Lurking Cypherpunks, My message earlier today on a scenario for the banning of cash led to about 10 responses mailed to me in private e-mail. Typical is the following (the author has been deleted, as he chose not to post it to the list as a whole): "I'm interested. I was considering removing myself from the cyberpunks list, because the traffic/info. ratio is too high (low?).. I'm glad I didn't, because your message is the type of thing I joined the list to read. I don't suppose there somewhere where I can get a 'condensed version' of the cyberpunks list, or something similar? "I've heard a bit about "crypto anarchy" (only from cyberpunks mailing list), and i'm interested. What's the next step?" You folks out there ARE the list! If there's something you want discussed, go ahead and start a new thread. Raise some issues, stir up some shit. It seems from some of the messages I got today that people think they either have little to add to the discussion, or are fearful of the consequences of posting their comments to a list such as ours. About the former point, all I can say is that the best learning comes from arguing a position and learning to defend it. Merely _posting_ a message generates added interest and piquancy about the list, I've discovered. So consider this an invitation to the hundred or so folks who have yet to post on this list! For those who are paranoid, well, chances are They already know who you are. They have files on you. Remember this, * It is not illegal to advocate violence. AND * it is not illegal to advocate the overthrow of the government. HOWEVER, * it _is_ illegal to advocate the overthrow of the government by violent means. If you stay away from this last item, you're relatively safe. (Even advocating drug use has not seemed to have much effect on the posters on alt.drugs.) In any case, the work being done by Eric Hughes, Hal Finney, and others, should give us fully anonymous posting capabilitites in the near future. Even with digital pseudonyms! (Check out the postings of "Cassandra" and "Pollyanna" for starters.) If the socioeconomic aspects of crypto anarchy interest you more than, say, discussions of random number generators, then clearly you should _post_ on those topics! And if all you have are _questions_, then by all means ask them! Those of us who post frequently on this list cannot try to anticipate your questions and concerns. I've been spouting this stuff for years and they haven't taken me away yet, nor have they [TRANSMISSION HALTED BY ORDER OF THE CRYPTO AUTHORITY] -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^756839 | PGP Public Key: by arrangement.