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I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

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Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#121

Post by Dr_tldr »

drpp wrote: post #29
Dr_tldr wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While speaking a common language usually (but not always) helps, being a US citizen is the way more important part of the story. Police in the United States are used to generally treating everyone (including foreigners) with impunity, while cops in other countries dealing with US citizens are more wary of causing a diplomatic incident. There's also the novelty factor: people from high status countries are seen as int…

Everything you say is true. I fully acknowledge that. I hope it's not implied otherwise.

I still think it's a great story that's funny and well told while being respectful to the people involved. It's definitely indicative of a meaningful part of the culture that's very different from the western/american bureaucratic mindset.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#122

Post by zeroer »

tn13 wrote: post #52
_delirium wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But don't flush any ex-soviet train toilets when you're stopped at a train station. Not just ex-Soviet trains, British ones too. Newer and renovated trains have sewage tanks, but older trains flush directly onto the tracks (and often therefore have a sign in the toilet asking you not to flush when stopped at a station). According to the BBC, as of 2015 this applied to about 10% of the trains in service: http://www.…

Almost all modern Indian trains are like this too. But I dont think you will get into trouble for shitting on a station.

This is true even without the train.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#123

Post by TeMPOraL »

TTPrograms wrote: post #107
grizzles wrote: post #62

This dude just grassed on all the people who bent the rules to be nice to him. With pictures. For a moment of blog fame. Very uncool.

So your problem is more with the publication of government corruption and bribery than with government corruption and bribery itself?

Sometimes highlighting the problem can cause a bigger problem than the original was.

Do you think that this post will make a dent in corruption issues in Kazakhstan? That it will fix anything? The only thing it may cause is repercussions for the good people in this story. Which will leave the system even worse.

There is this concept of responsibility when publishing the story. I have a feeling that it's often forgotten.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#124

Post by TeMPOraL »

PeCaN wrote: post #98
zensavona wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> spent most of his time down there booty bumping bath salts source? Having lived in Cambodia (nowhere near as dangerous as Belize, but probably just as corrupt), being implicated with a crime you didn't commit isn't the most far fetched thing.

Going by forum posts McAfee made—it's questionable whether or not he was trolling (he was for sure at one point wrt bath salts) but it's also somewhat likely he's into stimulants and sex.

> it's also somewhat likely he's into stimulants and sex

Like every single other human being on this planet. It's a feature of our brains.

I still don't understand what's the reason to treat McAfee as extremely unreliable. Could someone state the reasons explicitly?

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#125

Post by rangibaby »

cft wrote: post #117
grizzles wrote: post #62

This dude just grassed on all the people who bent the rules to be nice to him. With pictures. For a moment of blog fame. Very uncool.

Is "grassed on" Australian or British? Never heard this before.

British rhyming slang. Copper > grasshopper > grass

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#126

Post by Muromec »

zanny wrote: post #74
grizzles wrote: post #62

This dude just grassed on all the people who bent the rules to be nice to him. With pictures. For a moment of blog fame. Very uncool.

Hopefully any higher up officials can recognize this just gave what is probably on average a fairly affluent tech class on HN a more positive outlook on Kazakhstan. Its positive advertising for the country to hear that you don't end up in a gulag for having your passport lapse.

Higher up officials simply get their share from bribes - no need to know about your techie forums in the internet.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#127

Post by TeMPOraL »

krick wrote: post #44
mind_heist wrote: post #5

Is that picture going to get Irlan in trouble ?

I hope not, but it seems to me that not taking photos if explicitly asked not to is the least you can do for a guy who, upon arresting you treats you like a best friend, helps you to get refund for unused ticket and buys you bear and coffee. Hell, it's actually only human to restrain from taking photos of somebody who doesn't want to, but doing so to that Irlan guy? The most repulsive thing is author doesn't do that…

It's also sad that being a helpful person may put you in a world of trouble.

The author may have just not cared, but this kind of behaviour makes good people less helpful just out of a need for self-preservation - you never know if that random person you've just bent the rules for won't do something that'll cost you your job, or your freedom.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#128

Post by exabrial »

I don't know even what to make of this... The preamble suggests that Kazakhstan justice was superior to American justice, but after reading the whole story I'm like... dude, grow a sense of self-responsibility. It's not like your visa expiring was a surprise... you knew exactly when it was going to happen, and YOU CHOSE to violate it without giving yourself any wiggle room. Then you willingly participated in a corrupt system, rewarding those who profit from it.

It would have been so much easier and involve less questionable ethics to just leave more than 24 hours in advance.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#129

Post by celticninja »

wavefunction wrote: post #55
celticninja wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Alexander Shulgin did far more than McAfee and i dont think anyone would question his sanity.

Sasha was a responsible scientist with a stable life. McAfee is someone who kept a minor girlfriend, fled Belize after being implicated in the murder of his neighbor and spent most of his time down there booty bumping bath salts. For some perspective.

And you got all this info on McAfee from Vice magazine or similar publications.

Re: I got arrested in Kazakhstan and represented myself in court

#130

Post by gedrap »

krick wrote: post #44
mind_heist wrote: post #5

Is that picture going to get Irlan in trouble ?

I hope not, but it seems to me that not taking photos if explicitly asked not to is the least you can do for a guy who, upon arresting you treats you like a best friend, helps you to get refund for unused ticket and buys you bear and coffee. Hell, it's actually only human to restrain from taking photos of somebody who doesn't want to, but doing so to that Irlan guy? The most repulsive thing is author doesn't do that…

But what about all the internet fame? This is a really really dick move by the author.
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