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Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

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Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#101

Post by throwawaythekey »

josefresco wrote: post #32
tedk-42 wrote: post #21

As an Aussie observer, I'm seeing more US influence in our region. With some 'diplomacy', Julian Assange was brought home after near 15 years fighting for BS extradition charges. The news and politicians in Australia follow almost lock step with whatever our US overlords allow us to say. It's been more of a thing lately with them trying to secure the pacific away from China's sphere of influence and the biggest 'dumb…

In your opinion why is the submarine deal/F-35 program "totally useless" for Australia? Are you saying it's the wrong equipment? Too expensive? Not needed?

One of our former prime ministers, Paul Keating, came out strongly against the submarine deal. IIRC two important dimensions are that Australia has shallow waters which are not a good fit for the chosen submarine technology and that tactically it makes limited sense for Australia to focus on weapons to be used on our largest trading partner.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/15/paul-...

I am not an expert on any of the above.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#102

Post by manuelmoreale »

DSingularity wrote: post #85
popcalc wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree. "Two weeks later on 20 January, Dotcom, Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk were arrested in Coatesville, New Zealand by the New Zealand Police, in an armed raid on Dotcom's house involving 76 officers and two helicopters. Seized assets included eighteen luxury cars, large TVs, works of art and US$175 million in cash. Dotcom's bank accounts were frozen, denying him access to 64 bank accounts wor…

Please. It fits his personality perfectly to do something like keep all his money in cash. If he was a drug lord or if he was even remotely connected to malicious security services he would have been long taken by force. New Zealand is a close US ally.

> It fits his personality perfectly to do something like keep all his money in cash

How do you explain this part then:

> Dotcom's bank accounts were frozen, denying him access to 64 bank accounts world-wide

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#103

Post by vessenes »

A fair amount of “this is fine, governments enforce IP laws and that’s a public good” vibes in here, which is all a very reasonable perspective.

I’d argue Kim was too successful and too unlikeable at the end of the day, and that was probably his downfall. Toward the end, MEGA had transitioned to actually partnering with hip hop artists for distribution.

The US has a long history of IP rights holders criminalizing new business models / protecting current models in law, and then a fair amount shaking down and sorting out happening as new technology hits the scene, going back to radio. Each of these waves has led to push / pull between distributors, retailers, artists and song writers, and whether or not you like it, that’s the system we have today.

MEGA was too early and too tainted (and run by an aggressively weird / antagonistic dude) to become Spotify. But, it wasn’t the wrong model using tech of the time. It was too early, and too successful, without cutting in the existing rights holders properly.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#104

Post by Tade0 »

DSingularity wrote: post #62
popcalc wrote: post #2

One-way flight to Russia? His Twitter feed for the last decade does give merit to the idea that he's been on the payroll.

Ah yes, the classic. Everybody who opposes american foreign policy is labeled. Tweet about opposing the genocide in gaza? Oh dont listen to him -- he is pro khamas. Tweet about opposing war in ukraine arguing that NATO is outdated and not in the interest of Ukrainians? Oh pay no attention to him -- he is on the communist payroll. I understand when leaders in politics or industry make these character-assasination atta…

> Tweet about opposing war in ukraine arguing that NATO is outdated and not in the interest of Ukrainians? Oh pay no attention to him -- he is on the communist payroll.

Hailing from a country that joined NATO in the 90s I wouldn't brand a person arguing this as being on communist payroll - just ignorant beyond measure.

Russia has been a consistently bad neighbour for decades now and I for one am happy that in my country it was the post-communists out of everyone who spearheaded the effort to have a deterrent in the form of NATO membership.

Finland and Sweden appear to agree, considering how they joined the alliance.

If anything, NATO is now more relevant than ever.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#105

Post by enriquec »

DSingularity wrote: post #62
popcalc wrote: post #2

One-way flight to Russia? His Twitter feed for the last decade does give merit to the idea that he's been on the payroll.

