Firewire interfaces are definitely faster than USB interfaces. In fact, Firewire interfaces can transfer data at a rate of 50 megabytes (MB) of data per second, which is about 33 times faster than the USB 1.1 data transfer rate of 1.5 MB per second. USB 2.0 devices, which are more common, can achieve speeds of 40 MB per second.

Another advantage of Firewire over USB is that it reserves 3.5 MB per second of bandwidth to use with video equipment. This means that if you have additional Firewire devices running when you are using your attached video equipment, the quality of your video image won't be affected. Finally, Firewires, like USB interfaces, allow you to hotswap your devices quickly, however, Firewires will allow you to chain up to 63 devices per port. Just in case you have a LOT of cameras, I guess. :-)

One more thing you should know about Firewire technology is that it uses a peer-to-peer model in which the peripheral devices have the intelligence to resolve potential data transfer conflicts, which can result in much higher sustained transfer rates. USB uses a master-slave model which requires the computer to handle data flow issues, which tends to slow things down a bit.

Even though Firewire is technically superior, USB is still much more common. If you have Firewire devices and are planning to buy a new computer, make sure it has Firewire ports built in. If you have a peripheral device that supports both, and a computer with Firewire ports, you'll get faster data transfer with Firewire. The only downside is that most devices which support Firewire don't come with a Firewire cable, and they can be somewhat expensive (US$20 or more).
Do You Have Firewire?

Firewire adapters Firewire devices have become more popular in the last few years, and today most computer systems that are designed for audio and video applications have Firewire ports built into them. If you have an Apple Computer that was built after 2000, or a new Sony computer, then your computer has one or more Firewire bus ports already installed. If you recently bought a Dell computer that is set up for audio and video media then chances are it too has at least one Firewire built in. However, Dell does not include Firewire bus ports in their Dimension 8300 series models or in their Inspiron 1501 models.

If you're not sure if you have a Firewire port, take a look at your external ports. Firewire is smaller than a USB port, however, it probably will be located near these ports. The Firewire port will look like a small rectangle with angled corners on one side, and inside it will have 4 small teeth. The Firewire icon (see photo above), which looks something like the "radioactive" warning symbol, is usually next to the port, but some systems label the Firewire port as "1394" instead.

If you don't have Firewire installed in your computer, then you can probably add it by installing a PCI Firewire adapter card (for a desktop PC) or a Firewire notebook adapter (for a laptop), like the ones pictured. If you have an older computer then you may also need to replace your motherboard with one that is compatible with the type of Firewire cards and devices that you have.

You can register for the free Internet Tourbus Newsletter at http://www.internettourbus.com/

The company is in the early stages of trying to carve out a similar role on the Internet. To do that, Microsoft is not just branching out, but also reaching out to make itself more compatible with rivals.

"When you talk to people who are heavy Internet users, they don't all use just one service from one company," Microsoft corporate vice president Chris Jones said in an interview this week. "They end up using a smattering of services."

For sure, Microsoft would like to have people use its Web mail service, its instant-messaging software and its blog software, but what it wants most is to ensure that it has some central role for the vast majority of Web surfers.

Of course, Microsoft is not alone in this pursuit. Google and Yahoo, and potentially others, also covet such a role. And in many cases, rivals have the early lead.

Microsoft is trying to strike back by building on its strength--Windows. While its first products were browser-based services and largely a rebranding of existing MSN products, the company's latest products are desktop programs. They are also more open. Windows Live Mail, for example, works particularly well with a Windows Live Hotmail account, but also can be used with other Web mail services.

Directions on Microsoft analyst Matt Rosoff said he expects this to become a model for Microsoft as time goes on. "I don't think we've seen anywhere close to the end of these," he said. (Rosoff is also a writer for the CNET blog network.)

Microsoft's newfound openness is evident in several other pieces of the company's strategy.
For those who do like the Windows Live services on the Web, the company is making sure they are accessible from non-Microsoft devices as well. The company recently struck a deal with Nokia to make Microsoft services accessible from its smart phones.

And as it tries to take on Adobe's ubiquitous Flash with its Silverlight platform for Web developers, Microsoft is again hoping to be seen as open, announcing this week that it will add support for Linux, in addition to Windows and the Mac.

