Saturday, April 11, 2009
A way to make friends
Of course, people reacted somewhat negatively to this, and she was shocked that she had such an unpleasant reception. She was asked over and over where she was from, and she refused to say what country she was from for several minutes. Finally she admitted she was from Serbia. She was very hurt that her initial entry into the room had lead to counterattacks by those in the room. She was upset when people made comparisons between Serbia and other countries. She became defensive when people questioned Serbia's behavior in wars against its neighbors just a few years ago.
The thing that becomes obvious in Skypeland, over and over, is that those who cannot take it, should not dish it out. And people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Saddam Hussein promoted democracy
Wow. That pretty much says it all.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Mystery man
One of the features of Skypeland is a reluctance of participants to give out information about themselves. This of course is reasonable and understandable, but there are many who create an image of themselves that is contradictory and confusing, and then demand that others not question it. If anyone questions any of their less probable statements, they will fly into a rage and threaten and attack others. Here is an example of one such "mystery man".
This "gentleman", which we will call "A" in this post, claims to be married sometimes, and single other times. This gentleman claims to have a wife sometimes and a girlfriend other times. This person has stated that he has two sons, but that he is childless other times. He states that his father is dying, but then other times he refers to his father as already dead. He was on the internet every 15 minutes on the day on which he supposedly was getting married. In fact, even now when he is supposedly a newly wed with two sons, A frequently "patrols" Skypeland discussions around the clock, pulling all nighters and is acutely sensitive to any potential statement he wants to object to. This seems fairly strange behavior for a supposed middle-aged man who is a newlywed and a businessman who heads up an array of multi-million dollar businesses.
A has stated he lives in the Ukraine and has lived there for 3 years sometimes, but other evidence exists that he has lived there for 16 years. Sometimes he says he survives on no income, and other times he states that he is a self-made multimillionaire. He has said that he was homeless for a period and starving. He supposedly tried to import his pink Mercedes to Cyprus and ran into trouble with the bureaucracy. He says he has a close friend that did time in a US federal prison for white color crime.
A says that he is fluent in Russian, and sometimes makes statements that are supposedly Russian, but refuses to converse in Russian, or is unable to answer questions in Russian. In one of the few times in which he did answer questions in Russian, he responded in an awkard halting fashion, stringing together Esperanto, Polish, Ukrainian, Spanish and Russian in an incoherent mess. A also claims to be fluent in Spanish and other languages, although no one has any evidence of this. He sounds like a quintessential California surfer boy, with a rudimentary grasp of English typical of the unschooled and barely literate. His language is full of slang and imprecise.
He makes threats about sending child pornography, and then denies that he has made these threats. He states that he is a famous lawyer or that he is connected to a famous lawyer, although the evidence he presents is false. He claims that he is or was a part owner in a t-shirt manufacturing business. He claims to be a United Nations representative; the youngest who has ever been appointed to such a position. He is supposedly in the fish farming business and in the fur trading business. He has stated that he is an expert in jet aircraft maintenance. He is supposed to have a aircraft license, and be licensed to pilot a ship up to 300 meters in length, although he makes numerous mistakes when discussing watercraft specifications. He supposedly was the head of the team that inspected Chernobyl for radiation hazards. The address in Southern California he gives out is a fake.
He claims to have been raised on a farm and to have delivered many piglets from sows giving birth. He states that at the age of 14 he was put in a special US government program to train him at a graduate level by several PhDs (at varying times, he has stated that he entered this program at the age of 12 or even 10). Although he claims to be highly educated, formal emails and letters he has written are replete with startling errors in grammar and other infelicities. In spite of his supposedly superior education, he does not know the rudiments of high school science, although some of these features fuel his aggressive angry anti-American rants and are central parts of his worldview. He appears to subscribe to every single conspiracy theory that comes down the pike, but the level of reasoning that appears to convince him is embarrassingly simple-minded. The information he relies on seems to come from youtube videos produced by high school drop-outs. Or is he really serious?
He alleges that he is just playing tricks on others, and only trying to enrage and insult as many other people as possible, but then is disgusted when people do not trust him and find him repulsive. He spews hatred against Americans and Israel and Jews and foreigners, but might be Jewish himself and has an American accent. He has a very thin skin and reacts angrily when anyone doubts anything he says.
