He made his fortune from the internet and even changed his name to sound like a website – but German millionaire Kim Dotcom is now banned from going online.
And in a further departure from his former lifestyle, Dotcom is not allowed to use his personal helicopter, and cannot travel more than 80km away from his mansion in Coatesville, just north of metropolitan Auckland.
Dotcom walked free from court yesterday, despite strong opposition from the United States, which wants to extradite him. A hearing on that is likely to be six months away.
The 38-year-old is accused of breaching international copyright laws to the value of US$500 million through the company he founded – file-sharing site Megaupload – in what US prosecutors allege was a “mega conspiracy”.
He strongly denies any wrongdoing and has consistently said he would not try to leave NZ. But his previous bail applications had both been rejected courts.
Yesterday, Dotcom’s lawyer, Paul Davison, QC, argued he should be allowed to have access to the internet while on bail, but lawyer Anne Toohey – acting on behalf of the US – fought that.
Mr Davison said it was essential for Dotcom to be able to contact his lawyers – some of whom were overseas – to prepare his case. “It’s like saying he shouldn’t have access to a phone, it is such a fundamental means of communicating.”
Ms Toohey argued Megaupload once made up 4 per cent of the internet’s content so there was a high risk of reoffending. She said the consequences of allowing him to use the internet could be far-reaching.
Dotcom was allowed to go free yesterday mainly because of the lack of new evidence that he had any means to flee NZ.
Judge Nevin Dawson said this was despite the “considerable investigative powers” of New Zealand police and the FBI.
In addition, an affidavit from a senior Megaupload staff member said Dotcom had no funds or assets available that could help him leave New Zealand.
Also, since Dotcom’s last bail attempts, it has been confirmed that the US does have extradition treaties with two countries he is a citizen of, Germany and Finland. That information was not known when the earlier bail decisions were made.
Judge Dawson said the onus was on the Crown to produce evidence Dotcom had financial resources to help him to escape.
“A suspicion based only on the knowledge [Dotcom] is wealthy is not enough.”
He said the most significant change since the first bail application was the passing of time. “Since that time, all known assets have been seized and are unavailable for Mr Dotcom’s use or disposal … [His] submission that he has not concealed any assets or bank accounts has largely been borne out.”
The presence of a black bag containing two passports and bank cards close to his bed when he was arrested was not seen as evidence he was a major flight risk, as the Crown claimed, because he would have taken it with him to the safe room he fled to.
Instead, Dotcom claimed he liked to keep them all in one place because it was convenient. “That he did not take the bag with him tends to support his explanation.”
The FBI wants to extradite Dotcom and three associates to the US to face charges including conspiring to commit racketeering, conspiring to commit money-laundering, copyright infringement and aiding and abetting copyright infringement.
As he left court yesterday, he said it would be good to be back with his family after being away from them for a month. “I’m relieved to go home and see my family, my three little kids and my pregnant wife … I just want to go home.”
Asked how he felt about his treatment by authorities he said: “It felt a little bit like an audition to American Idol.”
By Andrew Koubaridis | Email Andrew
Article source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10787407
He made his fortune from the internet and even changed his name to sound like a website – but German millionaire Kim Dotcom is now banned from going online.
And in a further departure from his former lifestyle, Dotcom is not allowed to use his personal helicopter, and cannot travel more than 80km away from his mansion in Coatesville, just north of metropolitan Auckland.
Dotcom walked free from court yesterday, despite strong opposition from the United States, which wants to extradite him. A hearing on that is likely to be six months away.
The 38-year-old is accused of breaching international copyright laws to the value of US$500 million through the company he founded – file-sharing site Megaupload – in what US prosecutors allege was a “mega conspiracy”.
He strongly denies any wrongdoing and has consistently said he would not try to leave NZ. But his previous bail applications had both been rejected courts.
Yesterday, Dotcom’s lawyer, Paul Davison, QC, argued he should be allowed to have access to the internet while on bail, but lawyer Anne Toohey – acting on behalf of the US – fought that.
