Roll over, Mildred and Patty Hill...

[/ dave /]

How amusing it was, all things considered, to hear an Arabic version of 
"Happy Birthday To You" - yes, that one - emanating from loudspeakers in 
Baghdad in honor of Saddam's 65th B-Day this weekend.

One can safely assume that AOL/Time-Warner, notwithstanding their having 
reported the largest quarterly operating loss in corporate history this 
week, will refrain from endeavoring to collect their public performance 
royalties on the song from the Baath Party (the rights to which were 
purchased by Warner Communications in 1988, for $25 million). But 
undoubtedly it crossed some executive's mind, before being dismissed 
with a pang of regret...

-- 

/  dave  /