The idea is that, at some point along the way to the Internet, Microsoft--and therefore its ad engine--touch nearly everyone. Of course, this is a bit harder than it has been on the desktop side.

In some cases, Microsoft is hoping that it can move into markets where it is not already a strong player, largely by aggregating the efforts of others. Social networking is one area where the company has discussed such a role.

Jones again hinted at this, saying that in the real world he has many different social networks and that he expects the same to be true on the Internet. "I'll probably be involved in many and what I'll want to do is make it really easy to stay in touch with all of them," he said. "And so how can we build software services that help?"

In some cases, Microsoft is also looking to link its existing tools with the social networks, such as a deal with Bebo to use Microsoft's contacts and instant-messaging technologies. The contacts part of the arrangement means that on Bebo there will be a secure way for Windows Live users to bring their contacts over to the social network. That contrasts with many social-network sites that just ask for your e-mail account name and password.

Aiming to provide more of the basics
Beyond such one-off deals, Microsoft is eyeing a role at providing some more basic services, such as sharing and accessing files. Windows Live Photo Gallery, a Windows application that went into public beta testing this week, is an example of a starting point for photo storage, but Microsoft has its sights set higher.

"Over time you'd like to have the service so that all your photos were available from any device, not just the ones you put in your photo album, and that it was easy to have those things backed up, to have them with the resolution you want, and then to have very collaborative experiences with pictures," Jones said.

"So, that you can see with photos we've taken a big step in this release of Windows Live, but we've got more to do."

The same goes for file sharing, he said. "We have a cloud-based way to do file sharing called SkyDrive, and then we have a peer-to-peer based way to do it called FolderShare," Jones said. "Well, over time it might make sense for us to really start to make that experience be seamless so you could get to all your files from anywhere."

Those two are just the first pieces in what Microsoft hopes will be an entire Live infrastructure that developers can write on top of, much the way they write programs that run on top of Windows today. It's a notion that some have dubbed a "cloud OS."

Such services are going to take massive amounts of storage space, which Microsoft also believes will eventually lead to a battle between only a few large companies for many of these core infrastructure pieces.

But as it pursues these different strategies, clashes among different parts of Microsoft seem inevitable. Silverlight, the Windows Live services team and the Live infrastructure group are all trying to be Web platforms of one sort or another.

And even the browser is a tough one for Microsoft. The company doesn't want to lose potential users of its services by not supporting Firefox, but Internet Explorer market share helps strengthen Windows.

"It gets to 'What is the goal of Windows Live?'" Rosoff said. "You want the most audience for the services, but you want to maintain the importance of Windows, and Internet Explorer is a part of Windows. There are some conflicts with the entire online services strategy," Rosoff said.

But internal conflict is part of Microsoft's way of doing business. Rosoff notes that the Windows Media Center, Xbox and Internet TV groups all are aiming to be the center of the digital living room.

"To some degree that's the way Microsoft has always worked," Rosoff said. "They've always allowed technology to compete and not necessarily picked a winner."

A wet cell phone is a common problem, but it doesn't necessarily mean the end of your mobile. I can't tell you for certain if your L6 will work, but you did the right thing by getting it out of the water as quickly as possible. Limiting your handset's time in the drink is essential for a speedy cell phone recovery. You were also correct to remove the battery and the SIM card, as water will most likely zap the battery before it will kill the phone.

Now concerning how long you should wait, three days is a good amount of time but I don't think you have to wait that long. It's more important that you make sure the phone is completely dry. And don't try to rush it by using a hair dryer, roasting it in the oven, or putting your L6 in the direct sun, as too much heat can cause further damage. Let it dry naturally by placing it on a table in a warm room and by dabbing it with a cloth. I realize it takes some patience, but either you wait a couple of days to dry it thoroughly, or you fry it into oblivion by turning it on too soon.

