NBA Power Rankings

The Celtics are hot, the Rockets are hotter and the West is a big, wonderful mess. Let’s try to sort things out a bit with our weekly power rankings. \

1. Celtics

(50-12) By winning more than twice as many games as last season, Boston’s provided a blueprint for all bad teams. Just trade for an All-Star, then swing a deal for a Hall of Famer, all without giving up your own All-Star. It’s so easy, why doesn’t everyone do it?

2. Rockets

(43-20) Is Houston really the best team in the West? Probably not, but when you win 19 straight games, including the last 10 by double digits, you move to the head of the class.

3. Lakers

(44-19) Starting Friday, they play four straight road games against the Hornets, Rockets, Mavericks and Jazz. That's when we'll find out if the Lakers are truly superior – or just one of many Western contenders.

For complete ranking - click here

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Can the government see what Web sites I visit?

Imagine you're shopping at a mall. You browse different stores, make a few purchases and move on. Then, you notice that a man you don't know seems to be following you. You even catch a glimpse of him taking notes on what you're looking at and buying. The entire time you've been shopping, you've been spied on!

Many people fear that a similar thing is happening on the Web. They're worried that someone, usually the government, is recording and analyzing their Web browsing activity. They argue that these acts are an invasion of privacy. Are they right to be worried? Can the government keep track of all the Web sites everyone visits, and would it be able to act on that information?

It's easy to understand why some people are worried. The United States Patriot Act expands the government's ability to perform searches and install wiretaps. It doesn't seem like a big stretch to add tracking people's Internet activity to the list. These people fear that they'll be spied on whether they've done anything to justify it or not.

In some ways, fear about the government's ability to keep tabs on Web activities has reached the level of a conspiracy theory. In the most extreme version of the theory, the government is tracking not only Web site activity, but also is building a database of potential suspects for crimes ranging from corporate sabotage to terrorism. Other theories don't go that far, but still suggest the government is treating everyone like a suspect -- even if people aren't doing anything illegal or questionable.

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Can the government see what Web sites I visit?

Imagine you're shopping at a mall. You browse different stores, make a few purchases and move on. Then, you notice that a man you don't know seems to be following you. You even catch a glimpse of him taking notes on what you're looking at and buying. The entire time you've been shopping, you've been spied on!

Many people fear that a similar thing is happening on the Web. They're worried that someone, usually the government, is recording and analyzing their Web browsing activity. They argue that these acts are an invasion of privacy. Are they right to be worried? Can the government keep track of all the Web sites everyone visits, and would it be able to act on that information?

It's easy to understand why some people are worried. The United States Patriot Act expands the government's ability to perform searches and install wiretaps. It doesn't seem like a big stretch to add tracking people's Internet activity to the list. These people fear that they'll be spied on whether they've done anything to justify it or not.

In some ways, fear about the government's ability to keep tabs on Web activities has reached the level of a conspiracy theory. In the most extreme version of the theory, the government is tracking not only Web site activity, but also is building a database of potential suspects for crimes ranging from corporate sabotage to terrorism. Other theories don't go that far, but still suggest the government is treating everyone like a suspect -- even if people aren't doing anything illegal or questionable.

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Winter storm warning posted for western Maine

Another winter storm warning is posted for parts of Maine, but the concern this time centers not on snow but freezing rain.

John Cannon of the National Weather Service in Gray says interior regions are expected to pick up a half to three-quarters of an inch of ice. He says that's enough to cause power outages, even though the wind will be relatively mild at 10 to 20 mph.

Cannon says the ski areas in western Maine should receive a couple of inches of snow Tuesday night before the changeover to freezing rain.

The biggest ice accumulations will be over western Maine. There also could be light icing along the coast, as well in northern and eastern Maine.

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Phone Refund Still Available

Millions of people are overlooking an easy way to collect money from Uncle Sam.
Many phone customers didn't claim a one-time phone excise-tax refund on their federal income-tax returns last year. Most phone customers, including most cellphone users, were eligible for the refund. But Internal Revenue Service officials report only about 70% of those eligible for the refund requested it.
If that includes you, the good news is that it's not too late. You still have time to collect.
But don't try doing it on your return for 2007. Instead, file what's known as an amended return for 2006. Use Form 1040X, available on the IRS Web site .

