ClustrMaps.com brings a widget that shows the location of your site visitors on a tiny map that could be easily put on your blog. They provide the HTML that gives you a tiny map. The location of each visit is based on the IP address of the computer used.

When it loads, it increments a counter and shows the locations of all visitors to your page. Clicking on it zooms in to a big world map, and (optionally) lets you zoom in to the continents, as in the example below

[ Not the original size here ]

For the live demo of this widget in action please visit http://clustrmaps.com

Viruses are annoying little programs which mess up your computer. In past we've recommended using a resident anti-virus program to actively defend against virus attacks. We had also suggested trying out the google pack which includes Norton Security Scan and loads of other useful software

As a second line of defence, We advice you to periodically check your computer using Free online virus scanners. The following links takes you to the reputed antivirus company sites, which install a small piece of code in your browser(ActiveX/Java) to scan your computer.

• http://housecall.trendmicro.com
• http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
• http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
• http://security.symantec.com
• http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan
• http://www.eset.com/onlinescan
• http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

Credit Card fraud is on the rise, As part of our "Internet Safety" tips series, we are suggesting certain steps that can help you avoid being a victim of Credit Card fraud.

The first step to prevent your credit card from being misused is to not let your card fall into the hands of fraudsters. There are many tutorials/how-to's on the internet on credit card fraud that suggest..



"..be on the lookout for houses where the houseowners are on a vacation and have their house locked down but left their mailbox unprotected where the banks will send them their credit card."

This seems to be the most popular method of getting hold of other's credit card. So, take the hint! NEVER leave your mailbox unprotected, take steps to ensure the privacy of your mailbox.

According to this article in BBC..

..A fraudulent card transaction takes place every eight seconds and cloning is the biggest type of credit card fraud.

Cloning (also popularly known as 'skimming') can happen in seconds. So, Whenever using your credit card on malls, resturants and hotels etc., request that the the card is swiped in front of you, Don't let your card out of your sight and pick up all receipts. To pick up more tips, you should also read this article on BBC on How credit cards get cloned

Extra care needs to be taken if you use Credit Card to buy on the Internet. Sure, It's so convenient to use the credit card to buy online, but remember that there are other ways to pay for your purchases for eg. "Cash on delivery" for instance. Use your card on well known and reputed sites, also make sure that the site is using SSL.

You are adviced not to use your card on public cafe's, computers with public access as they could be running malicious programs(called keyloggers) to steal your personal information.

The last tip is to use paypal for online purchases, PayPal is the safer, easier way to pay and get paid online, Pay without revealing your credit card or bank information. Now many people like you, use paypal instead of using credit cards.

What is cooler than a guestbook, chat and bulletin board? It's a Shoutbox from MyShoutBox.com

This is a feature packed free service for blogs and websites. Here's a list of features that MyShoutBox.com offers

You can add this shoutbox to your blogger blogs after an easy and fast registration process. After Registration you are given a ID/Password, with which you have to login to access your shoutbox management area. Select the link "Code Generation" and set the options for your shoutbox( or leave the default settings, you can always change that later! ) and click "Generate Code".

Classic templates users of blogger can copy-paste the HTML code into their template. XML Blogger users see this post on How to add HTML/JavaScript to Blogger.

[ This post is outdated as CreativeCommons.org has changed the instructions slightly, refer to the updated instructions to add Creative Commons License to Blogger ]


Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from "All Rights Reserved" to "Some Rights Reserved."

To get the creative commons license for your blog go to http://creativecommons.org [ Opens in a New Window ]. On the top of the page, click "License you work" link to continue. On the next screen you can select the licensing options for your blog.




After you select your license you can choose a graphic for the license and the HTML code will be generated on the page.




Classic templates users of blogger can copy-paste the HTML code into their template. XML Blogger users see this post on How to add HTML/JavaScript to Blogger.

Joining Blog TopSites are one of the ways to bring traffic(Free!) to your blog. It takes just a bit of effort on your part to get going. Generally, you will need to register with the site and get your blog approved. Once approved you get your personalized code block that you need to add to your blog. This code will help visitors of your blog to vote for your blog. The more votes you get, the higher you climb on the list and are more likely to get more visitors.

Here's a small list of Blog Topsites where you can register your blog :

http://topsites.blogflux.com/
http://www.topbloglists.com/
http://www.blogelites.com/
http://blog505.com/
http://topblogsites.net/
http://www.topblog.ws/
http://www.blogista.net/
http://topsites.technoized.com/blog
http://blogsites.in/
http://www.stateyourblog.com/
http://www.blogranking.us/
http://www.blogsontop.com/
http://www.topblogarea.com/
http://www.blogrankings.com/
http://www.top100bloggers.com/