RIAA

The Scottish equivalent of the RIAA (the PRS) threatened to sue a grocery store worker for singing to herself as she shelved items.  They later apologized, but I think that even the fact that they thought this was the right thing to do is disturbing, and shows how out-of-whack intellectual property laws are.

The village store where Mrs Burt works was contacted by the PRS earlier this year to warn them that a licence was needed to play a radio within earshot of customers.

Recent developments in copyright... some interesting cases involving the recording industry vs.

"A Harvard Law School professor has launched a constitutional assault against a federal copyright law at the heart of the industry's aggressive strategy, which has wrung payments from thousands of song-swappers since 2003.

The professor, Charles Nesson, has come to the defense of a Boston University graduate student targeted in one of the music industry's lawsuits. By taking on the case, Nesson hopes to challenge the basis for the suit, and all others like it.

Does it make me gullible or cynical that I thought this might be true?

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/43029

"The Recording Industry Association of America announced Tuesday that it will be taking legal action against anyone discovered telling friends, acquaintances, or associates about new songs, artists, or albums.