There is no indication that the event is sponsored by the ARRL, and the entries are not sent to addresses having anything to do with the ARRL. As far as I can see, it's a news story about a new operating event. As I understand it, IRLP is not accessible to non-hams. I don't think we should be shaking in our shoes every time somebody beefs about a topic we cover that's not their cup of tea. If we avoided mentioning every subject that somebody thinks is dumb or somebody doesn't approve of, we'd have an awful lot of white space in QST and a very empty web site. If everything in ham radio that *somebody* hates were to be done away with, we'd all have to go take saxophone lessons or start breeding schnauzers. There wouldn't be any more ham radio. It's a free country. People who don't like the IRLP thing don't have to participate in it. IRLP and Echolink don't interest me one bit, personally, but so -- in the great cosmic scheme of things -- what? 73 - Kay N3KN