Mr Davison said it was essential for Dotcom to be able to contact his lawyers – some of whom were overseas – to prepare his case. “It’s like saying he shouldn’t have access to a phone, it is such a fundamental means of communicating.”
Ms Toohey argued Megaupload once made up 4 per cent of the internet’s content so there was a high risk of reoffending. She said the consequences of allowing him to use the internet could be far-reaching.
Dotcom was allowed to go free yesterday mainly because of the lack of new evidence that he had any means to flee NZ.
Judge Nevin Dawson said this was despite the “considerable investigative powers” of New Zealand police and the FBI.
In addition, an affidavit from a senior Megaupload staff member said Dotcom had no funds or assets available that could help him leave New Zealand.
Also, since Dotcom’s last bail attempts, it has been confirmed that the US does have extradition treaties with two countries he is a citizen of, Germany and Finland. That information was not known when the earlier bail decisions were made.
Judge Dawson said the onus was on the Crown to produce evidence Dotcom had financial resources to help him to escape.
“A suspicion based only on the knowledge [Dotcom] is wealthy is not enough.”
He said the most significant change since the first bail application was the passing of time. “Since that time, all known assets have been seized and are unavailable for Mr Dotcom’s use or disposal … [His] submission that he has not concealed any assets or bank accounts has largely been borne out.”
The presence of a black bag containing two passports and bank cards close to his bed when he was arrested was not seen as evidence he was a major flight risk, as the Crown claimed, because he would have taken it with him to the safe room he fled to.
Instead, Dotcom claimed he liked to keep them all in one place because it was convenient. “That he did not take the bag with him tends to support his explanation.”
The FBI wants to extradite Dotcom and three associates to the US to face charges including conspiring to commit racketeering, conspiring to commit money-laundering, copyright infringement and aiding and abetting copyright infringement.
As he left court yesterday, he said it would be good to be back with his family after being away from them for a month. “I’m relieved to go home and see my family, my three little kids and my pregnant wife … I just want to go home.”
Asked how he felt about his treatment by authorities he said: “It felt a little bit like an audition to American Idol.”
By Andrew Koubaridis | Email Andrew
Article source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10787407
FANCY having fast Internet connection as a standard feature in your car?
Proton Holdings Bhd is making this happen, thanks to its collaboration with YTL Group’s Yes, one of the world’s most advanced 4G networks.
Proton and YTL yesterday announced a partnership to offer Malaysia’s first Internet cars.
The national carmaker’s customers will enjoy Yes as a new value-added standard feature in new models, beginning with the soon-to-be-launched sedan tentatively called P3-21A.
The Proton cars will tap into Yes’ 4G high-speed mobile Internet network.
The network covers more than 65 per cent of the country’s populated areas, and YTL plans to increase it to 80 per cent soon.
Company officials said Yes was the only wireless network operator in the country that offered seamless 4G connectivity along the full 960km stretch of the North-South Expressway and a large portion of the East Coast Expressway.
Proton managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Syed Mohamed Tahir said: “The role of the automobile is diversifying and changing rapidly. It is no longer viewed only for mobility, but is also evolving into an extension of an individual’s social and business circles.
“The initiative is in line with our brand promise of being ‘Committed To Be Better’.”
He said this at the preview of the initiative here yesterday.
YTL Communications executive director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong said high-speed mobile connectivity was just as essential as music players and air-conditioning in vehicles.
“This partnership with Proton will bring 4G connectivity to more Malaysians as Proton cars are ubiquitous.”
To mark the partnership, Proton and Yes were giving away a Yes 4G-enabled Proton Inspira worth RM100,000 as the main prize in the “Win Malaysia’s First Internet Car” Facebook contest.
The car features a special paint job and limited-edition 18-inch rims, in addition to three units of Apple iPad 2 and a Yes Huddle 4G wireless mobile router, all mounted in the car.
