I'd like to point you all to the Titan I Epitaph website: http://www.chromehooves.net/Titan_Epitaph_main.htm . It's 2 parts urban exploring, 2 parts history, and a surprising amount of original technical documentation (including a "guidebook for the planning, construction, phasing, systems integration, installation and checkout, turnover and activation of the operational Titan I complexes and their support facilities"). If you've got an afternoon to waste, you won't be disappointed.

"But they are a working tool - and they get the job done. It's difficult to argue against something that, so far, seems to work." What is it, exactly, that they get done? And how do you know it works? You're turning a blind eye to a government agency with a huge amount of power that is performing illegal surveillance. I'm not nearly as trusting as you are...

" The software opens up the possibility that brass instruments could be customized more closely to the needs of individual players in the future -- catering more closely to the differing needs of jazz, classical and other players all over the world."

Please. This has been the case for years! As someone who has played a brass instrument for 18 years, I can authoritatively tell you that there are already significant differences between a trombone made for jazz music, classical music, and beginning players, to list only a few categories. As far as "customized," Edwards Trombones http://www.edwards-instruments.com/index.shtml can heavily customize an instrument to the player - having played one, I can tell you specifically how my embouchure differed from the owner of the horn. Leadpipe, bell flare, material, even the finish can be customized and predictably constructed to match the player. This is not a "new" concept based on a history professor with a computer - this is an extension of the tradition and history of instrument-making.

"I'm sorry, Watson. Your answer must be in the form of a question."

Geez you nitwit - it's the equivalent of Libraries of Congress per parsec!

I'm guessing it would be disastrous for an airplane to fly in the "beam", no?

This is an April Fools, right guys? Right?

It's like storing the World Wide Web inside the Library of Congress!

Isn't the model effectively scrapped already? Sure, CDs are still sold - I would bet that physical media will still be around for quite a while. However, with Amazon and iTunes providing legal channels for purchasing music, and torrents for alternative sourcing...well, it's not like there's only one place to buy music anymore. It used to be records or nothing. That brings me to another point - RIAA's founding purpose was to be an organization that set technical standards (an equalization curve for records to prevent low frequencies from bouncing the needle off the vinyl). Now that the EQ curve is established, and that audio technology effectively dead...isn't it time for RIAA to close up shop? HINT HINT.

Armenia? /ducks

the year of Linux on the nettop!

...right? In its configuration as a power generation plant, it's a portable incinerator. What's the big deal?