From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 09:10:03 +0800
To: cypherpunks@einstein.ssz.com (Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer)
Subject: Re: What's up with algebra.com? (fwd)
Message-ID: <199810190102.UAA04158@einstein.ssz.com>
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Forwarded message:

> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 19:44:37 -0400
> From: John Young <jya@pipeline.com>
> Subject: Re: What's up with algebra.com?

> What with the Feds now going after CJ for attempted
> murder of federal officials (film ad overkill!), Jeff Gordon 
> soliciting cypherpunk subscribers to flesh that fancy, 
> and one CDR operator flattered with a subpoena, it'd be 
> prudent to have a way to check on whether a CDR node 
> has been taken down or turned, and the operator hogtied 
> with the system as evidence (or forced to run a sting to 
> gather it), before a clamp's put on telling what's going on.

If anybody figures out a way to achieve such security I'd like to know.

As far as I know the only way to keep a box up is to be sure that there are
'works in progress' from users who are not directly involved in the
operation of the system. They are eligible for $1000/day each day they are
deprived of access without a warrant. If they are completely uninvolved it
*might* make a magistrate hesitate about generating a warrant.

As to my subpoena, it looks like I *may* have to do nothing more than sign an
affadavit saying that I didn't participate or discuss the above mentioned
issues with CJ when he was in Austin. I should know more later in the week.
I did find out that the reason they picked me was that when CJ was arrested
he happened to be carrying a copy of the post I did several months ago in
responce to a question regarding destroying floppy drives and computers
using a floppy disk. Apparently they thought I might be some sort of
mad-bomb designer or something. I have to assume that since I wasn't
arrested at the first interview they figured I was reasonably harmless
concerning assaults of the person or helping CJ in a material way.

As to there being wiretaps and permanent LEA monitors on the list, you betcha.

> May be too late, too late.

Sigh.

> Recall it's a major offense for revealing placement of a 
> wiretap, surveillance or a covert investigation -- especially 
> if you're assisting, willingly or unwillingly.

They can take SSZ down or run it themselves (hope they got somebody that
knows Linux 1.1.59 cause otherwise they won't be running it for long) but I
won't participate in entrapment. And I suspect, though I don't know, that my
arrest and lack of interaction with other users would set off flairs pretty
quickly in that case. How long it might take to percolate back to Cypherpunks
I don't have a clue.

One major aspect of all this that I have found particularly unsettling is
that I really don't have family or anybody for support. I think about the
only thing worse than imagining oneself sitting in a jail with no hope of
visitors, letters, etc. is a funeral with nobody there but the preacher.

On a related issue, I have found it somewhat amusing that all the Austin
Cpunks have scattered like a covey of quail. Only one of them even offered
to help (Muchas gracias for the lawyer referals!). I had one person call and
make sure that I knew they weren't at the meeting CJ attended. I'm seriously
considering dropping sponsorship of the local group (and I sure as hell won't
stop to help fix a flat now).

> Consider that there are 118,000 federal prisoners. That's a very 

That means there are over 900,000 state, country, and municipal prisoners
since there are over 1M in jail today. 

For a democracy that's incredibly damning. Legalize consenual crimes!


    ____________________________________________________________________
 
       To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.

                                                     Confucius

       The Armadillo Group       ,::////;::-.          James Choate
       Austin, Tx               /:'///// ``::>/|/      ravage@ssz.com
       www.ssz.com            .',  ||||    `/( e\      512-451-7087
                           -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'-
    --------------------------------------------------------------------

ps not crypto related but if you're a science book hound, check out:

Elementary Mechanics of Fluids
H. Rouse
ISBN 0-486-63699-2 (Dover)
$11.95

Physics by example: 200 problems and solutions
WG Rees
ISBN 0-521-44975-8
$? (I bought my copy used)