Other postings on this list have noted that over half of the Internet traffic (at least on the Web) is porn. Perhaps offers a new angle for the Human Resources staff of NSA a new recruiting angle, i.e. "Look at naughty pictures all day AND GET PAID!!!!" At least it would offer the Starr staff steady employment after the Clinton investigation is over... ;-) (Opinions are my own, not of my employer) Bill Goldstein Senior Internet Specialist AT&T wgoldstein@att.com TEL:(412)642-7288 ---------- From: bjames Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 1998 7:39 PM To: nanog Cc: bjames Subject: It's 1998; do you know where your packets are? This isn't entirely operational in nature, but if true does somewhat have an impact on what we are operating. You can find the entire text at www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/15295.html but here are a few snippets to give you an idea of what it's about. "In October, Europe's governing body will commission a full report into the workings of Echelon, a global network of highly sensitive listening posts operated in part by America's most clandestine intelligence organization, the National Security Agency. " "Echelon is reportedly able to intercept, record, and translate any electronic communication -- telephone, data, cellular, fax, email, telex -- sent anywhere in the world. " "Echelon intercepts Internet traffic at the transport layer, such as the TCP/IP layer, so the system doesn't care too much what it is or where it came from," said Pike. "For analog traffic, such as telephone conversations, it uses automatic voice-recognition technology to scan the conversations." Seems far fetched (but not *that* far), but worth a read. Barry --- Barry L James \ \ I have known them all already, known them all. Mendicant \ \ I have known the mornings, evenings, afternoons. www.terraware.net \ \ I have measured my life with coffee spoons. blj@terraware.net ____/ \________________________ T.S. Eliot <<File: It's 1998; do you know where your packets are_.TXT>>