Here are some tips for saving a wet phone.
    * Again, remove the phone the water as quickly as possible. Also, remove the battery and SIM card
       and put them aside.
    * You can try putting it in a jar of uncooked rice. It can soak up the water more quickly. Also, you might 
       try putting it in a plastic bag with silica packs that absorb moisture. You can find them in some shoe boxes 
       and other packaging.
    * If your phone falls in salt water, you should rinse with it distilled water to remove any salt crystals or 
       other minerals before allowing it to dry.
    * Some experts recommend using denatured alcohol to remove sediment. I've never tried this method, 
       so I'm a little wary of it.
    * Don't attempt to use your phone if the display is foggy.
    * Once you think your phone is dry, try reconnecting the battery and turning it on. If it still doesn't work, 
       you can try replacing the battery. Just be sure to use a battery specifically made for your phone.
    * Carriers will not replace a phone that has water damage, so don't try to take it back. A wet cell also 
       will void a warranty. Most phones have a small, round sticker behind the battery cover that is used to 
      check for moisture damage. The sticker, which is usually white, will turn pink or red if it's been exposed 
      to water.

After doing some more research, I found out that Windows Defender automatically comes along with Vista, but you can also download a free version of it for earlier Windows operating systems. Wow, who knew?! The free version of Windows Defender is available for Windows XP SP2, as well as, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. (It will only work with the last two if you validate it through the Windows Genuine Advantage program first though).

Now, I know you're probably wondering how the free version stacks up next to the Vista version, right? Well, as far as I can see, it seems to work just as well. If you download Windows Defender to an earlier operating system, it will run through all the same scans, etc. that it does for Vista. It's obviously going to work a little better for Vista, because it's the security program that was made specifically for it, but if you're looking for something new for an older Windows computer, the free download will do the trick! So, if you're not using Vista and would like to download the free version of Windows Defender, you can do so right here. I hope you enjoy it! 

Is Your Computer Obsolete?
Need a new computer?  The HP Model 33 Teletype A few years ago I saw a cartoon of a guy proudly driving home with his brand new state-of-the-art 386 computer in the back seat.  In the background was a huge billboard advertising the 486.  The message: his computer was obsolete before he even got it home.

Technology is always changing...  it's hard to be sure if the system you have will support the newest software and peripherals.  So how do you know when it is indeed time to buy a new computer, or when it is best to ignore the commercials that tout the latest "gotta-have" technology?

You May Need To Buy A New Computer If...
* ...your processor speed is less than 1.0 gigahertz (GHz).  Most operating systems and application software these days demand a lot from your system.  A speedy processor will help you browse the Internet, run your word processor and play games with ease.  On a Windows PC, click the Start button, then Control Panel, then System to see your processor information.  If the speed is listed in megahertz instead of gigahertz, see if any friends need a new anchor for their fishing boat.

* ...your computer has less than 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM memory.  Again, the System Properties window will show how much RAM is installed.  I recommend 512MB or even better, 1GB (1000MB) of RAM for smooth and speedy performance.

* ...you are running a version of Windows that begins with a "3" or a "9" (Windows 3.1, Win95, or Win98).  These versions lack the security features and technological advances required for safe computing and protection from identity theft.  If you have a Mac that's NOT running OS X, the same applies.

* ...you have a monitor that's 14-inch or smaller.  Most websites will not display properly on an old 14-inch monitor, and the larger 17-inch models are now standard.  (I have dual 22-inch widescreen monitors on my desk!)

* ...you try to install a program and you get the error "Operating System not supported."

* ...you try to upgrade the Operating System and get an error message that the hardware is not supported.

* USB ports...your computer has no USB ports.  Most peripheral devices such as the mouse, keyboard, printer, scanner and external hard drives now use USB connections.

* ...your computer has a 5.25 inch disk drive!  Actually if you have even a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, you may qualify.  Software has outgrown the floppy disk, and the mere presence of a floppy drive on your machine may indicate that it's time to take it out back and shoot it.

* Radio Shack TRS-80...your computer says Radio Shack anywhere on the packaging.  I had lots of fun on the TRS-80 we had in high school, but that was almost thirty years ago.  I actually own an HP Model 33 Teletype (pictured above), which was the first computer terminal I used.  It could go online with a 300-baud modem (about 10,000 times slower than broadband today) and saved programs on paper punch tapes.

