis (Michael Pitt) steals her songs, her name and becomes the rock icon she always wanted to be.

8. The Doors
Oliver Stone's trippy, muddled biopic of late rocker-poet Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer, who also does most of his own singing), lead singer for the titular band, is more concerned with Morrison's self-destructive quest for "the palace of wisdom" than analyzing his musical contributions. One of the most dynamic and controversial musical personalities of the 1960s, Morrison died at 27 after years of drug and alcohol abuse. While the film covers a lot of traditional musical biopic ground (starting the band, hitting it big, the inevitable downward spiral), The Doors effectively captures the self-destructive nature of this rock god and the turbulent times that spawned him.

7. Tommy
This 1975 rock opera features a who's who of 1970s rock and film stars, including The Who, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret (who was nominated for Best Actress), Oliver Reed, Tina Turner and Eric Clapton. Written and directed by Ken Russell, this cult classic follows troubled Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who seems like a hopeless case until he beats The Pinball Wizard (Elton John) and becomes a celebrity. His fame is so powerful that Tommy founds his own religious cult but he raises the ire of his fans when he protests their commercialization of himself. The Who later returned to rock opera territory with Quadrophenia.

6. Sid and Nancy
Director Alex Cox offers a gritty, powerful look at the doomed relationship between The Sex Pistols' wildy self-destructive guitarist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his American groupie-girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Although Sid and Nancy recreates the rise of the infamous British punk rock band, the film's primary focus is on the twisted love story between the drug-addled title characters whose relationship would end in tragedy and bloodshed.

5. The Buddy Holly Story
A then-skinny Gary Busey scored an Oscar nomination as Best Actor for his portrayal of the late rock pioneer Buddy Holly (he even does his own singing) in this thoughtful, well made biopic. The film follows Buddy's teen years in Lubbock, Texas where his love for "the devil's music" earned him the condemnation of the self-righteous sect but made him a star in the burgeoning realm of rock n' roll. Buddy – along with Ritchie Valens (immortalized in the film La Bamba) and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson - died in a plane crash at age 22 ("the day the music died"). Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith co-star as Holly's band, The Crickets.

4. Jailhouse Rock
While not The King's movie, this 1957 flick is certainly his coolest and it captures the rebellious and sexually charged persona that made Elvis Presley the most dangerous young man of his time. Hot-headed laborer Vince Everett (Elvis) is convicted of manslaughter after getting into a tragic bar brawl. Vince's cellmate, a washed-up country singer, sees his musical potential and encourages him to pursue it. After being released from prison and enduring a rough start in the music biz, Vince eventually finds fame and fortune thanks to potential love interest Peggy Van Alden. But success goes to Vince's head and his temper and arrogance lead to his comeuppance. Along with King Creole, Viva Las Vegas and Flaming Star, Jailhouse Rock is one of Elvis' few viewable movies. It also features a classic dance sequence for the title song choreographed by The King himself.

3. A Hard Day's Night
Richard Lester directed this 1964 classic that remains one of the most influential movies about rock bands, in this case documenting The Beatles at the start of international Beatlemania. Thanks to its "a day in the life" approach, A Hard Day's Night is essentially the grandfather of the rockumentary. The faux plot of the film, which is laden with gags and musical interludes, has the Fab Four trying to reach a big gig as Paul McCartney keeps an eye on his grandfather, John Lennon clashes with a TV director, Ringo Starr gets jailed, and George Harrison suffers a case of mistaken identity. Lester and The Beatles would reunite for Help! in 1965.

2. This Is Spinal Tap
Actor Rob Reiner, who also stars, made his feature filmmaking debut with this beloved 1984 mockumentary about the fictitious British band Spinal Tap, charting their rise from skiffle group to the psychedelic era to hard rock. The movie within the movie documents Spinal Tap's first stateside tour in years, which results in a horrendous series of indignities, squabbles and debacles. Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest play band members David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel, respectively.

1. Almost Famous
Writer-director Cameron Crowe's quasi-autobiographical film follows teen journalist William Miller's (Patrick Fugit) time with the (fictitious) rock band Stillwater (including guitarist Billy Crudup and singer Jason Lee) while covering them for Rolling Stone magazine. Along the way, he encounters mentor-rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and beautiful "band-aide" Penny Lane (Oscar nominee Kate Hudson). Miller's transformation from sheltered adolescent to professional journalist and young man makes for a funny and poignant coming-of-age tale. Almost Famous is arguably the most affectionate, honest and fun movie yet made about rock and roll and those who love and live for it.

(Source: IGN.com)

Top 10 Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid !!

2007-03-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia

Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves the collection of the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships among them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree. Genealogy is often also referred to as family history, although these terms may be used distinctly: the former being the basic study of who is related to whom; the latter involving more "fleshing out" of the lives and personal histories of the individuals involved.

With that out of the way, lets look at the Top 10 Genealogy mistakes to avoid.

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Tips to Surf the Web

2007-03-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

Despite the increasing availability of high-speed, broadband internet service, most people still access the Web with a dial-up account. Waiting for media-rich web pages to download can be frustrating, as is trying to find specific information in a sea of data. To make Web surfing a more satisfying and productive experience, check out the top 10 tips.

1. Get a faster connection.
2. Use the Stop button.
3. Increase your cache to load most visited sites faster.
4. Save keystrokes by using Bookmarks or Favorites
5. Use the Find feature of your web browser to look up things quickly.
6. Pick two search engines and learn how they work.
7. Choose your own home page for the page that you use the most.
8. Open a new window from the existing browser window.
9. Surf during off-peak hours to avoid the rush and get faster downloads.
10. View sites in a text-only mode if you have a slow connection.

