Nutella,
I also have to listen to the Fantasy Footbal crowd go on and on at the workplace (travel oriented anyway)...as long as that goes on, I am safe...oops, here comes my boss, gotta go....

orangetravelcat: Would you please let me know the name of the software program your employer uses for blocking access? I need to implement that where I work. Thank You!

Fodors has been unblocked. But foodtv and martha stewart are blocked. Go figure.

Yes, but won't the revenge be all the sweeter when you roll up at work in that brand new Mercedes you bought in Germany! You'll show those corporate lugheads who's boss!

Hey there Orange travel cat!! What a bunch of pontificating puritans are responding to you. Our employers expect us to take abuse, why should they complain when we abuse our internet privileges? For every minute I lay awake at night trying to figure out how to overcome management incompetence in order to do my job properly, I get two minutes of free internet time. I found I could access the internet without going thru the server - so, no checks, no problems. I don't work for that second-rate organization any long - the federal government.

The law firm where I work has a netwatcher program, where management can check periodically to see how we're using the internet. In the past, we've occasionally received a group scolding, and once or twice they've threatened to remove web access except for e-mail, with one designated work station for work-related internet access, which would be impossible for me, because I've become so dependent on the internet for all types of work-related research.

I really can't fault them for not wanting their employees to p__s away their time surfing. For myself, I know it's not appropriate or honest to be paid when I'm not contributing productive time.

Do the people who spend time on Fodors at work not have computers at home? I have enough to do at work that time I would spend on Fodors is time taken away from projects that need my attention, and I would feel too guilty to be able to focus. Others who are fortunate enough to have a great deal of free time available at work for personal interests, good for you! For myself, I know that I work hard enough that my employers will accept an occasional personal foray onto the net, but I try to keep it to a minimum.

I know that people at my office have our internet access clogged with chain-mail jokes and junk e-mail they should be directing to their home internet sites. it's not appropriate at work.