If I didn't like my co-workers as well as I do, I'd be printing this out and leaving it anonymously in their mail slots.

hee hee. yeah - great minds, eh
(how did i miss that?)

No problem, mona. I miss my share of them too.

When I helped out with tech support at a telecom company, all conversations started like this.

"ok, Mr Z, are you at your computer?"

"no"

"Well, I can't find out why your internet is not working if you are not by your computer".

If yes, then the conversation went like this:

"Is your monitor on?"
"I don't know"
"Is the light green and can you see your desktop?"
"I don't see a light and my desktop is covered by my computer and papers".
"ok, is your computer plugged into the wall? can you follow the cord from the back of your computer to the wall?"

70% of all "internet" connection problems were computer being turned off (or unplugged).

Our educational system wins again!

I just went through this with my internet provider....took forever, was transferred about 5 times...finally called my brother, he fixed the problem in about 10 minutes....maybe he should get a job doing tech work!

Sounds like your brother is too efficient to survive in big corporate US!