In fact that too is just a screen; for what exactly, I haven't been
able to determine, nor has anyone else in most cases. Careful parsing
of the headers of all these junk mails -- copies of which by the way
should be sent (with headers) to the special UCE (Unsolicited
Commercial E-mail) databank at
FTC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
shows that fully 90% of these messages, purporting to want to sell
you mortgages, Viagra, etc., are generated in China, Nigeria, Brazil
-- to name the worst offenders -- and other places which could not
practically sell you such things anyway.
There are a number of very active Web- and e-mail-based forums that
discuss all this stuff. My own tentative personal opinion is that
much of it seeks to destroy the actual fabric of the Net, and is
undertaken by entities that have an interest in doing so. Some
barrages very likely conceal more specific threats. The whole thing
is a matter of high concern to those involved in national security
and the war; a websearch for "steganography" is very informative.
--
Bill Thayer
41N53 87W38
col cuore a
42N59.5 12E42.4 alt.313m
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/I/home.html
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