Hey, I have a printer here! And while we're at it, I've got a bridge to sell you ;)

Rule #3 of the 10 Immutable Laws of Security: if a bad guy has unrestricted physical access to your computer, it's not your computer anymore.

Story should serve as a good reminder to everyone out there that in the end, no amount of encryption, biometrics, or obscurity will protect your network when a hacker brings a gun. Physical security trumps all.

Never mind what he's done, can I have your recipe for acronym soup?

Laughing out loud (literally)
;-)

My MOS (job classification) is an E4 and out position. Basically I have no chance of attaining any leadership skills in my job. Big change from when I joined six years ago. I'm seriously considering leaving communications for something that I can actually advance in, even if I wouldn't be as happy in it, but I could be wrong about that.

I'm guessing you're a 25B in a Signal unit.

Trust me, there are a lot of ways you can learn leadership skills as an E-4. How many SOP's have you written? How many Soldiers have trained to replace you? Have you initiated a risk analysis for the information systems you are responsible for? Have you taught your Linux skills to the Soldiers around you? Have you considered making a website for your company (something small, like a company Craigslist phpBB site)? Have you assembled a continuity book? Have you compiled a formal list of recommendations for your SIGO/CDR/PL/whatever to improve mission effectiveness, efficiency, safety, and lower operational expenses? Have you personally met and networked with your BN/BDE S-6 or lower echelon commo PLT's, DOIM/ESB, and surrounding units at the same echelon? Have you offered other units the opportunity to participate in your own unit-level training (even simple stuff, like "how to make a website")? Have you aggressively pursued cross-training opportunities other units may be willing to offer (generator troubleshooting, COMSEC management, SIPRNET regulations, JNN operators, etc)?

I did all of this and then some when I was an E-3/E-4 in Iraq. There is no reason you should bitch and moan that you're not picking up leadership skills. What schools have you gone to (WLC, BNCOC, Ranger)? How many Soldiers do you supervise? Why are you still an E-4 after six years? If you're stuck in an MTOE position outside your MOS, get a Letter of Release from your CSM and find a job somewhere else like JCU.

As for getting sysadmin rights...feel free to e-mail me and I'll share all kinds of backdoors I've found in the system. They don't hand the reins over easily so I just take 'em.

Thank you.

Look, I hate to nitpick, but while everyone knows what you mean by IEx not everyone knows what ERP and ECM stand for. Although I could go Google it, I find it a little inconsiderate. I work for the government and know a lot of acronyms that I spell out if I don't expect everyone to know them.

Right, and the opposite is true for persons who are mentally retarded*. They grow physically, but in behavior they're developmentally stuck.

* I don't know what the politically correct term of the week is so please forgive me if you've got thin skin.

Old age isn't a disease. Aging is each species' evolution-tuned means of population control. Some species breed very quickly to account for high probability of death by predators, such as rabbits. Other animals breed extremely slowly, but live long enough to maintain a stable population, such as sharks. Aging is one of the many safeguards that control a species' population to ensure balance is maintained to allow the species to survive. If humans develop an effective means to circumvent aging and significantly extend life expectancy we will have to enforce massive cultural and reproductive changes to avoid unsustainable overpopulation.

You know what really gives you confidence? A gun. But I couldn't recommend that to the OP...I just have this horrible vision of a girl touching his lower back and finding a Glock. Actually that'd be pretty funny - when my CCH gets approved I'll have to try it. If not imprisoned afterward I'll report back on how it went ;)

Yeah, the Iraqis totally went easy on Jessica Lynch.

Damn HTML tags....it's less than 800 meters away.

The building I live in has dozens of layers of paint, built from thick concrete blocks and bricks, and has poor wiring. I only know of one cell phone tower nearby and it's

Walking outside causes a significant improvement in signal strength and voice quality.