December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

The Purpose of the List
by Blanc Weber 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

If the cpunk list discusses only crypto, then mathematician-programmers will do their cold work in an isolation which eliminates the need to think about the consequences of their actions. So discussions on philosophy, society, etc., are important, to remind everyone of the context within which this subject operates. However, if "community feeling" is the only thing created on the list, and crypto is no longer the focal topic, then what is to be accomplished: the list will become just a playing ground for wayward KOTM PhDs who are not welcome in most other cyberspaces. So the question of "how will this impact society", must maintain association with "but how does this relate to crypto?". (unless the list has changed its stripes, evolving into something completely different, which many will agree it has). .. Blanc

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Seismic Crypto
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

In a NYT report today on a "mysterious" blast in the Australian outback in 1993, there's mention of "seismic weapons" and research on them by Nicholas Tesla in the 1930s. Would any of our weapons connoisseurs have more info on what these are and how they were supposed to work? Electrical, chemical, nuclear? That Aussie blast has still not been identified except that it was something in the nuclear weapon, earthquake or meteorite range. The Arum sect, which owned 500,000 acres in the viciniity, was a suspect for a while but later cleared, although it was looking into seismic weapons. Will send the story: WHA_the Or read it at www.nytimes.com

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The Purpose of the List
by Blanc Weber 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

If the cpunk list discusses only crypto, then mathematician-programmers will do their cold work in an isolation which eliminates the need to think about the consequences of their actions. So discussions on philosophy, society, etc., are important, to remind everyone of the context within which this subject operates. However, if "community feeling" is the only thing created on the list, and crypto is no longer the focal topic, then what is to be accomplished: the list will become just a playing ground for wayward KOTM PhDs who are not welcome in most other cyberspaces. So the question of "how will this impact society", must maintain association with "but how does this relate to crypto?". (unless the list has changed its stripes, evolving into something completely different, which many will agree it has). .. Blanc

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FBI Gets 500 Mil to Tap Your Communications
by Ross Wright 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

||| FBI moderates its communications-surveillance request ||| TBTF for 5/4/95 [6] In 1995 the FBI asked for and was granted $500 million to augment the government's ability to tap communications (of this total $100M has been released to the FBI so far). Privacy advocates expressed outrage at the FBI's stated capacity goal: to be able to listen in on 1% of installed telephone lines at any time. This translates to about 1.6 million taps simultaneous of all kinds: pen registers, trap-and-trace, and wiretaps. The FBI withdrew its initial proposal under fire and on 1/14 submitted a revised proposal -- press release at [7], analysis at [8]. Unlike the earlier draft, this essay lays out its assumptions and straightforwardly projects needed capacity growth. The result is a capacity figure of fewer than 60,000 intercepts, less that 4% of the original request. This level of capability would allow the FBI simultaneously to monitor more than 500 phone lines in an area with the population of Manhatta still an enormous increase on historical numbers of intercepts. [6] <http://www.tbtf.com/archive/05-04-95.html> [7] <http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/tele/telephon.htm> [8] <http://www.cdt.org/publications/pp_3.01.html> Fuck the FBI. Ross =-=-=-=-=-=- Ross Wright King Media: Bulk Sales of Software Media and Duplication Services http://www.slip.net/~cdr/kingmedia Voice: 415-206-9906

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Nikola Tesla
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Forwarded message: > Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 22:39:48 -0500 > From: John Young <jya(a)pipeline.com> > Subject: Seismic Crypto > > In a NYT report today on a "mysterious" blast in the > Australian outback in 1993, there's mention of "seismic > weapons" and research on them by Nicholas Tesla > in the 1930s. First, it's Nikola Tesla. At least do the man the honor of getting his name correct (he is a personal hero of mine), I mean he ONLY invented the AC power system we use today, the first commercial power generation plant at Niagra Falls in the world, the first torpedo which he sold to the Russians because the USN was too stupid to buy it, radio, remote control via radio, wireless power transmission, etc... Second, there is a LOT of hogwash attributed to Nikola which he in actuality never worked on (ie death rays, flying saucers to the interior of the Earth, etc.). If you would like to learn more about him then check out "The Writings and Inventions of Nikola Tesla", it was proofed by him prior to its publication. You will also find in most bookstores a copy of all his American patents in "The Collected Patents of Nikola Tesla". I apologize for not providing ISBN's but my copies are 30 miles away in my shop being used to build Tesla Coils. I would strongly suggest avoiding the Tesla Society as it is, in my opinion, populated by a bunch of UFO and conspiracy crazies (though a small percentage of their articles are useable). His work on 'artificial earthquakes' dealt with his studies on mechanical coupling between tuned oscillators. He was finaly 'asked' to leave because he would get 4-5 square block areas of New York rocking, much to the chagrin of the residents, by coupling pile-driver like oscillators to the building he lived in. Jim Choate CyberTects ravage(a)ssz.com

