Fifteen Minutes: As Follows: E-Infiltration

Though most students attend MIT's summertime Research Science Institute (RSI) to expand their theoretical knowledge in one of many fields, gain an appreciation of real-life scientific research procedures and enjoy the companionship of those with similar interests, one side benefit is that the program occasionally inspires funny-sounding e-mail messages from a place apparently named "Johore," a region in Malaysia. At least this is what first-year Altay Guvench found out after he attended RSI two summers ago. Shortly before presenting a final report on his activities at MIT's Lincoln Laboratories, a military research lab, Guvench was informed that his project on submarine communication was not exempt from the lab's six-to-eight week clearance procedure. But somehow a summary of his report was posted on RSI's Web site, rendering his research available to everyone. Including Malaysian mysteriosos, who wrote to Guvench as follows:

REAL NAME: Mansur Shah

SUBJECT: Send Me Information about Submarine Communication

MESSAGE:

Hello, Altay,

My name is Mansur Shah and I went to RSI in '__. I'm currently in High School Student.

Your abstract sounded interesting to me...

Please send a hard-copy of your paper to

Mansur Shah Bin Salleh

No.32 Jln. Timah 6,

Taman Sri Putri,

81300 Skudai,

Johore.

REALNAME: Melih V]D]NL]

SUBJECT: X-Band Terminals

MESSAGE:

Dear Altay,

We are seeking X-Band satellite terminals for

shipbornes,submarines,airbornes and man-pack .

Please inform us if you have knowlage about this subject.

Company Name:Global High-Tech Limited

Telephone:90-312-4662750

Fax: 90-312-4660645

E-mail: globalh@usa.net

Mansur and Melih ignored FM's requests for comment. The University's most brilliant scientists are as of yet unsure of the nature of the "man-pack."