[Web4lib] Fwd: [CIRCPLUS] Student admits he lied about Mao bo ok

[Dan Lester]

Tuesday, December 27, 2005, 8:00:19 AM, you wrote:

PFA> How would the library know? That is what made the story so plausible. The
PFA> backbone of the Internet was ARPANET, owned by US military. It does not
PFA> seem improbable that there might be ways for various units of the US 
PFA> government to observe aspects of Internet traffic that attract their 
PFA> attention.

Could traffic be monitored?  Sure.  Is it likely that all, or ANY
routine traffic is monitored?  Not likely.  If they were so upset
about the Chinese edition of the Little Red Book, why wouldn't they go
after the libraries that OWN it?

Also, the possibility of any agency monitoring ALL internet traffic is
absurd.  Even with automated techniques it would be impossible.  I've
used words like "bomb" and "Iraq" and "911" and "terrorist" in many
messages...and no one has come after me.  And now I said "little red
book" so maybe my file will get thicker?

PFA> With ILL processes so dependent on the Internet these days,
PFA> what was described may be possible, whether or not it has actually ever
PFA> happened.

Yes, possible is one thing....but there were just WAAAY too many holes
in the story to be plausible...just as there are too many holes in all
the spams that will make you rich if you send some money off to
[country of your choice]

-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  Fair is whatever God decides to do.