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North American crypto site -- correction
by Michael Paul Johnson 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Correction: the "front door" to the North American crypto site is http://www.sni.net/~mpj/usa/getcrypt.htm (the /usa was missing in in an earlier post) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 4.0 Personal Edition iQEVAgUBMuWW/W+Iqt/O4EnZAQHnSAgAmMNA1UcEsd8wTkLz50ayj16t8SCFnfLs y86ZwxUd0aD7PoyMwGXbr2KkY9E9/I+CQAf9P56DbxDSCWWPzZA0Tydy0Zb+yeH1 +hIoFYMJbWi4nj34B1OtiZeNW9QbWxqyD7CUu8gdaRncxM83tsFY9UAQd8+wyV3w IFyrT6MZj+WLNBh1IhzkKTSdJzNW1mool97hm2KHH/nVuSYtBiVixmeTXkyoB5NU NfesjceO9g0PrVl0jW7NE1kOCJteFI2AAEaAKVYLVYvgvEdGSUkO0DnAXzVFCGKv Eb7/Wk0S7YVEFgVfamxsHvu/PoofVnvXX92UtXPhcHmbobqANA/yfg== =2ZhX -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Jesus Christ is coming back with power and glory! Are you READY? mailto:mpj@csn.net Bible site-> http://www.sni.net/~mpj Is 40:31 BBS 303-772-1062 PGPprint=3E67A5800DFBD16A 6D52D3A91C074E41

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Encrypting ZIP drives?
by Lucky Green 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I am looking for a transparent (strong) encryption of ZIP drives. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, -- Lucky Green <mailto:shamrock@netcom.com> PGP encrypted mail preferred Make your mark in the history of mathematics. Use the spare cycles of your PC/PPC/UNIX box to help find a new prime. http://www.mersenne.org/prime.htm

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Encrypting ZIP drives?
by Lucky Green 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I am looking for a transparent (strong) encryption of ZIP drives. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, -- Lucky Green <mailto:shamrock@netcom.com> PGP encrypted mail preferred Make your mark in the history of mathematics. Use the spare cycles of your PC/PPC/UNIX box to help find a new prime. http://www.mersenne.org/prime.htm

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North American crypto site -- correction
by Michael Paul Johnson 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Correction: the "front door" to the North American crypto site is http://www.sni.net/~mpj/usa/getcrypt.htm (the /usa was missing in in an earlier post) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 4.0 Personal Edition iQEVAgUBMuWW/W+Iqt/O4EnZAQHnSAgAmMNA1UcEsd8wTkLz50ayj16t8SCFnfLs y86ZwxUd0aD7PoyMwGXbr2KkY9E9/I+CQAf9P56DbxDSCWWPzZA0Tydy0Zb+yeH1 +hIoFYMJbWi4nj34B1OtiZeNW9QbWxqyD7CUu8gdaRncxM83tsFY9UAQd8+wyV3w IFyrT6MZj+WLNBh1IhzkKTSdJzNW1mool97hm2KHH/nVuSYtBiVixmeTXkyoB5NU NfesjceO9g0PrVl0jW7NE1kOCJteFI2AAEaAKVYLVYvgvEdGSUkO0DnAXzVFCGKv Eb7/Wk0S7YVEFgVfamxsHvu/PoofVnvXX92UtXPhcHmbobqANA/yfg== =2ZhX -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Jesus Christ is coming back with power and glory! Are you READY? mailto:mpj@csn.net Bible site-> http://www.sni.net/~mpj Is 40:31 BBS 303-772-1062 PGPprint=3E67A5800DFBD16A 6D52D3A91C074E41

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Re: The Purpose of the List
by Dale Thorn 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Blanc Weber wrote: > If the cpunk list discusses only crypto, then mathematician-programmers > will do their cold work in an isolation which eliminates the need to > think about the consequences of their actions. > So discussions on philosophy, society, etc., are important, to remind > everyone of the context within which this subject operates. > However, if "community feeling" is the only thing created on the list, > and crypto is no longer the focal topic, then what is to be > accomplished: the list will become just a playing ground for wayward > KOTM PhDs who are not welcome in most other cyberspaces. > So the question of "how will this impact society", must maintain > association with "but how does this relate to crypto?". (unless the > list has changed its stripes, evolving into something completely > different, which many will agree it has). It can be said 100,000 times, but it still comes out the same: Just as in "The only cure for bad speech is more speech", "the only cure for 'list-focus-drift' is more on-focus postings".

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