The contest will end on March 27.
Article source: http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/country-s-1st-internet-cars-1.50780
FANCY having fast Internet connection as a standard feature in your car?
Proton Holdings Bhd is making this happen, thanks to its collaboration with YTL Group’s Yes, one of the world’s most advanced 4G networks.
Proton and YTL yesterday announced a partnership to offer Malaysia’s first Internet cars.
The national carmaker’s customers will enjoy Yes as a new value-added standard feature in new models, beginning with the soon-to-be-launched sedan tentatively called P3-21A.
The Proton cars will tap into Yes’ 4G high-speed mobile Internet network.
The network covers more than 65 per cent of the country’s populated areas, and YTL plans to increase it to 80 per cent soon.
Company officials said Yes was the only wireless network operator in the country that offered seamless 4G connectivity along the full 960km stretch of the North-South Expressway and a large portion of the East Coast Expressway.
Proton managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Syed Mohamed Tahir said: “The role of the automobile is diversifying and changing rapidly. It is no longer viewed only for mobility, but is also evolving into an extension of an individual’s social and business circles.
“The initiative is in line with our brand promise of being ‘Committed To Be Better’.”
He said this at the preview of the initiative here yesterday.
YTL Communications executive director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong said high-speed mobile connectivity was just as essential as music players and air-conditioning in vehicles.
“This partnership with Proton will bring 4G connectivity to more Malaysians as Proton cars are ubiquitous.”
To mark the partnership, Proton and Yes were giving away a Yes 4G-enabled Proton Inspira worth RM100,000 as the main prize in the “Win Malaysia’s First Internet Car” Facebook contest.
The car features a special paint job and limited-edition 18-inch rims, in addition to three units of Apple iPad 2 and a Yes Huddle 4G wireless mobile router, all mounted in the car.
The contest will end on March 27.
Article source: http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/country-s-1st-internet-cars-1.50780
22 February 2012
Last updated at 08:03 ET
Protesters assembled across Europe in opposition to the agreement
The European Union’s highest court has been asked to rule on the legality of a controversial anti-piracy agreement.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta) has been criticised by rights campaigners who argue it could stifle free expression on the internet.
EU trade head Karel De Gucht said the court will be asked to clarify whether the treaty complied with “the EU’s fundamental rights and freedoms”.
The agreement has so far been signed by 22 EU member states.
The European Commission said it “decided today to ask the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion to clarify that the Acta agreement and its implementation must be fully compatible with freedom of expression and freedom of the internet”.
Several key countries, including Germany and Denmark, have backed away from the treaty amid protests in several European cities.
Acta is set to be debated by the European Parliament in June.
While countries can individually ratify the terms of the agreement, EU backing is considered vital if the proposal’s aim of implementing consistent standards for copyright enforcement measures is met.
As well as the 22 European backers, which include the UK, the agreement has been signed by the United States, Japan and Canada.
‘Misinformation and rumour’
Mr De Gucht told a news conference on Wednesday: “Let me be very clear: I share people’s concern for these fundamental freedoms… especially over the freedom of the internet.
“This debate must be based upon facts, and not upon the misinformation and rumour that has dominated social media sites and blogs in recent weeks.”
However, he went on to say that the agreement’s purpose was to protect the creative economy.
“[Acta] aims to raise global standards for intellectual property rights,” he said, adding that the treaty “will help protect jobs currently lost because counterfeited, pirated goods worth 200bn euros are currently floating around”.
Acta’s backers face strong opposition within the EU. Viviane Reding, the commissioner for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, took to Twitter to outline her worries on the treaty.
“For me, blocking the Internet is never an option,” she wrote in a statement.
“We need to find new, more modern and more effective ways in Europe to protect artistic creations that take account of technological developments and the freedoms of the internet.”
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17125469
22 February 2012
Last updated at 08:03 ET
Protesters assembled across Europe in opposition to the agreement
The European Union’s highest court has been asked to rule on the legality of a controversial anti-piracy agreement.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta) has been criticised by rights campaigners who argue it could stifle free expression on the internet.
