« May 2005 | Main | July 2005 »
June 30, 2005
Independence Day
For this 4th of July weekend, I thought it be fun to look at a few patents
:
- 4,025,289 Fireworks Device
- 4,566,388 Method of Making Fireworks
- 5,028,284 Explosion Effects Enhancer for Fireworks
- 5,415,152 Method of Launching Multiple Fireworks Projectiles
Posted by Melody Wirz at 05:02 PM.
Permalink: Independence Day
Is IP Harming American Troops in Iraq?
When I saw the headline Soldiers vs. Intellectual Property Rights in a Google search for the IP news of the day, I had to check it out.
The article, which is apparently written by someone in Iraq, starts with reports of how soldiers don't have proper equipment to adequately protect themselves. This was nothing new to me, but I was really surprised at the author's explanation for the reasoning: "Why? It turns out that US capitalists are at war with US troops."
The author states that the production of armor for Humvees is limited to a single source, which cannot keep up with demand, concluding "[s]oldiers' lives are evidently less important than intellectual property rights that confer monopoly profits on capitalists. The Iraq War is the best crash course in the ABC of capitalism."
Unfortunately, the author doesn't realize that there would be no armor at all if it weren't for the incentive to innovate. However, I do wonder why the government doesn't just manufacture and pay a "reasonable and entire compensation" under 28 USC § 1498.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 10:01 AM.
Permalink: Is IP Harming American Troops in Iraq?
| Comments (3)
Taiwan Intellectual Property Academy Opens
Tuesday, the Intellectual Property Academy (IPC) opened at the National Taiwan University (NTU). The IPC hopes to educate 1,000 professionals per year to help corporations create, protect, and use the fruits of intellectual property.
According to my source article, "[t]he academy will establish strategic alliances with various universities around the country and will coordinate efforts fo NTU and domestic enterprises to promote the cultivation of experts in the field of intellectual property . . ."
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:22 AM.
Permalink: Taiwan Intellectual Property Academy Opens
June 29, 2005
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-29
- After 17 Years in Court, Plaintiff in Festo Fails to Prove Infringement (after two trips to the Supreme Court, it could be over -- as long as there isn't another appeal)
- Application Size Fee Discount from "The Invent Blog" (It's effective July 1, 2005, so it's worth a look)
- The Court Has Ruled So Enter the Geeks What will the response to the Grokster decision be? Perhaps, as stated in the article, the "new standard for software innovation: don't ask, don't sell."
- Supreme Court's unsound decision Could Google be in trouble as a result of the Grokster decision? (registration or viewing of a commercial required)
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:29 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-29
June 27, 2005
Grokster Decided
In a unanimous decision, the music industry won.
- Entertainment Industry Wins U.S. Supreme Court Fight on Piracy (Bloomberg)
- Court rules Internet file-sharing services can be held responsible for music theft (WOOD-TV)(AP Story)
- Web file-sharing sites may be sued, justices rule: Decision OKs lawsuits if service encourages illegal swapping (MSNBC)
I couldn't find the decision yet, but I'm sure it will be interesting.
UPDATE: The decision is here.
Basically, the Court held that when there is intent for users to infringe, the software provider is in deep doo-doo. I was sad to see the Court avoid the Sony decision, but Breyer's concurring opinion does a good job of explaining why we should leave the Sony decision alone (as much as possible).
The two different concurring opinions are interesting. Ginsberg, Rehnquist, and Kennedy all seem to think that a re-interpretation of Sony may be in order. This concurrence states: "If, on remand, the case is not resolved on summary judgment in favor of MGM based on Grokster and StreamCast actively inducing infringement, the Court of Appeals, I would emphasize, should reconsider, on a fuller record, its interpretation of Sony's product distribution holding."
Breyer, Stevens, and O'Connor seem to focus on the development of technology. Their concurrence points out the factual similarities with Sony and nearly admits that the software is a staple article of commerce. They still come down on the side of the music industry. However, they appear to limit the holding to cases where the entity "actively seeks to advance the infringement."