All of the above scenarios warrant shelling out the dough for a new computer.  There are cases however, where you might have a relatively new computer, (less than 3 years old) and it is acting up enough to make you want to replace it with a new one.  Before you do that, let's look at a few ways you can "soup up" a fairly new machine:
Your Computer Is Running S-l-o-o-o-w-w This is probably the number one complaint heard by Help Desk techs worldwide.  If your computer is less than 3 years old, there are a myriad of reasons for the slowdown in performance.  For instance, you may not have all the latest security software installed.  Operating Systems, device drivers, anti-virus programs and other applications have frequent updates releases to their original product.  Keeping up with the latest releases or patches of any software you are running, is a good way to keep your computer free from viruses and spyware that can slow it to a crawl.

Hardware also has updates, called firmware updates.  Check with your hardware vendors to make sure that your computer, wireless router, cable modem, printer, etc...  all have the latest firmware updates.  A cable or DSL modem that's overheating can throttle your Internet speed.  If you find that turning off the modem and then waiting an hour or so boosts your surfing speed, you may need to replace it.

Sometimes a slow running computer is one that is lacking memory.  As applications get more feature rich, more memory (RAM, not hard drive space) is required to run them.  A lot of times, computers will be sold without the maximum capacity of RAM that they can actually run.  Again, check with your computer's manufacturer.  Find out if the memory is expandable, and how much RAM you currently have intalled.  Upgrading RAM is a fairly easy and inexpensive way to speed up your computer.
Your Computer Is Running Out of Space You are noticing degradation in your computer's performance, and you are also noticing "Running low on disk space" messages.  Low disk space can slow a machine down, and also cause problems running applications.  Hard drive space is getting cheaper and cheaper these days; the newest computers often come with 100GB (or larger) hard drives as a standard.  You don't have to buy one of these new computers though; you can replace a smaller hard disk drive with a larger one, or add a second hard drive.

Your Computer Has Less-Than-Great-Graphics and So-So-Sound
The characters in that cool, new game you installed, have herky-jerky movements or maybe there's a tinny sound when you blast the bad guys.  Or perhaps the photos you download from your digital camera have a grainy, dull look when opened on your computer.  On a relatively new machine, these problems can often be remedied by multimedia upgrades.  Upgrading your graphics card or sound card can add a whole new level to your computing experience.  A newer monitor will make everything look crisper.  Just make sure the upgrades you purchase are compatible with your system; your vendor can tell you if they are or not.

It's important to know when to let go of an old clunker of a computer.  It's just as important to realize when your computer needs a "tune-up".  The goal is to find a happy medium between being able to experience the latest that technology has to offer, but not being pressured into throwing a perfectly good system away because of slick sales ads, feature envy or industry hype.

Microsoft’s September batch of security updates will include patches for at least five vulnerabilities in several Windows and MSN-branded software products.

One of the five bulletins applies to the Windows operating system and will be rated critical, the Microsoft’s highest severity rating.

The other four bulletins scheduled for release on September 11 will be rated “important,” according an an advance notice from Redmond.

SEE: MSN Messenger vulnerable to ‘highly critical’ webcam flaw http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=478

The fixes will address a “remote code execution” issue affecting MSN Messenger 6.2, MSN Messenger 7.0, MSN Messenger 7.5 and Windows Live Messenger 8.0.

It is not yet known if this update will address the recently discussed buffer overflow vulnerability in the MSN Messenger’s webcam functionality. Exploit code for that bug is in circulation.

According to Microsoft, one of the “important” bulletins will contain security patches for Windows Vista.

The patch batch will also include fixes for: Visual Studio, Windows Services for UNIX, Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications and Sharepoint Server.

If you've browsed our recent list of the Top 100 Classic Web Sites (and if you didn't, you'll find it here), you may have been a bit disappointed by the familiarity of our choices. Such is the nature of a list of "classics."

So here's the fun stuff: Our list of the new and/or undiscovered Web sites that have grabbed our attention this year. You'll see a large collection of Web applications and tech sites, excellent blogs, offbeat social networks, and, as always, a handful of addictive Flash games for those slow days at work.

Some of these sites are completely under the radar and get very little traffic. Others are hugely popular within a specific demographic. But all of them deserve to be in your bookmarks.