You can find the details...here

(Source: learnthenet.com)

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

2007-03-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

I will reduce my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
I will reduce my chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema, and other lung diseases.
I will have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home, and car.
I will climb stairs and walk without getting out of breath.
I will have fewer wrinkles.
I will be free of my morning cough.
I will reduce the number of coughs, colds, and earaches my child will have.
I will have more energy to pursue physical activities I enjoy.
I will treat myself to new books or music with the money I save from not buying cigarettes.
I will have more control over my life.

(Source: NHLBI)

The 10 Riskiest Businesses To Start

2007-03-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

While some two-thirds of small firms make it past the two-year mark, just 44% can hack it for four years, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And by "hack it," we're just talking survival rates here: Plenty of those "survivors" are choking down ramen noodles to keep the lights on.

If those odds don't scare you off, consider too that some industries may be inherently tougher to crack than others. Your friends might think that you rival Mario Batali in the kitchen, or that you can go sole for sole with the likes of Kenneth Cole. But the sober truth is that it takes more than talent to run a restaurant, a clothing boutique and a host of other ventures. Sadly, some of the most enticing industries are also the riskiest.

Good data on business failures are hard to find. At first blush, BLS figures suggest that failure rates are consistent across industries. Yet those industry groupings are very broad, capturing the entire universe of small companies in just 10 general buckets. For example, restaurants are lumped into the larger "leisure and hospitality" bucket, including more stable outfits like hotels. Some economists chalk up failure rates to other factors, such as location, the experience level of management teams and whether companies are able to nab venture funding.

Lets have a quick look at the top 10 riskiest businesses to start.

Transportation
Apparel Stores
Restaurants & Bars
Communications
Travel Agency & Tour Operators
Food Stores
Personal Services
Auto Repair
Trucking
Money Service Businesses

You can find the complete list...here

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 energy saving measures

2007-03-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

They say you have to speculate to accumulate and, by following these top 10 energy saving measures below, you're guaranteed a great return on your investment, both financially and environmentally.

The energy saving measures below could help you shave up alot of money off your annual energy bill and enable you to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by two tonnes. Here's how you do it.

1. Don't leave appliances on standby
2. Install at least 3 Energy Saving Recommended bulbs.
3. Only boil as much water as you need
4. Insulate your loft
5. Install cavity wall insulation
6. Upgrade your boiler
7. Buy Energy Saving Recommended appliances
8. Turn your thermostat down by 1^oC
9. Wash your laundry at 30^oC
10. Don't use the car for short journeys

You can find complete list...here

(Source: est.org.uk)

Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation

2007-03-08T02:04:00.000-08:00

If you are worrying about innovation, take heart. Only successful companies do. By contrast, unsuccessful companies either aren't around to do any worrying or are consumed with more pressing concerns, like meeting payroll or paying their bills. At the other end of the spectrum, venture-backed start-ups have lots of worries, but innovating isn't one of them - they actually worry more about not innovating, as in let's not waste our scarce resources reinventing wheels that others have already developed.

But you are not a start-up. You have some success, some momentum, and therefore some inertia, and it is the inertia that has you worried. By design inertia resists change. This is a good thing, as long as you are headed in a direction you want to go. But when the market changes, inertia acts against your future interests. Now you are right to be worried.

So you raise the topic of innovation in hopes of getting some insight. With that in mind, let us go through the Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation:

10. We don't innovate around here any more.
9. Product life cycles are getting shorter and shorter.
8. We need a Chief Innovation Officer.
7. We need to be more like Google.
6. R&D investment is a good indicator of innovation commitment.
5. Great innovators are usually egotistical mavericks.
4. innovation is inherently disruptive.
3. It is good to innovate.
2. Innovation is hard.
1. When innovation dies, it's because the antibodies kill it.

You can find the complete article...here

(Source: Sandhill.com)

Top 10 US killer tornadoes

2007-03-08T02:01:00.000-08:00

The United States gets about 1000 recorded tornadoes every year. Today, only a few are killers, but that has not always been so. About 200 US tornadoes have killed 18 or more people. Of those, about 150 occurred in the 70 year period between 1879 and 1949. There have been about 45 tornadoes since 1950 that have killed 18 or more people. In the 1950s, there were 18 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1960s, there were 12 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1970s,there were 11 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. And in the 1980s, there were only 2 tornadoes that killed more than 18 people. In spite of an ever-burgeoning population, death figures continue to go down as improved forecasting, detection, communications, and public awareness increase.

You can find the top 10 US killer tornadoes here...

Top 10 Bushisms

2007-02-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

10) "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

9) "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." —Greater Nashua, N.H., Jan. 27, 2000

8) "I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

7) "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." —Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

6) "You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

5) "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

4) "They misunderestimated me." —Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

3) "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

2) "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

1) "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers 2006 !!

2007-02-26T00:13:00.000-08:00

Every year Nike and the rest of the streetwear fashion industry tries to release limited edition shoes that people will swoon for. Once in a while, they’ll be able to make a hit, like when Nike paired up with toy culture artist Michael Lau and created the Michael Lau Nike Dunk Low Pro SB (photo above). More often than not though, the crazy sneaker designs are just nasty and ugly.

A reminder to everyone in the streetwear fashion industry - No more polka dots, fur or leopard prints please!

Here are the Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers of 2006 in no particular order.

BAPESTA Polka Dots Multi Color Bathing Ape

Crazy Air Max 95

Nike Air FootScape Woven Polka Dot

Nike X-Girl

Nike SB Dunks Three Bears Pack

Lacoste Colette Sneakers

Nike and Cole Hann Crocodile Skin ‘Icy’ Jordan’s

Microsoft Xbox Sneakers

Nike Frankenstein Pack

Nike Air Max 95 Burberry Edition

(Source: Kineda.com)

Top 10 Google Apps

2007-02-26T00:07:00.000-08:00

As Google expands its empire beyond stellar search, the goliath keeps piling onto its heap of free tools that enable you to communicate, manage multimedia, jam-pack your calendar, map trips, and even create virtual worlds. Some of these apps integrate seamlessly with each other, while others stand alone. Most of these services are rough drafts that remain in beta testing, so expect them to evolve. Here are the 10 Google apps that we find the most intriguing, whether for their sheer usefulness or for the controversy they attract. (Check out more members of the Google family here.)

