don't know if anyone's seen this yet.

"SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A computer hacker was sentenced to three years in prison for placing a phony 911 call that led a SWAT team to storm a family home at gunpoint.

It marked the first prosecution in Orange County for a prank known as ``swatting'' that involves sending SWAT teams on wild goose chases, said county district attorney's spokeswoman Farrah Emami on Thursday.

Randal T. Ellis, 19, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court to five felony counts, including computer access and fraud, false imprisonment by violence and falsely reporting a crime.

He was given prison time and ordered to pay $14,765 in restitution, most of which will go to the county Sheriff's Department.

A call to Ellis's attorney, Ronald Brower, was not immediately returned Thursday.

Ellis, of Mukilteo, Wash., placed a 911 call last March, at first claiming to report a drug overdose and then alleging a possible murder, investigators said.

Prosecutors said he hacked the 911 system and transmitted phony information that appeared to show he was calling from a Lake Forest home. A sheriff's SWAT team accompanied by police dogs and a helicopter descended on the home, where a couple and their two toddlers were sleeping, Emami said.

Doug Bates, awakened by a noise, thought there were prowlers outside and grabbed a kitchen knife. When he checked the backyard, he found SWAT team deputies pointing assault rifles at him. Bates and his wife were handcuffed until authorities determined the call was a hoax.

``That very easily could have turned deadly,'' Emami said.

Ellis was arrested last October and had remained jailed since then. "

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7416971

anyone else find this strikingly similar to a certain passage from Virtual Light?

it even happened in Cali. starts on page 29/32 (you know how he likes to jump around) in my copy (August of 94).

i keep seeing things i've seen before and i realize it's from Gibson's books. it's been happening a lot more lately.

total panther modern subterfuge.

your name evokes a glum nostalgia in these territories, yet welcome nonetheless.

Have i taken an identity not entirely my own?

i've always identified as Raith, but that's a fairly common cyber-name, so i attached my other persona of Prompter (the name under which i publish music), hence, PrompteRaith.

no, no...its a phonetic residual reminiscent of an entity that influenced our inception and was taken by chance.

He used the W. If you search the name, I'm sure you'll understand.

quote:

Originally posted by Raith:
Have i taken an identity not entirely my own?

i've always identified as Raith, but that's a fairly common cyber-name, so i attached my other persona of Prompter (the name under which i publish music), hence, PrompteRaith.

All I know is you've got my sig. "s OK. Go ahead and smoke it. I got more.

Hi Raith, welcome to the board. This link will save you some searching: What Boogerhead was talking about.

Edit: Note that if you don't want that sort of shadow hanging over you, it's easy enough to change your name in your profile.

i meant no offense. i've changed my name, as i don't wish to trigger anything, and from what i've read, i missed out on talking to a great person.

he will keep that name, and i will go by this one.

once again, i'm sorry for any painful memories i may have brought about.

I wasn't around for him either, Prompter, which I regret. Welcome to the board

PS most of the fun takes place in Random Thoughts. One level above this on the main board.

No offense taken at all, it's just that you'd probably be getting these "your name reminds me of ..." responses for a while from a few of the old-timers.

thanks for the welcome, all. i'm glad i've found what seems to be a great family with a common interest in Gibson. (can't seem to find many in rl, but that's probably just being at the high school level.)

It's cool, man. We're fairly laidback here. Mind the BEEEEEEAAAAAK.

the beak?

shoulld i even ask?

lithos! He's not ready for the beak! Be gentle!

Regarding the news story, that kind of thing has been happening around the country for a couple years now. I heard a different term than 'swatting' applied to it, though. Can't remember what now; I'll ask around.

Clearly terribly dangerous.