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Dotcom - getting less and less smart?

I wrote on Friday that I thought Kim Dotcom was very clever but not very smart.

Well with his latest announcement over the weekend, he's looking even less smart than he was a few days ago.

I'm referring of course to KD's announcement that he'll deliver free broadband to all NZ ISPs (and thus much cheaper broadband to Kiwi consumers) by breathing new life into the proposed Pacific Fibre project.

From where I stand, this is not looking good for Kimmy and smacks of desperation. One can't help but get the impression that he's effectively trying to buy the support of NZers in his battle against the looming issue of extradition to the USA.

The silly thing is that he doesn't need to make promises like this, most Kiwis are probably right behind him. This inducement to support Kimmy smacks of the campaign contributions paid to John ("where am I? I forgot everything") Banks and the way he bought his residency by investing in NZ at the suggestion of the NZ government.

Of course, in case it may have slipped your mind, Kim won't be able to kick a few hundred million into the Pacific Fibre project unless he's freed from threat of extradition to the USA and his currently frozen assets/funds are thawed.

And what an inducement he's offering to make sure that happens.

Unfortunately, I suspect that many Kiwis will see this move for what it probably is -- a blatant attempt to buy his way out of a difficult situation.

Given the way that our politicians have dipped their hands into his pockets at every opportunity, in return for granting favours, I can understand why KD probably thinks this will work -- but I'm afraid he's likely to come out sorely disappointed.

Even though TUANZ CEO has said of KD's offer "New Zealand needs this to help move from a primary industry economy to a digital based economy", I doubt that anyone who is in a position to help KD will be moved by what's being proposed.

The problem KD faces is that too many politician's fingers have been burned already by the payment of what I couldn't possibly describe as "bribes" -- but others might.

John Banks will never be re-elected and is a spent force, having had his role in the KD fiasco exposed for what it was. John Key has also been left with a significant amount of egg on his face in the wake of his involvement with Kim Dotcom. Who else would take the risk of accepting a bribe (albeit a damned good one) for official intervention to save the entrepreneur from falling into the hands of the FBI?

Then there's the "soon to be launched, rub the USA's nose in it" me.ga service. While technically, such a service could free KD from the legal implications associated with running a file-sharing drop-box service, the fact remains that one of the predominant uses for such a service would be to sidestep copyright laws.

Now I don't hold with all the copyright law that's out there aid I do despise the MAFIAA for their tactics and levels of duress used against potentially innocent "offenders" -- but the law *is* the law and unfortunately we don't have the freedom to ignore the ones that we don't agree with.

Perhaps what KD should be doing is running for election and working within the system to have copyright law reformed.

Don't get me wrong -- I love KD (as a brother you understand, none of that hand-holding stuff) because he is prepared to stand up to "the powers that be" and he's been smart enough to engage the people of NZ to support him. However, I really do think it's time he just sat quietly and waited -- rather than maybe going a step too far -- thus causing people to rethink their position and perhaps feel like they're being played.

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