Is it "bad"? No, not really. It just looks cluttered, slows your boot-up time, and wastes system resources and cpu cycles with no reason. So is it really that bad?
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Anyway, some things ARE needed in the tray, but far less than most people have. If you want to remove them from starting up, you have a few options:
Check each program and look for an option to disable loading it at startup. Many, like RealPlayer, serve no purpose being in the tray, and shouldn't be opened until you're using the program.
Also, clean out your "Start up" folder of any unnecessary items (such as the MS Office loader, Find Fast, etc.).
For some that neither option will work for, the easiest way to get rid of them is using a program called either "Start Cop" or "Startup Cop" (the name tends to vary, even on the program's site). Its freeware, and it'll show you everything that loads up when you start your computer (nice for those who don't want to poke around their registry). It also gives you two options to use, "Disable" and "Remove". If you're unsure whether something should be loading at startup or not, try disable. If you experience problems on your next reboot, then enable it back again. If you are sure you don't need it, either hit disable or remove, and forget about it.
Seriously, for most people, I can't think of too many apps that NEED to be loaded at startup. A firewall is a MUST for anyone on a 56k or better connection, and maybe a program or two if you like options like real-time virus checking. But beyond that...its all pretty much junk.
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I'm not a supermodel myself or anything, so I'm not gonna mock someone elses appearance, especially if it's something they can't change. If you don't like the way Ayumi Hamasaki looks, then you'd have a field day with me, Angelique, and lets just leave it at that. 
Proud to be SrC!