He supposedly is 80% disabled from an accident when he was serving in the US military in which he received serious radiation burns all over his body, but has stated he receives no compensation for his injuries, and seems to function at a high level in spite of his purported disabilities. Other times he claims he gets minimal disability payments. Nothing is clear, and he makes contradictory claims constantly, but then is offended when people are somewhat skeptical of his more extreme allegations.
He works cooperatively in an online enterprise, and then takes offense at a perceived slight, no worse than any he himself has dealt to many others. He leaves in a huff and announces loudly and frequently that he will take everything back that he has contributed. However, when his online partners make other arrangements in the face of his threats, he returns over and over and over to monitor their activities, although he said he would have nothing more to do with them.
A likes to record others without their permission, in violation of a wide range of standards of decency, and more. A edits these recordings to try to misrepresent their statements in the recordings, and then posts them on youtube and in other public venues in an attempt to embarrass them and harass them.
A is often questioned about his statements and claims. Often when he is caught in a lie, he starts to stutter.
All of this would be fine under normal circumstances, except for the illegal recording. No one has to know where he is from and any personal information about him. However, he makes this an issue by bringing up his credentials over and over and acting in an extremely unpleasant and angry aggressive manner.
Would you trust this man? Would you give him your home address? Would you give him your name and the names of your family members and friends? Would you give him your bank account information?
Neither would I. And guess what? I didn't.
Addendum
Interestingly, A became incensed at the suggestion in this blog that someone might not trust him. When he saw what I had written in this blog, he threw repeated tantrums and made threats, and said I had written nothing but lies. However, the statements here are all drawn from claims he has made or websites he has made about himself, purportedly. I tried to document what he has said and what I read to the best of my ability. I personally see no problem with stating that these claims, which I have not attributed to any real person, are somewhat dubious.
Maybe these claims are lies. Maybe not. Who knows? I do not trust that these statements are all accurate. And it is my right to be skeptical, at least as far as I know. I do not know of any law that others must believe everything that A claims. However, it seems to drive A wild that anyone would dare say that they find him to be somewhat untrustworthy or to find his claims uncompelling.
What is it to him? Apparently, a tremendous amount. So he has escalated into further threats over this, which I guess was completely predictable.
I have decided that this "gentleman" is essentially a troll and should be ignored. He even announced, loudly and frequently that his main purpose in Skypeland is to spew as many lies and get as many people angry at him as possible, for his own amusement. This is the classic definition of an internet troll. Well I am glad to agree with him. This is his purpose in Skypeland, as far as I can tell.
Addendum II
I have asked around a bit more, and the more I hear, the more strange this story appears. One person told me that A had single-handedly taken down the Great Firewall of China, the Chinese government filtering mechanism. He also told me that A had found all sorts of internal weaknesses in the Skype software and had helped Skype improve its code and reduce its vulnerabilities. He apparently is claiming that my lawyer called his wife recently.
What I am struck by most however, is his response to anyone examining his claims about himself and his behavior. After all, why should he care? This is just the internet and he can claim to be whoever he likes on the internet. However, he takes it a bit too far when he takes things into the real world, or threatens to take them into the real world, with personal attacks and efforts to stalk and harass and threaten others, to get "even" for a perceived slight when someone states they do not find his stories and claims credible. He likes to threaten people for not believing these claims, but then when someone repeats his claims, he states they are "lying" and gets annoyed. It is interesting that he wants to be believed and not believed simultaneously; if you accept everything he says, and repeat it, you are "lying" and should be attacked for this. If you question what he says and state that you do not find it credible, he attacks you for not believing. So if one believes his claims or disbelieves his claims, he finds either alternative to be a reason to attack and threaten.
Just as a troll would. Because this is what trolls do. Trolls try to create a disturbance, and so either alternative serves their purpose. It gives them a reason to cry foul and to throw tantrums. They take it as justification for their attempts to put others in prison, or launch lawsuits, or to "out" them, or to try to embarrass them, or get them fired, or harass them, or otherwise do them personal harm.
