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Kim Dotcom Launches Political Party In New Zealand

judgecorp (778838) writes "Fugitive entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has launched a political party in New Zealand although he himself cannot stand for election. Dotcom, founder of Megaupload is a German national, not a New Zealand citizen. He is also on bail pending extradition to the US over claims that his Megaupload site infringed copyright. The Internet Party manifesto promises net neutrality, privacy, and faster broadband. Meanwhile, his new venture Mega is now worth NZ$210 million (£108m) thanks to a reverse takeover. He has also had to assure the New Zealand media that owning a signed copy of Mein Kampf doesn't mean he is a Nazi."

98 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    He has also had to assure the New Zealand media that owning a signed copy of Mein Kampf doesn't mean he is a Nazi.

    [Citation Required]

    1. Re:What? by muphin · · Score: 4, Informative
      --
      It's not a typo if you understood the meaning!
    2. Re:What? by boundary · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Something appearing in the New Zealand media usually means it's trivial, or some rugby happened. Don't read too much into it.

    3. Re:What? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      So the photos of him in an SS helmet are also not true, the proof being that the pictures were in the New Zealand media proves it never happened?

    4. Re:What? by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      but ss helmets and mp44's don't make people into nazis any more than red star hats and ak's prove that people are communists. it's era collecting more likely(some news article said that he said he also has some staling memorabilia and churchill memorabilia).

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    5. Re:What? by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Wow, I guess that this Iron Cross with a swastika on it that I got out of my grandfather's stuff when we were cleaning out my grandmother's house after she passed meant she was a Nazi. And that I'm a Nazi too, since it's now in my possession.

      Or, that my grandfather traded a pack of smokes (or whatever) for it in 1942 after the war was over, as well as a bunch of other crap he brought back as mementos from participating in the event that shaped the world for the next 70+ years.

      That being said, I never pinned the damn thing on my chest and took a "selfie", and it's extremely unlikely to ever happen.

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    6. Re:What? by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 1

      Too late. The Nazi book has become the story. Dotcom's launch of a political party has become a side-story.

      --
      May the Maths Be with you!
    7. Re:What? by pla · · Score: 2

      So the photos of him in an SS helmet are also not true, the proof being that the pictures were in the New Zealand media proves it never happened?

      So all those all those old guys dressed in confederate regimental attire every July 3rd on a nearby hill (deeeeply North of the Mason/Dixon line)... I should suspect them as secessionist scum, rather than just the original LARP'ers?

      For some reason, people really get into military history. And like it or not, Uncle Adolf ran the biggest game ever.

    8. Re:What? by flyneye · · Score: 1

      LOL , those Kiwis! I guess my copy of The Art of War makes me Chinese and my copy of the Bible makes me Jewish. Confucius say OY! What a combination.

      --
      *Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
    9. Re:What? by Cryacin · · Score: 1

      More likely he owned a copy of Mein Cronut. He doesn't have a glandular problem. That adonis like physique takes effort!

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    10. Re:What? by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      Theres a difference between your grandfather bringing home a war trophy and this man.

      I don't know your grandfather, but since he came home and it sounds like he was honorably discharged, no one is going to hold a few war trophies over his head like he is evil because he isn't.

      Kim on the other hand, had no involvement what so ever in WWII, any more than I did. If he inherited them, like you, thats one thing, but thats not the case. He seeks this stuff out. He takes advantage of any thing he can, legal or otherwise. He think's his far ass is better than the people he takes advantage of and his emails show that he is an utter fucking pile of shit in every conceivable way.

      Anyone who defends Kim in any way is seriously disconnected from reality.

      He deserves no benefit of the doubt, he has lost that due to repeatedly begin charged and convicted with fraud. The current court case is what? At least his 3rd ... and the first 2 he was guilty as shit with ridiculous amounts of evidence ... and he spent the whole time, even with evidence presented, saying he didn't do that or he did nothing wrong.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    11. Re:What? by rossdee · · Score: 1

      "Or, that my grandfather traded a pack of smokes (or whatever) for it in 1942 after the war was over,"

      You must be from an alternate universe. In this one WWII ended in 1945

      Anyway I thought that Kim Dotcom must have been a Korean, like all the other Kims

    12. Re:What? by vettemph · · Score: 2

      My brother has a vast collection of Playboy. That doesn't make him a Bunny. :)

      --
      The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
    13. Re:What? by gnick · · Score: 1

      The Axis advance was stopped in '42 and things started to settle down (comparatively - It was still pretty nasty.) The Russians kicked their asses the next year and the surrender happened in '45. Troops were being rotated to the front lines from several countries in '42 (rotated NOT meaning sent to the line until dead.) And, the year in which the person in question rotated in/out or when the war was over "for him" is pretty much irrelevant unless you're preparing something for the History Channel.

