-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Here's a couple of interesting things; MARKEY ASKS ABOUT LINKING SCHOOLS TO INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) today asked the largest local telephone companies and cable companies for information on their plans to connect schools to the information superhighway. In a three-page letter, the chairman of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee asked the 10 largest local telephone companies and the 10 largest cable companies to answer his questions by January 7. "We would be negligent if we did not provide learning links off the information superhighway to schools and classrooms in this country," Markey said. "We must make sure that in the information age, every school has the technology it needs to provide students with the skills necessary to participate in a knowledge-based economy," Markey added. He asked the companies to provide information about plans to provide advanced telecommunications services to schools and classrooms in their service territories, and whether they oppose providing digital telecommunications links free of charge. Government policies that created a telecommunications network that provides universally available, affordable telephone service "wasn't simply good social policy -- it was good economic policy as well," Markey said. He also pointed out that historically, cable companies have not had universal service obligations. He said he believes that at some point, cable companies "should be called upon not only to participate in the economic opportunities presented by the information superhighway, but also share in the responsibilities attendant to providing critical links in the nation's communications infrastructure." Sure, Free service for everyone, why not? This guy is such a Bozo. Lets not forget the FBI. FBI DIRECTOR CALLS FOR NEW WIRETAP LEGISLATION FBI Director Louis J. Freeh has called for new wiretap legislation to ensure telephone companies provide law enforcement with access to digital technology. Freeh, who was appointed director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) by President Clinton three months ago, said court-authorized wiretapping has been used effectively against many criminal groups in the past, but its continued use is threatened. Freeh spoke Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. "Telephone digital technology has advanced in such a way that criminals may soon be able to avoid law enforcement detection simply by using the telephone," he said. New legislation is needed to protect national security and keep up with criminals, because without it, "one can reasonably predict that in the near future, a major terrorist or criminal act will occur involving substantial loss of life, such a tragedy that we could not prevent because we could not learn critical information through electronic surveillance," Freeh said. The FBI tried in the previous Congress to have legislation introduced, but could not find a sponsor. When the FBI was created in 1908, Freeh said there were just a few federal laws to be enforced. Over the years, Congress has made the FBI responsible for investigating many more crimes, which could overwhelm the limited resources of federal law enforcement agencies, he said. The FBI is setting priorities so it can have the greatest impact on the major crime problems confronting the country, Freeh said. Brian Williams Extropian Cypherpatriot " A man without religion is like a fish without a bicycle" -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.3a iQCVAgUBLRhfsNCcBnAsu2t1AQHTBwQAmY8axcuKeOVCNO+BTxpT3KgbXSJvh5fM QwAUW/6ZVZseAml2LltrgOWhBXJyUS8JkrwKm8TBd+qTf08Jf/bod+AJQbereFvR 1dJrTTNJza6a71aDJVIuKvMdUEQlEdn6j4z/Mv0v9s6EujPbZVnZg4YHxgc4Lv8P O1gUvPQkeHU= =SjOk -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----