A proper BOFH will not touch customer records or private data even with a double length cattleprod. This is the same as peeking around the user $HOME.

It is a matter of personal pride, the unwritten codex of the industry and the clear understanding that if you get caught it will be your last job. And the proper BOFH _knows_ what is logged and audited in a system so he knows that he will be caught.

Now the people from the helldesk..., the kind of quzi-bofh wannabies created by MSCE course or quazi-BOFH developers... That is a completely different story.

Which reminds me, Bill, you just dared to put the helldesk wannabies in one category with the BOFH. rm -rf ~billray/ seems to me coming unless the user billray is willing to read the man page for luser and execute it with an appropriate value of the -g flag. At least -g 1 for first instance. Repeat offence will require -g 4.

And why would I trust the police with that information?

Oh really?

Where did the leap of faith that I don't mind plod looking at my phone records come from? Not with out a court order, due process and legitimate cause.

Oh - I suppose because I want some privacy I must be a terrorist, hence by definition if I don't want the Police to look at my phone records, they have the right to do so. Hold on, I hear a knock at the door, be back .....

You think the police don't have a 'BOFH and his mates'? At least the phone companies have the data for quasi-legit reasons (billing etc.). Why do the police need details of calls made by innocent people?

Not any more under the Postal Services Act 2000 it's now 6 months to 2 years depending on what you did.

I think the last hanging in the books was taken out in 1999? And that was for piracy or treason. But I think in the Channel Isle or Isle of Man you can still be hung for capital murder? Dunno, it's Friday and late!

Mind you would be quality to see some n00b in the docks be told by the beak "...as you have been found guilty and by the power invested in me you will be taken from this place and hung by the neck until you are dead..." (Live Sky Sports 1 and HD Sat 2PM ....)

"flip phone" That's all that was said of the device in the Verizon Wireless press release.

they have now been fired! see here >>>>>>> hxxp://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081121-verizon-employees-suspended-after-peeping-obama-cell-records.html