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    14. Re:What? by gnick · · Score: 1

      I don't really know anything about Kim's racial or political motivations. But I have copies of Machiaveli's "The Prince", Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", The Communist Manifesto, and have spent a good amount of time in Austria and a little in Germany (Vienna's beautiful.) And I work in the US supporting the DoD & DoE - My books hardly make me a traitor. And if Sun Tzu somehow miraculously signed my copy of "The Art of War", I'd think it was cool as hell. (Although it'd probably go to auction pretty quickly.)

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    15. Re:What? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      I never said it made him a Nazi. Someone else questioned the integrity/accuracy of the media. I was just pointing out that, in general, the verifiable facts (like a photo of Kim) are rarely faked.

    16. Re:What? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      I never attributed any meaning to it. You did. I only questioned someone else's unsubstantiated condemnation of the media.

    17. Re:What? by doccus · · Score: 1

      Theres a difference between your grandfather bringing home a war trophy and this man.

      I don't know your grandfather, but since he came home and it sounds like he was honorably discharged, no one is going to hold a few war trophies over his head like he is evil because he isn't.

      Kim on the other hand, had no involvement what so ever in WWII, any more than I did. If he inherited them, like you, thats one thing, but thats not the case. He seeks this stuff out. He takes advantage of any thing he can, legal or otherwise. He think's his far ass is better than the people he takes advantage of and his emails show that he is an utter fucking pile of shit in every conceivable way.

      Anyone who defends Kim in any way is seriously disconnected from reality.

      He deserves no benefit of the doubt, he has lost that due to repeatedly begin charged and convicted with fraud. The current court case is what? At least his 3rd ... and the first 2 he was guilty as shit with ridiculous amounts of evidence ... and he spent the whole time, even with evidence presented, saying he didn't do that or he did nothing wrong.

      Shill .Shill. Shill. Lots of people collect WW2 stuff and they ain't Nazis... And you seem to thing that him being charged with an offense is sufficient to brand him as an "utter fucking pile of shit " I'm sure glad you're not on the bench in the US (please tell me you're not) because guilty until proven innocent is the very reason he's a refugee. Now I'm not saying he's innocent, but surely he deserves the exact same protection under the law that everyone else deserves.. Or are you a believer in the NDAA?

  2. still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    He has also had to assure the New Zealand media that owning a signed copy of Mein Kampf doesn't mean he is a Nazi."

    Still, that is kind of weird. It doesn't mean he's a Nazi or even racist, but why exactly would someone want that? Of all the interesting artifacts I could buy if I were rich, that wouldn't be one of them.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:still by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 1

      Because it makes him look interesting. Makes you curious about him. I am sure it is valuable too.

    2. Re:still by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      Just because I have a tattoo of a swastika on my forehead doesn't mean I'm a Nazi....

    3. Re:still by pushing-robot · · Score: 2

      ...it just means I got way too drunk last night.

      --
      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    4. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      Because it makes him look interesting.

      That's a common human desire, to draw attention to yourself, but usually by the time people are adults they learn to do it in positive ways.

      If he wants public attention, setting a bonfire of $100 bills would get more positive attention.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    5. Re:still by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 2

      The most important thing is that it is a very pivotal moment in history. Believe it or not, Nazi's actually inadvertently promoted existentialism by showing just how dangerous absolutes are. Besides, as much as I hate the Nazi's, I think some of the stuff they did was pretty neat, like that stealth jet they created. People today love the marvel of American military combat systems, not necessarily for what they do, but the technology behind them. The Nazi's were very good at that in their own way for their time. However that doesn't mean that we go around preaching Fascism.

      I've read parts of Mein Kampf, and it's actually a pretty boring book. I was thinking it might offer insight on to how he managed to rally so many people against democracy and actively supporting a dictatorship, but it really doesn't. I think what did that is probably Hitler's charisma as a speaker, which got people into his book and into his ideology, but I don't think the book sold people on the ideology. It's probably more analogous to the way that Scientologists make the book Dianetics sell really well even though it's actually a very shitty book; they just buy more copies than they need and give them away because they like Scientology itself rather than Dianetics.

