Often when I get a link to a site I am not familiar with, I'd like to check out the site first before I browse to it or download software from it.
Usually I use Web of Trust (WOT): http://www.mywot.com/
or
McAfee's Site Advisor: http://www.siteadvisor.com/
But both these sites keep offering to download a plug-in or other tool, they have links and ads to other offerings and generally loads slow.
So happy days when I found a quick Google URL that provides Googles evaluation of a site:
http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=www.crosstimbersgazette.com
You can of course replace the http://www.crosstimbersgazette.com part with the URL for any other site.
Be safe.

