Why don't you keep political diatribe to your blog? This is OT, and
quite frankly it displays that you have less than perfect grasp on reality.
Mark Spencer makes a software product that is perfectly legal to use
anywhere in the world, even in India (as long as it stays within a
building and used as a PBX only). It's the user's responsibility to
understand and follow local law in utilizing this software. By the same
token, a vehicle is legal to use for most, but it becomes a weapon when
you intentionally or neglectfully run someone over.
Peter Dicks was operating a business that was offering certain services
that are illegal in the place where he offered them. If he was arrested
the moment he entered the US, then this was investigated before, and he
was asked to cease offering these illegal services in the US, but has
refused to do so -- if you followed the news as enthusiastically as you
post OT messages, then you would have realized that Dicks was the
*second* executive that was arrested. This should have come as no
surprise to Dicks or his lawyers.
So, now we're seeing the guy not as a clueless tourist, but a
law-defying visitor. He's done something that is illegal, has refused to
stop, and was dumb enough to step into the jurisdiction of his crime. Is
there a problem with that? Because if there is, you need to start
defending Columbian drug-lords and terrorists, too.
This is fulfills my quote of OT posts for the day. Just had to say
something in the face of such obvious stupidity.
Dean Collins wrote:
Exactly so why aren’t they trying to arrest the 50 million people in
the USA who have gambled online?
Mark (as far as I know) isn’t actively checking with asterisk users
for what country they are in so therefore in the reciprocal eyes of
the indian government he is similarly breaking the law.
Basically what the USA government is charging Peter Dicks with is not
being a global policeman to enforce a USA law (which the WTO has
already ruled is illegal back in March
http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/3434111 ).
The USA government can’t enforce it’s principals on the rest of the
world otherwise they are no better than the terrorists who are trying
to impose Sharia Law on the world.
I’m trying terribly not to take this discussion any further Off Topic
but realistically we live in a global society and the USA is
overstepping it’s limits on international trade here. I appreciate
this isn’t the best forum for it but this has much wider ramifications
for those of us who do business internationally in and with the USA.
Cheers,
Dean
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Alex Robar
*Sent:* Friday, 8 September 2006 12:45 PM
*To:* Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
*Subject:* Re: [asterisk-users] FW: Peter Dicks Chairman of
Sportingbet PLC isarrested at JFK!!
The guy was arrested because he was conciously allowing US citizens to
gamble online, something illegal in the US at this point. He ran a
business who's sole profit source came from this illegal activity.
Spencer is an entirely different situation. He's not running a
business in which he provides VoIP to places where it is illegal. He's
running a business the develops software that enables VoIP... There's
a big difference there. If someone takes the software and uses it in a
place where VoIP is illegal, that does not make Spencer responsible.
Think of it along the lines of BitTorrent software. The software isn't
illegal - it has valid uses - but it _could_ be used for something
illegal. All that means is that the user of the software has commited
a crime; Not the developer.
Alex
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Dean Collins
*Sent:* Friday, 8 September 2006 10:22 AM
*To:* 'Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion'
*Subject:* FW: Peter Dicks Chairman of Sportingbet PLC is arrested
at JFK!!
I'm sending this to the asterisk list – consciously knowing it
will piss some people off but this is the *most important business
issue of the day* for anyone doing business in or with a US company.
Oh and before anyone on this list thinks of calling this OT – how
about Mark Spencer being arrested while travelling in a country
like India or the Middle East that has banned VOIP services (which
is still illegal because they cant tax it of course).
I don't know what you are going to be able to do with this
information but this has to be discussed as it affect the future
of international commerce when dealing with the USA.
Best intentions,
Dean
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Dean Collins
*Sent:* Friday, 8 September 2006 10:15 AM
*Subject:* Peter Dicks Chairman of Sportingbet PLC is arrested at
JFK!!
This is bullshit.
I don't know how to effectively express my outrage over this
action by the US government.
Check out these links for background info;
www.nytimes.com
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/08/technology/08gamble.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>
money.cnn.com
<http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/08/news/international/bc.leisure.sportingbet.reut/?postversion=2006090808>
today.reuters.co.uk
<http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-09-07T160138Z_01_N07242747_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-LEISURE-SPORTINGBET-DICKS.XML>
www.businessweek.com
<http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8K02SM85.htm?sub=apn_euro_up&chan=gb>
So basically we have a UK citizen, operating a UK business
(sportingbetplc.com board)
<http://www.sportingbetplc.com/pages/15/Our+Board.stm?PHPSESSID=15ba3131b6035fc855dabdde5c19b246>
who the moment he steps foot into the USA is arrested, not for
crimes he committed but for crimes committted by US citizens.
Oh and arrested under ambiguous Louisiana law, that defines all
interstate gaming as illegal.
I cant wait for the chairman of the NY Times to be arrested on a
visit to China because chinese citizens were reading copies of the
NY Times on the internet.
Oh and as for visiting 'unfriendly' countries, how about if Castro
started shooting american tourists he found in Cuba for 'crimes of
treason' in carrying US dollars in their wallets?
This is insane America. When are you going to wake up and begin to
be a good 'world citizen'?
You cant just arrest people for 'crimes against the state' that
dont even occur in your country........isn't that what terrorists
do? Impose their will against the world at large.
I keep hoping I will wake up and the insanity will end? it's like
a bad dream.
It's getting hard to tell who is the bad guys anymore.
http://deancollinsblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/peter-dicks-chairman-of-sportingbet.html
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