Da Vinci Code vs HBHG

I have heard about the court case in England where the publisher (or is it the author) of the 70's book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" are suing the publisher (or author) of "The Da Vinci Code" for copying their ideas. Authors are following this case with interest, because it might define what it means to copy an idea. I have read neither book, but I believe that HBHG has the form of an academic study, whereas TDVC has the form of a fictional novel based on the same ideas as HBHG. Since neither are based on fact, is it legal to copy the ideas.
All this seems to be a messy battle over profits and far removed from the great ideas both books claim to be true. Truly, God is not mocked.

Is the following a fair comparison....
Thomas Keneally wrote "Schindler's Ark" and said he studied the story, spoke to as many witnesses as possible and made his novel as faithful to fact as possible. If the story had been documented in a book, would it be plagiarism to then base a book on it? Maybe that fact that the story is true (unlike HBHG) is a defence.

Using theology to teach English literature

I found high school English very interesting because of the range of books we studied and the ideas and ways of appreciating them. However, looking back, I think I did not appreciate the background and philosophy of the authors. What made Byron different to Keats or Shakespeare or T.S Eliot? What made Dickens different to Hardy or Thackeray?

We studied the form of each book or poem and what motivated each character and how they related to each other. But there was some context missing. Possibly the philosphical or theological motivation could supply this. Authors are to some extent creatures of their period (or some authors change their period), so it is interesting to relate humanists to Byron, the spirit of nature to Wordsworth, Christianity to T.S Eliot etc. I think I would have found this a fruitful way of studying English literature.

PC sound to iTunes and TotalRecorder

I use iTunes to playback audio and video podcasts, and I also use TotalRecorder to record from audio streaming. I found that I have to change a setting in the control panel depending on which I am using.

Select control panel/Sounds and audio devices/audio. I change the sound playback and recording: Avance AC97 audio when I am playing back on iTunes, and playback through TotalRecorder when I am using that. If I have TotalRecorder seleced and use iTunes, the sound is distorted and has echoes.

commonwealth.tv

An interesting country in the Commonwealth Games parade is Tuvalu.
Area: 26 sq.km.
Highest point 5 metres
Income sources include: sale of stamps and coins, and leasing the internet domain name .tv
Flag: Union Jack in the upper hoist-side quadrant, with 9 stars representing a map of the islands (that is, the stars are not a constellation)

The business of privatisation of schools

Many people want to send their children to large private schools. IMHO, the private schools have responded by turning themselves into businesses first, schools second. I read about a school with a Board, a Chairman, and Chief Operating Officer, and oh, by the way, also a Principal. I know they have to manage themselves efficiently and transparently, but it seems a case of the financial tail wagging the educational dog.

Other evidence of the expanding school sector is the fact that their fees are rising faster than inflation. The rising demand would push this, as well as the increasing capex required to compete with other private schools. It is not enough to provide facilities for academic studies, and some sports fields. These days, parents expect all the potential of their children to be explored, such as music, leadership, arts, commerce and of course networking with the other students who may become their business peers in the future.

How is this for a financial analogy?.... The share price of a listed company represents the expected value of future income. In the same way, the (rising) school fees represent the expected value of future income and lifestyle opportunities which result from attending a private school.