Why does Windows Update serve these up as optional? I  would have thought that updates for any security program like Microsoft Security Essentials would be essential at the very least. 

Regardless of what some consider privacy issues, updates to anti-malware solutions should be installed at the same time as definition updates. I am all for the rights of people to privacy, but I am against the right to accumulate malware which in turn will affect whatever computer is attached either through LAN or WAN.

A while ago, somebody connected to my wireless signal. The computer was so badly infected that I received an email from Rogers telling me to protect my computer properly or they will suspend my account for seven days.

Trust me when I tell you that the offending computer will never link to my network again. In a bid to prevent a recurrence, any computer wishing to attach to my network has its hard drive removed and connected remotely, where it is checked out as thoroughly as I can. If the owners don’t like it, they are free to connect elsewhere.