      However that said, I wouldn't mind having that particular copy of Mein Kampf. Not even for the purposes of selling it, just for having it because of its historical significance.

      --
      Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    6. Re:still by stoploss · · Score: 1

      Just because I have a tattoo of a swastika on my forehead doesn't mean I'm a Nazi....

      Correct. Teens Accused of Cutting Swastika into Classmate’s Head

    7. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      However that said, I wouldn't mind having that particular copy of Mein Kampf. Not even for the purposes of selling it, just for having it because of its historical significance.

      Try this: imagine you are rich. Now think of all the artifacts of interesting historical significance that you could buy, and order them by interest to you. Where exactly would Mein Kampf be on that list? Even if you are forced to limit yourself only to Nazi artifacts, how high is it on the list?

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    8. Re:still by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 4, Insightful

      He has also had to assure the New Zealand media that owning a signed copy of Mein Kampf doesn't mean he is a Nazi."

      Still, that is kind of weird. It doesn't mean he's a Nazi or even racist, but why exactly would someone want that? Of all the interesting artifacts I could buy if I were rich, that wouldn't be one of them.

      No, it means nothing about him. Signed by Hitler? I'd like to have it myself just for it's "check this out" value.

      ~ and you wondered why the Libraries were fighting part of the Terrorist Act that required them to keep a list of books you have checked out or shown an interest in.
      They lost, but gave it a good try.

    9. Re:still by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 1

      Well I'm not really much of a collector to be honest, but different people have different priorities depending on their interests. For example, I'm a big fan of Penn and Teller, and I know that those guys like to collect historically significant magician memorabilia (for example, Teller owns one of Harry Houdini's straight jackets.)

      Dotcom says he has an avid interest in WWII, and already owns several WWII artifacts, such as items once belonging to Churchill and Stalin, so even by your argument he already had things higher on his priority list. However your argument doesn't really apply in this case; items like that don't just go for sale on the open market whenever, their current owner has to want to relinquish them first. That said, he happened to catch wind that it was being auctioned away, so he bid on it. If he didn't bid on it because he had a higher priority, he would have surely missed it -- possibly for good.

      --
      Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    10. Re:still by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      *shrug* Want one? Find a copy of Mein Kampf, I'll sign it for you.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    11. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      No, it means nothing about him.

      Uh, you've gone too far there. Unless you buy things completely at random, what you buy definitely says things about you.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    12. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      However your argument doesn't really apply in this case;

      My argument is that he's weird. I don't think anyone denies that, even him.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    13. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      I'm sure the value will be increased dramatically.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    14. Re:still by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 1

      Well everybody is weird in their own way. For example I'm one of those weird guys that thinks tall amazonian chicks are hot.

      --
      Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    15. Re:still by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      The notes in New Zealand are made of plastic. No one wants to breathe in a cloud of toxic black smoke, even if it was once money.

    16. Re:still by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Of all the interesting artifacts I could buy if I were rich, that wouldn't be one of them.

      Yes, because the world JUST HAS TO BE LIKE YOU, or there's something wrong or devious with it.

    17. Re:still by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      He also said a Nazi flag he got for a birthday was "the best present ever" and used an SS helmet for a helmet in a car race. No idea what his persona beliefs are, but he has a "thing" for Nazi things.

    18. Re:still by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      I'd expect that it'd be a good investment. One of only 20 signed 1st edition books is quite a find. Though, because of the stigma, this particular signed first edition is not worth that much, but another 100 years, and maybe it'll be worth a lot more than today. It's not like there'll ever be more.

    19. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah that's kind of weird. Maybe it's his way of rebelling since that kind of thing is illegal in his native Germany.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    20. Re:still by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1
      He's apparently just a WW2 geek, RTFAing suggests:

      He explained that he was a collector, and also owned items that had belonged to Churchill and Stalin.

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    21. Re:still by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      My understanding is that once he came to power, many Germans bought a copy because it looked good to have it on display. Very few of them, however, managed to read all of it.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    22. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      I don't know, this is kind of weird

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    23. Re:still by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Considering how many idiots are out there who're hunting for Nazi relics and are dumb as shit (I can't help but think one entails the other...) I'm pretty sure it will.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    24. Re:still by Mashiki · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Because it makes him look interesting. Makes you curious about him. I am sure it is valuable too.

