[James A. Smith]

For those of you with an interest in what recommendations are being made
to American politicians right now, I came across the following document at
the Federation of American Scientists website:  "Countering the Changing
Threat of International Terrorism", Report of the National Commission on
Terrorism, Pursuant to Public Law 277, 105th Congress.  It's making the
rounds in defence circles right now...  I'm just starting to read it.

http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/commission.html

On a related note, after pulling out because they were essentially useless
to the search and rescue crews, a couple of robot teams are going back
into the "ground zero" or "the pile" (as the search and rescue teams call
it) site:

> the robots are heading back by invitation of nycfd and others to
> attempt to
> reach the location of the wtc security bunker.  they will be looking for
> survivors and to possibly locate/retrieve video tapes from the security
> system recorders to help determine who entered and left the building
prior
> to the collapse.
>
> both foster-miller and i-robot are sending teams.
>
> access to the security bunker is through several feet of diesel oil/water
> and rubble.
>
> i-robot has built and deployed a 600 foot tether which is spooled from
the
> robot. they are using standard commmercial grade sheathed fiber.
>
> more when the teams report back in.

-James