Thanks for Clearing that Up.

Well as reported in this Washington Post artice, the RIAA has cleared up just what they mean in that warning. In a brief filed recently, they assert that you are violating the rule if you buy a cd and put a copy of the tracks on your own computer for your own personal use.

Now, in an unusual case in which an Arizona recipient of an RIAA letter has fought back in court rather than write a check to avoid hefty legal fees, the industry is taking its argument against music sharing one step further: In legal documents in its federal case against Jeffrey Howell, a Scottsdale, Ariz., man who kept a collection of about 2,000 music recordings on his personal computer, the industry maintains that it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into his computer.

The industry's lawyer in the case, Ira Schwartz, argues in a brief filed earlier this month that the MP3 files Howell made on his computer from legally bought CDs are "unauthorized copies" of copyrighted recordings.

Ike Turner Dead at 76

Ike Turner (a Clarksdale, MS native such as myself) died today in his sleep. Often infamously noted for drug and alcohol fueled physical abuse of his loved ones (Notably Tina Turner), Ike Turner's musical contributions were substantial. In 1951 he recorded Rocket 88, which is about the Oldsmobile 88 which had just come into production 2 years earlier. The song has perhaps the earliest example of 'fuzz' or guitar distortion. As the performers were making their way up Hwy 61 from Mississippi to record the song (with soon-to-be musical giant Sam Phillips), their amp fell out of the back of their car. the damage created a distorted sound that has given inspiration to countless rock and roll songs. It has been argued by many that this is the first Rock 'N Roll song, which is saying something.

Did You See This?

Here's what the NYTimes ran today:

U.S. Says Iran Ended Atomic Arms Work

By MARK MAZZETTI

Published: December 3, 2007

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 — A new assessment by American intelligence agencies concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen, contradicting judgment two years ago that Tehran was working relentlessly toward building a nuclear bomb.

The conclusions of the new assessment are likely to reshape the final year of the Bush administration, which has made halting Iran’s nuclear program a cornerstone of its foreign policy.

The assessment, a National Intelligence Estimate that represents the consensus view of all 16 American spy agencies, states that Tehran is likely keeping its options open with respect to building a weapon, but that intelligence agencies “do not know whether it currently intends to develop nuclear weapons.”

Pretty straightforward, huh? well, god help you if you were watching FoxNews today at lunch when this story broke. Their headline? IRAN COULD HAVE NUCLEAR BOMB BY 2010.

Seriously.

the spin never ends.