kat...the Google Toolbar seems to have some privacy issues. It is only useful if they can use it to collect data, and you give up 'some' privacy to use it, I am told. I will see if I can find recent references

Jon...the Mozilla preferences allow you to individually specify which web sites you DO trust. It would take a short while to build up your list, but at least you can have pop-ups allowed when they are benign & useful. In Opera, I allow pop-ups, but filter them thru Proxomitron, where I set classes and do my individual exceptions.