CNET rating

8.4

1. Gmail beta

Gmail is a star among the Web's top e-mail tools, especially for its inventive message-organizing methods. And Gmail plays well with other members of the Google family. Case in point: its natural-language abilities can detect when someone sends you an event invitation, then whisk you to Google Maps or Google Calendar so that you won't miss the party. Read review

CNET rating

7.0

2. Google Calendar beta

Dinner at 8? How about sword-swallowing classes at 8:30 instead? Google Calendar enables you to manage appointments and discover events from assorted sources that other users have made public. Read review

3. Google Talk beta

What's better than an instant-messaging tool loaded with expressive emoticons, as well as links to news stories and streaming music sites? If such bells and whistles strike the wrong note with you, then the answer is Google Talk. You can run this no-frills chatting client either within a floating window or embedded within Gmail. Add a headset and talk to buddies for free. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.7

4. Writely beta

Who says you need to pay through the nose for a word processor? Ever since we started using the free Writely to compose and edit basic text files, we've been hooked on its simplicity. The drawback? If you're offline, you're out of luck. Read review

5. Google Spreadsheets

Most people find crunching numbers dull. It's extraclunky when you must open a hard drive-hogging application just to sum up some quick figures. Google Labs' Spreadsheets lets you make calculations on the fly from anywhere, as long as you're online. It may not be an Excel killer, but it's a time-saver. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

6. Google Maps

Cartography seemed dry until Google Maps started serving up free satellite views to the public. Since then, enthusiasts have been shaping this dynamic mapping tool to pinpoint the locations of hot dog stands, celebrity sightings, and visits from outer space. Read review

7. Google Earth 4 beta

Remember the hype that the Internet would immerse us in virtual tourism that would be more fun than actually going places in the real world? Such predictions were premature, but sit down with Google Earth, and a momentary lookup can turn into hours of flying around the globe to explore its nooks and crannies. Read editor's take

CNET rating

8.0

8. Google SketchUp

Build your dream house in 3D detail without a lick of CAD or architectural expertise. While you're at it, why not sketch a whole city, drop it into Google Earth, and send it to your friends to move forward with your world domination plans. Read review

9. Picasa Web Albums beta

At long last, one of the finest freebie apps for tweaking your digital pictures now lets you upload albums to the Web. We hope that the bare-bones Picasa Web Albums, now in a testing phase, will eventually add more features for editing, tagging, and sharing photos online. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

10. Google Desktop 4 beta

This download installs a top-notch search tool to find files on your computer, and it stacks fun Gadgets on your desktop. Hey, now that you're using so many Google tools, why not just hand over your hard drive to Mountain View? Seriously, though, Desktop's search is terrific, but we nevertheless urge that you either skip it altogether or disable Advanced Features if you feel uneasy about entrusting so much personal data to one company. Read review

(Source: CNET)

Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players

2007-02-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

MP3 Players come in all shapes and sizes, that’s why our editors decided to compile a list of the “Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players” for your enjoyment.

10. Teddy Bear MP3 Player

This makes our list because…well…it’s a teddy bear shaped MP3 player! The keys look almost too tiny to press and it only comes with 128MB built-in memory.

9. Clip Type MP3 Player

For the person who easily loses things, this clip type MP3 player is for you. Measuring 25.6 x 53.2 x 22.6mm and weighing just 20g, it can be clipped just about anywhere.

8. $5 Cereal Box MP3 Player

Coming soon to a vending machine near you. These $5 MP3 players are shaped like mini cereal boxes and play all your favorite MP3 and WMA tracks. At this price, don’t expect it to hold more than a few songs.

[TechDigest]

7. Magic Mirror MP3 Player

Shenzhen Xindaxin Technology Co. Ltd. claims that the “screen can be used as a mirror”. Other perks include, MP3 playback/recording, FM tuner, and synchronized lyrics.

[StrangeNewProducts]

6. Scented MP3 Players

Who wants a rose, lemon, chocolate, blueberry, strawberry, or rasberry scented MP3 player? Check out the iCool by Solid Alliance.

[AkihabaraNews]

5. Brain Wave MP3 Player

CURE-alpha is an MP3 player that supposedly emits alpha waves which calm and rejuvinate the brain. They are transmitted at very low frequencies while listening to MP3/WMA files.

[I4U]

4.Minty MP3

This is actually an MP3 player you can build yourself. Minty claims that half of the parts can be sampled for free, meaning you’ll only end up spending around $50 along with countless hours of brain wracking.

[Minty]

3. NES Controller MP3 Player

Martin Kersch of Germany made great use of a boring Saturday afternoon by transforming an ordinary USB Stick and NES Controller into a fully functional battery powered MP3 Player.

[FutureNews]

2. MP3 Toilet

Technically, it’s not a stand alone MP3 player, but rather one that works with your toilet. This SD memory based player attaches to the wall above your toilet and includes a special receiver that goes under the toilet seat, how sanitary.

[Akihabara]

1. PEZ MP3 Player

At first glance, it looks like any other PEZ dispenser, but upon furthur inspection, you’ll find a 3.5mm stereo mini jack and music keys. It packs an ample 512MB memory and weighs just 0.78 ounces.

[PezMP3]

(Source: TechEBlog)

Top 10 Phishing Scams

2007-02-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

(Source: Howstuffworks)

Listed below are top ten common Phish subject lines.

If you receive a similar message in your inbox you should delete it and not follow the links in the message. If you want to check your account, you should type the bank or company website directly into your web browser, or add a bookmark, rather than following links in an email. If you are unsure if an email you receive is legitimate, visit the companies website directly, phone the company, or contact their Customer Services or fraud department (usually fraud@companyname.com) to confirm that they sent the mail.

