...

Notice the words "criminal investigations"? God forbid talent could actually be used for a good cause. The incidents in question were actually quite serious (Chinese mafia money laundering via phony real estate deals) and not at all like the porno bbs confiscation crap you'd be thinking of. And what is morally wrong with "money laundering"? Seems to me a person's money is his to do with it as he pleases...it's only governments that call some actions "money laundering." Just as they call some speech "information laundering." I personally dont see money laundering as a "bad" thing, but fraud definitely is. What you do with your money is your business as long as you dont hurt someone else. This was not the case. (IMHO)

And do you think your "Digital Society" notion (which we've seen many times before, usually involving floating, offshore entities) will somehow not attract or involve "Chinese mafia money launderers"? I'm sure it will.

Do you plan to implement key escrow so you can monitor what your residents are doing with each other? Do you plan to become a floating police state so as to stop this evil "money laundering"? Hell no, I personally do not think it would not be practical, moral or cost-effective to use key-escrow methods. Key escrow empowers governments, not individuals - at the cost of the individuals right to privacy.

I don't think you've quite grasped the significance of strong crypto and cyberspace. has anyone?

(For starters, an intentional community in cyberspace, situated in no particular country, and backed by strong crypto, digital escrow systems (real escrow, of course), reputation systems, etc. is a far better place to do business of certain sorts than is "Jalon'sWorld.") Then why doesn't someone do it? Like I said we have to start somewhere.

I suspect that Guy is right, that your "Digital Society" shtick is just the latest in your long series of "new businesses" started in many places in the country.

Well it definitely is the latest and it definitely is one of many, so your suspicions are correct. BTW, The Digital Society Group has been selected to deploy the entire Digital Society Package within the new Agulhas Bay Free Zone in the People's Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. I'd advise a look at the new content on the Digital Society website. :) Jalon --------------------------------------------------------------- Jalon Q. Zimmerman, Director The Digital Society Group A division of Openworld, Inc. http://www.openworld.com/ jalonz@openworld.com --------------------------------------------------------------- The government is not your mommy. ---------------------------------------------------------------