I was unable to rent apartments in San Francisco.
I was unable to get a job directly after being released from prison.
It's funny because when you owe the state $17,000 in restitution and
you can't get a job, people become extremely desperate.
And that desperation can easily put you right back into prison.
It is my experience that anti-human outcomes follow a perversion of focus - when intent shifts from actually safeguarding society (thru meaningful redemption), toward destructive (zero tolerance) or exploitive ends (credit, crim reports).
I suggest that serially denying paid-for (fines, incarceration) redemption forever (permanent punishment delivered via criminal records) is deeply evil.
the fact that you're quick to tell me you're a pardoned felon but not why gives me a creepy feeling, and I say that with a lot of felon friends and family..
probably not the detail to omit to try to hook a readership..
technical aside : on low bandwidth connections your site acts really inconsistent and weird; it appears to be downloading those on-hover sound files.
It may be a bit of a "hook." He mentions that he explains it in the book, and provides the first chapter. It's probably in there.
I was a nasty felon, but as a juvenile (13). I got clean at 18, so my adult record is unblemished; but nowadays, I would probably be tried as an adult.
No, I'm not not gonna mention why, here. It's just a distraction.
I tend to hang with a number of folks with similar stories (I've been a Recovering drug addict for 46 years, and only mention it now, occasionally, because I'm not looking for a job -and it's usually not relevant to HN discussions).
I read the first chapter of your autobiography, looking forward to reading the rest. For the current audience reading this, do you mind spoiling/summarizing how you got into software engineering? Had you dabbled in it before your conviction, and did you study it while serving your prison sentence?
Reminds me a bit of the actors that tell you they finally broke it big because they didn't quit, or that they made it right before they ran out of money.
That's great and a nice story, but it doesn't take into account the many more that really did run out of money and got into a real tough situation, or didnt quit and just kept trying til their time was over.
Thank you for sharing this. I would be excited to read your autobiography.
I find stories like yours inspiring, and reassuring in a way. I'm increasingly worried about this trend toward being tough on crime in response to growing public disorder, increasing maximum sentences, and generally taking a no-holds-barred approach because good society has been wronged.
I've been a victim myself, from petty theft to assault when I intervened to stop a hate crime, by people out on bail with long court records. After being assaulted I really did start to question my beliefs on this. But I still very much genuinely believe that people can change and should be given a second chance, even though some won't take it seriously, and for others it might take a very long time.
I've met quite a few people with criminal records, or records as youth offenders, who genuinely did become better people over time. A former classmate of mine used to deal cocaine and is now a personal trainer with a wonderful personality and sense of morality. Another used to be a lookout for a stash house and has similarly moved on from that life.
I guess that's what I find so reassuring about stories like yours. I've seen people change and move on from what was probably the worst chapter of their lives, and become people I'm genuinely glad to know. I worry that in our societal desire to be tougher on crime, we're becoming less willing to give people that chance. And I think stories like yours are a good reminder of why we shouldn't lose sight of it.
People can change when you have a justice system that is aimed at reforming offenders rather than simply locking them away or punishing them. America's justice system is the opposite of that, socializing even petty criminals that incidentally land in the system into doing more crime. That's why America has so many more people locked up compared to other countries, which is significantly more expensive in the long run, too...
Ummmm, actually, I can think of a few politicians who have been accomplices to this, or have authorized this type crime, even one more recent, on a massive genocidal scale, against foreign citizens.
I believe I've located a news article which gives a brief description of the altercation, at https://archive.is/utJqE
It says that his mother told police that "her son hit her husband after the couple confronted him about being involved in a robbery. She told police her son had property in his room that they believed may have come from the robbery."
This could be a crazy violent act that deserves making someone a felon, it could be an act of self defense that was unfairly prosecuted, or it could be something in between.
ASPD perhaps which would also explain his fast life type strategies of high risk high reward low impulse control decisions. Which in this case led to success.
Reminds of the veritassium video where it said being persistent is more valuable than being consistent in the sense that you only need to win the lottery once to be rich forever. Whereas you can consistently work a job for an indefinite quantity of time and never be rich.
He hit (killed?) his father on the head with a baseball bat.
I suggest that serially denying paid-for (fines, incarceration) redemption forever (permanent punishment delivered via criminal records) is deeply evil.
the fact that you're quick to tell me you're a pardoned felon but not why gives me a creepy feeling, and I say that with a lot of felon friends and family..
probably not the detail to omit to try to hook a readership..
technical aside : on low bandwidth connections your site acts really inconsistent and weird; it appears to be downloading those on-hover sound files.
It may be a bit of a "hook." He mentions that he explains it in the book, and provides the first chapter. It's probably in there.
I was a nasty felon, but as a juvenile (13). I got clean at 18, so my adult record is unblemished; but nowadays, I would probably be tried as an adult.
No, I'm not not gonna mention why, here. It's just a distraction.
Unfortunately, it would actually probably matter a lot if you can afford a good attorney.
Glad to see you're doing well now.