Services PayPal Notification : Your account is suspended
Notification from Billing Department
Fifth Third Bank: service message.
0fficial information for Fifth Third Bank client.
important security notice!
customer notice: details confirmation!
attention: all Fifth Third Bank clients.
Fifth Third Bank: confirm your online banking records.
Fifth Third Bank: alert!
Fifth Third Bank reminder: please update your details.

(Source: McAfee)

Top 10 Ways to Protect Privacy Online

2007-02-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

Here is the top 10 ways to protect privacy online

1. Look for privacy policies on Web Sites:

Web sites can collect a lot of information about your visit -- what computer you use, what type of hardware and software you have, what Web sites you have visited. Web sites that ask you to provide even a small amount of personal information can tie the data you provide to your browsing habits.

When you go to a Web site that has no privacy policy, write and tell the company that you are a user of their site, your privacy is important to you and you would like to see them post a policy. CDT has developed the Privacy Watchdog site to help you.

An increasing number of Web sites has begun to provide privacy policies that detail the sites' information practices. Look for these policies and read them carefully. While privacy statements are not the only answer to online privacy risks, the effort should be encouraged and commended.

CDT's Web Site Privacy Policies page.

2. Get a separate account for your personal e-mail:

Often, online users do not realize that e-mail sent from their work accounts is likely to be an open book to their employers. Even if you send an e-mail from your home, a copy is often stored on your employer's main computer server. Your boss has a legal right to read any and all correspondence in this account or on your work computer at any time.

Getting a separate account for home allows you to check your personal messages without using your workplace e-mail server. Some private accounts can be configured to enable you to check your personal mail from work without downloading it onto your company computer.

3. Teach your kids that giving out personal information online means giving it to strangers:

Teach your children that they need your permission before they can give out their name, address or other information about themselves or the family.

Several years ago, a number of Web sites encouraged children to give information about themselves or their family; some enticed kids with games and free gifts. In 1998, a law was passed requiring companies to gain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 years old. If you are concerned about a Web site collecting information from children without consent, you should communicate your concern to the Federal Trade Commission at kidsprivacy@ftc.gov.

4. Clear your memory cache after browsing:

After you browse the Web, copies of all accessed pages and images are saved on your computer's memory. While these copies make subsequent visits to the same sites faster, the browsing record has grave implications for personal privacy, particularly if you share a computer or browse at work. You can delete most of your online trail by simply going to the "Preferences" folder in your browser and clicking on the "Empty Cache" button. Sometimes this option is in the "Advanced" menu of the browser preferences. In Internet Explorer, go to "Internet Options" from the "Tools" menu and click on "Clear History".

5. Make sure that online forms are secure:

Online forms may be digitally transported in ways that leave them vulnerable to undesired access. Alternatively, online forms may be encrypted so that only the intended recipients can readily translate the information.

Ensuring that your information is stored and transferred in secure ways is one of the keys to protecting your privacy. Fortunately, browser companies have realized the importance of data security; newer browsers are designed to indicate whether the accessed page allows encrypted transfers. The commonly used graphics are a key, which is broken if the page is insecure, and a lock -- locked is secure and unlocked is not secure. The graphic appears in the corner of the browser screen; clicking on the lock or the key will inform you of additional security information about the page. You should not input sensitive personal information about yourself (such as financial or medical data) on Web pages that are not secure.

6. Reject unnecessary cookies:

Cookies enable Web sites to store information about your visit on your own hard drive. Cookies inform site operators if you have visited the site and, if you have obtained a username and password, cookies remember that information for you. Many of the "personalized" search engines use cookies to deliver news topics that users select; sites often use these same preferences to target advertisement. Furthermore, cookies can be used to track you online and enable a creation of a profile without you realizing it. You can search your hard drive for a file with the word "cookie" in it (i.e., cookies.txt or MagicCookie) to view the cookies that have been attached to your computer. Newer browsers allow you to recognize sites that send you cookies and reject them outright by accessing the "Advanced" screen of the "Preferences" menu. In Internet Explorer, delete cookies by clicking on the "Delete Files" button in the "General" icon of "Tools"' "Internet Options" menu.

7. Use anonymous remailers:

Anonymity is essential to privacy and free speech. It protects whistle blowers and writers of controversial material; most simply, it may enable one to publish without a forwarding address. The e-mail technology creates problems for the right to anonymous communication since the sender of a message can be traced back through digital paths.

Created to address privacy risks and concerns, "anonymous remailers" presently allow you to send anonymous e-mail messages. One very good remailer was created as a joint project of the George Mason Society and the Global Internet Liberty Campaign and is available on the Web at http://www.gilc.org/speech/anonymous/remailer.html

8. Keep your e-mail private, use encryption!:

E-mail is not as secure a medium as many believe.

E-mail can be easily rerouted and read by unintended third parties; messages are often saved for indefinite periods of time. Presently, there exist technologies that allow you to encrypt your messages in order to protect their privacy. Some e-mail programs (i.e., Internet Explorer Outlook and Netscape Messenger) have encryption. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), a popular encryption software, is free for non-commercial use.

Read more on PGP and download the encryption software at http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html

9. Use anonymizers while browsing:

From the moment you type in a Web address, a log is kept with information about your visit.

Every day, most of us walk down the street without being recognized or tracked. While anonymity is often taken for granted in the physical world, such luxury is not available online. Tools that strip out user information, thus preserving anonymity, have been created; a few are readily available on the net. Visit http://www.freedom.net and http://www.anonymizer.com.

10. Opt-out of third party information sharing:

Many online companies provide you with the option to get off (or "opt-out") the lists that share your information. Some companies enable users to easily opt out -- users are often able to do so online. A number of companies go a step further and ask your permission (opt-in) before sharing personal information that they have collected. Often, however, companies make opting out difficult or virtually impossible: addresses are buried, one cannot opt-out online, etc. CDT has created Operation Opt-Out to help you control how your personal data is collected and distributed.