Click on the Next button to start perusing the list, or you can view it in slideshow form if you prefer. You can also download our Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites list directly to your bookmarks. 
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2174685,00.asp

After months of silence, Microsoft finally coughed up details Tuesday about its plans for the first update to Windows Vista, saying the service pack will arrive in the first quarter of next year.

In the next few weeks, Microsoft will start private testing of a beta of Service Pack 1 for Vista as well as a third service pack for Windows XP. The company plans initially to release the beta only to 10,000 pre-selected testers, though it may expand that release later. A small group of testers are already working with a "beta preview" version.

As for what's in the Vista update, it's mostly a collection of existing fixes and tweaks aimed at improving stability and reliability of the operating system, which went on sale to consumers in January.

There are a few minor enhancements, most notably the ability to encrypt multiple hard drive partitions using Vista's BitLocker feature.

"Lots of folks gave feedback that 'We have an OS partition and a data partition and we'd like to encrypt both,'" Boettcher said.

Also being added are support for an emerging removable storage file format known as exFAT as well as for EFI (extensible firmware interface), an alternative to the BIOS (basic input output system) that handles the initial start-up of a system.

Vista SP1 will be a large download: Roughly 1GB, based on current test versions. By way of comparison, Windows XP--the whole thing--shipped on a CD, which only holds about three quarters of a gigabyte. Installing the OS upgrade will require 7GB of free hard drive space, though much of that will be returned to the user once the megapatch is applied, Microsoft said.

The key question is what, if any, impact the contents of the update or its timing will have on the plans of large businesses to move to Vista. IDC analyst Al Gillen predicted that it won't have that big of an effect.

"It doesn't fundamentally change the landscape for Windows Vista adoption," Gillen said.

Microsoft has set out ambitious goals for business adoption of Vista, saying it expected businesses to move to Vista in the first year at twice the rate they did with Windows XP.

Gillen said that businesses seem to be moving at generally the same pace as with previous releases.

As for the coming Windows XP update, Microsoft didn't give many details, but did say that it is planned to be the last significant update for the operating system, which debuted in October 2001.

"There's not a lot we have to say there," Boettcher said. "It's really an end-of-life (patch) roll-up for Windows XP."

Microsoft's largest prior discussion of the Vista service pack came in a June court filing, in which the company agreed to make changes to Vista's desktop search feature in response to complaints from Google. In the filing, Microsoft said the changes would come in SP1 and that a beta of the service pack would come this year.

On Tuesday, Mike Burk, a senior product manager at Microsoft, said that the desktop search changes would not be part of the beta, but rather would be added at a later date. On Wednesday, the company said the search changes will indeed come with SP1 beta when it enters testing in the next few weeks.

Aside from that, Microsoft steadfastly refused to comment on the service pack, except to say that there would be one. The company also maintained that service packs are not as important these days given all the updating of the operating system that Microsoft does online.

However, despite pleas from Microsoft that businesses need not wait for a service pack to adopt new releases, Boettcher acknowledged that the first service pack of major software releases remains a psychological milestone for some customers.

"It's not a perception that is going to change overnight," Boettcher said.

Microsoft has been increasingly delivering patches one at a time, via various online updating services, but not all customers want things a patch at a time. "Some folks like to see it all rolled up," Boettcher said. "You are going to see us continue to do that over time." 

Nearly nine months after it was first discovered, the Storm Worm Trojan continues to surge, building what experts believe could be the world’s most powerful supercomputer.

The Trojan, which uses a myriad of social engineering lures to trick Windows users into downloading malware, has successfully seeded a massive botnet — between one million and 10 million CPUs — producing computing power to rival the world’s top 10 supercomputers

By New Zealand computer scientist Peter Gutman’s calculations, the Storm Worm botnet “may be the first time that a top 10 supercomputer has been controlled not by a government or mega-corporation but by criminals.”

    The question remains, now that they have the world’s most powerful supercomputer system at their disposal, what are they going to do with it?

At current infection rates, Gutman’s concerns are genuine and the relentless nature of the ongoing attacks suggest that the criminal minds behind this botnet are far from satisfied.

Malware researchers tracking the threat are privately awed by the sheer volume of spam with social engineering lures to malicious executables. “It’s nonstop, never-ending,” said a virus analyst at a major computer security firm.

