SSH into your host.
from the bash prompt just paste the above string.

i.e.
user@host $env x='() { :;}; echo vulnerable' bash -c "echo this is a test"

--------------------
If you see:
vulnerable
this is a test
Then you are vulnerable and need to update your system.

If all you see is:
this is a test

Then you are ok.

=)
I too was suspicious of that fork-bomb potential. So the first time I ran it was on a test-vm.

I'm glad I am not the only paranoid one.

Doesn't this sound like using an elephant gun to try to kill a fruit fly?

Very similar results with me too, although for me that effect waited until I was 35'ish.

Plural of anecdote = data?

I wonder if this will silence or encourage the separatists that want Quebec to leave Canada?

If you really want to save your data:

Step 1: make a ZFS array and save your data there.
Step 2: copy the data to single hard-drives and store them in a different location then home.
Step 3: upload a copy to some online 'cloud storage' provider.

Use checksums/md5 hashes to determine data integrity.

Based on your budget pick any of the above 3. If you are paranoid, do all 3.

The hardware is easy:
Either get a router that you can add DD-WRT/tomato to or build your own PC.

Software answer:
OS = OpenBSD
VPN = OpenVPN

BUT you are not asking the right questions.
VPN's only work when 2 ends connect. So what VPN server/client will the other end of your connection use? What are you actually trying to do? Does your work have a fat-connection that they will let you use? Are you planning on paying for VPN service from a 3rd party? Do you want to create a VPN between your home and your laptop while you travel?

If you want to build yourself a solid, dependable, 'solution' follow this guide:

http://www.bsdnow.tv/tutorials...

Which pairs taste good?
        A: adenosine
        C: cytosine
        G: guanine
        T: thymine

Tastes better to who?

Have there been any studies correlating MRI's to better memory?

And/or everybody gets an MRI as part part of your 'getting older checkups' like a colonoscapy?

I had a brain tumour, and lobectomy to remove it. my memory is kinda crappy (except for things that I deem are *VERY* important (like wifes birthday).

I want something to fix me!

MOO2
Civ2 - Call to power
Descent
NeverWinterNights 2
Tribes (I & II)
Seawolf
MechWarrior
Dark Reign

I see that nobody has asked the really important question.

How do they taste?

If you read between the lines the real truth reveals itself.

North America can no longer be considered a 1st world. We are 2nd word and quickly heading towards 3rd-world status.

This is what Eisenhower warned us about.

Bamboo.

Hard - check
Pretty - check (beauty..eye..beholder..blah)
sustainable - check
inexpensive - check

Since I have have started seriously working on BSD systems I have enjoyed the simplicity/straight-forwardness of it's configuration setup. The only thing that keeps me from switching to OpenBSD for all my servers: apt-get dist-upgrade

I have only been bitten in the ass once by this (15'ish years ago), and it makes keeping the system updated so easy.