Extra Tip: use common sense

Reading our Top Ten list, as well as encountering multiple news stories that portray Web companies as charlatans or worse, can instill paranoia even in the most fearless Web user. You must realize, however, that people in cyberspace are the same people you encounter every day in the physical reality: your neighbors, your colleagues. Using many of the same behavior patterns that you use in the offline environment will take you a long way. Ask yourself a set of familiar questions when you are online: Would you give your credit card number to a street vendor? Would you transact with a well-established, trusted firm? How much information does the newspaper realistically need to process a subscription? Will you be subjected to a ton of unsolicited mail if you disclose your physical or e-mail address?

Use common sense, ask questions and seek out resources. The Internet is a new medium, as was the telephone more than a century ago. If used wisely, it can connect you to a world of people, ideas and information.

1. Look for privacy policies on the Web

2. Get a separate email account for personal email

3. Teach your kids that giving out personal information online means giving it to strangers

4. Clear your memory cache after browsing

5. Make sure that online forms are secure

6. Reject unnecessary cookies

7. Use anonymous remailers

8. Encrypt your email

9. Use anonymizers while browsing

10. Opt-out of third party information sharing

(Source: cdt.org)

Top 10 Influential Females in the IT World

2007-02-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the top 10 influential females in the IT corporate world:

Eva Chen, CEO of Trend Micro

Kristin Lovejoy, CTO of Consul

Joanne Maguire , EVP of Lockheed Martin

Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay

Patricia Russo, CEO of Lucent Technologies

Padmasree Warrior, CTO of Motorola

Catherine Brune, CTO of Allstate

Rosaleen Citron, CEO of Whitehat Inc.

Ginni Rometty, SVP at IBM

Ursula Burns, President of Business Group Operations at Xerox (note that the CEO of Xerox is also a woman)

Here is a list of top 10 influential females in Open Source

Dru Lavigne

Mitchell Baker

Danese Cooper

Allison Randal

Elizabeth Zwicky

Æleen Frisch

Lynne Jolitz

Machtelt Garrels

Erinn Clark

Máirín Duffy

(Source: ITtoolbox Blogs)

Top 10 Scams 2006 !!

2007-02-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

Here are the ConsumerAffairs.com Top Ten Scams of 2006.

1. Fake Lottery Scam

Topping our list for 2006, the fake lottery or sweepstakes scam only seems to get bigger and more dangerous. Promising victims they have won thousands of dollars in a Canadian or European lottery, they target the elderly, who seem to be particular susceptible to these schemes. ConsumerAffairs.com reported on one case in which an elderly Kansas man lost over $300,000.

More than 400 New Yorkers fell victim to sweepstakes and lottery scams in the first seven months of 2006, with losses ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $35,000, according to an analysis by the New York State Consumer Protection Board.

While elderly people lost the most money, lottery scams also tricked younger people into believing they had won a large cash prize from a foreign lottery or sweepstakes. In each case, the victims sent money, usually to Canada, thinking they had to pay insurance or taxes before they could collect these bogus prizes.

"No legitimate contest makes you pay a fee to collect a prize," said CPB Chairperson and Executive Director Teresa A. Santiago. "For many of the elderly victims, the scam artists made multiple demands for cash, falsely claiming that more money was needed in order to pay for 'taxes' or insurance."

Sons and daughters have filed complaints after failing to convince their elderly parent that there was no prize.

"You can't win a contest that you didn't enter. But it's hard to convince someone that they are the victim of a scam, especially when the con artists have made numerous phone calls and formed a bond with the victim," Santiago said.

2. Phishing-Vishing Scams

This scam, in which identity thieves "phish" for a consumer's personal information, are getting more prevalent, due in large part to technological advances. The use of email now makes to increasingly easy for criminals to trick people into revealing account numbers, passwords and social security numbers.

Cleverly designed emails appear to be from a bank, credit union, or online payment service like PayPal, requesting account verification. If the consumer clicks on a link in the email, they are taken to a site designed to look like the bank's actual site, where they are instructed to enter the sensitive information, which is captured and used for identity theft purposes.

In 2006, "vishing" arrived on the scene. Instead of asking the spam recipient to click on a link, they are instructed to call a toll-free customer service number, which seems more the way a financial institution might do business. When they call, an automated system instructs the caller to enter account numbers or passwords, which are then recorded by the scammer.

Secure Computing, which specializes in secure connections over networks, sent up the red flag over this new method in 2005, though the first recorded incident didn't take place until May 2006, involving a Santa Barbara, California, bank. Secure Computing engineers have been tracking news group sites and open disclosure discussion groups discussing vishing.

"This is just a natural evolution of phishing itself," said Paul Henry, vice president of strategic accounts for Secure Computing.

"Simply put, people are becoming more aware of the fact that an e-mail containing a URL could be malicious in nature. So hackers are moving away from the URL and using something victims are more familiar with like calling a number."

This "advancement" has forced some financial institutions to consider additional changes to the way in which they communicate with customers.

3. Phony Job Scam

Scammers are increasingly responding to job seekers posting their resumes at online employment sites, such as Careerbuilder.com. The job offer usually has nothing to do with the job seeker's experience or qualification. Even so, they are offered a job on the spot, serving as a "courier."

They are instructed to receive large checks and deposit them in their personal accounts. They are then instructed to wire the money to an account out of the country. The checks, of course, are counterfeit, but they aren't exposed until after they have been deposited and after the victim has wired the money -- their own money, it turns out -- to the scammer.

"Any employment offered online without a formal interview, no matter where it originates, should be treated with skepticism," said Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, who investigated one of these scams in 2006. "Terms that seem too good to be true will prove to be just that and may cost you in stolen personal information or money lost."