      Meh. I'm a collector of books. My collection contains titles that would be considered "racist and controversial" by today's liberals, because they don't fit with their views of the world. And I'm sure that some of the books others either own or have read that were printed in the 19th century would also let them fall into that fine "racist" category anyway. Especially the works of Mark Twain, Stanley, and Jules Verne.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    25. Re:still by Chrisq · · Score: 1

      Just because I have a tattoo of a swastika on my forehead doesn't mean I'm a Nazi....

      perfectly true, though unusual I'd say

    26. Re:still by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

      Pretty sure Mein Kampf was considered "racist and controversial" by 1930s standards too, what with all the stuff about snuffing the 'weak' and wiping out the jews!

      --
      Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
    27. Re:still by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      why not? it's the easiest hitler collectible and at the same time part of what made hitler initially famous.

      if you want something of all the ww2 era leaders then mein kampf for hitler is easy choice. much easier than getting a leather jacket worn by hitler anyways(and its a historically significant item.. but there's many of the signed mein kampfs around).

      on other news, I could go to the local tshirt shop and buy swastika t-shirts from right next to the america symbol tshirts which are right next to the rising sun japan t-shirts. thais don't really give a crap.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    28. Re:still by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      but why exactly would someone want that?

      . . . for the same reason that one of Germany's news magazines fell for the Hitler Diaries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H...

      There's a hilarious film about the scandal called "Schtonk!" : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt01...

      It's a beautiful parody on how the news media gets wrapped up in a story and loses touch with reality.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    29. Re:still by Cryacin · · Score: 1

      I'd like that in bitcoins please! (They aren't making any more of those either)

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    30. Re:still by gnick · · Score: 1

      That's not that unusual - I got my Real Doll on Amazon and think she's gorgeous. (In a rubbery, plasticy, inanimate sort of way...) Any way - She creeps the kids out enough to make a decent babysitter.

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    31. Re:still by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Pretty sure Mein Kampf was considered "racist and controversial" by 1930s standards too, what with all the stuff about snuffing the 'weak' and wiping out the jews!

      I'd agree, then again I'd also consider it a warning and a prohibitive roadmap that wasn't heeded despite the fact that it spelt out clearly, and sometimes not so clearly exactly what he wanted to do. It's important to learn from "histories greatest monsters" exactly what they wanted to do. If you want to be blind to it, fine. Just don't expect me to share your wallowing of ignorance.

      I should probably add in, that in most muslim countries, that it's also the greatest seller on book lists as well. Which should probably tell you something.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    32. Re:still by Tom · · Score: 1

      No, that's his kind of weird because he's an attention whore, that's all.

      Mein Kampf is not illegal in Germany. In fact, a turkish-born comedian toured Germany a few years ago reading from it in his show. No, he wasn't a Nazi, he thought that actually reading people the crap opens their eyes. In fact, I agree, because it usually has that effect in all areas of ideology. In the words of Pen from Pen & Teller: Read the bible, we need more atheists. Same with Mein Kampf, reading it will very likely eradicate any tendencies towards Nazi ideology anyone had.

      The reason you can't buy Mein Kampf in a bookstore in Germany is not that it is illegal, but because after Hitlers death, the copyright fell to the state of Bavaria, which has held it ever since and has not authorized any new printings. If I recall correctly, it is going to enter the public domain in a few years.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    33. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Mein Kampf is not illegal in Germany. In fact, a turkish-born comedian toured Germany a few years ago reading from it in his show.

      I could see that being completely hilarious. I'll bet Hitler said some really dumb things.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    34. Re:still by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      They made more than 20 BC, and bitcoins have no connection to a person, except maybe some old physicist who claims no connection.

    35. Re:still by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 1

      Weird or not I still choose death by snoo snoo.

      --
      Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    36. Re:still by Tom · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

      There's a lot more from him on YouTube. This here summons up some of it, including the copyright situation:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    37. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      lol if only I understood German

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    38. Re:still by Tom · · Score: 1
      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    39. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      lol is that supposed to make German seem easy??

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    40. Re:still by eric_harris_76 · · Score: 1

      Ima gonna steal this. A lot.

      "Terrorist Act" is a lot better way to say it than "Patriot Act" or "P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act" or "so-called Patriot Act".

      --
      There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
    41. Re:still by Tom · · Score: 1

      No, but if you complain about not being able to understand german, that's something that can be changed, you know? Maybe too late for this argument, but then you can do it next time.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    42. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      True, true, but the magnitude of the task is not to be under-estimated. Right now I have four languages I'm trying to learn, I figure I ought to get somewhat through them before throwing another on the pile.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    43. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Also, I've found Germans are unusually discouraging to people who try to learn their language. Not only do they ask you, "why would you want to do that?" they also would prefer to speak with you in English. Maybe that is just the German way, I don't know.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    44. Re:still by Tom · · Score: 1

      Maybe some are, most probably aren't. I have two friends from Russia who didn't speak a word of german when they moved here. One of them has been in Germany for five years now (I've known her for three) and her german is flawless with just a tiny hint of accent when she's agitated, and I'm very proud of her and enjoyed helping her a little early on when she occasionally didn't know a word or mixed up some of the more uncommon grammar rules. The other has been here for half a year, and I'm currently helping her in learning german (and getting a few free russian lessons in return).

      Most germans speak at least some english, though. And if you speak english well and I speak english well, it's much easier and less awkward to speak good english than bad german.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    45. Re:still by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      ok, I'll put German on my list of languages, then.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    46. Re:still by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      Also; defacing the image of the queen is, I believe, still illegal in New Zealand. Burning $100 notes would be a criminal offense. (Even if defacing the queen isn't illegal, burning bank notes quite emphatically is).

      Don't give old John an out to claim "oh, he fails the good character test now. DEPORT!"

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  3. Name? by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 2

    Given the type of parties I've heard he throws, I figure he might call it the "Coke and Sex Party"

    --
    Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    1. Re:Name? by MRe_nl · · Score: 1

      You really need a name that will accentuate the differences with the other political parties, common denominators will garner you no votes.

      --
      "Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
  4. Nazi? Maybe not. by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't think that he is a Nazi, or sympathetic, that's really hard to prove with out direct statements. Given his involvement lately with authority figures,

    However, I do think he's pretty fuckin' tone deaf, and an asshole to boot. Arms dealing, legal and legitimate arms dealing, is an incredibly profitable business. Still not something I'd suggest to any of my friends nor do my self out of a sense of ethics.

    If he can't figure out the taboo behind why that book is socially unacceptable and why he shouldn't have invested in it in the first place, then he's a fucking asshole. Plain and simple.

    --
    Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
    1. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's a historically significant book, regardless of the stigma associated with possessing it. Several universities have autographed copies of Mein Kampf in their libraries' rare book collections, but you don't see people accusing them of supporting the Nazis.

    2. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by AlphaWolf_HK · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure he knows why some people say he shouldn't own it, but he doesn't care, nor should he. It's WWII memorabilia to him, nothing more.

      You telling him to not own a copy of Mein Kampf is every bit as absurd as Pat Robertson telling Richard Simmons the error of his ways. Richard Simmons might be a bit fruity and annoying, but he isn't about to start the gay version of the third Reich, and in fact is rather harmless.

      --
      Careful with names containing L slashdot.org/~AiphaWolf_HK slashdot.org/~AlphaWoif_HK slashdot.org/~AiphaWoif_HK
    3. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

      Tolerance: when others are required to accommodate our views, but we have no reciprocal obligation to them.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    4. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by tapspace · · Score: 1

      This smacks of moral relativism. You could take the same scenario, and if it were the type of person (ethical or not) who CNN would interview, it's completely ethical. By the same token, something completely ethical (kinda) like starting a political party will look like an evil thing when coming from a guy who society deems "bad." It's unfortunate no one things for themselves anymore... or maybe it's not.

    5. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by clarkkent09 · · Score: 2

      What's wrong with arms dealing?

      --
      Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
    6. Re: Nazi? Maybe not. by loufoque · · Score: 1

      He is a collector of Nazi artifacts. He is fascinated by this part of history.

    7. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by qwijibo · · Score: 1

      Self promoting douche buys item that causes other people to talk about him. Looks like it worked. Any press is good press for some people.

    8. Re:Nazi? Maybe not. by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 1

      Typically arms dealers aren't selling to the type of people who are sportsmen or gun enthusiasts. They're typically selling to militaries.

      --
      Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  5. Makes sense to me by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If the system is out to get you, become part of the system.

    1. Re:Makes sense to me by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Worked for Hitler.

      Hey, the thread was Godwin'd from the start!

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Makes sense to me by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 1

      If the system is out to get you, become part of the system.

      Is that you, Silvio Berlusconi?

      --
      My first program:

      Hell Segmentation fault

    3. Re:Makes sense to me by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      I'm thinking that Kim wants to use his political party to somehow avoid extradition . . . political immunity or asylum, or something like that. If NZ decides to hand him over to the US, he will try to get his case heard in The Hague, or something like that.

      If that fails, he will end up rooming with Snowden in Russia. Just so that Putin can stick another weed up Obama's ass.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    4. Re:Makes sense to me by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Not really.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  6. Just sit back and enjoy the show by Michael+Woodhams · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I really enjoyed this commentary. An extract:

    "Eighteen months ago, after the slap-stick bumbling and embarrassing forelock pulling by New Zealand authorities to their United States counterparts was revealed, I was moved to wonder if Dotcom was in fact a computer virus, slowly infecting our senior politicians and agencies of state, and transforming them into figures of fun.

    Whether he is a virus, or a puckish imp, sent by the gods to mock those who would rule over us, Dotcom continues his uncanny facility to bring out the ridiculous in them."

    Wherever you stand on his legal issues, business ventures and politics, he is great entertainment.

    --
    Quattuor res in hoc mundo sanctae sunt: libri, liberi, libertas et liberalitas.
    1. Re:Just sit back and enjoy the show by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      I find Kimmy kinda funny, too (a bit like the North Korean Kim in a twisted sort of way) but I think that would give him far too much credit. Our politicians are quite capable of making complete tools out of themselves without the need of any aid.

      I have that much faith in our representatives, yes.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Just sit back and enjoy the show by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      I find his antics amusing too, but after all the buses I get stuck behind in traffic with his ugly mug on the back of them, I'm kind of hoping they extradite him now, as long as they take the bus ads with him.

    3. Re:Just sit back and enjoy the show by HnT · · Score: 1

      Oh and he has been the victim of investigations since the 90s. First for telephone fraud, then for (you guessed it) copyright violation by running a BBS to distribute "warez" and he promptly ratted on everyone in the scene just to get a better deal for himself.

      Then he went on to swindle the German "TÜV" out of money by selling them a company he had "built" which turned out to be a complete lemon.

      Then he was found guilty for fraud and insider trading concerning "letsbuyit.com".

      He has a long history of dirt and selling people close to him out.

      Entertaining? Maybe. An egotistical, megalomaniac criminal? Definitely. Do not let the current news coverage of him blind you like that. He has been doing basically the same kind of scams for more than two decades now and it was nothing but a PR stunt to appear as the "internet savior" when people mostly have forgotten about his criminal activities.

      --
      "Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet." - Mark Twain
    4. Re:Just sit back and enjoy the show by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      Seriously. He's got his face on the back of, what, 80% of the NZ Bus fleet?

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  7. Signed copy of Mein Kampf? by maroberts · · Score: 1

    So passe - you only have real street cred if you have a copy of The Downfall DVD signed by Adolf....

    --

    Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
    Karma: Chameleon

  8. Something else he should promise... by jonwil · · Score: 3, Insightful

    He should promise to get the influence of the United States of America and the big US media companies OUT of NZ politics.

    I don't know what its like in NZ but there are plenty here in Oz that dont like the influence of the USA in this part of the world (myself included) and I would certainly vote for a politician who promised to do what I suggested above.

    1. Re:Something else he should promise... by nut · · Score: 2

      It's for exactly that reason that he gets any traction in public opinion in NZ. The first time he came to the attention of most Kiwis at all was when the NZ police raided his house with swat teams, helicopters and the works at the behest of US law enforcement. For ... copyright infringement.

      Then it turned out that our intelligence services had been spying on him illegally, (along with 80 or so other foreign-born NZ residents) Some of our politicians had been taking political donations from him and later denying all knowledge, and our Prime Minister claimed to know nothing about the illegal spying despite being briefed on it 12 months earlier

      In addition FBI agents in NZ sent copies of his personal files to the US despite the ruling of NZ courts.

      In essence, our local politicians and law enforcement acted like such complete and total dickwads that they made even a guy like Kim Dotcom look the good guy by comparison. The let him into the country for his money, despite his convictions. Then when the US law enforcement came knocking they turned on him like a bunch of weasels.

