09 Oct 2003
Suing Your Customers

Follow the link on Slashdot for a fascinating history lesson - seems as though the entire concept of self-propelled vehicles powered by internal combustion engines was once patented! And fought (successfully) by Henry Ford ...

Suing Your Customers: Winning Business Strategy? [Slashdot]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

Predatory Governors

A slow news day ... I haven't mentioned Arnie just because, well, I'll wait and see. I thought Jesse Ventura did a very credible job in MN as Governor, and honestly, Arhhhnold couldn't be much worse than what they had out there on the Left Coast.

Ventura was actually somewhat refreshing as Governor. He said some outrageous things, like "St. Paul streets were laid out by a drunken Irishman!" - in short, he acted and sounded like "real" people, not some blow-dried marketing droid. He even showed up to his inagural ball wearing a Hendrix tee shirt!

But Jesse basically threw in the towel after one term, because he couldn't take the bullshit. You can see this with Bush, Gore, Anie, everybody nowadays. It seems to be more important to tell the voters that your opponent a.) groped a girl 30 years ago b.) drives a Hummer or c.) blows dope than it does to represent what you'd do if elected. Remember Clinton's infamous "I didn't inhale!" Gimme a break, Bill.

Finding a perfect person is going to be impossible. I'm much more concerned about Bush's current infatuation with the Religious Right than I am with wondering weather or not he snorted coke two decades ago.

Clinton had more faults than San Andreas, but as I recall he did lead us thru 8 years of peace and prosperity. Jimmy Carter was an exceptional human being - moral, honest and completely upright. And his presidency was an unmitigated disaster.

I'm rambling here, and I know it. I'll shut up now....

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Another reason for Mozilla

Another reason to go to Mozilla.

Microsoft's IE attitude: Embrace, extend--abandon?. Web developers want to light a fire under Microsoft to get better standards support in the company's Internet Explorer browser, but they can't seem to spark a flame. [CNET News.com - Front Door]

00:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link

Teddy Ruxpin Redux

Well, it seems as though the lawyers have finally reduced themselves to literally taking toys away from little kids!

Please, Mr. Intellectual Property Maven - 'talking book technology', as embodied in this product is not new: remember Teddy Ruxpin from 1985? There is enough prior art along these lines to fill a small building. What was the Patent Office thinking?

Toys Boys War Over Talking Books. Leapfrog sues Mattel for patent infringement of its popular talking-book technology. Mattel shakes its collective head and says nah, nah, we didn't do it. Did Mattel just do it better? [Wired News]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

Invasion of the Blog Spammers

It was bound to happen ....

Spammers Invade the Blog [Moore's Lore]

00:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link

Naked Pastor

Absurdities abound -

Pastor fined in nude beach protest Nancy Erickson parked her car near the beach, and Ovadal led protesters in shouting derogatory remarks for about six minutes. Erickson responded by swearing, threatening or pretending to threaten to pull up her shirt, dancing and sticking out her tongue.

[CNN]

00:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link