Hi Chris Thomas,
NoScript and RequestPolicy in the browser will surely help as a combination to protect. Being rather anonymous is quite problematic in the world of to-day. An example where you are less trace-able is:
1} Look for a public hot-spot [ free wifi internet service some-place ]
2} Put a Live Boot CD into your laptop.
3} Then set up a connection to Tor or another anonymous tooll.
4} After you have set up the Tor connection, surf to the site you want to go using
http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html or another.
IP number cannot be traced back anymore to you as a user, mac adres can be changed with various tools or take a Plug en play wifi adapter.
Laptop cannot be traced back.
OS, is not on the Laptop, but you cannot use personalized info because that can be traced back to you, so you have to sanitize your info...
polonus