how to change default permissions assingment creating folder/files

[Vitorio Okio]

On Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:45:22 +0100, Mario Vukelic wrote:

> On Wed, 2008-01-16 at 01:33 +0000, Vitorio Okio wrote:
>> I would like to change this default behaviour and have permissions of a
>> new folder being set to 750 and of a new file to 640 instead.
>> 
>> Anyone can suggest how to do it?
> 
> You need the set the umask variable, see
> http://ubuntudemon.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/default-umask/

yes, but this would make it system wide.  while i would like this setting 
only for my home directory that sits in a separate ext3 partition.

if i do it system wide by changing umask the only way for me to be able 
to read system files without using sudo would be adding myself to group 
root.

being new to linux i'm not sure whether it is save adding myself to group 
root.

any suggestions, please?