I suggest that neither gleefull hand-rubbing nor "obvious" pronouncements based on partial knowledge about the real situation will seem quite so appropriate when it's *your* turn to be downfield from the launcher.

Don't forget 500 year floods that happen twice in a couple of years, e.g. the midwest. Or the occasional bombing, e.g. our New York City POP is in Hackensack, NJ now, the MIDNET router in Oklahoma City is in a landfill now. An Internet connection is pretty far down on the list of important things in a real disaster. Stuff happens. No one can predict or plan for everything. But you can have procedures in place to combat the biggest problem in diasasters, poor communication. Partial knowledge about the real situation happens when the real information isn't made available. Techies sometimes get too wrapped up in the hardware, redudant fiber, generators, bomb-resistant shelters; and forget about keeping people informed. It also works to your advantage to keep people informed. They tend to be more understanding, and willing to give you time when they know the situation, and that you are dealing with it. But you only get one free pass. Non-statement statements tend to fan the flames. I think I've said all this before. BBNplanet is better than many ISPs, once you find out the ticket number. -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation