There are no legal penalties in California anymore for breaking and entering. I had this happen to my house after i moved out while I was selling it. THANKFULLY my neighbors called my realtor AND the police. One of those two got them removed immediately before any damage was done.
But California is lawless now. The only law that there is, is the law you bring with you.
These guys seem to be working on the good old capitalist or free enterprise idea of build a better mousetrap and people will buy it. Also, Does anybody remember Larry Nivens - Jerry Pournelle, -Oath of Fealty, in essence people were reinventing feudalism for protection. It was scary then scarier now.
Now that I’ve read the article, which is actually surprisingly decent considering most modern “journalism,” my hat is off to the guy. I still think he’s nuts for putting his real image out there, but he seems legit. Also: if ever there were a story prompt, this article is definitely one of them.
You can tell a lot about a cyberpunk fan by which RPG they prefer: "Cyberpunk 20##" or "Shadowrun". (Shadowrunners are elf eared posers, choomba. Gimme Rockerboys, Solos, AV4s with miniguns and cyberpsychos.)
I too enjoyed Neuromancer, but agree with William Gibson who stated the only revolutionary thing he did was extrapolate the 1980's into the future, exemplify the hacker "High Tech/Low Life" ethic and and put nerds in leather jackets. Is it a seminal work? Sorta, but I'd put it far down the list as compared to "Blade Runner" and Walter Jon Williams "Hardwired".
I'm a fan of Rifts, which is built on the Palladium RPG rule-set and has the kind of post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy setting that, depending on the characters you play, can have a very cyberpunk feel.
My favorite was an electrokinetic (read: can control electricity with his mind) technophile who could "ghost" into computer systems and acquired a couple different varieties of power armor suits over the course of a few campaigns. Kind of a traditional Shadowrun decker, but also useful in large-scale combat. The group also included a gunslinger and a self-made corporate CEO who moonlighted doing "kinetic takeovers" and "hostile acquisitions."
I ran Rifts for over a decade. Love the setting. Not really cyberpunk as much as it is straight pulpy sci-fi. Could be what my players wanted to do in roaming the apocalyptic landscape. All of us hated ChiTown. You could force a cyberpunk aesthetic in, but to me, nothing ever topped R. Talisorian's Cyberpunk 2013/2020. The problem with all cyberpunk hacker/netrunner characters is that they are minigames inside the game and often causes huge problems that way. I admit that Shadowrun 4ed did address that better in some respects (specifically the droneriggers), but Cyberpunk with wireless rigs helped make things much more lively and integrated into the group dynamic. (Even if it wasn't so realistic). The Cyberpunk Hardwired supplement was the most realistic, but that didn't translate into fun.
We had a fairly long term Dark Conspiracy campaign run by one of my dearly departed friends, that we home-brewed up some additional layers of cyber-dystopia.
It was by turns just absolutely glorious and horrifying...
Don't forget EVUL CORPORATIONS tracking your driving habits and destinations, and sending you targeted advertisements via the "Infotainment" system in your car:
These guys are the equivalent of the Pinkertons in the 19th century. A similar approach is needed by the private sector victims of cyber attacks which when you think about it is a variant of trespassing.
I’m assuming the photo in that ad is a place holder and not the real guy behind the business, right? Not sure I’d want my actual photo right out there if I were running a nifty operation of that kind.
Well that's an entertaining bit of information. Thanks for that.
I feel like there's a lot of opportunity here. If one could establish a network of trusted nomads to stay in these listed homes with the smallest footprint possible, there could be a very symbiotic relationship here.
I just use the guys with the brooklyn accents, they guarantee results and the cops, they don't come around asking questions....
;-)
My. Gawd. This is real. Thought for sure you were yanking hard on the ol' choker chain.
I've heard the squatting problem in all of CA is very bad. I don't know what is sadder, that this service exists or that this service is needed.
There are no legal penalties in California anymore for breaking and entering. I had this happen to my house after i moved out while I was selling it. THANKFULLY my neighbors called my realtor AND the police. One of those two got them removed immediately before any damage was done.
But California is lawless now. The only law that there is, is the law you bring with you.
