5 ms·

Often the security services routinely surreptitiously break into your house and rearrange shit in your fridge That sounds like horrifying gaslighting. Any evid

Often the security services routinely surreptitiously break into your house and rearrange shit in your fridge That sounds like horrifying gaslighting. Any evidence of this? It just feels like now days you need a camera in your private rooms (at work and at home) because god knows what kind of allegation someone can throw at you, or if the cops come and say you did some shit when you really didn’t etc. A camera connected to the cloud at all times. To your larger point, I agree that humans can crack. It doesn’t take much when you are alone and no one believes anything you are saying. Imagine someone follows you around and briefly points a laser pointer near the ground. Imagine they do this daily, just for a second. Try explaining it to to others, they’ll think you’re mad. Try explaining it to cops or a shrink. You’ll go crazy in no time. You better record every waking moment if you want to stand a chance, but by then, you’re already insane.

cheese_van 5y ago
Yes, I have personal experience with this. It was relatively common in Moscow, and in fact was a part of that station's (and others) security briefing. This was in '92 however, when camera surveillance equipment wasn't readily available to the public cheaply. I suppose being easily detectable that sort of fuckery is less common nowadays .
- runawaybottle 5y ago
  That’s extremely sadistic. I fear those who can take part in something like that more so than explicit acts. Just rob the place, but don’t do demented stuff like that.
  - cheese_van 5y ago
    I don't want to give the impression that a Foreign Service career is fraught. My 30 years were gratifying and I often felt I was taking part in history, instead of merely reading about it. You're not paying for rent or utilities. Your children are provided (generally) with very good, very expensive educations going to school with children of diplomats of other countries. The pension is fantastic. It's good work if you can get it. Salaries are low initially, but as promotion kicks in, sooner or later you're making real money. My salary at retirement was a little over 160k a year, which is not bad for generic IT support. I retired at 62.
r721 5y ago
> In a series of secret memos sent back to Washington, described to me by several current and former U.S. officials who have written or read them, diplomats reported that Russian intruders had broken into their homes late at night, only to rearrange the furniture or turn on all the lights and televisions, and then leave. One diplomat reported that an intruder had defecated on his living room carpet. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/russia-is-harassing-us-diplomats-all-over-europe/2016/06/26/968d1a5a-3bdf-11e6-84e8-1580c7db5275_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/russ... (2016) See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zersetzung https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zersetzung
- NineStarPoint 5y ago
  I feel like using Russia as an example of the standard US diplomat experience is probably misleading. I suppose I wouldn’t be surprised if similar things happened in South American or African embassies, but a combination of our history with Russia and its general temperament has got to make it a one of the places most prone to this sort of non-direct fucking with people.
  - op00to 5y ago
    Furniture rearranging is a hallmark of the East German security service. The DDR museum is fascinating. Plus lots of naked people!

cheese_van 5y ago

Yes, I have personal experience with this. It was relatively common in Moscow, and in fact was a part of that station's (and others) security briefing. This was in '92 however, when camera surveillance equipment wasn't readily available to the public cheaply. I suppose being easily detectable that sort of fuckery is less common nowadays .

runawaybottle 5y ago
That’s extremely sadistic. I fear those who can take part in something like that more so than explicit acts. Just rob the place, but don’t do demented stuff like that.
- cheese_van 5y ago
  I don't want to give the impression that a Foreign Service career is fraught. My 30 years were gratifying and I often felt I was taking part in history, instead of merely reading about it. You're not paying for rent or utilities. Your children are provided (generally) with very good, very expensive educations going to school with children of diplomats of other countries. The pension is fantastic. It's good work if you can get it. Salaries are low initially, but as promotion kicks in, sooner or later you're making real money. My salary at retirement was a little over 160k a year, which is not bad for generic IT support. I retired at 62.

r721 5y ago

> In a series of secret memos sent back to Washington, described to me by several current and former U.S. officials who have written or read them, diplomats reported that Russian intruders had broken into their homes late at night, only to rearrange the furniture or turn on all the lights and televisions, and then leave. One diplomat reported that an intruder had defecated on his living room carpet. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/russia-is-harassing-us-diplomats-all-over-europe/2016/06/26/968d1a5a-3bdf-11e6-84e8-1580c7db5275_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/russ... (2016) See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zersetzung https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zersetzung

NineStarPoint 5y ago
I feel like using Russia as an example of the standard US diplomat experience is probably misleading. I suppose I wouldn’t be surprised if similar things happened in South American or African embassies, but a combination of our history with Russia and its general temperament has got to make it a one of the places most prone to this sort of non-direct fucking with people.
- op00to 5y ago
  Furniture rearranging is a hallmark of the East German security service. The DDR museum is fascinating. Plus lots of naked people!