4. Negative Option Scams

Unlike most scams, which are perpetrated by out-and-out criminals, negative option schemes are run by otherwise legitimate businesses. Using pop-up ads on the Internet and extremely fine print on the back of sales tickets, consumers completing a transaction with their credit card are offered some free gift or enticement, not realizing their acceptance enrolls them in a travel discount club or affinity group of some kind, or commits them to a year's subscription of a magazine they most likely don't want.

The consumer may think there is no harm in accepting the "free offer," because they don't realize there strings are attached. While laws generally require consumers to make an "informed consent" to purchase, negative option turns the transaction around. It assumes the consumer has made the purchase, unless the consumer "opts out" or takes the "negative option." The volume of complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com on this subject suggests consumers are completely unaware of the transaction.

5. Nigerian 419 Scams

These scams continue to make our list, year after year, because they continue to ensnare thousands of victims. This is the scam in which the victim receives an email, allegedly from a wealthy, dying person in another country who is desperately trying to get their fortune out of the country. They promise the victim a sizable percentage if they will help.

The victim either has to send money to cover fees or provide their bank account information, or both. The scams are mostly run from Nigeria and get their name because they are covered in section 419 in the Nigerian penal code.

Most people find these emails a big joke, but seemingly sophisticated people have fallen hard for them, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. While the crime mostly goes unpunished, ConsumerAffairs.com reported on British prankster Michael Berry's humorous war on these scams, which actually show as much promise as any countervailing measure. Called "scambaiting," Berry actively engages these scammers, pretending to be a gullible victim, wasting their time and forcing them to perform all types of ridiculous and time consuming tasks.

6. Pump & Dump Scam

As the stock market finally rebounded in 2006 after years of near dormancy, scammers stepped up their stock-touting schemes. Sending out millions of spam emails, they would offer a "hot tip" about an obscure company whose stock was selling for a few cents a share. Before sending the email they would buy up millions of shares.

For example, Texhoma Energy was touted in an October spam email, resulting in a significant increase in the stock's value. According to the Chicago Tribune, 53,000 shares of Texhoma stock were traded on October 16. The next day the volume jumped to more than one million. Two days later it jumped to more than five million, as the spam emails began to hit inboxes and prompt victims to place orders.

The scammers, of course, sell at the stock's high point and other investors soon join them as the price begins to fall. Pretty soon the stock is back to selling at a nickel a share and those who jumped on the bandwagon have lost significant amounts of money.

At year's end the National Association of Securities Dealers issued an alert to investors to avoid taking any unsolicited investment advice. A survey of the huge increase in spam email revealed most of it to be touting these near-worthless stocks.

7. Bogus Fuel Saving Devices

When gasoline prices surged this year, scammers were quick to try and cash in. One company claimed its "special pellets," dropped into the fuel tank, would improve efficiency. The Federal Trade Commission went after one company that claimed its "magnetic device" would increase gas mileage.

"Consumers are looking for ways to increase fuel efficiency and save money at the pump," said Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "There are some practical ways to do that, like following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual, combining errands, and avoiding jack-rabbit starts. The fact is that many products that claim to save fuel don't work, and worse yet, may damage your car and end up costing you more."

8. Grandparents Scam

This is a particularly vile scam aimed at senior citizens, perhaps the most vulnerable scam victims. An elderly person is targeted by the scammer who calls and says something like, "It's me, grandpa." The elderly person will respond, thinking it's one of their grandchildren.

The scammer then tells a tale of woe, saying they are in trouble and need some money, "and please don't tell mom." The grandparent obligingly sends a few hundred dollars, thinking they're helping a grandchild. Investigators say it works more than you might think.

9. Oprah Ticket Scam

This scam makes our list this year because of its potential to become much more widespread and to victimize vulnerable people. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently warned consumers about this scam, alerting them to emails or letters that told them they had won tickets to a taping of the talk diva's show in Chicago, or had been offered a tour package that included a taping of the show. The communication asked for sensitive personal information, which, if provided, could allow their identities to be stolen.

In this case, e-mail recipients are asked to submit personal information and told they will receive tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show after verification of certain financial information and/or the wiring of money to an unknown third party. However, according to Harpo Productions, Inc., The Oprah Winfrey Show does not sell tickets or ticket travel packages to fans.

10. craigslist Scam

Though not terribly widespread at the end of 2006, the craigslist scam makes our top ten list because of its potential to wreak harm in the years ahead. Starting this year scammers began taking advantage of the growing popularity of craigslist to victimize people trying to rent their homes or apartments.

The scheme is basically the fake check scam, with a twist. Darryl, of San Diego, told ConsumerAffairs.com that he received almost identical replies when he listed a room for rent on both craigslist and Roommate.com. The replies claimed to be from "Marie," who called herself "a young humanitarian officer."

"Marie" said her employer would be sending Darryl her expense check, which would be for several thousand dollars. Darryl was to deposit it in his account, deduct the rent and deposit, and send the balance back to her.

Fortunately, Darryl saw through the scam. If he had cashed the phony check, it would not have been discovered for a few days. By then he would have sent the scammer a very real check for a $3,000 or more.

"Most people who use craigslist have great stories to tell about their experiences with buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords and such, but we also receive occasional reports of scams and fraud," craigslist warned on its Web site. "We've found that one of the best ways to avoid this problem is to keep all transactions local -- whenever possible, don't do business with anyone who is not in your local area."

(Source: ConsumerAffairs.com)

Top 10 African American Inventors

2007-02-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

Throughout history, African Americans have invented some important and fun devices. Read about ten examples of men and women and see what they invented.Think about what kind of obstacles they may have faced, personally and professionally.

Here is the list of top 10 african american inventors.

Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

2007-02-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here are ten simple tips to get you on your way to taking better pictures. Each tip has pictures illustrating the tip in action and instructions detailing the tip.

