As an auto-obsessed American, I'd just like to say "So?"

I too will be coming back to the States in June. Currently, I have Vodafone India service, and the difference between it and US service is astonishing -- Friday after Thanksgiving, I was in the middle of the Thar desert on the back of a camel. It occurred to me to see if I could call my Mom in the States and wish her a happy Thanksgiving. Yup, four bars. No electric lights in sight, but when the sun came up I could see a cell tower on a distant mountain. That 15 minute call cost me about $2. We have service *everywhere*, it costs six rupees per minute (1.5 cents), and data is cheap and fast. Note that this isn't a government-subsidized plan, it's Vodafone -- they're making money at this. I currently have about $20 worth of minutes on my Corby, and will probably not be able to use it all before we leave.

Makes sense to me. It can't be the principal's fault that he's a moron, so the family should get counseling.

The Federal Government is HURTING for IT talent, particularly CEH/CIH type talent. They may just be trolling for new employees.

Yeah. Maybe that whole tourism thing isn't working out for them and they need some bad press to calm it down a bit...

There are limits. Even the happiest, most optimistic IT pro gets weary of dealing with morons, asshats, and people whose sense of entitlement far exceeds their actual worth to the organization.

True enough. I have +-40k air miles this year. That number will *drastically* decrease next year if this crap keeps up. I'm tired of being treated like a criminal in the name of safety.

THIS is what I was wondering about -- just exactly what does he think he can do about a foreign web site, other than inveigh mightily against it? Demagogue....

I want to be paid extra for having to carry a crackberry. Evil geniuses turned a portable, always-on office/leash into a status symbol that actually makes people want them. I am in awe of this bit of corporate cat-belling.

That was our issue in both South Carolina and DC -- SC = Time-Warner, like it or not. When I got to Washington, your choice was Verizon. Before I left, Comcast was also available in my neighborhood. Gotta say, Verizon service was excellent, though "high speed", not so much....

Mmmm. Nope, not offended. I *am* an IT guy. Since my boss refers to himself as "head geek", I'd have a tough time getting upset by it. I'm the "virus geek" in our shop. What I resent is Best Buy stealin' our titles....

It's improved already -- in the two years we've been stationed here, we went from 512 to 1mb to 2mbps -- all for nearly the same price. I'm sure that won't happen in the US!

I'm in India. "High speed" is a shared 2mbps line.

Exactly. I thought it was gonna be about fat chicks.

Thanks for this link -- I'd never heard of the Hacker's Diet. I have a friend *COUGHbrother* who needs this information!