Of the opinion and the two concurrences (55 pages total), I recommend the Breyer concurrence (last 18 pages).
Comments?
Posted by Melody Wirz at 10:19 AM.
Permalink: Grokster Decided
| Comments (2)
Grokster Ruling Expected Today
I think we've all been holding our breath long enough. Hopefully, we'll be able to breathe again today. For a few stories on the expected ruling, check out the following:
- Grokster ruling expected: U.S. justices could decide file-sharing suit brought by entertainment firms
- Grokster Reader's Guide
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:05 AM.
Permalink: Grokster Ruling Expected Today
June 24, 2005
Invention in the Movies
Since it's Friday, I thought it might be fun to give some quotes from TV and the movies to see if you can guess the source. To reveal the answer, just highlight the space between the brackets with your cursor.
- Q: Mama, when did Ben Franklin invent electricity? A: That's nonsense. I invented electricity. Ben Franklin is the devil! [Waterboy]
- Invention is 93% perspiration, 6% inspiration, 3% electricity and 2% Butter scotch ripple. [Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory]
- Oh, yeah like I would really want to invent a toilet in a briefcase! [Adventures of Jummy Neutron: Boy Genius]
- I wish I were Einstein cause then I'd invent a time machine and go back to when you were nice.[Everybody Loves Raymond]
- Do you think I'm a loony, wasting my time on a lot of silly inventions? [Chitty-Chitty, Bang-Bang]
- Relax, Marty. I didn't disintegrate anything. The molecular structure of both Einstein and the car remain completely intact. [Back to the Future]
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:55 AM.
Permalink: Invention in the Movies
June 23, 2005
congratulations to Dennis Crouch and Jim Calloway
I want to take some time out from our regular postings of hilarity and lawyer malfeasance to congratulate Dennis Crouch and Jim Calloway for winning TechnoLawyer Awards this week. Dennis won the Best Practice Area Blog Award while Jim won the Favorite Practice Management award.
Dennis’ blog – Patently-O – is the definitive patent law blog on the internet when it comes to Federal Circuit case reports. Dennis painstakingly posts on every patent-related decision that the Federal Circuit hands down, updates us all on patent reform measures, and throws in a good dose of academic scholarship from time to time. All this and Dennis is a relatively young associate at McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff in Chicago.
I am especially pleased that fellow Okie, Jim, won the Favorite Practice Management award. Jim truly deserved this award. Whether it his blog, Jim Calloway’s Law Practice Tips, his prolific writings on law technology, or his excellent stewardship of the ABA TechShow – Jim is always one of the top “go to” guys when it comes to legal technology. Those of us in Oklahoma have always known how lucky we are to have him (as Dennis Kennedy said, the Oklahoma Bar Association needs to give Jim a bonus/raise) and it is great that the rest of the legal technology community has vindicated Jim’s commitment and expertise as well.
Congratulations again to Dennis and Jim as well as the other winners.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 11:32 AM.
Permalink: congratulations to Dennis Crouch and Jim Calloway
June 22, 2005
"humiliated" ketchup lawyer resigns
Well – it appears that Richard Phillips has been so humiliated by his “infamous” ketchup stain that he has resigned from his position for a “long planned” study break.
I see this as a win for the legal profession – instead of being rewarded, Mr. Phillips’ rude behavior has been chronicled across the internet on numerous blogs and news sites. Google’s memory is long and it will be tough for Mr. Phillips ever truly get beyond this story. Once again, be careful what you do – you never know when it might find its way onto the front page of a newspaper.
I hope that it is a wake-up call for all new associates and law firm partners that discourteous and obnoxious behavior within the profession will not be tolerated.
I wonder what Baker & McKenzie’s clients thought of the young squire’s behavior?
From The Independent Online Edition:
Lawyer in argument over £4 ketchup stain quits firm
By Jonathan Brown22 June 2005
The most famous ketchup stain in London has claimed its first victim. Richard Phillips, the City lawyer whose suit was soiled by the misdirected tomato sauce, has resigned from his position, it was announced yesterday.
