AB Thomas started posting these weekly reports many years ago as a service to the community to remind us all that posting to ietf@xxxxxxxx contributes to the information and work overload of the IETF community as a whole. The numbers are a reminder to think carefully about what you send to the list and to only send what you consider to be sufficiently important that the community as a whole needs to be aware of it. Most members of the IETF community try their best to minimize their so called "Narten Number". Many regard these postings as a useful service, and I for one, thank him for doing it. - Stewart