EU trade head Karel De Gucht said the court will be asked to clarify whether the treaty complied with “the EU’s fundamental rights and freedoms”.
The agreement has so far been signed by 22 EU member states.
The European Commission said it “decided today to ask the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion to clarify that the Acta agreement and its implementation must be fully compatible with freedom of expression and freedom of the internet”.
Several key countries, including Germany and Denmark, have backed away from the treaty amid protests in several European cities.
Acta is set to be debated by the European Parliament in June.
While countries can individually ratify the terms of the agreement, EU backing is considered vital if the proposal’s aim of implementing consistent standards for copyright enforcement measures is met.
As well as the 22 European backers, which include the UK, the agreement has been signed by the United States, Japan and Canada.
‘Misinformation and rumour’
Mr De Gucht told a news conference on Wednesday: “Let me be very clear: I share people’s concern for these fundamental freedoms… especially over the freedom of the internet.
“This debate must be based upon facts, and not upon the misinformation and rumour that has dominated social media sites and blogs in recent weeks.”
However, he went on to say that the agreement’s purpose was to protect the creative economy.
“[Acta] aims to raise global standards for intellectual property rights,” he said, adding that the treaty “will help protect jobs currently lost because counterfeited, pirated goods worth 200bn euros are currently floating around”.
Acta’s backers face strong opposition within the EU. Viviane Reding, the commissioner for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, took to Twitter to outline her worries on the treaty.
“For me, blocking the Internet is never an option,” she wrote in a statement.
“We need to find new, more modern and more effective ways in Europe to protect artistic creations that take account of technological developments and the freedoms of the internet.”
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17125469
On the internet, it’s always better to jump before you’re pushed. That’s the clear lesson from John Naughton’s new book, From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg, which points out – among other things – that “on the internet, disruption is a feature, not a bug”. In other words: change just keeps on coming; and if you wait to be pushed rather than leaping into the flood of change, you’ll generally find yourself face down in the mud with people running over your back.
Equally, though, timing matters. Ten years ago I recall mobile phone companies that had just spend billions on 3G bids demonstrating to journalists how the latest handsets could stream TV direct to their mobiles. It was great, if you wanted to watch something that looked like the first moon landing viewed on a TV across a road. TV on mobiles didn’t take off; music did.
But now we have the bandwidth and processing power to give us video capability all over the place. And what I think is the most impressive case of jumping before being pushed in the media ecosystem recently: BSkyB’s announcement that it’s going to launch an internet TV service that will let you get content from it on an ad hoc basis, no matter whether you use Sky’s broadband or pay for Sky in your home.
In essence, Sky is doing with its TV output what Amazon does with the Kindle: saying “we don’t mind how you view our content. We just want to be the conduit so we benefit from your attention.” Video-on-demand (VoD) for anyone prepared to pay, not just existing users of its pay TV service.
Brilliant. Rather than strapping unsold satellite dishes to its arms and rushing Braveheart-style into battle to try to slay the internet (it didn’t end well for Braveheart, and never ends well for companies that try it), BSkyB is using its heft and content breadth to head off defections to would-be rival services – Netflix, YouView (the catchup service for terrestrial channels), LoveFilm. Plus the more worrying one on the horizon – Google TV and the other implementations of internet-connected “smart TV” (watch out for warring incompatible versions from Samsung, Sharp and Sony). And that’s before Apple springs whatever it’s planning in this space.
You won’t need a contract, you won’t need a satellite dish, you won’t need to be on Sky Broadband. It’s not often that one sees a large media company doing the smart thing (swapping non-internet pounds for internet pennies, in the expectation that the internet scale will win out), but this strikes me as perfectly timed. Plus BSkyB’s huge marketing budget should mean that lots of people are going to know about it.