The attackers have tied the spam lures to global news events, links to YouTube videos and online greeting cards. The sophisticated operation includes the use of fast-flux networks to avoid shutdowns, a rootkit component to hide from anti-virus scanners and a P2P command-and-control structure that makes it near impossible to kill the controlling server.

The Storm Worm attackers have also hacked into legitimate Web sites and used iFrame redirects to send surfers to Web servers hosting malware downloaders.

Now, according to Finjan security researcher Aviv Raff, the group has started to target tech-savvy computer users.

“Up until now, they’ve put greeting cards for holidays, and video downloads. Today they’ve changed their website and put a “Download Tor” Web page,” Raff said in an interview.

The page displays a legitimate looking download page for the Tor (The Onion Router) network anonymity proxy and a “download now” image that points to a malicious “tor.exe” file.

Raff said the malicious pages are hosting exploits from the MPack crimeware toolkit, which recently added new Internet Explorer and Yahoo Webcam exploits.

Trend Micro, more commonly referred to as Housecall, offers free virus scans and in most cases can fix damage down by a virus or worm that your computer may have contacted. The program works well.  The first time one uses the free program it is necessary to download a small program. Trend Micro walks you through the process.   Then the virus scans are quite simple for each return.  Go to http://housecall.antivirus.com/  then choose the link   "Scan without registering".  Follow the directions.

You should disable any anti virus program that you have running.  If you do not have a virus program I recommend that you use one of the programs offered above first and then download and install one of the free programs listed below or install any anti virus program you have purchased.
**************************************************************************************************
Free Anti Virus programs for download. 
Quite a few KCnet members use these programs and like them.
Be careful if you download a virus program and you already have one installed on your computer.  You need to at least disable the program already installed.

AVG Free
AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5

Avast
Avast has been "anti virusing" for quite awhile.  The following info comes from their download page:   Avast! Home is now free of charge for HOME users for NON-COMMERCIAL use. You can find more info here.
http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
Note: This product is free for home non-commercial use after registration!
HINTS:   Click on the English Version Link and download the installation file.  Then click on the installation file and follow the directions.  You will need to return to the download page and click on the link to get the registration key.   It will be sent to you in an email after you provide some registration information.  This will give you 14 months of coverage including any updates which can be set to auto download.  You can reregister for additional free coverage at the end of the 14 months.
You will want to browse around and choose from the many options available for operation.  This process will take some time and digging.

Another good free program is:
http://www.free-av.com/
This one installs a bit easier than Avast.

**************************************************************************************************
Free Spybot and Adware programs for download.

AVG Anti-Spyware Free is a free anti-spyware protection tool developed by GRISOFT for home use. We invite you to join the millions of satisfied customers worldwide who have downloaded the software and now enjoy the benefits of ewido anti-spyware Free.
What you get with anti-spyware Free
Easy to use
Daily database updates
Heuristics to detect unknown threats
Automatic Cleaning Engine
And most of all ... great customer satisfaction!
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5 

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4 - product description
Application to scan for spyware, adware, hijackers and other malicious software.
Choose one of the sites to download from.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

Ad-Aware Personal provides advanced protection from known data-mining, aggressive advertising, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components. This software is downloadable free of charge.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Windows Defender  is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. It features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, and a new streamlined interface that minimizes interruptions and helps you stay productive.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx 
 

True Viruses and Warning Letters of Impending Doom.
Believe it or not, the amount of harm done by sending false computer virus alarms and letters of impending doom to your thousand closest friends can be just as damaging as the alleged virus (if it even exists!);  if you remember the story of the boy who cried wolf, you understand why.
If you think you've got the scoop on the latest new devastating virus or latest doom warning, check it out at the Web sites below before taking it on yourself to alert the world.  If the virus is as terrible as you think it is, odds are the virus fighters already know about it and -- good news here!  -- your anti virus software provider probably knows about it too and already has an update for it.
Sophos supplies this current information about actual hoaxes.  Look at them. Read about them.  If you are sent one of them, delete it.