Addendum III
Lately A seems to have earned himself the nickname "Sap" because of his harassment, insults and repeated threats against those that appear on his "enemies list" for a variety of reasons. Sap decides to attack and stalk others for being Jewish or pro-Israeli, or being skeptical about conspiracy theories, such as the popular "911 Inside Job" conspiracy theory. In my case, I am on the enemies list for not only being skeptical that the US government attacked its own people as a false flag operation on 9.11.01, but because I have repeatedly stated that I do not trust him. Ah yes, that sure is a great offense. I would invite Sap to show me the law that states that I must trust him.
Addendum IV
SAP claimed to personally know Lisa Nowak, the astronaut who drove from Texas to Florida to confront her romantic rival wearing adult diapers. One of those listening was someone who works for NASA, who thought the story sounded doubtful. Nevertheless, he took note of SAP's claims, and then investigated further later with people very familiar with Nowak.
As expected, none of SAP's assertions held water when they were checked. Just another made-up story, full of nonsense.
Also, I asked SAP if he would be willing to repeat the name of the PhD who trained him in this special government program for brilliant youngsters, so this story could be verified. SAP has previously offered the name and boasted that this person would confirm his story. I did not take note of the name at the time. SAP said he would be glad to make the call. I said that was insufficient; I needed the name to investigate the matter and make sure I was not getting scammed. Of course, SAP demurred and refused to tell the name of his "trainer".
Again, another instance of one lie piled on top of another. And as before, SAP has backed up these lies with a constant barrage of threats and harassment and intimidation efforts. A real nice fellow.
Addendum V
A picture of the "mystery man" shows a swarthy balding chunky figure. He has been asked frequently about his ethnic heritage, and has denied being hispanic or Arabic or African American numerous times. However, recently he has bragged that he is actually an Arab. So what is the truth? Like everything else about the mystery man A, the truth is not evident at first glance.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Building codes
I had heard allusions to this by friends and in broadcast news. However, this comment of mine was met with widespread derision, leading to mocking attacks, cursing and threats. I declined to respond until I had verified the current status after some investigation.
Sure enough, in a few minutes I found numerous articles about the changes of building codes, both national and international. There were articles in the New York Times, the Washington Post and various building trade magazines. As of 2009, there were 23 changes in the International Building Code stemming directly from things learned on 9/11. Building owners and managers in New York City and other places were objecting to the increased costs stemming from the new regulations. Even the General Services Administration was fighting the new requirements because of the costs they would mean for the government.
What is interesting to me that I was so vehemently attacked, over and over and over, in the most aggressive and vile fashion, including insults and threats. And a simple google search revealed a HUGE number of sources for the building code changes, in a very few seconds, with minimal effort. And yet these conspiracy theorists and other assorted detractors were SO CONVINCED they were correct and that no such building changes existed, that they engaged in the most outrageous vile behavior.
Later I asked them why they couldn't find any of those references, and asked them what they thought of the information I had found. I asked over and over, at least ten times. And they gave me no response, and made no comments. After a few experiences like this, people lose patience with these conspiracy theorists.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Irish pay lower taxes
It should be a matter of some amazement to most Americans to hear that someone would be willing to claim that these Irish tax rates are lower than American tax rates. But nevertheless, this Irish "gentleman" was proud to spout this loudly and angrily, over and over, yelling and screaming and cursing and attacking anyone who said that this claim did not sound very convincing.
When I looked up and quoted the government figures, the Irishman became incredibly angry and said it was unfair to look up the figures to verify his claims. Oh really? Well I think that says more about the reliability of this particular Irishman more than anything else.
Here is some text conversation on the topic with the gentleman in question:
[4/4/2009 5:38:07 PM] B says: amazing how all the Irish government websites are wrong, isn't it?
[4/4/2009 5:38:12 PM] B says: I would complain if I were you
[4/4/2009 5:38:33 PM] B says: you are wasting tax money on government websites that are all incorrect
[4/4/2009 5:38:35 PM] B says: over and over and over
[4/4/2009 5:38:39 PM] B says: your tax data
[4/4/2009 5:38:42 PM] B says: your immigration data
[4/4/2009 5:38:45 PM] B says: it is all incorrect
[4/4/2009 5:38:49 PM] B says: amazing
[4/4/2009 5:39:28 PM] N says: what are u trying to proove u good with google
[4/4/2009 5:39:38 PM] B says: why dont you complain?
