February 2009

Famous trade secret comes home to beefed-up security

Submitted by patentadmin on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 13:22

In September 2008, the story broke that one of the world's most famous trade secrets was moved to a secure location while the security as corporate headquarters was beefed up. Placed in a locked briefcase marked "Top Secret" and handcuffed to a security expert, the document went for a ride in an armored car accompanied by bodyguards and an escort of off-duty police officers.

Microsoft wins 10,000th patent

Submitted by patentadmin on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 13:23

As CNET reported on February 10, Microsoft has just been issued its 10,000th patent. But another CNET blogger pointed out that Microsoft has "not much to show" for its 10,000 patents, which he contends were obtained as protection against lawsuits rather than ways of pushing the company's product lines forward. Microsoft still receives most of its revenue from Office and Windows products.

Stanford Law School Fair Use Project Files Lawsuit against AP on Behalf of Obama "Hope" Artist

Submitted by patentadmin on Mon, 02/09/2009 - 23:16

Shepard Fairey used a little-known photograph of Barack Obama, taken in 2006 at the National Press Club by Associated Press photographer Mannie Garcia, and made it into an iconic representation of the man that many voters saw as an almost messianic figure. But was Fairey's use of the photo "fair use"? Legal experts at Stanford Law School think so.