Taro T

Yep. Totally schadenfreude, but I'm good w/ that.

You can have Jennifer. Bailey was the best!

Camels everywhere rejoice!

Saddened to learn that you're in this situation. Nothing really to add here except that the people saying that the focus should be on the baby are IMHO right. Especially until the PT, do what you can to try to keep your existing relationship going. Afterwards, if she's still willing to work with you, keep working on it. Sometimes the huge challenges turn into opportunities; if you stay together it could make your relationship stronger. Stay on good terms (as good as you reasonably can given the circumstances) with the pregnant one. If the baby is yours, own up to your responsibilities to that baby, (sounds like you're already doing that / planning on continuing to do it) but don't necessarily commit to marrying the mother. Commit to staying in that baby's life - IIRC, you grew up in a single parent household and know how tough that can be, but don't commit to staying in the mother's life. If the baby is yours, maybe with time you and her will want to be together, but ending up in a marriage that you don't want because it's the 'right thing' will eventually most likely have you hating the mother, the mother hating you, or both. Not the best environment for a child. Good luck with it. If it isn't yours, I hope the mother finds the real father and he becomes a part of the kid's life. If it is yours, well, it sounds like you are willing to accept responsibility - I hope that continues.

Considering the fact that the Houston Oilers Inc still own the 'Houston Oilers' and the trademark is still 'live' then yes, that will prevent a new Houston team from using the same name 3 years later.

Yep. These are banks we're dealing with; not the IRS.

Resources are finite, but the value that can be added to them is far from it. How difficult is it to realize that wealth can be created and isn't a zero sum game? Steve Jobs' old company converts sand and some metals into items that people will gladly pay $200+. Is the person that bought the I-pad worse off for having bought it? Are the people manufacturing the I-pads worse off? I doubt it. (Sorry for continuing to take this thread OT.)

If the meeting is still on, I'm now in. A meeting I was supposed to have ~lunchtime has been rescheduled. Let me know.

It's pretty recent. It was passed on 9/16/11 (HR 1249; PL 112-29; Leahy-Smith America Invents Act) and most of the provisions went into effect this past March. It made major changes to the US patent system; the biggest being we're now a 'first to file' rather than a 'first to invent' country. Though our version of '1st to file' is a little different than that of most everybody else. There are still some administrative provisions that won't be effective until 2014 and 2015 but for all intents and purposes, this one's been live for ~3 months. The provision I mentioned previously is in Section 33.

Not if they haven't already received a patent on them. Under the AIA, "no patent may issue on a claim directed to or encompassing a human organism." Patents granted prior to the AIA becoming effective aren't invalidated, but new ones can't issue.

Saw her in a musical back in the late '80's. Unfortunately, that voice at the opening of AitF was her real one. Very good actress. May she RIP.

EVERYBODY brought their own keg to the Rockpile. The sticking point was they had to buy a ticket for its 'seat.'

May you RIP Maggie. You were a true leader.

Is it 2014 yet?

They don't. A patent is only valid for ~20 years. The one on this particular seed is due to expire in 2014. Plant patents are only issued for asexually reproduced plants (other than tubers) that the inventor developed. Haven't read the details of the case, just read an article about it in the WSJ, it would be interesting to see how that issue was addressed in the original case. Since Monsanto requires the buyer of the seeds to agree not to replant them it's probable that the farmer signed that agreement when he bought the mix of seeds which contained the Monsanto seeds. If the grain elevator operator that sold him the seeds didn't make him sign the agreement, or didn't provide him a licensing agreement at the time; it would seem the beef is with the grain elevator operator. According to the article I read, the farmer admitted that he expected the replanted seeds to be pesticide resistant, so he probably is violating his contract. It would be interesting to hear JA's take on this.

During the 1st 18 years of your life, did your team's head coach have the IQ of a doorknob and utter such classic phrases like "they really took the sails out of our wind?" Yes No If 'yes' enter 1 ___________. During the 1st 18 years of your life, did your team's head coach quit in the middle of the season? Yes No If 'yes' enter 1 ___________.

'You can have Jennifer; I'll take Bailey Quarters!

And then there was something about a clown balancing on a board at the south pole.

It's looking like camps will open 1/12 and season openers will be 1/19. Cool, I guess.

Kind of lame, but I got a chuckle out of it: I (heart) my dog. I (diamond) my girlfriend. I (spade) my cat. I (club) my wife. where all of the () use the playing card symbols.

Pretty much where I'm at with all this. I'm hoping Buddy stays on as a scout; the O-line is the best it's been in 20 years.

New Orleans School of Cooking has demo classes daily and a hands on one on Sunday afternoons. My buddy's wife did the class and she liked it. (It'd be outside the box for foodies.) I only did the gift shop, picking up some "Joe's Stuff" (one of their instructor's own spice blend, which goes well on popcorn). There's other spice shops around town that have real good deals on cajun and other hot spices. Back when it opened, the Aquarium of the Americas was one of the best around. Not sure how well it's been restocked since Katrina, but I'd expect that's pretty good again.

That's true. There's no shame in hard work, but hopefully at some point in time she can get skills that would allow her to get a better job if she wants a better job.

There's a few things off Radio KAOS that I like, but definitely agree that the majority of his post-The Wall songwriting doesn't come close to what they did in the '70's. Even on The Wall though, the best music was Dave's - Comfortably Numb, Run Like Hell, and Young Lust.

Agree completely with the bolded. The key is, for those positions the person actually has a marketable skill which is the reason the jobs actually pay well.