Will fans pay? Reznor opens books on ‘Net music experiment

Trent Reznor produced the new Saul Williams rap record, then offered it online for 1) free or 2) five dollars. 18 percent of the downloaders paid. Success?

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Here Comes The Rain

Forecasters are calling for the worst rains to hit SoCal since 2005 to begin falling this evening. (01.03.08)

Check out the warnings, courtesy of the National Weather Service.

...SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA..

...STRONG AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT..

A SERIES OF STORMS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND STRONG WINDS WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA
TONIGHT AND WILL LAST THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS COULD BE THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE SOUTHLAND SINCE JANUARY 2005.

THREE IMPULSES ARE EXPECTED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS STORMY PERIOD.

FLASH FLOOD WATCHES HAVE ALREADY BEEN POSTED FOR THE BURN AREAS...WHERE HIGH INTENSITY RAINFALL COULD
PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING AND DEBRIS FLOW IN AND AROUND THE
BURN AREAS. FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLASH FLOOD
WATCH PRODUCT (LAXFFALOX).

From my experiences working in local news, I can tell you that the media love to over-hype the smallest threat of rain - going on "storm watch" for what would otherwise be considered "drizzle" in any sane part of the country. I actually spent quite a bit of time studying weather and weather patterns, working for a time as a weather graphics producer during one particulary heady period at KCBS-TV and I can tell you, from the look of the NWS's statements - this is a storm of near Biblical proportions.

While I'm not exactly looking forward to the snarled traffic and intermittent road closures, I am kind of excited to take some pics of the chaos with my new digital camera rig.

Meanwhile, enjoy this latest radar image from NOAA.