One of the presenters on today’s Public Sphere #1 talked about
the Governments Toilet Database – which had no API for open access by other
information developers – in fact the Copyrtight page deliberately prevents any
reuse of the work except by pointing to it with a url.

F***** Me.
What is so special about a database of Toilets…..

“Pssst Meester, I have a DVD of all the toilet locations in Australia
– how much will you give me for it.”

NOTHING! But the Government obviously thinks its worthwhile.

A few years ago there were the risqué faxes that used to do
the rounds – About the Peter Tax….. Well obviously the Toilet Database will be monetized
in the future by the “Urgency stress factor” of the inquirer – if he punches
his phone keys really hard – then he’s desperate to go…. Lets charge him five
bucks to let him know where the closest toilet is.

When Copyright is invoked on a database of the Nations
Toilets – we know we need new copyright law and we know that the Government has
no bloody idea about what is valuable and what is not.

BTW – these are the same guys that are deciding how to spend
your tax dollars……..

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