It pretty much bankrupted my parents.
I was a bad, bad, boi...
https://sos.ok.gov/documents/Pardons/204490.pdf
That’s his pardon. That’s about all we got though, the record was expunged.
When I saw "pardoned" on his site I thought "I'll wager January 6 and a MAGA pardon".
But this says 2013 so my guess doesn't line up.
Thanks for sharing this!
I tend to hang with a number of folks with similar stories (I've been a Recovering drug addict for 46 years, and only mention it now, occasionally, because I'm not looking for a job -and it's usually not relevant to HN discussions).
I read the first chapter of your autobiography, looking forward to reading the rest. For the current audience reading this, do you mind spoiling/summarizing how you got into software engineering? Had you dabbled in it before your conviction, and did you study it while serving your prison sentence?
>What I'm doing now is writing an autobiography. The main theme of it is hope.
Hope to work hard and win the lottery ticket when the game is stacked against you? What hope?
I'm happy for your personally, but it doesn't sound like a message of hope.
Reminds me a bit of the actors that tell you they finally broke it big because they didn't quit, or that they made it right before they ran out of money.
That's great and a nice story, but it doesn't take into account the many more that really did run out of money and got into a real tough situation, or didnt quit and just kept trying til their time was over.
Minor feedback: please don't have your site make noises. It's distracting.
Thank you for sharing this. I would be excited to read your autobiography.
I find stories like yours inspiring, and reassuring in a way. I'm increasingly worried about this trend toward being tough on crime in response to growing public disorder, increasing maximum sentences, and generally taking a no-holds-barred approach because good society has been wronged.
I've been a victim myself, from petty theft to assault when I intervened to stop a hate crime, by people out on bail with long court records. After being assaulted I really did start to question my beliefs on this. But I still very much genuinely believe that people can change and should be given a second chance, even though some won't take it seriously, and for others it might take a very long time.
I've met quite a few people with criminal records, or records as youth offenders, who genuinely did become better people over time. A former classmate of mine used to deal cocaine and is now a personal trainer with a wonderful personality and sense of morality. Another used to be a lookout for a stash house and has similarly moved on from that life.
I guess that's what I find so reassuring about stories like yours. I've seen people change and move on from what was probably the worst chapter of their lives, and become people I'm genuinely glad to know. I worry that in our societal desire to be tougher on crime, we're becoming less willing to give people that chance. And I think stories like yours are a good reminder of why we shouldn't lose sight of it.
People can change when you have a justice system that is aimed at reforming offenders rather than simply locking them away or punishing them. America's justice system is the opposite of that, socializing even petty criminals that incidentally land in the system into doing more crime. That's why America has so many more people locked up compared to other countries, which is significantly more expensive in the long run, too...
Show HN: I write books and stuff and have a juicy clickbait hook
Good for you, mate! Less good for those nuclear secrets you may or may not have stolen and those antelopes you may or may not have sex trafficked
Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon.
Ummmm, actually, I can think of a few politicians who have been accomplices to this, or have authorized this type crime, even one more recent, on a massive genocidal scale, against foreign citizens.
your website uses the exact tech as the openAI website that they had for Astra. Interesting
I don't know anything about this Astra thing but his site looks very AI-generated!
https://openai.com/index/gpt-6-astra/
Telling people that you are a convicted fellon without disclosing what you did is a red flag to me.
Especially if its for the purpose to drum up interest for your autobiography.
And definitely seem to give off 'smug' vibes about his life afterwards. I'm all for people paying their debt but I didn't get the main theme of hope.
I got a feeling of lack of remorse and someone sort of sociopathically showing off.
What did you do?
https://buford.bg/books/buford-versus-oklahoma-1
Doesn't go into the why, however. Presumably future chapters will.
I believe I've located a news article which gives a brief description of the altercation, at https://archive.is/utJqE
It says that his mother told police that "her son hit her husband after the couple confronted him about being involved in a robbery. She told police her son had property in his room that they believed may have come from the robbery."
I've read it and besides the "why", I'm also wondering about the long-term impact on the person who was hit (Buford's father).
I guess this means chapter one's a good hook.
Unfortunately there is no chapter 2 for me to pay for…
Tldr:
Hit his dad on the head with a metal baseball bat with other family members around.
This could be a crazy violent act that deserves making someone a felon, it could be an act of self defense that was unfairly prosecuted, or it could be something in between.
Well it happened when they accused him of being part of a robbery that took place. So, kind of looks like it might be the first one.
ASPD perhaps which would also explain his fast life type strategies of high risk high reward low impulse control decisions. Which in this case led to success.
Reminds of the veritassium video where it said being persistent is more valuable than being consistent in the sense that you only need to win the lottery once to be rich forever. Whereas you can consistently work a job for an indefinite quantity of time and never be rich.
most people who win the lottery aren't rich forever.
I think GP likely meant "win the lottery" metaphorically, like playing the startup game and getting to a large exit.
I imagine this largely depends on if you elect for the lump sum or annuity payments.