http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

download and scan your systm, this is not a cookie, it is some form of the
"gator" software
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I downloaded and ran this software... "Ad Aware 6.0", with latest update..
it cured that problem! Thanks. This software supposedly found and deleted
over 600 files on my rig... all kinds of wacky EXE files etc that I have
never noticed. I guess all this junk has somehow gotten dropped on my hard
drive over the past few years and was hiding in places where I often do not
look. I have a big hard drive with a LOT of stuff on it, so it is easy for
such malicious files to get dropped into it without me knowing. I often do
not visit random websites and never open spam email with attachments, etc...
I am pretty careful in general. Not sure how and why so much bad stuff got
onto my hard drive. Well... the Ad Aware thing worked, so I am happy.