The MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour, a PBS television show (for you non-U.S. residents), has a good report tonight on the black market in Russia. Mostly an emphasis on the "shuttle traders" who take chartered flights down to Dubai and stock up on massive amounts of stuff to sell back in Moscow. (An inefficient system, compared to the systems of shippping and mega-malls we have, but encouraging to see.) The traders then pay off customs inspectors, etc. Apparently Russians are doing better than official stats would indicate, similar to the way Italians are much wealthier than tax stats would suggest. I was heartened to see this report. All Cypherpunks, of course, are encouraged to see thriving black markets (or markets of color, to be politically correct about it). --Tim May -- .......................................................................... 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: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."