nefastis

[meikle at mail.utexas.edu]

You're right on the money, jm--looks like Ma Bell's definition of
information to me!  The OED lists "nefast" as a rare variant of
"nefarious." giving a quote from Lytton, 1849:  "If you really take for
truth and life monsters so nefast and flagitious."  It comes from the Latin
adjective "nefastus," and ultimately, along with "nefarious," from the
Latin noun "nefas," a wrong or impiety.
"Flagitious," if anyone's interested, means "guilty of or addicted to
atrocious crimes; deeply criminal, extremely wicked."  Sounds right up John
Nefastis's alley.  Gotta use this dictionary more often--the only thing
Book of the Month Club ever did for me.

Jeff