There are two ways to calculate the amount. First, you can base it on the actual amount of taxes you paid during the applicable period, assuming you kept good records. Or you can use the IRS's standard amount, as about 99% of all returns requesting the refund have done. That amount is based on the number of exemptions you claim on your return.
If you claimed one exemption, the standard amount would be $30. If you claimed four exemptions, the standard amount would be $60.

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Tellme Founder Tells Yahoo Not to Worry Over Microsoft Takeover

Tellme founder and previous Yahoo co-founder, Mike McCue hasn't spoken to past-partner Jerry Yang since the Microsoft takeover bid for Yahoo, but he wanted to let his friend know that being acquired by Microsoft isn't such a terrible proposition.

"After being assured that Tellme would be able to retain its Silicon Valley office, identity and quirky culture, McCue negotiated an $800 million sale to Microsoft and agreed to stay on as general manager. It's a decision that he says he doesn't regret 10 months into the marriage. 'We are pretty much doing everything we were doing before - just a lot more of it,' said McCue, 40. Because of the vast differences in size, the Tellme deal obviously isn't an apples-to-apples comparison to Microsoft's proposed $40 billion acquisition of Yahoo, which contends it's worth even more money despite a two-year earnings slump."

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Eight Easy Tips to Save Gas in 2008

1. Maintain tires.Did you know that by keeping your tires inflated to their recommended pressure coupled with periodic wheel alignments can help improve gas mileage? Take a few minutes to make a pit stop to check your tire pressure. While driving on an even road, you can take your hands off the wheel to test your steering alignment. If the car begins drifting left or right after you removed your hands from the wheel, this could mean your wheels need aligned. Of course, be careful when testing your steering.
2. Avoid high speeds.
Studies have shown that gas mileage can be improved by driving at slower speeds on the highway.
3. Refrain from sudden acceleration and braking.Accelerating gradually instead of aggressively helps save gas mileage. Likewise, braking gradually is much preferred to sudden stops.
4. Lose the dead weight.
No, we don’t mean your spouse and kids. Carrying golf clubs, bowling balls, luggage, or any other heavy items in your truck increases the weight in your car and thus decreases your gas mileage.
5. Roll down the window.
Using your car’s air conditioning system hurts gas mileage. Try driving with your windows down. It’s more fun than you’d think.
6. Turn off the car.
Idling for extended periods of time can burn more gas than restarting an engine. Next time you go to McDonald’s, don’t be afraid to turn the car off and walk inside rather than wait in the drive-thru line.
7. Avoid high RPM usage.
Vehicles with manual transmission can be utilized to save on gas mileage by shifting gears at a lower RPM. Also, utility vehicles like pick-up trucks and SUVs are geared for optimal towing. This means they climb to higher-than-necessary RPMs before shifting. If you drive one of these vehicles and do not need it for it’s towing capabilities, consider switching to a more practical option.
8. Get a tune-up.
Changing worn spark plugs, topping off fluids, and replacing worn brakes can have a tremendous impact on your car’s gas mileage.

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Gateway One - a truly wireless pc

It might not get as much play as Apple’s new iMac, but for PC users, it’s certainly a step in the right direction. Gateway’s One top model (GZ7220) delivers extraordinary power, responsiveness and energy efficiency to give you a 40% performance boost thanks to the Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 Dual-Core Processor (each operates at 2.0GHz) and the Intel GM965 chipset. There’s 3,072MB of DDR2 dual-channel memory on board and 500GB SATA II on the hard drive, which is enough space for all your photos, videos and music to be viewed through the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics. If you thought the keyboard, mouse and remote were the only wireless components, don’t overlook the 802.11n dual band wireless LAN, which makes the power cord the only wire you’ll see attached to the One. The One also features a 19” 1400 x 900 LCD and high-fidelity sound created by the eight-channel high-def audio and integrated NXT SoundVu speaker technology.

Home Digital Integration

Gateway’s One PC is the company’s all-in-one answer to those who say PCs are clunky. So, sit back with the One’s remote control and enjoy watching TV. Yes, in addition to sharing your photos with Windows Vista or watching HD-quality video or just listening to your music library, you also have access to live TV via the analog/digital TV tuner with 3-D Comb (USB). If staying in touch with distant friends and family is your bag, you’ll certainly enjoy the included 1.3 megapixel webcam. And if you’re ever worried about running out of memory, you can add up to 2 terabytes through the hard-drive slots located under the back cover. Gateway’s One is truly an all-in-one device: PC, TV, photo album, and stereo.

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