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Rep Darrel Issa (R-CA) wants to make changes to patent law by reducing the length… 6

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4734 days ago)
Rep Darrel Issa (R-CA) wants to make changes to patent law by reducing the length of the monopoly protection period. While those of following the story of Apple vs the World might be yelling hooray the celebrations would be premature. 

Rather than reduce patent terms for the fast moving technology field where a 14-20 year patent is absurd, Issa is focusing on the auto industry. Currently collision repair parts are covered under design patents that last 14 years meaning that third parties aren't allowed to make replacement body parts.

While reducing or better yet eliminating design patents is almost certainly a good thing, it should be no means be limited to the auto industry. Design patents should be done away with entirely so that anyone could make a rectangular slab with a glass touch screen without fearing the wrath of the Cupertino bullies. 

It's past time for congress to truly address the dysfunctional patent system by eliminating software patents or at least cutting the terms to a bare minimum and properly funding the USPTO so that examiners can actually evaluate applications and search for prior art. Since Issa is no friend to the auto industry but has a background in tech and supportive constituents from his hometown company Qualcomm, that's unlikely to happen anytime soon. 

House Debates Drastic Changes To Auto Patents: Good Or Bad?
When we think of patents, we often think of things like drugs and cell phones — things perfected in high tech labs over many, many years. But patents and patent law affect nearly every part of our da…

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In theory the build and price configurators on automaker web sites are a great idea…. 7

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In theory the build and price configurators on automaker web sites are a great idea. You can go through and configure exactly the car you want and figure out how much it will cost before you ever walk into a dealership. 

The problem is that there are often many different combinations of stand-alone options and packages on different trim levels and if you want to find the most affordable combination with the must-have features you want you have to go all the way through a lengthy and slow flash-based build process multiple times. 

What I want in a build and price site is a list of all the available features so that I can check the ones that I must have and then have the system tell me which models meet my requirements. From there I can pick the trim level I want and complete the build. 

Is that too much to ask for?

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One of my favorite lines from Vidal was "United States of Amnesia" 6

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4734 days ago)
One of my favorite lines from Vidal was "United States of Amnesia"

Reshared post from +Atheist ®

~Jared

PTSOTL: Gore Vidal on how monotheism has rotted our country to its core
“The great unmentionable evil at the center of our culture is monotheism. From a barbaric Bronze Age text known as the Old Testament, three anti-human religions have evolved–Judaism, Christianity, an…

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My wife who happens to be an avid knitter and long-time participant at Ravelry was…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged olympics on by (updated 4734 days ago)
My wife who happens to be an avid knitter and long-time participant at Ravelry was telling me about this last week.  The whole #olympics  trademark and IP thing has just gotten completely out of hand. 

Reshared post from +Lara Killian

I was just explaining the Knitting Olympics to a friend – this is hilarious that the Olympic Committee would send Ravelry a cease & desist order! Not everyone can be an Olympic athlete but I applaud those who find their own way to participate and enjoy the Games!

Knitters Outraged After U.S. Olympic Committee Squashes Knitting Olympics—and Disses Knitters
If you mess with the Olympics trademark, a cloud of legal hurt will descend on you faster than Tyson Gay in the Men’s 100 meters. Case in point: The U.S.

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It takes a lot of fresh water both to grow corn and to convert it into ethanol 4

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4734 days ago)
Given the exceptionally dry weather this year, it's definitely time to rethink the mandates on ethanol production until we get some high-volume cellulosic ethanol production online.  Not only does cellulosic ethanol not rely on edible crops for a feedstock, most of the leading processes only use a fraction of the water required for the current dry-mill corn processes. 

As Drought Spreads, Should the U.S. Put Ethanol on Hold?
In an op-ed in today’s New York Times, agriculture and public policy experts argue that the U.S. should suspend its mandate to create corn ethanol because the summer’s drought is putting so m…

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Casino Royale was probably the best James Bond film since the glory days of Sean… 6

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 007 jamesbond skyfall on by (updated 4734 days ago)
Casino Royale was probably the best James Bond film since the glory days of Sean Connery and Daniel Craig may well best be the best super-spy of them all. Unfortunately the follow-up Quantum of Solace was a muddled mess that got screwed up by having too many cooks in the writer's room during the screenwriters strike. 

This fall Bond is back and based on this trailer (never a guarantee of anything good) this could be a winner. 
#skyfall  #007 #jamesbond  


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