[4/4/2009 5:39:48 PM] B says: complain that your government is publishing bad data
[4/4/2009 5:39:56 PM] B says: it is a national disagrace I think
[4/4/2009 5:39:56 PM] N says: complaine about what
[4/4/2009 5:40:33 PM] N says: so if u feel that way send them a letter
[4/4/2009 5:40:53 PM] B says: 41% income tax rate over 34,500 Euros and a 1 percent tax levy surcharge starting in January 2009
[4/4/2009 5:40:59 PM] B says: and amazingly, that is incorrect
[4/4/2009 5:41:07 PM] B says: so why do they put it on the government website I wonder?
[4/4/2009 5:41:42 PM] N says: tell them not me i not the goverment
[4/4/2009 5:42:01 PM] N says: u got ur nickers in a twist
[4/4/2009 5:42:58 PM] B says: I will be glad to immortalize your brilliant analysis in my blog
[4/4/2009 5:43:06 PM] B says: amazing how your government always fucks up
[4/4/2009 5:43:13 PM] B says: the census is wrong
[4/4/2009 5:43:23 PM] B says: the education statistics are incorrect
[4/4/2009 5:43:30 PM] N says: i dont care nobody reads it
[4/4/2009 5:43:30 PM] B says: the tax department publishes the wrong figures
[4/4/2009 5:43:31 PM] B says: amazing
[4/4/2009 5:43:36 PM] B says: good for you
[4/4/2009 5:43:50 PM] B says: you have penetrated into the depths with your brilliant analysis
[4/4/2009 5:43:53 PM] B says: we are all impressed
[4/4/2009 5:44:12 PM] N says: out also in ur blogs that u are always depressed
[4/4/2009 5:44:21 PM] B says: oh yes?
[4/4/2009 5:44:28 PM] B says: you have read that have you?
[4/4/2009 5:44:33 PM] B says: I am always depressed?
[4/4/2009 5:44:47 PM] B says: Oh did it describe it?
[4/4/2009 5:44:54 PM] B says: wow you are a doctor now
[4/4/2009 5:44:56 PM] N says: no B never read ur blogs
[4/4/2009 5:44:59 PM] B says: a psychoanalyst
[4/4/2009 5:45:02 PM] B says: you just said you did
[4/4/2009 5:45:08 PM] B says: you are a psychiatrist
[4/4/2009 5:45:15 PM] B says: and you pay less tax than any American
[4/4/2009 5:45:16 PM] N says: it not hard to fathom that out
[4/4/2009 5:45:17 PM] B says: impressive
[4/4/2009 5:45:29 PM] B says: must be Irish English
[4/4/2009 5:45:32 PM] B says: "fathom" it out
[4/4/2009 5:46:02 PM] B says: yes we know that the 0.5% nonEuropean immigrant level that Ireland has greatly exceeds the number of nonEuropean immigrants in the USA
[4/4/2009 5:46:09 PM] B says: I remember that from your last brilliant analysis
[4/4/2009 5:46:37 PM] B says: and of course the US is unfair to Irish people because we do not allow more immigrants from Ireland
[4/4/2009 5:46:39 PM] B says: we are so unfair
[4/4/2009 5:46:42 PM] N says: B keep going u will run urself out
[4/4/2009 5:46:43 PM] B says: yes brilliant
[4/4/2009 5:46:55 PM] B says: No I am glad to get more material to showcase your brilliance
[4/4/2009 5:47:09 PM] B says: after all, we all know it is a crime to look things up
[4/4/2009 5:47:18 PM] N says: and ur insanity
[4/4/2009 5:47:20 PM] B says: that is why the Guinness book of world records is banned in Ireland right?
[4/4/2009 5:47:29 PM] B says: it is illegal to have I understand
[4/4/2009 5:47:31 PM] B says: correct?
