What is the best way to calculate a checksum for a file that is on my machine?

Any MD5 will produce a good checksum to verify the file. Any of the files listed at the bottom of this page will work fine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Md5sum.

Best and most convenient, http://beeblebrox.org/hashtab.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.