A word to the wise:

Don't forget...simply erasing a file doesn't eliminate it. Even an amateur can recover files from even a reformatted disk, much less one that has been simply erased. Use a "wipe disk" function, such as the one that I got with Norton Systemworks. There are other brands out there too. Look for something that conforms to the strict Department of Defense standards of overwriting (DoD 5220.22).

Ideally, you want to find a program that would allow you to intermittently "wipe" the erased space on your disk, as opposed to having to perform a complex wipe every time you erase something.

Also, don't put sensitive information into file names ("Brendas_gun_collection.doc"). File names end up repeated many times through a system in the normal operation of an operating system.

Where to draw the line between security and freedom has always been difficult. A massive security system and oppressive police structure would certainly protect us from many terrorist attacks. But is it worth it? It was said that a virgin with a bag of gold could walk safely from one end to the other of the Empire of Ghengis Khan. And we know how he ran things.

The Founding Fathers believed, and I agree with them, that if you don't know where to draw the line, one should err on the side of freedom.

The hard truth is we may have to accept a terrorist hit now and then as a price of not installing a totalitarian-style protective system. Many people have written in many ways that our freedom is always purchased at the price of some lives. This may mean losing American civilians now and then, not just soldiers.