Mr Phillips, 36, had decided to take a "long-planned" study break from work as the spillage continued to exercise the imaginations of some of the most highly paid professionals in London.
The £150,000-a-year senior associate, who is an IT law expert, is said to be humiliated by the media attention surrounding his claim for recompense for his £4 dry cleaning bill from the much lower paid legal secretary.
Jenny Amner, who is in her fifties, copied her withering e-mail reply to Mr Phillips' request for payment to colleagues at the leading law firm Baker & McKenzie. Ms Amner, who was attending her mother's funeral on the day she was contacted by the lawyer, was furious that he had asked for the money.
Colleagues of Ms Amner, who is reported to earn £25,000 a-year, offered to hold a collection to raise the £4 but she declined and paid the sum herself .
Writing to Mr Phillips on 3 June, nine days after the spoilt lunch, she said that she had declined an offer by colleagues to chip in to cover the cleaning bill.
"With reference to the e-mail below, I must apologise for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother's sudden illness, death and funeral I have had more pressing issues than your £4.
"I apologise again for accidentally getting a few splashes of ketchup on your trousers. Obviously your financial need as a senior associate is greater than mine as a mere secretary."
If he wanted the money, it would be on her desk that afternoon, she told him. The e-mail eventually found its way to various news organisations.
After Ms Amner's e-mail had been circulated, recipients began adding their own comments as they forwarded the note. One said: "This guy should emigrate." The e-mails were also sent to other workers in the City who added their own abusive observations including: "Who said that lawyers get paid too much?"
However, Ms Amner of Bexleyheath, south-east London, is now facing something of a backlash over her decision to go public and is understood to be considering her future with the global law firm. Colleagues have isolated her saying they believe Mr Phillips has been unfairly victimised. Postings on legal internet chat rooms have also heaped scorn on her.
A spokeswoman for Baker & McKenzie said Mr Phillips had decided to leave the firm "long before" the publication of the e-mail exchange. In a statement, the company said: "Richard resigned in early June. He will leave us in September and he is working out his notice.
The statement continued: "He resigned after the e-mail exchange between him and Jenny Amner but before all the publicity. We stress that we did not accept his resignation over this incident."
Both Ms Amner and Mr Phillips have been given leave from work until the row blows over.
Baker & McKenzie is the fifth largest legal company in the world and the average profit share of a partner, one step up from senior associate, is £364,000.
Another London law firm, Norton Rose, demonstrated the destructive power of e-mails in 2000 when Claire Swire, an employee, sent an e-mail to a colleague describing a sex act. The leaked note, forwarded to six other people, went on to be seen by millions of people around the world.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:45 PM.
Permalink: "humiliated" ketchup lawyer resigns
Copyright notice taken too far?
From Legal Lessons Learned:
So I'm reading a National Geographic booklet aimed at elementary school students . . I see a picture of a paramecium, labeled 'Paramecium x110." Next to it there's the following chunk of text:
'Check it Out
Suppose you have permission to photocopy the picture of Paramecium, and you enlarge it to twice its size. Would the magnification of x110 still be correct? Explain.'
The author of the post points out that the phrase "suppose you have permission to photocopy the picture" is a little over the top for a theoretical experiment aimed at elementary students, stating:
I imagine the writer put it more simply before a lawyer or editor touched it up. Because we wouldn't want 4th graders running around with enlarged b&w photocopies of a paramecium taken from Visuals Unlimited. Knowing kids, they might digitize the photocopies and post them on the internet[], or store them on their iPods. How would VU make money THEN?
I also imagine copyright-conscious kiddies, attentive to the wording's specific subtext, enchanted by the possibilities of a Creative Commons future. "Suppose you have permission..." Wow! Suppose I have permission! It's telling me to imagine a wondrous world where I'm legally allowed to photocopy this image I hold in my hands! What a spectacular sight that would be! Then I could perform ALL KINDS of measurements on it! But, aw shucks, for now I'm just stuck with my dreams.
