A strong firewall is one of the best defenses against malicious software attacks on your system. Newcomers to computer security who aren't running a firewall should check out Yahoo's Tech Security Guide on the matter. The key point is that anti-virus alone is not enough to protect your computer:

A firewall plugs the security holes ... and blocks that bad, random traffic from coming through to your computer. Anti-virus won't help you in many of these cases. You really need a firewall to stop a lot of this stuff.

Most home Wi-Fi routers have a firewall built-in, and at the office the IT department most likely has you covered. But when your PC is out and about on open networks, are you content to rely on Windows' built-in firewall, or do you use a third-party app? Educate us in the comments. (And Mac users, here's how to turn on Leopard's off-by-default, built-in firewall.)

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Even if you sat on a big, juicy, freshly-chewed glob of bubblegum in them, that pair of pants isn't necessarily a goner. Instructional site wikiHow covers several methods for getting dried-on gum off clothes, from using gasoline, peanut butter, lighter fluid, or vinegar, to freezing it or ironing it off. Good to know.

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Blogger Geekpreneur says you can use the iPod touch as a productivity tool with the right webapps, like Mobile Web Docs and Web Notes. Additionally, Lifehacker favourite Orb can free you from the 8, 16, or 32GB iPod touch hard drive; with Orb, you can stream the music and video library on your computer to the touch through your Wi-Fi connection. What are your favourite productivity tools for use on the iPod touch or iPhone? Let's hear them in the comments.

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Green publication E magazine says you can recycle more stuff than you might think, and offers a reference on the right places to recycle everything from iPods to record albums to styrofoam to batteries to cars. If you've got old office supplies and miscellaneous materials, you may be able to recycle that, too:

Many states have "material exchanges" where odd stuff is collected and made available to the public for use. Outdated calendars, office paper that is used on one side, wallpaper, flooring samples, crayons and other stuff is gladly accepted by Materials Exchange Centre for Community Arts in Eugene, Oregon. [...] To see if there's a materials exchange near you, search Google.com for "materials exchange" or call your local hazardous waste department.

Looks like a useful bookmark to check out before you order up the dumpster.Photo by diongillard.

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The Just a Guy Thing weblog shares insights into the selfless act of tipping your waiter, your cab driver, the dealer at the casino, or your stylist. A rule of thumb:

Hand over the tip with your palm facing down and shake hands with the person you are tipping, simultaneously placing the money in their hand. What you want to avoid doing is waving the money around and making a big deal of it.

While there's no hard and fast rule for how much to tip in every scenario, at restaurants, shoot for between 10% and 22%, depending on the service, meal, and the reputation of the eatery. How do you decide how much to tip? Let us know in the comments.

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