I remember using these big bulky masks, with the face plate and the plastic eye shields, is there something a little less, in your face, pardon the pun?
Despite the fact that it is illegal in most states to remove cat converters. Yes, you can do it to get a bit deeper tone but not by much.
NO. the heat that is blown out of the heat supply vent is not adequate to start a fire. However, make sure that blankets and other objects inclduing furniture do not cover or block the return air vents. They are necessary to adequately heat/cool your house.
If you like your job, and you want to keep your job, trust me when I tell you that it's not worth it. When companies block certain sites, they can tell when someone enters through a proxy. The main server gets alerted to the fact that someone is on and it point them directly to you. There is a chance that your IT department is too busy and may not take action, but every once in a while, the department head will do a sweep to see activity and you can get fired. How do I know this? My husband is an IT director and when the company gets the urge, they ask him for the list and people do loose their jobs. Don't do it!