The author of this post fails to mention something that struck me as particularly interesting. 17 USC § 107 deals with the "fair use" exception to copyright protection. Specifically, it addresses copies made for teaching. While the four factors listed must be considered, I'm convinced that a student making a copy to measure magnification would fall squarely within fair use.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 01:18 PM.
Permalink: Copyright notice taken too far?
June 21, 2005
Busted! - Unlicensed Piñatas
According to an article in the LA Times, piñatas sporting the likeness of cartoon characters were the subject of an undercover sting by entertainment industry representatives.
"Disney declined to comment on the piñata lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in February and April."
I did a little research and found a number of Disney characters in piñata form. For example, Ariel (aka the little mermaid). I don't know about you, but I'm not sure the piñata likeness does the cartoon image much justice.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 09:25 AM.
Permalink: Busted! - Unlicensed Piñatas
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-21
- See how much technology has been developed through simply cooperation and collaboration.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:17 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-21
June 20, 2005
another winner in the legal profession
Add another entry into the “too dumb to be practicing” archives. Found via the Advice Goddess blog:
An e-mail exchange between a law firm executive and a secretary over a ketchup stain has set London's legal world buzzing.
The details were forwarded across the city after Richard Phillips, a senior associate at Baker & McKenzie, sent a message to secretary Jenny Amner.
The exchange appears to refer to her spilling ketchup on Phillips' trousers and who should pay the cleaning bill, UK's Press Association reported.
The first e-mail, which Phillips sent on May 25, said: "Hi Jenny. I went to a dry cleaners at lunch and they said it would cost £4 to remove the ketchup stains. If you cd let me have the cash today, that wd be much appreciated."
On June 3, Amner replied: "With reference to the e-mail below, I must apologize for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother's sudden illness, death and funeral I have had more pressing issues than your £4.
"I apologize again for accidentally getting a few splashes of ketchup on your trousers. Obviously your financial need as a senior associate is greater than mine as a mere secretary."
She wrote that she had told various partners, lawyers and trainees about his e-mail and they had offered to "do a collection" to raise the cash.
"I however declined their kind offer but should you feel the urgent need for the £4, it will be on my desk this afternoon."
Amy Alkon (aka ‘The Advice Goddess’) called it “classy” – I would just call it what it is – “sleazy”. When CNN runs a story like this – it makes you realize that what your Mom told you growing up really does hold water:
Don’t do or say anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the newspaper.
Jenny Amner (the secretary), let me know if you can’t raise the 4 pounds. I would be happy to send it to you.
UPDATE: Looks like I will be spared sending Ms. Amner 4 pounds – thanks to the “anonymous Editor” over at Blawg Review for pointing to this follow-up article from The Telegraph.
Clean means Heinz, lawyer told
By Elizabeth Day
The manufacturers of Heinz tomato ketchup have offered to pay the £4 dry cleaning bill of a City lawyer who claimed that a secretary spilt the condiment over his trousers.
Richard Phillips, 36, who is reputed to earn £85,000 a year as a senior associate with the world's fifth largest law firm, Baker & McKenzie, was embarrassed last week by the leaking of an e-mail correspondence in which he asked his secretary, Jenny Amner, to reimburse him for spilling ketchup on his trousers.
Mrs Amner, who earns about £25,000 a year, was on compassionate leave attending her mother's funeral at the time.
Michael Mullen, the director of European Corporate Affairs for Heinz Europe, said that the company - which sells 120 million bottles of tomato ketchup a year in Britain - would be more than willing to ensure that Mr Phillips's trousers were free of unsightly stains.
"Vinegar diluted with water is a quick and easy home remedy for removing ketchup," Mr Mullen told The Sunday Telegraph informatively, "but we are happy to pay Mr Phillips' dry cleaning bill instead.
"After all, why should Ms Amner pay the price for enjoying the world's favourite ketchup?"