[4/4/2009 5:47:52 PM] N says: oh yes and google is banned and sex is banned also
[4/4/2009 5:47:54 PM] B says: the Irish do not believe in looking things up so they banned the book
[4/4/2009 5:48:08 PM] N says: deffinatly
[4/4/2009 5:48:14 PM] B says: Well why dont you try to tell the world that Ireland pays lower taxes than the US
[4/4/2009 5:48:17 PM] B says: and gets more for it
[4/4/2009 5:48:25 PM] B says: and Germany too
[4/4/2009 5:48:32 PM] B says: sounds like an amazing fact that others should know
[4/4/2009 5:48:44 PM] B says: you probably lived in the US for 20 years and germany for 20 years so you know them both well
[4/4/2009 5:48:55 PM] N says: oh the moon is out here
[4/4/2009 5:49:05 PM] B says: well maybe you lived there too
[4/4/2009 5:49:09 PM] B says: I don't know
[4/4/2009 5:49:18 PM] B says: how is the tax rate on the moon?
[4/4/2009 5:49:24 PM] N says: no live inballygobackwards
[4/4/2009 5:49:36 PM] B says: yes no taxes there
[4/4/2009 5:49:38 PM] B says: of course not
[4/4/2009 5:49:47 PM] B says: it is a tax shelter
[4/4/2009 5:49:49 PM] B says: a tax haven
[4/4/2009 5:49:51 PM] B says: it is well known
[4/4/2009 5:50:02 PM] N says: no just piss away
[4/4/2009 5:50:04 PM] B says: lower taxes than Luxembourg?
[4/4/2009 5:50:23 PM] B says: well you better check your facts before you start bragging next time
[4/4/2009 5:50:43 PM] B says: That is why the Irish first wrote the Guinness Book of World Records if I am not mistaken
[4/4/2009 5:50:49 PM] N says: B u in a tagent about time u went to sleep
[4/4/2009 5:50:51 PM] B says: to answer braggers like you
[4/4/2009 5:50:57 PM] B says: that is the purpose
[4/4/2009 5:51:08 PM] B says: to shut up people who brag and brag and brag with no data to back it up
[4/4/2009 5:51:18 PM] N says: whatever i said u gone into a freak
[4/4/2009 5:51:24 PM] B says: it is the middle of the day here
[4/4/2009 5:51:27 PM] B says: bright sunshine
[4/4/2009 5:51:29 PM] B says: hot
[4/4/2009 5:51:32 PM] B says: nice breeze
[4/4/2009 5:51:35 PM] B says: thank you very much
[4/4/2009 5:51:45 PM] N says: u still want to relax
[4/4/2009 5:52:00 PM] B says: IF Ireland was a tax haven it would be interesting
[4/4/2009 5:52:08 PM] B says: but unfortunately I see no evidence that it is a tax haven
[4/4/2009 5:52:10 PM] B says: Sorry
[4/4/2009 5:52:23 PM] B says: You better point me to a source that shows that Ireland is a tax haven I guess
[4/4/2009 5:52:27 PM] B says: because it sure is not obvious
[4/4/2009 5:52:38 PM] N says: B it saturday night here i dont mix pleasure with buisness
[4/4/2009 5:52:53 PM] B says: right
[4/4/2009 5:52:53 PM] B says: you just brag and brag and brag
[4/4/2009 5:52:55 PM] B says: i know that
[4/4/2009 5:52:58 PM] N says: anyways annoy somebody else
[4/4/2009 5:53:09 PM] B says: Just giving you one more chance
[4/4/2009 5:53:15 PM] B says: to show that I am incorrect
[4/4/2009 5:53:16 PM] B says: haha
[4/4/2009 5:53:19 PM] B says: but I guess you couldnt
[4/4/2009 5:53:30 PM] B says: I have to go with the government figures I am afraid
[4/4/2009 5:53:49 PM] N says: u always right i shouldnt forget
[4/4/2009 5:54:00 PM] B says: No I am not
[4/4/2009 5:54:08 PM] B says: I am willing to learn new things
[4/4/2009 5:54:18 PM] B says: but I will check out claims that are hard to believe
[4/4/2009 5:54:30 PM] B says: and the claim that Ireland is a tax haven is a bit hard to believe
[4/4/2009 5:54:31 PM] B says: sorry
[4/4/2009 5:55:02 PM] N says: B only thing u know u are always right
[4/4/2009 5:55:03 PM] B says: The claim that Ireland has more immigrants per capita than the US is a bit hard to believe as well
