WHen sites generate a password for you they'll send it in an email. You should change it right away.

But Tony,I have a 1-step solution to the woes you've mentioned...

1. Stop using GMAIL.



I have GMAIL set up for a personal domain using their "apps" so that while their system is used, there's no @gmail account. I use POP3 for this and every now and then go in and delete all my mail - no sense in leaving anything on the server if I have it all locally on my machine.

Then I also have one actual gmail account, but I don't use that for anything except logging on to analytics and now Google Voice. I absolutely never use it for email, including giving the address out to people. I used to use it for IM, though that was obviously only with friends and few of them at that.