I am reading "Where Wizards Stay Up Late", a book that tracks the Origins of the Internet from ARPAnet. A key step in the development of the Internet was the IMP (Interface Message Processors) Project floated by ARPA. The company that won the contract to develop the processors was Massachusetts based BBN.

That brings to one of my favorite bits from the book:

When news reached Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy's office just before Christmas that a million-dollar ARPA contract had been awarded to some local boys, Kennedy sent a telegram thanking BBN for its ecumenical efforts and congratulating the compan on its contract to build the "Interfaith Message Processor"

:)

