Travis Fox: Beirut Bridge Destroyed by Airstrikes.
Air Sickness Bag Advertising
But US Airways must be kidding when a company spokesperson says, “The airsick bag is not used like it was in the past — primarily with turbo-prop aircraft and cabins that weren’t pressurized — so the negative connotation of the sick sack has gone away.” Now that line makes this marketer wanna reach for a barf bag.
Teletruth Letter to the Judge Regarding the SBC/AT&T and Verizon/MCI Mergers
Teletruth believes there exists an inherent contradiction in representations of the SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI mergers in the complaints and consent decrees filed by the DOJ October 27, 2005.
The complaints note broad competition. For example – “SBC and AT&T compete in the sale of wireline telecommunications services to retail and wholesale customers in the United States.” The complaints note particular concern about Local Private Lines. For example – “the proposed merger is likely to substantially reduce competition for Local Private Lines and telecommunications services that rely on Local Private Lines to those buildings.” The DOJ believes the magnitude of these concerns provides sufficient justification to block the mergers. For example – “that Defendants be permanently enjoined and restrained from carrying out the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated January 30, 2005.”
A Look at the UW’s “Broad” Stem Cell Patents
Antonio Regalado & David Hamilton:
The broadly worded patents, which cover nearly any use of human embryonic stem cells, are held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, a nonprofit group that handles the school’s intellectual-property estate, managing a $1.5 billion endowment amassed during 80 years of marketing inventions.
John Simpson, an official at the foundation bringing the challenge, says WARF’s efforts to enforce its patents are “damaging, impeding the free flow of ideas and creating a problem.” Mr. Simpson’s group got involved in the dispute earlier this year after Wisconsin officials said they would demand a share of state revenue from California’s voter-approved stem-cell initiative.
WARF doesn’t charge academics to study stem cells, but it does ask commercial users to pay fees ranging from $75,000 to more than $250,000, plus annual payments and royalties. So far, 12 companies have licensed rights from WARF to use the cells, and more than 300 academic laboratories have agreements to use the technology without charge. WARF spokesman Andy Cohn declined to say how much the organization has earned from the patents so far but says it is less than what it has spent funding stem-cell research and paying legal costs.
The Future of America Forecasts, Part 2
orecast #3: the death of the US Constitution.
The Constitution was originally designed to specify the duties for each of America’s three branches and to limit their powers. Its ability to do the latter function has faded rapidly since the New Deal. Already most of the Bill of Rights remain de jure in force but are de facto void, as can be seen by a Lexis search of successful attempts to use them in litigation – you’ll find almost none.
At some point soon the Constitution will become a purely procedural document, much like that of the former Soviet Union, and equally effective at preserving our liberties. Our rights will exist only on the sufferance of our government and our ruling elites. This is already true in the UK, as the “unwritten constitution” protecting the “rights of Englishmen” has blown away like smoke in the wind.
Exploding TV
Jeff Jarvis notes an interesting paradox:
At the same time that Nielsen announces that the TV networks had their lowest ratings in recorded history — averaging 20 million viewers at a time — YouTube announces that it’s serving 100 million videos a day. Insert apocalyptic punchline here.
Southwest Utah Trip: Zion National Park [N 37 13.027′ W 112 58.064′]
More photos here. [N 37 13.027′ W 112 58.064′]
Southwest Utah Trip: Bryce Canyon National Park [N 37 36.249′ W 112 09.396′]
Many more photos here. [N 37 36.249′ W 112 09.396′]
Land Yachts: Classic 1970’s Cadillac Eldorado Convertible
I walked past this classic, 1970’s Eldorado on my way to the Farmer’s Market this morning:
More on the Eldorado.
The Friday Line: Top 10 2006 Governor’s Races
7. Wisconsin: Yes, we know about this poll, which showed Gov. Jim Doyle (D) ahead of Rep. Mark Green (R) by 13 points. But the numbers were greeted with skepticism, even by many Democrats. (The poll should be taken with a grain of salt for several methodological reason — it was in the field for an unusually long time and tested adults rather than registered or likely voters.) Ethics questions continue to hover around Doyle’s administration, and typically reliable Democratic base groups — the labor community and black voters to name two — are not terribly excited about helping the incumbent win a second term. Make sure to read Post politics dean David Broder’s take on this race. (Previous ranking: 5)