You may be interested in this recent attempt to create a bogus newsgroup, especially if you've been following recent discussion in sci.crypt. Regards, Mark. According to news@dis.demon.co.uk....

From dis.demon.co.uk!news Fri Jan 15 00:38:27 1993 To: usenet@dis.demon.co.uk Subject: /usr/lib/newsbin/ctl/newgroup: `news@math.fu-berlin.de (Math Department)' tried Date: Fri, 15 Jan 93 0:33:57 GMT From: news@dis.demon.co.uk Sender: news@dis.demon.co.uk Message-ID: <9301150033.aa12907@dis.demon.co.uk>

/usr/lib/newsbin/ctl/newgroup: `news@math.fu-berlin.de (Math Department)' tried to create newsgroup `alt.fan.david-sternlight'. Request was refused: component exceeds 14 characters. === Control: newgroup alt.fan.david-sternlight Newsgroups: alt.fan.david-sternlight.ctl,control Path: demon!pipex!bnr.co.uk!bnrgate!nott!torn!spool.mu.edu!yale.edu!ira.uka.de!math.fu-berlin.de!lkdfjilu!sternlight.com!nobody From: dsfc@sternlight.org Subject: newgroup alt.fan.david-sternlight Message-ID: <rezalevabgib12370@sternlight.org> Sender: news@math.fu-berlin.de (Math Department) Organization: J. Random Site Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 20:14:32 GMT Approved: news Lines: 21

one mo' time...

For your newsgroups file: alt.fan.david-sternlight David Sternlight, sci.crypt crusader

This group is designed for the praise of the wit and wisdom of our leader, David Sternlight, the man battling the evil use of cryptography wherever it may lie.

The group is being created entirely for the use of the David Sternlight Fanclub, which holds the patent on this newsgroup and would be forced to sue if anyone else tried to use it. Indeed, we would be disgusted by the implicit lack of respect for intellectual property. Also, this newsgroup may not be imported or exported from any eastern block country in contravention of the ITARs.

Thank you,

The David Sternlight Fanclub ===

-- /\/\ark Turner Demon Systems / Demon Internet Office: mark@demon.co.uk (+44 81 349 0063) 42 Hendon Lane, London Home: mt@kram.org (+44 831 823 212) N3 1TT, England ------------------ PGP version 2.0 Public Key available ------------------- *** IP level dial-up connectivity to the Internet for a tenner a month! ***