Here are a few sites of many that can help you determine if an email is a hoax or real.

http://www.snopes.com/
http://vil.nai.com/VIL/hoaxes.asp
http://kumite.com/myths/
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
http://www.scambusters.org/VirusHoaxes.html
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/
http://www.truthorfiction.com/
http://www.quatloos.com/

  http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html

Looking around this site might raise reader ire -- pro or con!!!!
 

Of course I do! I'm so excited that you asked this question, because I think it's so great that you're already thinking about this for your grandkids. Summer is almost over and a lot of kids are going to be coming in from outside and they will be spending a lot more time on the computer. I know it seems like we've been doing a lot of back-to-school tips lately, but I think it's an important topic to cover. Plus, I know a lot of you have children and grandchildren of your own, so in the end, it benefits everyone!

Alright, let's get down to business. Today, I have 10 Web sites for you that are perfect for children ages K-12. Of course, there are several sites on the Web today that are good for children, but these are on the Top Ten list! So, go get your children or grandchildren, sit down at the computer together and begin your journey through these wonderful kid sites. Let's go!

1.) Starfall - First up is Starfall! This one is geared more toward younger children who may still be learning how to read. The site starts off with teaching a simple concept of learning letters and how to pronounce them. It then goes on to offer some interactive reading, word search puzzles and it even has some school plays you can watch. And even better, it does all of that without charging you for any books, videos or anything. How great is that?! Starfall also has free teaching journals that all of you parents and grandparents can use to follow right along with the kids! Check Starfall out for yourself right here.
http://www.starfall.com/

2.) Kids.gov - This Web site is good for children of any age. It's basically an information portal that was created with kids in mind. The site consists of different links you can click on to visit both U.S. government and non-government sites. The sites are categorized by age groups and different subjects, so it's very easy to find exactly what you're looking for. On Kids.gov, you'll find links for over 1,200 Web sites with subjects ranging from government agencies, schools, organizations and so on. The site offers up art projects, games, math and so much more for younger children and for older children, it has links to technology, health and fitness, science and more. It's a perfect resource for all those school projects your kids will have to do this year as well! Check it out today by clicking here.
http://www.kids.gov/

3.) Homework Spot - Next up is Homework Spot, which is one of the best homework helper sites available on the Web today. It covers homework related topics for all ages, including English, math, science, history, art music, technology, foreign languages, college prep, health, life skills, extracurricular activities and much, much more. So, if your child or grandchild is in need of some help on their homework, tell them to give this site a try. It's there just for them! Check it out here.
http://www.homeworkspot.com/

4.) Family Fun - School should be fun too and that's exactly what this Web site offers! Here you will find some non-school related topics, but they are still educational and helpful for children. For example, you can find ideas for cooking, planning parties, travel, arts and crafts and so on. This site also has a lot of games your children can play that will help them learn as well. There are also several how to videos on this site that you all can watch together to learn how to do some pretty fun stuff! Click here to visit Family Fun today!
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/

5.) SciVee - Are your children or grandchildren way into science? If so, this site will be perfect for them. SciVee is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, along with SDSC's Supercomputer Center, and it basically aims to encourage students to publish their science fair papers and videos. So, if your little one comes up with a mind blowing science fair project idea in the near future, make sure they check out this site to enter it in for even more recognition! SciVee really has a cool thing going here. Check it out here.
http://www.scivee.tv/

6.) AOL Reference - If your children or grandchildren have to do a lot of research for their homework projects, they'll definitely want to check out this site. AOL Reference offers a dictionary, thesaurus, translator, world atlas, as well as, plenty of additional information on such subjects as science, history, space and global warming. It also takes Web searching to a whole new easy level. It's so simple to use and I just know your students will fall in love with it right away. Click here to take a peek at it for yourself!
http://reference.aol.com/

7.) Seussville - By the name of this site, I bet you've already figured out that this one is geared more toward younger children, but either way, it definitely deserves a look see. Seussville calls in Dr. Seuss to aid in your children's learning. On this site, your children can play games, print out coloring sheets and they can even create their own book. This one is even good for children who cannot yet read. It's so cool, you've just got to check it out. Click here to do so!
http://www.seussville.com/lb/home.html