You could argue that BSkyB didn’t have that many options. New signups are slowing – only 40,000 in the fourth quarter, compared with 140,000 a year earlier. It’s in around 10m households, but that’s only 36% of the potential UK and Irish figure. Meanwhile, 13m UK households remain stubbornly unsigned to a pay TV service of any sort – and look unlikely ever to sign. But with internet penetration at around 90%, the chance to sell content to those 13m is clear enough.
It’s all part of a very neat plan on BSkyB’s part, where it’s also aiming to hold its existing customers close via its (heavily advertised) SkyGo service, which streams content to iPads, iPhones, laptops and (promised this month) on Android smartphones too.
This isn’t going to be easy, of course; on the internet, nothing is. But as an example of embracing the further commercial possibilities of the net, while holding on to an existing (very profitable) business model, it’s pretty hard to beat.
The most fascinating part will be watching how this plays out against the efforts of Google, which simply wants people to use the internet so it can show them adverts. BSkyB is looking to head that off and show the adverts it chooses. I wouldn’t wager against it succeeding significantly.
Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/feb/19/bskyb-internet-tv
On the internet, it’s always better to jump before you’re pushed. That’s the clear lesson from John Naughton’s new book, From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg, which points out – among other things – that “on the internet, disruption is a feature, not a bug”. In other words: change just keeps on coming; and if you wait to be pushed rather than leaping into the flood of change, you’ll generally find yourself face down in the mud with people running over your back.
Equally, though, timing matters. Ten years ago I recall mobile phone companies that had just spend billions on 3G bids demonstrating to journalists how the latest handsets could stream TV direct to their mobiles. It was great, if you wanted to watch something that looked like the first moon landing viewed on a TV across a road. TV on mobiles didn’t take off; music did.
But now we have the bandwidth and processing power to give us video capability all over the place. And what I think is the most impressive case of jumping before being pushed in the media ecosystem recently: BSkyB’s announcement that it’s going to launch an internet TV service that will let you get content from it on an ad hoc basis, no matter whether you use Sky’s broadband or pay for Sky in your home.
In essence, Sky is doing with its TV output what Amazon does with the Kindle: saying “we don’t mind how you view our content. We just want to be the conduit so we benefit from your attention.” Video-on-demand (VoD) for anyone prepared to pay, not just existing users of its pay TV service.
Brilliant. Rather than strapping unsold satellite dishes to its arms and rushing Braveheart-style into battle to try to slay the internet (it didn’t end well for Braveheart, and never ends well for companies that try it), BSkyB is using its heft and content breadth to head off defections to would-be rival services – Netflix, YouView (the catchup service for terrestrial channels), LoveFilm. Plus the more worrying one on the horizon – Google TV and the other implementations of internet-connected “smart TV” (watch out for warring incompatible versions from Samsung, Sharp and Sony). And that’s before Apple springs whatever it’s planning in this space.
You won’t need a contract, you won’t need a satellite dish, you won’t need to be on Sky Broadband. It’s not often that one sees a large media company doing the smart thing (swapping non-internet pounds for internet pennies, in the expectation that the internet scale will win out), but this strikes me as perfectly timed. Plus BSkyB’s huge marketing budget should mean that lots of people are going to know about it.
You could argue that BSkyB didn’t have that many options. New signups are slowing – only 40,000 in the fourth quarter, compared with 140,000 a year earlier. It’s in around 10m households, but that’s only 36% of the potential UK and Irish figure. Meanwhile, 13m UK households remain stubbornly unsigned to a pay TV service of any sort – and look unlikely ever to sign. But with internet penetration at around 90%, the chance to sell content to those 13m is clear enough.
It’s all part of a very neat plan on BSkyB’s part, where it’s also aiming to hold its existing customers close via its (heavily advertised) SkyGo service, which streams content to iPads, iPhones, laptops and (promised this month) on Android smartphones too.
This isn’t going to be easy, of course; on the internet, nothing is. But as an example of embracing the further commercial possibilities of the net, while holding on to an existing (very profitable) business model, it’s pretty hard to beat.
