Cyphertentacles: Maybe I missed something here, but I thought what the original writer was implying was that Perry Metzger may indeed be a real human being, but that he was actually working as a *double agent* for Detweiler. That is one of the connotations of the word "tentacle" that Detweiler loves to toss around. I think there is a plausible case for this. Remember, just because you see mail coming from perry@imsi.com doesn't mean that the "Perry Metzger" you met in person actually wrote it. It is possible that Detweiler and Metzger are both posting from that account. In fact, looking at the text styles, it seems reasonable. Sometimes Perry writes some very interesting posts related to cryptography, stock trading and other subjects. But in other cases he just rants in a few terse lines, particularly when Detweiler is the subject. Maybe the "orders" to Perry from Detweiler are to "improve your reputation on the list as much as possible". In the meantime, Detweiler is occasionally using the same account to instigate dissension. Haven't you ever noticed an eerie, strange, sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde personality to what comes out of that account at times? Almost to the point of wondering if the same knowledgable person would spew such fervent vitriol? But anyway, I think all of this is plausible enough that Perry should broadcast a denial to everyone on the list again, just to assuage anyone's unconscious fears of secret conspiracies all around them in cyberspace. Heh. These conspiracy theories are kind of fun to imagine. Maybe on the other hand EVERYONE on this list is a tentacle of Detweiler, and YOU are the only one who doesn't realize it. Hee, hee. By the way, I found some records of another person posting from Denver at Netcom that seems to match Detweiler's patterns. It's pretty obvious when you look at the records. I'll let you figure it out for the fun of it. <g> When Detweiler is dead, you won't be seeing me at his funeral. Although you might catch me dancing on his grave.