Copywrong

This is an old story, but I just read about it yesterday. And it has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard:

British composer Mike Batt found himself the subject of a plagiarism action for including the song, "A One Minute Silence," on an album for his classical rock band The Planets.

He was accused of copying it from a work by the late American composer John Cage, whose 1952 composition "4'33"" was totally silent.

On Monday, Batt settled the matter out of court by paying an undisclosed six-figure sum to the John Cage Trust.

Yes, that's right: silence is apparently copywritable. Good grief. Says Batt, in his own defense:

"Mine is a much better silent piece. I have been able to say in one minute what Cage could only say in four minutes and 33 seconds."

It's a madhouse! A madhouse!!