San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom called Richard Clarke for advice on how to deal with Terry Childs, the city employee who terrorized residents when he embarked on a password-changing spree in the heart of the city's network.  Mr. Clarke referred Mayor Newsom to me and passed along my private cell number.  I must say I'm flattered.

Mayor Newsom asked me if I thought the death penalty would be unrealistic in Mr. Childs' case.  "California has nearly 670 inmates on death row right now," I said, "so I doubt the state Judicial branch will even notice, let alone care, if you dump one more terrorist on the waiting list."  I mentioned that the city was also "lucky" in the sense that Mr. Childs' lethal rampage occurred after the 9/11/01 attacks.  "If this had happened before the U.S.S. Cole bombing and the destruction of the World Trade Centers," I explained, "at best the courts would have slapped his wrist with a trivial fine and a few hours of community service."  But now that terrorism is on everyone's mind, "I honestly think the death penalty is a feasible request."

Mayor Newsom went on to ask if cyber-terrorists even fear the threat of death.  "Are they like Heath Ledger in that new Joker movie?  Do they care so much about spreading chaos and so little about their own lives that they'll laugh with glee when the lethal injection begins?"

I reminded Mayor Newsom that, since Mr. Childs was an ex-San Fransisco civil servant, he probably doesn't live his life to the fullest.  "But that doesn't mean he has no respect for life," I countered.  "It's entirely possible that he wants to live long enough to see a national driver license come to fruition."  Mayor Newsom agreed with this, saying "I certainly hope I live long enough to see that, too."

"But," I warned, "it won't surprise me if Mr. Childs suffers from split-personality disorder, like in that new My Own Worst Enemy TV show."  If Mr. Childs has an assassin for an alter-ego, "you won't be able to threaten his split persona with death.  He'll use his innocent personality as a human shield."  Mayor Newsom whistled in awe at my comment.

Mayor Newsom thanked me for my advice and asked if he could call back with more questions.  "Of course, sir," I said.  "If Richard Clarke sends you my way, then it must be a matter of grave importance.  I'll always be at your service."

Again, I'd like to thank Mr. Clarke for referring the mayor of San Francisco to me.  It's always an honor to be recognized by such an emeritus figure in the cyberspace realm...