Tired Of All Those Passwords? Here Are Some Alte

There's one shortcoming to all biometric systems: they cost money. As Ira Machefsky, an Odeon Capital researcher who follows the field, says, ""The thing people like better than good security is free security.'' Even though prices for most biometric systems have dropped below $100, passwords cost nothing. Other critics wonder what would happen in a biometric-based society if someone were to break into a database and, say, steal your iris file. Your eyes are forever. Passwords may be a nuisance, but they can always be changed.

Make airline and hotel reservations now if you want to track the next few years' lunar eclipses. A round-the-world sampling:

Jan. 20, 2000: Total eclipse. Best viewing: U.S., Canada and South America.

July 16, 2000: Total eclipse. Best viewing: Asia and Australia.

Jan. 9, 2001: Partial eclipse. Best viewing: Asia, Australia and Hawaii.