Wealth of Ideas Newsletter, February 2004

Throughout history, certain inventions have profoundly impacted the course of mankind. Movable type, invented by Johann Gutenberg, and the discovery of penicillin are two notable examples.

Movable type, developed long before the institution of patents, not only enabled literacy amongst a greater population, but promoted the development of literature, research, and art – helping to bring about the advent of the Renaissance.

Wealth of Ideas Newsletter, January 2004

If you follow patent news, you may have noticed a trend towards massive infringement settlements. Our economy, now heavily dependent on knowledge-based industries such as software, telecommunications, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, has shifted the management of intellectual property center-stage. Consider the following list of damages awards in recent patent infringement lawsuits:

* $25M to St. Clair in a lawsuit against Sony

Wealth of Ideas Newsletter, December 2003

People love firsts. Books, awards, and countless history lessons are dedicated to firsts. We remember firsts. Not many people remember Amelia Earhart as the second person to fly across the Atlantic, but we do remember her distinctly as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.