8.) Creating Music - Do your students love music? If so, the Web site of Creating Music will surely entertain them. On this site, children can compose and play their own music. How awesome is that?! It's very easy to use and with just a couple clicks, they can make their own piano notes and they can even add in different musical instruments as they wish. For example, if they want to add in a brass instrument, they can easily do so. They can even alter the tempo themselves or play their music backwards for a fun new sound. This site isn't completely finished yet, but the material that is already on it is plenty to give your children something to do for hours! Check it out here.
http://www.creatingmusic.com/

9.) Surfnet Kids - If your young students are in need of some math help, Surfnet Kids can come to their rescue. On this site, kids can play endless electronic math games that will help them with their multiplication skills, along with other math skills. Surfnet Kids is the perfect substitute for flash cards and your children will enjoy it a whole lot more! Click here to check it out for yourself today.
http://www.creatingmusic.com/

10.) KidsClick - And last, but certainly not least is KidsClick. This Web site is the perfect search engine for grade school aged kids. This search engine features over 600 sources and with it, you can search under different themes and subjects. It even allows your children to search under the reading level they need, which definitely helps them to understand the material much better. With KidsClick, you can find results for reading, writing, arithmetic, computer learning, sports and recreation and so much more. This site was even developed by librarians, so you know it's good! Check it out here.
http://www.kidsclick.org/

So, there you have it. Ten awesome sites that will surely help your students to have a spectacular school year. Give them a try today!

Navigation on this Web site is pretty simple. On the main page, you will find the most recent entries in the center of the page, with a larger listing off to the left side. Or, you can click the link on the right hand side that says “Browse Our True Stories Section.”

For example, the movie 300 was a very popular movie over the last year and it was based on a real battle in history, but how closely did the movie follow history? I was actually very surprised by all the information I found out about the Battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans and Persians. I was even more surprised to find that they included pictures, links to actual texts, video and more. Not only did they point out where the truth was stretched for good movie making, they even explained why. They also provide a link to the movie trailer for each entry.

I have to admit, I was totally engrossed in the entries here. I checked out the links for 300, Zodiac, Frida and I’m currently reading about The Pursuit of Happyness. I am thrilled by the amount of research that has gone into these entries. They are certainly worth checking out.

Now, I’d like to draw your attention to the black navigation strip across the top of the page where you will find these sections: Unmasked, Trailers, DVDs, True Stories, Posters, Based on Books, Classics, Box Office, News and Forum.

Unmasked – This section is devoted to unmasking movie villains. So far, they have unmasked Darth Vader and Michael Myers. You get to learn all about the different people who portrayed the villains, as well as, learn about their careers afterward.

Trailers – Here you can watch trailers to the movies featured on this site, whether in the True Stories or Based on Books section. I thought this feature would be best used to confirm whether you want to actually see the flick after reading all about it. For example, while the story behind 300 is interesting, the movie was quite gory. So, you would know from watching the trailer that it might not be something you’d want to see.

This is an excellent movie site and I am thrilled to add it to my favorites. Enjoy!
http://www.chasingthefrog.com/

Welcome to songsofinsects.com, the support web site for The Songs of Insects, by Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger.  There are species of crickets, katydids and cicadas of eastern and central North America featured here.

On this site, we complement our book, Online Guide to Insect Songs,  with an interactive Online Guide to Insect Songs. We include information about insect photography and sound recording, how to find and capture singing insects, keeping insects as pets, and more.

http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/index.html
or go directly to the pics and songs at http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/index.html

If you've browsed our recent list of the Top 100 Classic Web Sites (and if you didn't, you'll find it here), you may have been a bit disappointed by the familiarity of our choices. Such is the nature of a list of "classics."

So here's the fun stuff: Our list of the new and/or undiscovered Web sites that have grabbed our attention this year. You'll see a large collection of Web applications and tech sites, excellent blogs, offbeat social networks, and, as always, a handful of addictive Flash games for those slow days at work.

Some of these sites are completely under the radar and get very little traffic. Others are hugely popular within a specific demographic. But all of them deserve to be in your bookmarks.

Click on the Next button to start perusing the list, or you can view it in slideshow form if you prefer. You can also download our Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites list directly to your bookmarks. 
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2174685,00.asp