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 11:36 AM.
Permalink: another winner in the legal profession
| Comments (2)
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-20
- "You hear about it all of the time. Someone will say to you that you can't change the world. You are only one person. There is nothing that one person can do to make a difference."
- "One of the great things, and the key, really, I think, to a successful blog is that you have to be brutally honest. You can't do CEO speak, you can't do annual reports speak, because people in the blogosphere and your readers are just going to see right
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:16 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-20
June 18, 2005
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-18
-
“An interesting phenomenon has happened as I progress down this road of life as a manager, my role has changed significantly from when I first started. In the beginning, I felt that as a manager it was my job to be smarter than the group, to have all …”
-
“The biggest surprise is that our reality is determined as much by what happens in our heads as what happens external to them. In other words, perception is reality. Let me repeat that. Perception is reality.”
-
“I've read and absorbed so many gurus and pundits dazzling "brilliance" of late that my own simple, "pedestrian" intuition had nearly flushed away. Once in a while, you can actually read a book that reminds you of your own (simple) truth.”
-
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important …”
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:17 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-18
June 17, 2005
risqué Friday continues - trademarked sirens
Let's make it an all risqué Friday!
From the Deadprogrammer's Cafe blog: How the Starbucks Siren Became Less Naughty
Corporate logos often have elements that most people don’t know about. For
instance the arrow in the Fedex logo that was covered in depth on The Sneeze. This arrowmade me think a little about the Starbucks logo.
….
Basically, from what I gathered from different sources, including that book, there is a lot of confusion between the different mythological half-women.
Typically they are called Sirens - both the half-bird/half-woman and the half-fish/half-woman varieties. The fish type are usually called Mermaids. Both types according to the ancient Greeks were in the business of seducing mariners with songs and promises of sex and then killing them, but Hans Christian Andersen and Disney mostly made everybody forget that.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 08:50 PM.
Permalink: risqué Friday continues - trademarked sirens
| Comments (1)
anything under the sun means everything under the sun
Thank goodness it’s Friday.
I bet you never thought that the Patent Office could be risque – well, you’d be wrong.
A recent exhibit at the Museum of Sex chronicles the US Patent Office’s history of issuing inventions related to sex and sexuality. Wired has a detailed (too detailed – ouch!) article about the exhibit and an online “browser tour” is also available.
So – if your not squeamish, go on take a look, it’s Friday afterall.
I dare you.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 02:11 PM.
Permalink: anything under the sun means everything under the sun
Quotes on Invention
Here are some fun quotes from The Quotations Page and World of Quotes.
- An inventor is simply a fellow who doesn't take his education too seriously. (Charles F. Kettering)
- I don't think necessity is the mother of invention - invention, in my opinion, arises directly from idleness, possibly also from laziness. To save oneself trouble. (Agatha Christie)
- Getting caught is the mother of invention. (Robert Byrne)
- Want, the mistress of invention. (Mrs. Susannah Centlivre)
- We are more ready to try the untried when what we do is inconsequential. Hence the fact that many inventions had their birth as toys. (Eric Hoffer)
- Invention is the mother of necessity. (Thorstein Veblen)
- A tool is but the extension of a man's hand, and a machine is but a complex tool. And he that invents a machine augments the power of a man and the well-being of mankind. (Henry Ward Beecher)
- Our inventions mirror our secret wishes. (Charles H. Duell)
- Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought. (Jonathan Swift)
And, my favorite:
- To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. (Thomas A. Edison)
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:40 AM.
Permalink: Quotes on Invention
June 16, 2005
PHOSITA ::: Quick Links for 2005-06-16
- Patent Reform: Redlined Version of Patent Statute (created by Shashank Upadhye and Dennis Crouch) You can download the redline here.
- Yoda Origami (pdf)
- impress your Star Wars crazed friends with paper.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:26 AM.
Permalink: PHOSITA ::: Quick Links for 2005-06-16
June 15, 2005
Blogging Lawyers to Pay $50 Per Post?
