The horror of this fact is a tweaky bit redeemed, though, by the additional fact I also share it with Bob Marley!

I wrote a long article for Flatland once on how to use the FOIPA and it’s reprinted in my current book, Parapolitics, for those who want to use it but don’t know where to start.

I’ve had tremendous success getting new prison files released on Wilhelm Reich and I still get an occasional box of files on Tim Leary. One came in thye mail with “TOP SECRET” stamped all over it. I figured that was some joker at the FBI.

Somehow I just don’t think these agencies regularly flag “top secret” releases in the mail like that any more than they post their real secret files on a web site.

Also, John Judge’s group, COPA, is pushing a new “JFK Act” which would help define assassination records in a way that would grant public access to a wider array of files. So don’t think the JFK effort is exhausted just yet. In fact, my congressman happens to be the head of the NARA committee overseeing this!

Kenn Thomas

Very cool re the birthday connection!

That’s interesting re the black ink and reminds me of a semi-related issue: namely that on several occasions I’ve found examples where someone’s name has been deleted from the FBI’s FOIA files, but where the FBI have overlooked deleting all the references to the relevant name, and the censor missed them by mistake.

Also, a fellow researcher has discovered something interesting about the Parsons FBI files, that everyone else has apparently overlooked, this having to do with a method of seeing through the black ink. I’ll fill ya in, later.

Looking at some of the files that surfaced in the late 70s and 80s, it almost looks like the Government was the sole purchaser of black-marker pens. They certainly cornered the market in using the things!