NETWATCH . . . CYBERPORN COUPLE GO TO SLAMMER

A California husband and wife convicted of transmitting pornography through an Internet computer bulletin board wound up with stiff sentences in federal court today, raising the possibility that people who put risque material online had better watch theobscenity standardsof any community that can access their system. Robert and Carleen Thomas, who founded the Amateur Action Bulletin Board System from Milpitas, Calif., received 37 and 30 months, respectively, but plan to appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their attorney has accused federal prosecutors of holding the trial in the Bible Belt -- Memphis, Tenn., where someone accessed the bulletin board and lodged an obscenity complaint -- to get an easy conviction.Post your opinion on theNew Mediabulletin board.