According to Jim Calloway's post Kentucky Contemplates the Fate of Thier Lawyer Bloggers, "Kentucky Attorneys' Advertising Commission wants to classify [a lawyer's] blog as advertising, requiring him to do a filing and pay a $50 fee every time he does a post."
For commentary on this issue, go here. For the Business Week coverage, go here (scroll down for more comments).
Update: For a funny commentary on the situation, check out All Hands, Battlestations!, at Bulldog Legal Services E-Blog (thanks Britt!)
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:07 AM.
Permalink: Blogging Lawyers to Pay $50 Per Post?
| Comments (2)
June 14, 2005
Legal Guide for Bloggers
The EFF has released a Legal Guide for Bloggers. Included in this guide are sections on defamation, reporter's privilege, public records, and workplace blogging. But, the best section that interested me was Bloggers' FAQ: Intellectual Property. This section covers copying of other blogs, government documents, Creative Commons, licensing of comments, deep linking, copying of images, the DMCA, trademarks, and right of publicity. If you have any questions about intellectual property and blogging, check it out.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 10:56 AM.
Permalink: Legal Guide for Bloggers
June 13, 2005
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-13
- How do you harness innovation throughout your organization?
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:16 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-13
June 10, 2005
Fast Typist = Efficient Lawyer?
Russ Krajec had a great post yesterday on How To Save Costs on Patent Drafting. He claims that the typing speed of your patent lawyer or agent is critical, particularly when you are being billed by the hour. However, I'm not quite sold on his criticism of dictation:
It seems that many of the attorneys much over the age of 40 have non-existent typing skills. Many of them dictate their work, and must pay a secretary to transcribe and format the documents. While this system has some advantages, (namely that the attorney can dictate while he is in the car and bill you while running to the grocery store), dictation is generally more inefficient that someone who can type, and the turn around time is always longer.
This statement is somewhat contrary to what the "over 40" set has been telling me. Some of the more experienced lawyers I've worked with have taught me that dictation isn't necessarily for speed. Instead, it causes you to look at the big picture and have a roadmap before you start "writing." I currently start with an "outline" that I erase as I fill in the details of the patent, but I'm also trying to learn this mysterious new skill called dictation.
In yesterday's New York Times article, Spending Time to Save Time, the author mentions using a dictation program to respond to e-mail. He also talks about using typing shortcuts to increase his typing speed.
While Russ's overall point is valid, I'm not quite ready to give up on my dictation lessons just yet.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:33 AM.
Permalink: Fast Typist = Efficient Lawyer?
| Comments (4)
June 09, 2005
Nigerian Scam Targets Inventors
I'm sure you've all received those e-mails that state that you've won the lottery (or you're the only heir to a jillion dollars), but you must contact the sender immediately to claim your loot. But what about the scam directed at inventors.
Apparently, the newest scam is pretty complex. The scammer claims to have a client interested in the invention, to the tune of millions of dollars. The inventor is only required to pay the transaction fees (between 16 and 38 thousand dollars). Then the inventor is to meet with a "diplomat" in Dublin for the exchange. After the inventor turns over the initial cash, unexpected problems arise, requiring additional funding by the inventor.
As you probably guessed, the inventor never sees the millions of dollars promised, but instead gets a "no-expenses" paid trip to Dublin for his thousands of dollars.
For more, check out New Nigerian Scam Targets Inventors.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 02:14 PM.
Permalink: Nigerian Scam Targets Inventors
links for 2005-06-09
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:16 AM.
Permalink: links for 2005-06-09
June 08, 2005
Gripe Site Meter
I've previously posted about the trademark implications of gripe sites. I recently came upon a website with a "meter" that shows which websites have "sucks" sites and which ones have "rules" sites. It even has a nifty bar chart.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 05:09 PM.
Permalink: Gripe Site Meter
June 07, 2005
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-07
DUI Defendants Skip Charge By Asking How Test Works - Could open source code really prevent drunk driving?