Ah yes, the classic. Everybody who opposes american foreign policy is labeled. Tweet about opposing the genocide in gaza? Oh dont listen to him -- he is pro khamas. Tweet about opposing war in ukraine arguing that NATO is outdated and not in the interest of Ukrainians? Oh pay no attention to him -- he is on the communist payroll. I understand when leaders in politics or industry make these character-assasination atta…

tribalism. Probably on the democrat side and probably because Kim has been active on X. propaganda and its effects are literally that dumb and predictable (thus the NPC label).

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#106

Post by olalonde »

tedk-42 wrote: post #21

As an Aussie observer, I'm seeing more US influence in our region. With some 'diplomacy', Julian Assange was brought home after near 15 years fighting for BS extradition charges. The news and politicians in Australia follow almost lock step with whatever our US overlords allow us to say. It's been more of a thing lately with them trying to secure the pacific away from China's sphere of influence and the biggest 'dumb…

> As an Aussie observer, I'm seeing more US influence in our region.

Australia and New Zealand have extradition treaties with dozens of countries, it's not just a US thing.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#107

Post by criddell »

earnesti wrote: post #64
popcalc wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree. "Two weeks later on 20 January, Dotcom, Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk were arrested in Coatesville, New Zealand by the New Zealand Police, in an armed raid on Dotcom's house involving 76 officers and two helicopters. Seized assets included eighteen luxury cars, large TVs, works of art and US$175 million in cash. Dotcom's bank accounts were frozen, denying him access to 64 bank accounts wor…

The guy has a lot of money, so therefore he is more guilty than normal men?

I think they were just backing up the "he's not small folk like us" statement.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#108

Post by roenxi »

throwawaythekey wrote: post #101
josefresco wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In your opinion why is the submarine deal/F-35 program "totally useless" for Australia? Are you saying it's the wrong equipment? Too expensive? Not needed?

One of our former prime ministers, Paul Keating, came out strongly against the submarine deal. IIRC two important dimensions are that Australia has shallow waters which are not a good fit for the chosen submarine technology and that tactically it makes limited sense for Australia to focus on weapons to be used on our largest trading partner. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/15/paul-... I am not an…

They might make sense if in the long term we build out a nuclear deterrent? We'd need a handful of deep water submarines with big missiles on them. Although I expect that it'll turn out they're designed wrong for that or something.

Other than that I can't see what situation they'd be useful in practice though. If we get into a war with Indonesia, China or the like that is the end. There will be no winners and we'll either lose or be ruined. One of the lessons in the modern era is if a country can't defend itself with diplomacy then it is in a lot of trouble.

I assume we're buying this gear as some sort of realpolitik tribute-style thing for the US military industrial complex. If the point isn't to give them money I doubt we're achieving our goals.

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#109

Post by phyalow »

popcalc wrote: post #8
wepple wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not categorize him as “small folk like us”

Agree. "Two weeks later on 20 January, Dotcom, Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk were arrested in Coatesville, New Zealand by the New Zealand Police, in an armed raid on Dotcom's house involving 76 officers and two helicopters. Seized assets included eighteen luxury cars, large TVs, works of art and US$175 million in cash. Dotcom's bank accounts were frozen, denying him access to 64 bank accounts wor…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4TXAaqmj0E

This video of Kim is a classic (I think it came out origianlly c. 2009). The last shot of his table with a stack of Gold Bars in the middle is very revealing (or maybe moreso is his Rolls Royce with the plate "GOD")....

Re: Kim Dotcom's extradition to the U.S. given green light by New Zealand

#110

Post by ajsnigrutin »

popcalc wrote: post #96
ajsnigrutin wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

File sharing is not a crime. IP holder damages should take in consideration what the actual buying power of pirates is, not just multiply downloads by dvd costs, and copyright laws need a huge reform. He's a modern day robin hood, people would prefer him to win over eg. disney... and disney is not doing itself a favour these days :)

Sharing CSAM definitely is a crime. Nuances exist. >He's a modern day robin hood He's run or partnered on multiple pump-and-dumps for the better part of 30 years, some of which capitalized on his fanbase.

Sure, so is commiting murder.

We're talking about software and (well, mostly) media piracy, movies and music here.

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