Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

evilsocket.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 79 posts

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#41

Post by johnnyhillbilly »

cup wrote: post #10
erlehmann_ wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just never – ever – visit UAE again.

I like the UAE. As long as you don't break their laws the experience is fine. To be honest, I'm more frightened of going to America as a non-white person where even obeying the laws can result in death. Edit: If you disagree with my post please add to the conversation rather than just down-voting.

Even though I also try to stay away from the US, attitudes like these are in a different league: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bV710c1dgpU

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#42

Post by Olscore »

oldmanjay wrote: post #40
Olscore wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You going to base an entire argument on one example?

You are the one who said America is safe for all law-abiding citizens. One example invalidates your claim handily.

Then we can argue about the definition of safe, or the reasonable expectation of safety. But it seems that Hacker News would rather point to one example which apparently "invalidates" the claim "handily". What do you consider safe then? If you are determined to argue based on one example; Do you not take a risk starting a business? Do you not take a risk eating foods? Do you not take a risk driving?

There are reasonable mistakes made in the course of living and of any action. So if you want to exaggerate the claim of one (or even a few) examples to the point of making it appear as an epidemic in America; then I will hold you to a higher standard than the half-assed arguments that I see here. Many people engaged with these narratives are grossly misrepresenting legitimate claims of police brutality or racial discrimination. If you cannot be honest in debate, then I would also not expect the same to be honest in any proposed solution. Blatant misrepresentation by so many; it's disgusting.

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#43

Post by upofadown »

erlehmann_ wrote: post #13
cup wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the UAE. As long as you don't break their laws the experience is fine. To be honest, I'm more frightened of going to America as a non-white person where even obeying the laws can result in death. Edit: If you disagree with my post please add to the conversation rather than just down-voting.

Referring to racial discrimination in the west as reaction to allegations of human rights abuse is a quite old technique: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_you_are_lynching_Negroes Edit: The rhetorical device is called a “whataboutism”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism . The fallacy involved is called “to quoque” – a special case of an “ad hominem” argument, i.e. attacking the speaker and not the content. h…

There was no attempt to excuse human rights abuses in the post you are responding to. Only a comment about visiting such places vs the US while brown.

In general despotic regimes love visitors who are willing to keep their opinions about the local political situation to themselves no matter what sort of person they are. Places like the US tend to be indifferent to the political beliefs of visitors and as a result any local racial biases will be applied fairly to those visiting.

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#44

Post by kejaed »

throwawayosiu1 wrote: post #33

I lived in UAE for 10 years. All I can say is...it's not a "bad" place if: 1) you are working as a direct hire for any of the govt companies (Adnoc, Etisalat, etc.). 2) if not, you are contracted directly by those companies 3) if you are on contract and your visa's sponsor is good (won't take your passport on arrival, won't create issues when you need to leave, etc.) 4) If you keep your head down basically - go to wo…

Question: if "using encrypted chatting applications" is banned, can on use iMessage?

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#46

Post by euske »

cup wrote: post #10
erlehmann_ wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just never – ever – visit UAE again.

I like the UAE. As long as you don't break their laws the experience is fine. To be honest, I'm more frightened of going to America as a non-white person where even obeying the laws can result in death. Edit: If you disagree with my post please add to the conversation rather than just down-voting.

What you probably don't know is that America is a very big and complex country. It's so big that you can love one part and hate the other part at the same time.

It's so complex that even its government is not entirely a single rock. There are avid defenders of human rights as well as evil masters in its government. Somehow they are both coexisting. That's how big America is.

I'm non-white and non-American and I certainly hate some ugly parts of it. But I have mixed feeling to America. I guess it's a kind of feeling that many people have towards the country.

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#47

Post by throwaway-hn123 »

Olscore wrote: post #37
throwaway-hn123 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> America is safe for all law-abiding persons. This is patently not true. You can blame social media, or SJW's or whatever, but it is not true, except in the minds of the alt-right.

Says the person using a throwaway account. So brave. May as well consider you an alt-coward, since you'll insinuate connection with the alt-right. Tit for tat, buddy.

Yes, the person using a throwaway account says that your statement is patently false. And as you attacked the only thing you could attack, I assume you know that as well, "buddy"!

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#48

Post by throwaway-hn123 »

Olscore wrote: post #42
oldmanjay wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are the one who said America is safe for all law-abiding citizens. One example invalidates your claim handily.

Then we can argue about the definition of safe, or the reasonable expectation of safety. But it seems that Hacker News would rather point to one example which apparently "invalidates" the claim "handily". What do you consider safe then? If you are determined to argue based on one example; Do you not take a risk starting a business? Do you not take a risk eating foods? Do you not take a risk driving? There are reasona…

You're getting a bit hysterical. All that's happened is that people have shown your claim to be false.

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#49

Post by lawnchair_larry »

xyzzy4 wrote: post #9

I'm pretty sure the UAE is obsessed with spying. Personal anecdote: I once dated a girl who's the daughter of a high ranking official (while she was in the US), and the government spied on her text messages and forced her to break up with me. At least according to her.

Elaborate on "forced"

Re: How the United Arab Emirates Intelligence Tried to Hire Me to Spy on Its People

#50

Post by imbeau »

euske wrote: post #46
cup wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the UAE. As long as you don't break their laws the experience is fine. To be honest, I'm more frightened of going to America as a non-white person where even obeying the laws can result in death. Edit: If you disagree with my post please add to the conversation rather than just down-voting.

What you probably don't know is that America is a very big and complex country. It's so big that you can love one part and hate the other part at the same time. It's so complex that even its government is not entirely a single rock. There are avid defenders of human rights as well as evil masters in its government. Somehow they are both coexisting. That's how big America is. I'm non-white and non-American and I certa…

One of the more accurate descriptions of America that I've seen. It's truly a country of contradictions.
Post reply on HN