Another obvious clue that your computer has been infected with a spyware package is an abrupt change of your preferred Internet browser’s home page. Spyware packages can reset your email signatures and display advertising content – even while you are offline!

Aggressive prevention One of best methods of protecting your system from spyware is to first become knowledgeable as to what type of software blatantly bundles spyware as part of their "freeware". Peer-to-peer file sharing Kazaa is notorious for including a couple of adware packages. The free version of nifty WeatherBug, a provider of current temperature and important weather updates to your system's desktop includes adware as part of its download. The free version of media player DivX is another where adware once found itself comfortably at home, but not with recent release of DivX 5.2 product suite.

“Spyware Nuker” sounds like it should be a good, safe program to load on your system, right? Wrong! It is known to be a false spyware remover. Some of spyware packages are written to avoid detection, are difficult to uninstall, and frequently leave components installed in your system in order to continue to monitor your activities and then silently reinstall themselves.

The best spyware detection and removal software inoculates your computer to help prevent various spyware packages from loading themselves into your operating system. The detection and removal software should be programmed to run automatically either late every evening, or at least once a week – depending on amount of Internet usage and number and types of sites you visit. If your Internet voyages take you across sites that contain pornographic or hacker material, you better run spyware detection software immediately following that visit. Assume you may be infected after you wander across less-than-scrupulous sites.

Some of best spyware detection and removal software is shareware. They include (in alphabetical order): Ad-aware, HijackThis, PestPatrol, Spybot – Search & Destroy, and SpySweeper. My best recommendation would be to download one of these products (my personal favorite is Spybot – Search & Destroy) from http://download.com and consider paying for product you consider to be most suitable for your needs.

There are countless other commercial products, but I have found shareware products to be more than adequate. If you prefer to pay for a commercial product, there are packages frequently bundled with your favorite anti-virus software (McAfee, Norton, etc.). Even firewall software developer Zone Labs has spyware detection and removal software included in their ZoneAlarm Security Suite.

It is an ugly, ongoing war out there, and spyware is probably source for most service calls dispatched these days. Don’t allow either your privacy or your personal information to become a casualty in this ongoing battle. It is imperative that all of today’s systems – your system especially – be equipped with spyware detection and removal software. Make certain you take necessary steps to keep your operating system, virus, and spyware software up-to-date.

Hewlett Packard also has a free recycling program and they proudly announce that more than 1.8 million HP inkjet cartridges were recycled in 2003. Unfortunately, for consumer, plastics and metal from HP cartridges are also disassembled and made into new products. Other components are “used to generate energy or are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.”

Canon offers its customers several options for recycling toner cartridges, including a single return option, an up-to-eight multiple return option, and a bulk return option. Whichever you choose, a shipping label can be downloaded directly from their website. Return shipping via UPS is pre-paid by company. It appears from many recycling and other eco-friendly programs displayed on their website, that Canon is a leader in environmental stewardship, however to date they have no recycling program in place for inkjet cartridges.

Lexmark’s recycling program is 100% free, as are other printer manufacturer recycling programs. Customers request a kit using an online order form. Lexmark pays postage both ways. However, there is one major difference between Lexmark’s program and programs of other print giants. Lexmark works with Planet Ark and Close Loop in Australia to ensure every collected cartridge is remanufactured or recycled. In addition, they have similar recycling programs in Latin American and South Africa. In Europe, every purchase of a Lexmark high-volume cartridge comes with a postage-paid recycling bag included. Now that’s closing circle!