4 ms·

If your startup's core competence is online 419 scams then I wish you guys were a bit less resourceful ;-)) (sorry dude, but I couldn't help it... though dista

by Rod 18y ago

If your startup's core competence is online 419 scams then I wish you guys were a bit less resourceful ;-)) (sorry dude, but I couldn't help it... though distasteful this joke might seem)

medianama 18y ago
Wish I could down vote you
- Rod 18y ago
  Kind of PC, aren't we? Lower bound is -8. Knock yourself out.
  - ajju 18y ago
    Your being down voted has little to do with political correctness. You insulted the OP and the comment wasn't even funny.
    - Rod 18y ago
      There's no accounting for taste, so I won't discuss whether the comment was humorous or not. However, I respectfully disagree that I have offended the original poster. Please allow me to explain: As an engineer, I appreciate the original poster's resourcefulness and can-do attitude. Getting things done with minimum means is something admirable. However, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to claim that anyone who reads the words "Nigeria" and "internet" in the same sentence will think of 419 scams. That is not the OP's fault, of course, but it would be naive to think that such a prejudice does not work against him. Countries have reputations, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Sometimes your country's reputation helps, sometimes it hinders. I am sure some people think I am being racist. Just so you know, I am no bigot. Moreover, if the OP was offended, he can defend himself, and I am here to apologize if my joke was offensive. I conjecture that if the OP were Russian and I made a stupid joke about vodka bottles and stuff, I wouldn't have been down-voted as fast. Not all bigotry is created equal, I guess.
      - colinplamondon 18y ago
        Nah, it would have- and that's why HN is awesome. Dumb jokes get downmodded into oblivion, which keeps the quality of conversation high. If shit like that flew, the site would devolve into Reddit levels of lolcats. It doesn't contribute to the conversation and it leads into detours like this thread. It's also beyond ridiculous to mock someone who's busting his ass to build a company when he has to transcend things like, you know, regular access to electricity, but that's a matter of personal taste. I'm not saying show blind admiration because the cool kids are upmodding, I'm saying be respectful... especially when the OP is as badass as the OP in question!
        Rod 18y ago
        AFAIK, the OP did NOT request your intervention (I am sure the OP's skin is thicker than yours, so to say). You are making a storm in a teacup. BTW, I was not mocking the OP, in case you haven't figured it out yet. Borrowing a British expression, I was taking the piss. Born and raised in Western Europe, I have lived some time in a 3rd world country. I have seen the most annoying condescending gaze on the faces of so many American and British expats who claim to be very sensitive to cultural issues, but who actually never bother to interact with the locals. Going for a game of crickett at the private club is more fun than hanging out with the local "savages". I admire people who work hard and get stuff done with minimum means, regardless of their race or nationality. Period.
        daleharvey 18y ago
        and thats what has been downvoted, while it may be racially insensitive, "taking the piss" isnt really what the comments here are for, regardless of what you were taking the piss out of
      - ajju 18y ago
        To me, the insulting nature of your comment stemmed not from the economic status of Nigeria as a poor country (or the skin color of its residents) but the fact that you were jokingly implying the OP was involved in something illegal. A joke about a Russian entrepreneur selling vodka, for example, would not be insulting, just trite. Which, quality of content wise, is equally bad.
    - ams6110 18y ago
      Oh it was a little funny. Lighten up.
      - jcl 18y ago
        For what it's worth, if something is only a little funny, I tend to mod it down.
    - axod 18y ago
      He included a ";-)" which of course makes everything perfectly acceptable.
  - plusbryan 18y ago
    or in this case, -16

by Rod 18y ago

If your startup's core competence is online 419 scams then I wish you guys were a bit less resourceful ;-)) (sorry dude, but I couldn't help it... though distasteful this joke might seem)

medianama 18y ago

Wish I could down vote you

Rod 18y ago
Kind of PC, aren't we? Lower bound is -8. Knock yourself out.
- ajju 18y ago
  Your being down voted has little to do with political correctness. You insulted the OP and the comment wasn't even funny.
  - Rod 18y ago
    There's no accounting for taste, so I won't discuss whether the comment was humorous or not. However, I respectfully disagree that I have offended the original poster. Please allow me to explain: As an engineer, I appreciate the original poster's resourcefulness and can-do attitude. Getting things done with minimum means is something admirable. However, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to claim that anyone who reads the words "Nigeria" and "internet" in the same sentence will think of 419 scams. That is not the OP's fault, of course, but it would be naive to think that such a prejudice does not work against him. Countries have reputations, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Sometimes your country's reputation helps, sometimes it hinders. I am sure some people think I am being racist. Just so you know, I am no bigot. Moreover, if the OP was offended, he can defend himself, and I am here to apologize if my joke was offensive. I conjecture that if the OP were Russian and I made a stupid joke about vodka bottles and stuff, I wouldn't have been down-voted as fast. Not all bigotry is created equal, I guess.
    - colinplamondon 18y ago
      Nah, it would have- and that's why HN is awesome. Dumb jokes get downmodded into oblivion, which keeps the quality of conversation high. If shit like that flew, the site would devolve into Reddit levels of lolcats. It doesn't contribute to the conversation and it leads into detours like this thread. It's also beyond ridiculous to mock someone who's busting his ass to build a company when he has to transcend things like, you know, regular access to electricity, but that's a matter of personal taste. I'm not saying show blind admiration because the cool kids are upmodding, I'm saying be respectful... especially when the OP is as badass as the OP in question!
      - Rod 18y ago
        AFAIK, the OP did NOT request your intervention (I am sure the OP's skin is thicker than yours, so to say). You are making a storm in a teacup. BTW, I was not mocking the OP, in case you haven't figured it out yet. Borrowing a British expression, I was taking the piss. Born and raised in Western Europe, I have lived some time in a 3rd world country. I have seen the most annoying condescending gaze on the faces of so many American and British expats who claim to be very sensitive to cultural issues, but who actually never bother to interact with the locals. Going for a game of crickett at the private club is more fun than hanging out with the local "savages". I admire people who work hard and get stuff done with minimum means, regardless of their race or nationality. Period.
        daleharvey 18y ago
        and thats what has been downvoted, while it may be racially insensitive, "taking the piss" isnt really what the comments here are for, regardless of what you were taking the piss out of
    - ajju 18y ago
      To me, the insulting nature of your comment stemmed not from the economic status of Nigeria as a poor country (or the skin color of its residents) but the fact that you were jokingly implying the OP was involved in something illegal. A joke about a Russian entrepreneur selling vodka, for example, would not be insulting, just trite. Which, quality of content wise, is equally bad.
  - ams6110 18y ago
    Oh it was a little funny. Lighten up.
    - jcl 18y ago
      For what it's worth, if something is only a little funny, I tend to mod it down.
  - axod 18y ago
    He included a ";-)" which of course makes everything perfectly acceptable.
- plusbryan 18y ago
  or in this case, -16