Top 10 Tech Towns in US

2007-02-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

The top 10 tech towns in U.S. according to Wired.com are

LEGEND:

Wired assessed the geek cred of more than 30 major US cities by crunching the following numbers:

Proximity to top-ranked engineering schools

Tech jobs, per capita, on Dice

Personal ads, per capita, on Geek 2 Geek

Craigslist postings per capita

Number of attendees at local meetings of dorkbot, a group for "people doing strange things with electricity"

Availability of free Wi-Fi

Comic book stores per capita

Circuit City stores per capita

SEATTLE

The charms of the Emerald City go way beyond late-night cafés, plentiful microbreweries, and the world's premier science fiction museum. Catch the local Weird Science Salon, where monthly meetings promise "cryogenic marshmallow liquid nitrogen shenanigans" and "blowing stuff up."

= 9

= 7

= 6

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Attend a dinner party in the Bay Area and be prepared to discuss Verizon's Bluetooth support, the inner workings of Ajax, or network neutrality. Nerds are in their element here, and the tech-celebrity sightings are legendary.

= 10

= 9

= 8

LOS ANGELES
Southern California is home to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and Caltech. Plus, MySpace was born here, and Electronic Arts and Yahoo have offices. Then there's the porn industry, which can turn you into Scorsese for the cost of a camera, two girls, and a broadband link. Take that, Hollywood.

= 7

= 6

= 5

AUSTIN
Inspiration for Slacker, epicenter of the first EFF battle, home to Dell, Whole Foods, and South by Southwest. Not to mention host to the most dorkbot attendees in the country. Only downside: It's surrounded by Texas.

= 10

= 9

= 8

ORLANDO
All that Battlestar Galactica will come in handy: Walt Disney World and Epcot actually pay you to make the unreal seem real. When you're ready to engage with planet Earth again, check out the city's craigslist site, one of the most happening in the country.

= 10

= 9

= 8

RALEIGH-DURHAM
The jocks here may get worked up about college hoops, but the tech set is passionate about Linux distros and Mac-PC holy wars. North Carolina's Triangle is ground zero for Red Hat, SAS Institute, and an IBM center. Bonus: The area hosts two World Beer Festivals a year.

= 7

= 6

PITTSBURGH
Come for the country's top-ranked computer science school; stay for the robotics startups that Carnegie Mellon alums are founding. If androids aren't your style, try for a gig at Google's new engineering office.

= 10

= 7

= 6

NEW YORK CITY
Tech startups are back, and Wi-Fi is everywhere. And Asperger's sufferers can rejoice: Being antisocial isn't rude – it's your civic duty. New York is also perfect for marathon coding sessions, since anything – food, drugs, hookers – can be delivered.

= 8

= 6

= 5

BOSTON
Obsessive open source hacking, multitasking operating systems, involuntary celibacy … it's like geekiness was invented here. Winters may be frigid, but at least there are lots of single nerds to hibernate with.

= 9

= 8

WASHINGTON, DC
DC isn't just a policy-wonk utopia, it's also the ultimate place to be a coder looking for love. There are more postings from the nation's capital on Geek 2 Geek, an online dating service for nerds, than from any other city we surveyed.

= 10

= 9

(Source: Wired.com)

Top 10 weirdest USB drives

2007-02-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to interface devices, in other words an outlet you stick wires into. It was originally designed for computers, but its popularity has prompted it to also become commonplace on video game consoles, PDAs, portable DVD and media players, cellphones; and even devices such as televisions, home stereo equipment (e.g., digital audio players), car stereos and portable memory devices.

Here is the list of top 10 weirdest USB drives according to Fosfor Gadgets

10. The USB Puppet Bags

Ok, I admit - this isn’t a complete USB drive - it’s only a masquerade costume for your boring typical, standard USB drive. Quite weird design, ey?

The USB Puppet Bags [everythingusb.com]

9. The Altoids USB mod

How about a nice little metal Altoids box sticking out of your computer? This nice little USB drive is designed by Phillip Mates.

The Altoids USB mod [flickr.com]

8. The USB mince pie

Check out this incredible detailed and accurate mince pie reproduction. I wonder why they placed that little LED on top, as I think it would be even cooler without it.

The USB mince pie [flickr.com]

7. Wooden memory sticks

I really like these wooden USB drives from the dutch company oooms. They are quite expensive (about $90 for the 1GB version) but they are all made out of real wooden pieces by hand.

Wooden memory sticks< [oooms.nl]

6. The Holy bible drive

This USB drive comes with the bible on it. The connector is hidden inside the bible so you have to use a little sliding switch before you can use it. I wonder if you’ll go to hell if you store prOn on the holy bible?

The holy bible drive [davidsteele.com]

5. Crazy rabbit usb drive

This freaky little rabbit USB drive is designed by Micah Laaker, the design manager for Yahoo!’s personalization, RSS and membership teams. Cool one, right?

Rabbit usb drive [Flickr.com]

4. The Bowling ball USB drive

Ok, now things are really getting weird. How would you like to drag around on a full weigh (16 pounds / 7 kg) ten-pin bowling ball? This one is actually a fully functional USB drive that is capable of breaking your little laptop into pieces. It’s designed by Chris Spurgeon.

The Bowling ball USB drive [spurgeonworld.com]

3. Chewbacca drive

Jeremy Harrington is the man behind this really nice Star Wars Chewbacca USB drive. It’s not a geeky little Chewiw mimobot - this is the real thing! Yeah! Hear me roar!

Chewie USB drive [flickr.com]

2. The Humping dog USB memory

Yes! We’re finally getting closer to the number one position, only one mor to go. Here’s a really weird little USB drive that has one thing that is really unique - it features moving parts. As soon as you plug the humping dog into your computer it starts humping it. Check out this video clip to see it in action! Who! Who! Who let the dogs out!