Wall Street Journal Unrealistic on Patent Costs - Even in the "middle coast," I think the prices quoted in the Wall Street Journal were a little low. The Patent Baristas seem to agree.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 10:57 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-07
| Comments (1)
June 03, 2005
phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-03
- I don't know why - but this just made me laugh.
- Some new MT plugins and a couple of rewrites. Indispensable for any MT based blog.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 06:20 AM.
Permalink: phosita ::: quick links for 2005-06-03
June 02, 2005
Instant Noodle Inventor Retires
Japan Today reports 95-year-old inventor of instant noodles to finally retire. According to the article, Momofuku Ando invented instant noodles in 1958. He will step down from his post as Chairman of Nissin Food Products Co on June 29.
Before inventing, Ando was involved in a number of attempted professions: "selling salt, socks, silk yarn, magic-lantern projectors, engine parts, prefabricated houses and even managing a school." He was 48 when he came up with the invention that can still be seen around the world.
For more about Ando and his wonderful invention, see Oodles of noodles.
Posted by Melody Wirz at 09:07 AM.
Permalink: Instant Noodle Inventor Retires
June 01, 2005
Inc.'s Best Places to do Business in Oklahoma
Inspired by Todd over at the A Penny For … blog, I wandered over to Inc. Magazine’s May online article entitled “Best Places To Do Business”.
I am proud to be able to announce that Oklahoma does very well in the overall rankings – a testament to the efforts the state and its residents have made over the past 10 years.
Oklahoma cities on the list include:
#3 Tulsa –Most Balanced Economy and Growth #47 Oklahoma City - Best Places -- Large #65 Tulsa -Best Places -- Medium #84 Enid - Best Places -- Small #114 Oklahoma City - Most Balanced Economy and Growth #115 Lawton -Best Places -- Small #150 Oklahoma City - Fastest, Most Sustained Growth #150 Oklahoma City - Best Places - Overall #159 Enid - Fastest, Most Sustained Growth #186 Tulsa - Best Places - Overall #214 Enid - Best Places - Overall #230 Enid - Most Balanced Economy and Growth #238 Lawton - Most Balanced Economy and Growth #254 Lawton - Fastest, Most Sustained Growth #258 Tulsa - Fastest, Most Sustained Growth #269 Lawton - Best Places - Overall
Why is Oklahoma doing so well? According to Inc, it is part of the “home-shoring” that is occurring:
Thanks to lower housing and labor costs, more favorable regulatory environments,
and, in some cases, lower taxes, these smaller cities are proving ideal places for doing business -- especially in a globalized economy in which companies operate under relentless pressure to keep costs low and quality high. In many cases, it is precisely these low costs that allow U.S. companies to successfully compete in industries that often seem all but ready to concede to India and other countries. Rather than sending business overseas, many companies are instead opting to contract with lower-cost domestic suppliers -- a new wrinkle in the outsourcing trend known as home-shoring.
“Home-shoring” – sounds like a Rethink(IP) concept.
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 08:10 AM.
Permalink: Inc.'s Best Places to do Business in Oklahoma
| Comments (1)
top phosita posts in may, 2005 - the cookies, piracy, and Apple myths edition
It was a busy month here at PHOSITA and it seems that Melody wins the prize for the most popular posts – 8/10 were written by her.
Without further ado – the top PHOSITA posts for May, 2005:
1. Piracy of the Sith
2. Britney Sued for Copyright Infringement
3. Oldest Patent Lawyer Recognized
4. Backspace Key v. Wite-Out
5. Girl Scout Cookies Protected By Intellectual Property - Kinda
6. Weekend Trademark Fun
7. hotbed of technological innovation :: PHOSITA in the news
8. Mythical Mac Tablet - Debunking the Hype
9. IP Rights in Software
10. Pets are People, Too
Posted by Douglas Sorocco at 12:33 AM.
Permalink: top phosita posts in may, 2005 - the cookies, piracy, and Apple myths edition