The most fascinating part will be watching how this plays out against the efforts of Google, which simply wants people to use the internet so it can show them adverts. BSkyB is looking to head that off and show the adverts it chooses. I wouldn’t wager against it succeeding significantly.
Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/feb/19/bskyb-internet-tv
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Tue Feb 21, 2012 at 09:43 AM PST
Internet ammunition seller calls Obama ‘greatest gun salesman in America’
A site selling ammunition via the internet has, presumably tongue-in-cheek, questioned the National Rifle Association’s announced plans to vigorously oppose Barack Obama’s reelection. In a brief post above an embeddable graphic offered free for users to install on their own web sites, Ammo.net states: “The Greatest Gun Salesman In America: President Barack Obama”:
Ironically, the perceived hostility towards gun owners by President Obama has actually helped the firearms industry tremendously. Since the 2008 election, more Americans than ever before are purchasing firearms ammunition. This has meant massive increases in sales by firearm ammunition makers, billions more in federal and state tax collections related to guns ammo, increased membership in the NRA, and hundreds of thousands of new Americans carrying concealed handguns. Therefore, should the firearms industry support President Obama for a second term or not?
That “perceived hostility” certainly boosted sales. Immediately after the 2008 election, there was a wave of gun-buying at least partly sparked by fears that Obama would seek new restrictions on gun ownership. For a while, ammunition was in short supply and became considerably more expensive.
The reality is that in the past four years, even though gun-law reformers have pressed hard, and did so especially in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona last year, the Obama administration has scarcely mentioned guns. The president did sign a law in 2009 permitting visitors to carry loaded guns in National Parks. But the hate radio-fueled, NRA-promoted belief that Obama has a secret plan to confiscate firearms the minute he gets the chance continues without cease.
Ammo.net’s “greatest salesman” ad emerged out of a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference two weeks ago in which NRA chief Wayne La Pierre wildly claimed that Obama’s relative silence on gun control is “all part of a massive Obama conspiracy to deceive voters and destroy the Second Amendment in our country. Obama himself is no fool. So when he got elected, they concocted a scheme to stay away from the gun issue, lull gun owners to sleep and play us for fools in 2012.”
Given that recent Supreme Court cases have cemented the rights of gun-owning Americans as never before and that 41 states will issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun to any adult without a criminal or mental health record, the NRA’s key role now seems to be ensuring that operations like Ammo.net keep making plenty of sales. Stirring up paranoia serves that purpose quite well and La Pierre is a master at it. It’s nothing new. When the flood of gun and ammo sales got going after Obama’s election, Rick Gray, owner of the Accuracy Gun Shop in Las Vegas, said: “Clinton was the best gun salesman the gun manufacturers ever had. Obama’s going to be right up there with him.”
But before Clinton, there was another president who the NRA adored. He was nearly assassinated in March 1981, but fully recovered. However, his press secretary, James Brady, suffered a devastating head wound that put him in a wheel chair and spurred his wife and others to push what has become known as the Brady law, the Handgun Violence Prevention Act. Anathema to the NRA.
Of that law, Ronald Reagan wrote on the 10th anniversary of his attempted assassination:
This nightmare might never have happened if legislation that is before Congress now—the Brady bill—had been law back in 1981.
Named for Jim Brady, this legislation would establish a national seven-day waiting period before a handgun purchaser could take delivery. It would allow local law enforcement officials to do background checks for criminal records or known histories of mental disturbances. Those with such records would be prohibited from buying the handguns.
Debate about and passage of that law in 1993 sparked a multi-year surge of gun buying. Yet Ronald Reagan gets no credit as a great gun salesman?
Americans are secure in their right to own guns for protection, for hunting, for target-shooting. But nobody seems able to protect us from conspiracy-mongering hate-mongers like La Pierre and scores of radio talk show hosts whose real goals seems to be improving gun dealer profits.