The humping dog USB memory [digitalworldtokyo.com]

1. The Teddy USB memory

Drumroll please! Tada, here’s the final winner. It’s a bit different than the last winner (the USB Barbie drive) but it’s still a really cool and weird USB drive. You just rip the head off and plug it in! It’s designed by Sergio de Ana and as it doesn’t look like a typical USB drive, it’s probably quite safe to store data in it as long as you keep it’s head on! I bet you have to be careful with this one to not scare the kids, hehe.

The Teddy USB [flickr.com]

(Source: gadgets.fosfor.se)

Top 10 Free Email Services

2007-02-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a free email service, you can be picky. You'll be rewarded with plenty of storage, effective spam filtering, a fast interface, desktop email program access and more.

Find the top 10 free email services to choose from.

1) Gmail - Free Email Service

Gmail is the Google approach to email and chat. Practically unlimited free online storage allows you to collect all your messages, and Gmail's simple but very smart interface lets you find them precisely and see them in context without effort. Unfortunately, Gmail does not offer IMAP, only POP access. Gmail also puts contextual advertising next to the emails you read.
Gmail Review | Gmail Resources | Gmail Tips

2) Inbox.com - Free Email Service

Inbox.com not only gives you 5 GB to store your mail online but also a highly polished, fast and functional way to access it via either the web (including speedy search, free-form labels and reading mail by conversation) or through POP in your email program.
Inbox.com Review | Inbox.com Tips

3) FastMail Guest Account - Free Email Service

FastMail is a great free email service with IMAP access, useful features, one of the best web-based email interfaces and few ads.
FastMail Review | FastMail Resources | FastMail Tips

4) Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service

Yahoo! Mail is a comfortable, reliable and secure email service with a reasonable amount of storage. A pretty good spam filter keeps the junk out, and you can send rich emails using Yahoo! Mail's HTML editor.
Yahoo! Mail Review | Yahoo! Mail Resources | Yahoo! Mail Tips

5) AIM Mail - Free Email Service

AIM Mail, AOL's free web-based email service, shines with 2 GB of online storage, very good spam protection and a rich, easy to use interface. Unfortunately, AIM Mail lacks a bit in productivity (no labels, smart folders and message threading), but makes up for some of that with very functional IMAP access.
AIM Mail Review | AIM Mail Tips

6) goowy mail - Free Email Service

goowy mail is your rich Desktop email program on the web with a fast interface that lets you drag and drop, use context menus and enjoy lots of pleasant eye candy. In addition to email, goowy offers a calendar, an RSS feed reader and games done in a similar fashion. More features and online storage would do goowy mail good, though.
goowy mail Review

7) MSN Hotmail - Free Email Service

MSN Hotmail comes with solid security features and a straight forward, easy to use yet quite powerful interface. Unfortunately, Hotmail lacks POP or IMAP access, secure messaging is not supported, and email management tools as well as the spam filter could use some improvement.
Hotmail Review | Hotmail Resources | Hotmail Tips

8) BigString.com - Free Email Service

BigString.com is a free 1 GB email service that includes rich certified mail services and lets you expire or edit sent messages, for example. Unfortunately, BigString.com is not equally well equipped for handling incoming mail and lacks organizing tools.
BigString.com Review

9) My Way Mail - Free Email Service

My Way Mail is a clean, fast and fun (though not particularly advanced) free email service.
My Way Mail Review | My Way Mail Tips

10) Care2 E-mail - Free Email Service

Get a solid Web-based email account and donate to environmental organizations, both for free with Care2 E-mail.
Care2 E-mail Review

(Source: About.com)

A Top List....

Top 10 Beaches for Shells

Top 10 Rock Movies

Top 10 Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid !!

Top 10 Tips to Surf the Web

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

The 10 Riskiest Businesses To Start

Top 10 energy saving measures

Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation

Top 10 US killer tornadoes

Top 10 Bushisms

Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers 2006 !!

Top 10 Google Apps

CNET rating

1. Gmail beta

CNET rating

2. Google Calendar beta

3. Google Talk beta

CNET rating

4. Writely beta

5. Google Spreadsheets

CNET rating

6. Google Maps

7. Google Earth 4 beta

CNET rating

8. Google SketchUp

9. Picasa Web Albums beta

CNET rating

10. Google Desktop 4 beta

Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players

10. Teddy Bear MP3 Player

9. Clip Type MP3 Player

8. $5 Cereal Box MP3 Player

7. Magic Mirror MP3 Player

6. Scented MP3 Players

5. Brain Wave MP3 Player

4.Minty MP3

3. NES Controller MP3 Player

2. MP3 Toilet

1. PEZ MP3 Player

Top 10 Windows RSS Feed Readers

1) NewzCrawler

2) FeedDemon

3) Omea Reader

4) Bloglines

5) Google Reader

6) NewsGator Online Services

7) NewsGator Inbox for Outlook

8) Awasu Personal Edition

9) Blog Navigator

10) SharpReader

Top 10 Phishing Scams

Top 10 Digital Video Tips

Tip 2: Shade Your Lens

Tip 3: Battle Backlighting

Tip 4: Black Your Tape

Tip 5: Limit Your Dependency on the Built-in Mic

Tip 6: Use a Monopod

Tip 7: Take Advantage of Low-cost Illumination

Tip 8: Soften Those Backgrounds by Fooling Your Camcorder

Tip 9: Get to Know Your Hardware Store

Tip 10: Go to the Movies and Watch Television

Top 10 Ways to Protect Privacy Online

Top 10 Influential Females in the IT World

Top 10 Stories You Missed in 2006

Top 10 Scams 2006 !!

Top 10 African American Inventors

Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

Top 10 Tech Towns in US

Top 10 weirdest USB drives

Top 10 Free Email Services

1) Gmail - Free Email Service

2) Inbox.com - Free Email Service

3) FastMail Guest Account - Free Email Service

4) Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service

5) AIM Mail - Free Email Service

6) goowy mail - Free Email Service

7) MSN Hotmail - Free Email Service

8) BigString.com - Free Email Service

9) My Way Mail - Free Email Service