secure shell is such a handy thing!

If you are a linux user you probably have used a secure shell one time or the other. I always thought of ssh as that 'thing' I use to connect to mail servers and the like in my insti. Nothing much more. Only later I came to know through a friend that ssh facilitates http tunneling and acts as a SOCKS server.
For the less-interested, let it suffice you to know that this allows you to connect to machines that you are officially not permitted to;) I wont go into the specifics, lest I get into trouble:D

It also allows arbitrary TCP/IP port forwarding. And of course, its over secure channels, which is its primary purpose anyway. So go give the ssh man page a glance. Its worth it.