This is one of several such types.
These guys seem to be working on the good old capitalist or free enterprise idea of build a better mousetrap and people will buy it. Also, Does anybody remember Larry Nivens - Jerry Pournelle, -Oath of Fealty, in essence people were reinventing feudalism for protection. It was scary then scarier now.
Now that I’ve read the article, which is actually surprisingly decent considering most modern “journalism,” my hat is off to the guy. I still think he’s nuts for putting his real image out there, but he seems legit. Also: if ever there were a story prompt, this article is definitely one of them.
Just start with a bowstaff and work up to the bladed weapons. Hilarity will ensue.
I'd be interested in the stories behind that 5% non-success stat. Big mob of squatters? Armed squatters? Members of a protected group?
You can tell a lot about a cyberpunk fan by which RPG they prefer: "Cyberpunk 20##" or "Shadowrun". (Shadowrunners are elf eared posers, choomba. Gimme Rockerboys, Solos, AV4s with miniguns and cyberpsychos.)
I too enjoyed Neuromancer, but agree with William Gibson who stated the only revolutionary thing he did was extrapolate the 1980's into the future, exemplify the hacker "High Tech/Low Life" ethic and and put nerds in leather jackets. Is it a seminal work? Sorta, but I'd put it far down the list as compared to "Blade Runner" and Walter Jon Williams "Hardwired".
I'm a fan of Rifts, which is built on the Palladium RPG rule-set and has the kind of post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy setting that, depending on the characters you play, can have a very cyberpunk feel.
My favorite was an electrokinetic (read: can control electricity with his mind) technophile who could "ghost" into computer systems and acquired a couple different varieties of power armor suits over the course of a few campaigns. Kind of a traditional Shadowrun decker, but also useful in large-scale combat. The group also included a gunslinger and a self-made corporate CEO who moonlighted doing "kinetic takeovers" and "hostile acquisitions."
I ran Rifts for over a decade. Love the setting. Not really cyberpunk as much as it is straight pulpy sci-fi. Could be what my players wanted to do in roaming the apocalyptic landscape. All of us hated ChiTown. You could force a cyberpunk aesthetic in, but to me, nothing ever topped R. Talisorian's Cyberpunk 2013/2020. The problem with all cyberpunk hacker/netrunner characters is that they are minigames inside the game and often causes huge problems that way. I admit that Shadowrun 4ed did address that better in some respects (specifically the droneriggers), but Cyberpunk with wireless rigs helped make things much more lively and integrated into the group dynamic. (Even if it wasn't so realistic). The Cyberpunk Hardwired supplement was the most realistic, but that didn't translate into fun.
We had a fairly long term Dark Conspiracy campaign run by one of my dearly departed friends, that we home-brewed up some additional layers of cyber-dystopia.
It was by turns just absolutely glorious and horrifying...
Don't forget EVUL CORPORATIONS tracking your driving habits and destinations, and sending you targeted advertisements via the "Infotainment" system in your car:
https://youtu.be/sceLsLkQf7A?si=kRWpWz5nRiZz52TL
These guys are the equivalent of the Pinkertons in the 19th century. A similar approach is needed by the private sector victims of cyber attacks which when you think about it is a variant of trespassing.
Do they have a GA office? Asking for the ex of a friend.
I bet there would be someone in Atlanta.
I’m assuming the photo in that ad is a place holder and not the real guy behind the business, right? Not sure I’d want my actual photo right out there if I were running a nifty operation of that kind.
Nope, that appears to be Himself.
Well that's an entertaining bit of information. Thanks for that.
I feel like there's a lot of opportunity here. If one could establish a network of trusted nomads to stay in these listed homes with the smallest footprint possible, there could be a very symbiotic relationship here.
Pre-emptive 'squatting'. Great idea.
Basically, with an agreement that they will leave and not damage the property.
Love ShadowRun! Still play it now and again!
Do you still live in Armadillo — I mean Amarillo?
Well, I guess it shows how old I am — RPG as used above must mean something other than what it means to me.
Sorry, this fox is now Kit the Bounty Hunter, an NPC in Vector City.