OpenURLs at NPR site

I just noticed this morning that NPR uses OpenURLs for the javascript links that open the audio player but, for the page about the story--the page where you find that link--they use a simple 'storyid' for a php call.

Page URL: [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12909121&ft=1&f=1008]

Audio URL:
[javascript:launchPlayer('12909122', '1', '19-Aug-2007','
&topicName=Arts___Culture&subtopicName=Arts___Culture
& prgCode=WESUN
&hubId=-1
&thingId=12909121
&ssid=
&tableModifier=', 'RM,WM');]

I added returns to make the longggg url easier to read. Obviously the real url has no spaces or returns. My favorite field is the 'thingID'. ;~)

Another slant on intellectual property

NPR has a story about a Senate bill that would give the fashion industry copyright protection. It has an interview with Steven Lindner of the New School in NY who says the law is unnecessary. After all, he says, even his 10 year old niece can tell that the Gucci knock-offs they sell on the NY streets aren't leather. In essence his argument is that Gucci and the knock-off artists are going for a different customer. The knock-offs don't hurt Gucci because Gucci's customers wouldn't be caught dead carrying a vinyl replica of a leather handbag.

He goes on to ask when the copyright protection would kick in...when the fabric is draped? when the design is sketched? when the fabric is cut? when the dress is ready for sale?

The knock-off issue is interesting in terms of class and market. But the second question, the one about when copyright kicks in is an interesting process question. We've been talking about the problem of making Writing Sems theses freely accessible in an IR since their theses are often a first draft or a larger work like a novel.