sudo rm -R /

I can't speak for him, but don't be too pedantic when criticizing him. I graduated high school seven years ago and my UID is lower than yours.

[Politician] Note to self: Political Plan, "Put America back to work! TSA jobs for all the unemployed!"

Please take the following as a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the parent's comment:

Vampires have often found it advantageous to maintain a hidden presence in humanity’s most powerful institutions. In the 1600s, it was the Catholic church, and today, as you all know, it’s Google and Fox News.
— ‘True Blood’ vampire king Bill Compton

Anyone can change the admin password with the right tools on both Mac and Windows (I'd assume Linux has that capability, too). However, saved passwords on the Mac are stored inside something called the "keychain" that stores its hash separate from the system's root.

By default, the keychain is configured to have the same password as the person logged in, but if you do the procedure you just described, you'd still need to know the original password to access any saved passwords, certificates, etc.

In other words, if you change the root password with the boot CD/recovery partition other methods and you forget the original keychain password, you're SOL for getting anything good as a result of your work.

Actually, an interesting fact: Gay marriage is legal in Iowa.*

*Since Santorum would be unlikely to condone sex outside of marriage.

This quote reminded me exactly of the political system in the US.

I know slashdot is mostly liberal (I'm a moderate libertarian), but can't you analyze what you're saying? It's obvious that you hate the republicans so much that you are absolutely unwilling to compromise with any of their positions. Furthermore, you and your compatriots on the far left and the far right are so polarized that I don't want to vote for either side.

Until attitudes like yours change, and more compromises are implemented as was advocated by the person debating with you, nothing will be accomplished. No more of the fear and the hate talk is acceptable from either side. People have gotten free passes for too long. No if's, and's, or buts. Just get it through your head that you need to compromise.

Maybe if China has some success, that success will be "transferred" to the USA in much the way China has transferred western technology to itself. In other words, everyone wins but the person in the pissing contest.

About all this Credit Card stuff... Spending money and completely paying off a credit card is very good for your credit rating. When I was 18, I got a secured $300 credit card. I have since graduated to a much much higher limit, and my credit rating is extremely high, especially considering I've taken out zero loans.

Using credit is an investment for things like home and auto loans. Lower interest rates come with people who are shown to pay off their bills in a timely manner. I've never once been late, and I plan to enjoy low interest rates when I finally decide to buy a house. The bottom line is that you have to be responsible or else the whole scheme falls apart.