[4/4/2009 5:55:14 PM] B says: all these claims are a bit much
[4/4/2009 5:55:20 PM] B says: The US probably is less healthy
[4/4/2009 5:55:24 PM] B says: the US is probably fatter
[4/4/2009 5:55:29 PM] B says: the US is probably more violent
[4/4/2009 5:55:35 PM] B says: those I could believe
[4/4/2009 5:55:48 PM] B says: The US is probably dirtier
[4/4/2009 5:55:54 PM] N says: i never knew that
[4/4/2009 5:56:06 PM] B says: well I do not know the data but I would find those believable
[4/4/2009 5:56:23 PM] B says: but Ireland having a low tax rate is very hard to buy
[4/4/2009 5:57:09 PM] N says: B here something u wont believe i am a us citizen born there
[4/4/2009 5:57:25 PM] B says: well you didnt spend much time in the US I suspect
[4/4/2009 5:57:44 PM] B says: all countries have good points and bad points
[4/4/2009 5:57:59 PM] N says: have beign there for 3 years
[4/4/2009 5:58:02 PM] B says: but to ferret them out you have to look at the situation carefully
[4/4/2009 5:58:44 PM] N says: explaine dont understand what u mean
[4/4/2009 5:59:26 PM] B says: Look the US is good at some things
[4/4/2009 5:59:29 PM] B says: and awful at others
[4/4/2009 5:59:40 PM] B says: same with Ireland and Germany and France and India etc
[4/4/2009 5:59:48 PM] N says: i agree
[4/4/2009 5:59:53 PM] B says: but to understand the situation you have to look very carefully at the data
[4/4/2009 6:00:19 PM] B says: for example, on international exams students leaving school in the US rank at 30th-40th place
[4/4/2009 6:00:29 PM] B says: the US spends more per pupil on education
[4/4/2009 6:00:33 PM] B says: and gets terrible results
[4/4/2009 6:00:37 PM] B says: now that is disturbing
[4/4/2009 6:00:38 PM] N says: i have no prob but when somone says something u attack
[4/4/2009 6:00:39 PM] B says: but true
[4/4/2009 6:00:55 PM] B says: some want to claim that the US has the best education ...period
[4/4/2009 6:00:59 PM] B says: it has some good points
[4/4/2009 6:01:08 PM] B says: but overall it is very disturbing
[4/4/2009 6:01:11 PM] B says: a HUGE waste of money
[4/4/2009 6:01:31 PM] B says: one cannot fix the problems unless you can identify them clearly
[4/4/2009 6:01:41 PM] N says: its u that starts the argument
[4/4/2009 6:01:41 PM] B says: and believe me, we have problems that need to be fixed here
[4/4/2009 6:01:54 PM] B says: well if you make a claim, you better back it up with data
[4/4/2009 6:02:10 PM] B says: I can back up my claims about the strengths and weaknesses of the US education system with data
[4/4/2009 6:02:16 PM] N says: and when outsiders hear u they turn in discust
[4/4/2009 6:02:22 PM] B says: haha
[4/4/2009 6:02:28 PM] B says: that is why they call it "skypeassholes"
[4/4/2009 6:02:43 PM] N says: nobody listens to u
[4/4/2009 6:02:49 PM] B says: haha
[4/4/2009 6:03:09 PM] B says: Well I had a pretty large fan base for someone no one listened to
[4/4/2009 6:03:13 PM] B says: but sure if you say so
[4/4/2009 6:03:33 PM] N says: dream on
[4/4/2009 6:04:04 PM] N says: if u had u wouldnt be texting me
[4/4/2009 6:04:07 PM] B says: well we can no longer gauge it
[4/4/2009 6:04:11 PM] B says: since skypecasts are gone
[4/4/2009 6:05:54 PM] N says: in the end everyone from the outside had left u were only talking to the converted
[4/4/2009 6:06:22 PM] B says: oh yeah?
[4/4/2009 6:06:23 PM] B says: haha
[4/4/2009 6:06:25 PM] B says: oh ok
[4/4/2009 6:06:31 PM] B says: you can believe whatever you like
[4/4/2009 6:06:54 PM] N says: u know
Japan surrendered before Pearl Harbor!
Of course, I am still waiting for the evidence he promised.