The Blind Ostrich Head In The Sand Protocol

 

Here are two questions for our esteemed readers, and if anyone is minded to respond, answers, on a postcard please, to our comments section on this Blog.

Question one is this:

Is Kim 'Dotcom' Schmitz an anagram of 'Blind Zombie Ostrich'.

Why do I ask? Well, before move onto question two, we need to look at some background. Schmitz is the large framed MegaUpload boss currently living in New Zealand hoping to avoid extradition to the United States on copyright infringement charges (along with charges of money laundering). He is fighting the extradition.

Now Schmitz, and his business partner Mathias Ortmann, have been talking to Wired about their plans for a new file-transfer platform to replace MegaUpload. In a blinding flash of inspiration, the new file transfer platform is just called 'Mega' and here's the really 'clever' bit - it will include new technology that will automatically encrypt any file a user uploads to the system - and that user will be given a unique key code for each file uploaded, and only someone with that code will be able to access the content that has been stored on the Mega server.

So - no one at Mega can see the file or its contents. Brilliant! Its a real 'mere conduit' - Mega really will just be the postman - they can't look at the files being transferred or swapped because they have all been locked in bomb proof boxes (provided by Mega of course) and only the users have the keys (errrm, provided by Mega). Probably. Ortmann is of the learned opinion that the encryption will protect the Mega's business from any liability for copyright infringement, contributory or otherwise, because there is no way their platform could know what is stored and swapped on its service and (multi jurisdictional servers) and it would be entirely the liability of users if, say, they were swapping or distributing unlicensed music or movie files. Really? A real 'safe harbour' ? A bona fide DCMA "get out of jail free" card?

So Question Two is this: Is the Blind Zombie Ostrich plan just the best business plan you have ever read? And does it defeat any qualms rights owners and the content industries might have about the service set up by Mssrs Dotcom and Ortmann? Will it soar like a golden eagle? Or is it just another turkey? Or are we in cloud cloud cuckoo land (excuse the digi-pun)? Or is it al a bit bird brained?

Over to you! And the answer to question one is NO!

More on MegaBox - another of Mr Dotcom's new ideas here

In other news, The Pirate Bay have announced that they will be moving their entire operation to the cloud, one can only presume to be free of those annoying raids by local law enforcement agencies who seize servers. Mega will have servers in at least two separate countries to maintain a continuity of service, in case one country's legal system goes 'completely berserk'.

http://torrentfreak.com/new-megaupload-will-deflect-copyright-liability-and-become-raid-proof-121018/

My thanks to the ever wonderful CMU Daily for alerting me to this whacky wheeze.

‘Ostrich farming has the power to feed the world’

                                  The global ostrich industry needs 20,000 hides annually.

KARACHI: Ostriches, the most underrated livestock species in Pakistan, have the power to feed the world. The world is witnessing an increasing interest in ostrich breeding and farming because of the wide-ranged of associated benefits attached with it.
“Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) has taken pioneering steps in introducing ostrich farming in Sindh, which later on spread to other parts of the country,” said SBI Chairman Muhammad Zubair Motiwala at a meeting held at SBI’s office.
The demand and prices for ostrich leather and feathers have seldom been better globally and ostrich meat is also increasing sought after internationally for its health qualities.
Motiwala elaborated that ostrich, a flightless bird of African origin, was capable of living in all types of climates and temperatures but was especially at home in dry and hot climates such as those of rural Sindh. It has a long life span, resistance to disease and unparalleled food to weight gain ratio and yields high-quality red meat which is comparable in taste to mutton but is far superior in terms of almost zero fat content and very low cholesterol. “An average ostrich can give 80-100 kilogrammes of meat and its leather is considered of premium quality from which a number of leather products can be manufactured,” Motiwala said adding that feathers of the bird are another derivative which are used in electronics maintenance, fashion industry and other areas.

According to a study conducted by the Pakistan Ostrich Company, Pakistan was ranked in the bottom two among Ostrich producing countries. The study estimates that one hen can generate a revenue of Rs100,000, making it a very profitable opportunity.
Moreover, according to the research, Ostrich’s skin is considered to be the main revenue generator as it can be turned into one of the most luxurious of leathers. One value-added hide of the flightless bird can fetch up to 80% of total revenue earned from the animal as leather obtained of 14 square feet area sells for Rs16,000 in the international market. The global ostrich industry needs 20,000 hides annually.
Riazuddin, director general of the SBI said that despite the fact that Sindh had pioneered ostrich farming, other provinces especially Punjab had taken the lead and currently there were more than 6,000 birds compared to only a few hundred in Sindh.
He said that one main reason that deters livestock farmers from ostrich farming was that ostrich had not been designated as livestock in Pakistan thus depriving ostrich farmers of subsidies and support packages. He further said SBI has taken up the case of legal recognition of ostrich with Fisheries and Livestock Department and positive results were expected.
Tahir Latif, CEO of Pakistan Ostrich Company, the pioneering ostrich farmer, said that concessionary imports of chicks and machinery, access to credit, and dissemination of technical know-how about ostrich rearing to new investors are the dire needs of the hour.
He said that Pakistan Ostrich Company was working to set up a hatchery for indigenous breeding of birds and is also offering consultancy services as well as co-operative investment opportunities to new investors.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2012.