      In fact public opinion is starrting to swing against him. Kiwis typically aren't impressed by the kind of excess and showboating he is famous for. I don't think is party will get that many votes, but in a country the size of NZ, and due to the peculiarities of our version of MMP, a small party can sometimes gain a couple of seats and be in a position to act as kingmaker.

      --
      Never trust a man in a blue trench coat, Never drive a car when you're dead
    2. Re:Something else he should promise... by nut · · Score: 1

      Oh, and the Mein Kampf thing is a desperate attempt by incumbent political parties to discredit him - so he doesn't get in a position to be kingmaker.

      --
      Never trust a man in a blue trench coat, Never drive a car when you're dead
    3. Re:Something else he should promise... by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      Yea, because he wasn't already a laughing stock ...

      Discredit him HOW? VERY VERY few people are so ignorant as to think he's not a douche, and the only people that do are ones that think there should be no copyright or privacy at all and they should get anything they want ... much like him.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
  9. Could do well by ukoda · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Kimmy has picked a good time to launch a political party in NZ. In the past the traditional voter split was the low paid and beneficiaries on the left voting Labor and higher paid on the right voting National. The current, and normal Labor voter pitch has been to blame the rich for not paying enough taxes which is idea that appeals to low income groups. The problem is that it has created a a situation where once you earn 44% above the average salary your are classed as mega rich and taxed at the top possible rate. This see a large portion of the population paying the top tax rate and they tend to gravitate right. A gross over simplification of the status quo, but gives non-kiwis the general picture.

    The National party has been in power for two terms and seeks a third. The catch is, like many second term governments, they appear to have stopped listening to their traditional voters and have been pursing policies that appear to serve US corporations more than the people who voted them in. So people such as myself who were worried about being overtaxed for working harder are now worrying about our disappearing freedoms. I don't want to vote labor as I don't want to pay more taxes and if I vote national it's like I am telling them I think is is ok to sell out my freedoms on the promise of a US free trade agreement that will never come. The USA will never sign a free trade agreement with NZ because the US farmers have too much lobbying power and will never allow NZ primary produce to compete on US soil on equal terms. That's fine, the US has every right to protect their farmers, we can simply compete with them on the world market. So with nothing to gain then giving away our freedoms through secret deals such as TAPA does not appeal.

    So I was looking at not voting, a protest in it's own right, but a protest without voice. Along comes Kimmy with some issues dear to my heart and now I have somewhere to make my point. If he doesn't make the 5% threshold then I'm no worse off than not voting and if he does then his mob can stir things up a bit and under the NZ MMP voting system one seat parties can have an influence in coalition governments. They have been able to set policy to the bigger parties on minor issues that are important to them and can swap sides if the bigger party starts acting like a dick. Yes, this election has the potential to be interesting.

    1. Re:Could do well by jonwil · · Score: 1

      If I lived in New Zealand, I would be voting for his party.
      Too bad I dont live in New Zealand and have to put up with Tony Abbot (who is just as friendly to big US corporations as John Key is, if not more so and unfortunately likely to be much harder to vote out)

    2. Re:Could do well by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      Doesn't matter. The US has us with the TPPA. Australia is already screwed with its existing "free trade" agreements.

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
    3. Re:Could do well by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      I don't think Abbot will be harder to vote out than Key, personally. Labour is doing an exceptional job of providing no credible opposition to National at every election, so the chances of a non-National government this election or next are pretty much nil.

      Now Australia, I dunno. Can't see Abbot getting re-elected after the Qantas thing.

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  10. Oh please... by bloggerhater · · Score: 1

    Give me a break. I'm Jewish and I own a copy of Mein Kampf.

  11. mega.co.nz isn't worth shit by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    It requires to download a lot of javascript shit just to try to initiate a file download which then fails because "my browser isn't supported".

    Why the fuck is it so difficult to just link to a fucking file on the server? What the hell is wrong with mega.co.nz?

    Every time you link to a file on that website, be aware that a shitload of users will NOT be able to download it.

    1. Re:mega.co.nz isn't worth shit by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      It's because the file has to be decrypted on the client. Because the server doesn't know (nor does it want to know) the encryption or decryption keys (because then they'd be able to decrypt it, which they do NOT want). Use Firefox or Chrome and it will work just fine as they can handle the client side decryption and streaming the file down.

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".