In researching Exploding The Phone I spammed various federal agencies with hundreds of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The FBI bore the brunt of my requests since I figured they were the agency that had the most info on phone phreaks. According to my tracking spreadsheet I sent them about 400 requests over the course of four or five years.
Recently Jason Smathers of Muckrock filed his own FOIA request to the FBI, asking them for a copy of their "vexsome filer list" (vexsome: adj., tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry [1]).
They sent him a copy. I'm on it:
You can see the details on his request and the FBI's response over on Muckrock's web site.
I note that there is something vexsomly and recursively delightful about filing a vexsome request for a list of vexsome requesters. :-)
[1] Although I'm thinking it should probably technically be "vexatious", not "vexsome."
Phil, I just wanted to say that I greatly enjoyed the book. It was so thoroughly researched, and yet still so readable. I found it hard to put down.
Anyway, I'm glad you now have the "vexsome" badge of honor.
Posted by: Josh Renaud | September 23, 2013 at 02:33 PM
Thanks, Josh!
Posted by: Phil Lapsley | September 23, 2013 at 02:45 PM
"I note that there is something vexsomly and recursively delightful about filing a vexsome request for a list of vexsome requesters. :-)"
Heh! How very "oroborosian."
(Is that even a word?)
8^}
---Dr. Schaefer
Posted by: D | September 26, 2013 at 10:02 PM