Originally posted to Meteor Blades on Tue Feb 21, 2012 at 09:43 AM PST.
Also republished by
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Tue Feb 21, 2012 at 09:43 AM PST
Internet ammunition seller calls Obama ‘greatest gun salesman in America’
A site selling ammunition via the internet has, presumably tongue-in-cheek, questioned the National Rifle Association’s announced plans to vigorously oppose Barack Obama’s reelection. In a brief post above an embeddable graphic offered free for users to install on their own web sites, Ammo.net states: “The Greatest Gun Salesman In America: President Barack Obama”:
Ironically, the perceived hostility towards gun owners by President Obama has actually helped the firearms industry tremendously. Since the 2008 election, more Americans than ever before are purchasing firearms ammunition. This has meant massive increases in sales by firearm ammunition makers, billions more in federal and state tax collections related to guns ammo, increased membership in the NRA, and hundreds of thousands of new Americans carrying concealed handguns. Therefore, should the firearms industry support President Obama for a second term or not?
That “perceived hostility” certainly boosted sales. Immediately after the 2008 election, there was a wave of gun-buying at least partly sparked by fears that Obama would seek new restrictions on gun ownership. For a while, ammunition was in short supply and became considerably more expensive.
The reality is that in the past four years, even though gun-law reformers have pressed hard, and did so especially in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona last year, the Obama administration has scarcely mentioned guns. The president did sign a law in 2009 permitting visitors to carry loaded guns in National Parks. But the hate radio-fueled, NRA-promoted belief that Obama has a secret plan to confiscate firearms the minute he gets the chance continues without cease.
Ammo.net’s “greatest salesman” ad emerged out of a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference two weeks ago in which NRA chief Wayne La Pierre wildly claimed that Obama’s relative silence on gun control is “all part of a massive Obama conspiracy to deceive voters and destroy the Second Amendment in our country. Obama himself is no fool. So when he got elected, they concocted a scheme to stay away from the gun issue, lull gun owners to sleep and play us for fools in 2012.”
Given that recent Supreme Court cases have cemented the rights of gun-owning Americans as never before and that 41 states will issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun to any adult without a criminal or mental health record, the NRA’s key role now seems to be ensuring that operations like Ammo.net keep making plenty of sales. Stirring up paranoia serves that purpose quite well and La Pierre is a master at it. It’s nothing new. When the flood of gun and ammo sales got going after Obama’s election, Rick Gray, owner of the Accuracy Gun Shop in Las Vegas, said: “Clinton was the best gun salesman the gun manufacturers ever had. Obama’s going to be right up there with him.”
But before Clinton, there was another president who the NRA adored. He was nearly assassinated in March 1981, but fully recovered. However, his press secretary, James Brady, suffered a devastating head wound that put him in a wheel chair and spurred his wife and others to push what has become known as the Brady law, the Handgun Violence Prevention Act. Anathema to the NRA.
Of that law, Ronald Reagan wrote on the 10th anniversary of his attempted assassination:
This nightmare might never have happened if legislation that is before Congress now—the Brady bill—had been law back in 1981.
Named for Jim Brady, this legislation would establish a national seven-day waiting period before a handgun purchaser could take delivery. It would allow local law enforcement officials to do background checks for criminal records or known histories of mental disturbances. Those with such records would be prohibited from buying the handguns.
Debate about and passage of that law in 1993 sparked a multi-year surge of gun buying. Yet Ronald Reagan gets no credit as a great gun salesman?
Americans are secure in their right to own guns for protection, for hunting, for target-shooting. But nobody seems able to protect us from conspiracy-mongering hate-mongers like La Pierre and scores of radio talk show hosts whose real goals seems to be improving gun dealer profits.
Originally posted to Meteor Blades on Tue Feb 21, 2012 at 09:43 AM PST.
Also republished by
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Article source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/21/1066958/-Internet-ammunition-seller-calls-Obama-greatest-gun-salesman-in-America-