Antivirus Pioneer John McAfee Arrested In Belize 367
First time accepted submitter rebelwarlock writes "McAfee lives in Belize and he says that he has become a target of the Gang Suppression Unit. He says the GSU came busting into his research facility in Orange Walk, killed his dog, took his passport, handcuffed him and arrested him on a bogus weapons charge. McAfee says he's a victim because he didn't donate money to a known U.D.P. Orange Walk politician."
WTF? (Score:3, Interesting)
His dog didn't do anything! I wouldn't be shocked to read that members of PETA shot someone from the GSU in the next few days.
Comment on Belize's Facebook page? (Score:2, Interesting)
Leaving a few comments on Belize's page could have some effect. I for sure am not traveling to Belize because of this.
https://www.facebook.com/TravelBelize [facebook.com]
John in trouble again? (Score:3, Interesting)
It sounds like a bad day that never should have happened. Of interest, John got himself run off the Hawaiian island of Molokai not too many years ago by local activists angered by his attempt to come in and be a savior against drugs. He was running full page ads in the local paper with pictures of neighborhoods where he alleged drug transactions were regularly going on. He even started his own newspaper to carry on the battle. Next thing you knew, they were all over his case to the point that he had to auction off his property, including a never lived-in and nearly completed beach house and some other property he had here at significant losses. Even his auctions raised a lot of negative stuff from the activists. He may be a good person but he has a penchant for pissing off the wrong guys.
Too Often, Killed His Dog (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm hearing too often about police raids that involve killing someone's dog in the process. I'm coming to think that killing a person's dog -- whether the person is innocent or not, and the dog most likely is completely innocent -- is a tactic now of police forces around the world to intimidate and harm the suspect regardless of the validity of the raid. Are police being taught that it is just safer to kill any dog they come across? It has gotten to the point where I'm rooting for the dog to win at least once.
The Three Ps (Score:4, Interesting)
Priests, Policemen, and Politicians. I just watched a documentary about a famous, now-defunct Black comedy club in Chicago called _All Jokes Aside_. The former owner noted the big city phenomenon of the 3Ps showing up when a business gets successful looking for handouts. And, if you don't pay up, each one will do their best to make you pay for it. In his case, he took care of the police, but not the politicians who made it a point to make sure he couldn't get a liquor license when he decided to relocate.
Re:Check the citation... (Score:3, Interesting)
What's the difference between killing the dog and fatally wounding it?
Re:amazing summary (Score:3, Interesting)
The article itself is pretty amazing too.
On Monday at six o’clock, I was awakened by the sound of a bullhorn
(...)
and for fourteen hours outside in the sun, I sat handcuffed without food or water. We got water around noon.
(...)
They (...) took me to Belize City. Fortunately we had copies. We showed up later at the police station with the copies. Even then it was difficult to get out.
Fourteen hours between six in the morning and noon? Being locked up in the police station first, and then showing up at the station afterwards?
I am confused...
Re:Clearly... (Score:5, Interesting)
That is assuming that free antivirus is as good as paid, which in my experience it is not. I have had to clean up systems running so-called free antivirus and some of them had 30+ varieties of malware.
How do you know this? By trusting an anti-malware program?
I see your problem, and it isn't the AV software.
In truth, AV software, payware or not, is much like bicycle support wheels. They won't prevent you from crashing, and in the long run is a bloody nuisance, but can be useful for new riders or those with no interest in learning how to bike.
Disclaimer: I was the author of an AV program. It likely was the first such software being able to find newer viruses than the software and libraries, using heuristic algorithms and partial disassembly. It had one big flaw: It listed what the executable looked like it would do, the calculated probability, and expected the user to actually make a judgment. As I said, a big flaw.
Re:amazing summary (Score:3, Interesting)
I did read it properly, he just didn't write it properly. Everything I quoted, was copied and pasted directly from the article. He did say they were without food and water for fourteen hours and they got water around noon. And the bit about being taken to Belize City (in handcuffs? Incarcerated?) only to show up later with copies of his licenses (free to go back to get those after all?) is pretty unclear as well. Crappy writing indeed, but anyway, I guess the big picture is clear enough.
Re:Clearly... (Score:5, Interesting)
Indeed, 1/3rd of Belizeans live in the USA [wikipedia.org], because the economic opportunities are lacking in their country, in no small part due to corruption of local politicians.
There also are incentives to move to Belize [belize.com], allowing you to move your household possessions, cars, etc. down there tax-free. Just pay the government a small fee.
I've spent time down there, it's a beautiful country, but with an odd mix of enclaves of super-expensive housing developments for expats, and shanty towns for locals.