"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-5035FF.05532105052008@nntp3.usenetserver.com...
>> >Sure- the feds would investigate, see Larry was blameless, and go on
>> >their
>> >way...
>>
>> You mean like the Secret Service did to Steve Jackson Games?
>>
>> As I recall, the SS took a bunch of their computers, hard drives,
>> business records, and the work-in-progress GURPS Cyberpunk game,
>> causing a catastrophic disruption to the company's business. The SS
>> took its own sweet time about giving the stuff back, too - it took
>> months of effort and involved over $250,000 in legal fees, but the SS
>> eventually did let SJG go on their merry way.
>
> Didn't the EFF have to get involved?

IIRC, yes, they were created in part due to this debacle.

>> So clearly Larry has nothing whatsoever to worry about.
>
> hehehehehehe Clearly.

To be fair, that was fifteen years ago, when the Feds were still trying to
figure out what "cybercrime" was all about, and were going after specific
"cyberpunk" targets, regardless of whether or not they actually had broken
any laws. I'll certainly agree that they make mistakes, and the SJG fiasco
might well be the "Ruby Ridge" of cybercrime "investigations," but early
blunders like that one are EXACTLY why Larry would really have nothing to
worry about today. The Feds know how "all the internets" work these days,
and would easily figure out that your hypothetical email threat didn't
originate from Larry. Would they confiscate his equipment for awhile and
inconvenience him? Probably, particularly if the "in person" Larry is as
stubborn and irascible as his Usenet persona is, they might just do it to
torque him off! Alternately, I suspect he could charm his way out of it
with his patriotic side, and I suspect he would probably feel compelled to
aid them in any way possible.

Now, having said that, they might have a few questions about the 500
terabytes of downloaded Usenet movies and music Larry has purported to have
"acquired"'over the last couple of years, but that's another matter... ;-)