.gnupg questions

[Folk Theory]

I have a few questions:
1) if I leave ~/.gnupg/ unencrypted...then wouldn't anyone [with physical access] be able to get my private key, thus rendering this whole encryption useless?
2) if I do encrypt it, would I be able to decrypt it, given that my private key itself is encrypted?

3) what is the difference between just encrypt and "encrypt and sign" is just encrypting not enough for all cases?? (i am refering here to the FireGPG plugin here, which includes this two options as well as just sign)

Thanks in advance,

FT

[munishvit]

If someone gets your private key file, he need to know you passphrase too to do something out of your private keys.
I don't know what do u mean by encrypting ~/.gnupg, as far as I know its already alwasy encrypted.
Digital signatures are combined with encryption to provide a more secure level of transmission. If somebody is able to make changes to your encrypted message, the receiver will come to know.

[Folk Theory]

thank you very much, it makes sense now. wouldn't it be obvious if they tampered with encrypted data? (i.e. it would be gibberish after decryption)?

an unrelated question: why is privoxy necessary when using tor? what does it provide that tor doesn't?

[munishvit]

sorry, no idea