Patent Law - John Oliver

[jesmu84]

https://www.youtube.com/v/3bxcc3SM_KA

[GGGG]

I have a friend who was involved with a biotech startup.  He spent two years dealing with a patent troll case that was filed in that exact court in Marshall, Texas.  He had to spend about three months out there and they ended up losing, but it was overturned on appeal.  Eventually they sold out and made some cash, but he said it wasn't quite what he expected when he signed on. 

[brandx]

Just one more reason to Eat the Rich!

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Just one more reason to Eat the Rich!

I don't know why this has to be a right-left political issue.

There's nothing right-wing about rent-seeking. There's nothing left-wing about it either. This should be an 80/20 issue.

I mean, does anyone really like Microsoft, right or left? Etc.?

[Benny B]

Just one more reason to Eat the Rich!

If by "rich" you mean "trial lawyers," then sure.

You do realize that trial lawyers are among the largest donor and contributors to left-wing candidates & causes, n'est-ce pas?

If anything, this only goes to show that being "rich" favors no end of the political spectrum.

[brandx]

If by "rich" you mean "trial lawyers," then sure.

You do realize that trial lawyers are among the largest donor and contributors to left-wing candidates & causes, n'est-ce pas?

If anything, this only goes to show that being "rich" favors no end of the political spectrum.

Humor doesn't work well here, apparently. It was an old Aerosmith song.

[jficke13]

Eh, it came in a little too close to something we might have expected you to say. That's why the humor was lost. Can't land 'em all.

[Benny B]

Humor doesn't work well here, apparently. It was an old Aerosmith song.

Aerosmith?!?  Any Titanic references you want to throw at us as long as we're hitting these phenomena at the height of their popularity?

[Pakuni]

Humor doesn't work well here, apparently. It was an old Aerosmith song.

Rats. I was hoping you were quoting the Krokus classic.

[mu03eng]

Aerosmith?!?  Any Titanic references you want to throw at us as long as we're hitting these phenomena at the height of their popularity?

His president/My American Cousin reference had been used in another thread so he had to improvise

[HouWarrior]

I have a very conservative republican, wealthy client who first made a killing by buying up highly discounted RTC (savings and loan crash) loan packages, and collecting very handsome profits by working the loans/collections and exercising the Doench D'hume strong arm rights provided by federal law. Then he played in office buildings and condos...getting out with more profits before 2008.

Since then he has funded a trial lawyer firm that patent trolls with multiple suits filed in Marshall, Texas. He buys the patents, forms the ownership company, and underwrites the expenses of suits. They have split very handsome takes from their joint business.

Is this a right or left issue? Not Really. The arch conservative republican still doles his winnings to the right and enjoys his winnings from governmental programs/loopholes...hoping the trough keeps getting fed....vs.... the partner trial lawyer who'll feed democratic coffers to keep the courthouse doors open to his pursuits.

Money has no object in the politics of special interests, other than to preserve their pipeline. Whomever promises and delivers to the money gets the support; neither side of this story stands above reproach.

[brandx]

Aerosmith?!?  Any Titanic references you want to throw at us as long as we're hitting these phenomena at the height of their popularity?

It was a joke, moron!

[mu03eng]

It was a joke, moron!

Pretty sure his was too.  Bit irritable today?

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

I have a very conservative republican, wealthy client who first made a killing by buying up highly discounted RTC (savings and loan crash) loan packages, and collecting very handsome profits by working the loans/collections and exercising the Doench D'hume strong arm rights provided by federal law. Then he played in office buildings and condos...getting out with more profits before 2008.

Since then he has funded a trial lawyer firm that patent trolls with multiple suits filed in Marshall, Texas. He buys the patents, forms the ownership company, and underwrites the expenses of suits. They have split very handsome takes from their joint business.

Is this a right or left issue? Not Really. The arch conservative republican still doles his winnings to the right and enjoys his winnings from governmental programs/loopholes...hoping the trough keeps getting fed....vs.... the partner trial lawyer who'll feed democratic coffers to keep the courthouse doors open to his pursuits.

Money has no object in the politics of special interests, other than to preserve their pipeline. Whomever promises and delivers to the money gets the support; neither side of this story stands above reproach.

This is exactly why I turned into a libertarian. IMO, people like your client are the scum of the earth. No offense to you personally.

Edit:

Can I ask, does this guy go to church and consider himself a Christian? If I had to guess, he probably belongs to some charismatic megachurch.

I see some of this in the very large business that I work in. Religion (specifically, of the megachurch variety) is just some kind of window dressing to affirm your own personal lifestyle preferences. It's just another style.

[Benny B]

This is exactly why I turned into a libertarian. IMO, people like your client are the scum of the earth. No offense to you personally.

Edit:

Can I ask, does this guy go to church and consider himself a Christian? If I had to guess, he probably belongs to some charismatic megachurch.

I see some of this in the very large business that I work in. Religion (specifically, of the megachurch variety) is just some kind of window dressing to affirm your own personal lifestyle preferences. It's just another style.

Libertarian isn't all that great either... just like Democrat or Republican, it's all about ideology, not logic.

But I agree with the last point wholeheartedly; some of the slimiest people I've ever worked with professed the megachurch variety of faith.

[mu03eng]

Libertarian isn't all that great either... just like Democrat or Republican, it's all about ideology, not logic.

But I agree with the last point wholeheartedly; some of the slimiest people I've ever worked with professed the megachurch variety of faith.

pragmatic libertarianism is the way to go....get on board with me

[GGGG]

I have a very conservative republican, wealthy client who first made a killing by buying up highly discounted RTC (savings and loan crash) loan packages, and collecting very handsome profits by working the loans/collections and exercising the Doench D'hume strong arm rights provided by federal law. Then he played in office buildings and condos...getting out with more profits before 2008.

Since then he has funded a trial lawyer firm that patent trolls with multiple suits filed in Marshall, Texas. He buys the patents, forms the ownership company, and underwrites the expenses of suits. They have split very handsome takes from their joint business.

Is this a right or left issue? Not Really. The arch conservative republican still doles his winnings to the right and enjoys his winnings from governmental programs/loopholes...hoping the trough keeps getting fed....vs.... the partner trial lawyer who'll feed democratic coffers to keep the courthouse doors open to his pursuits.

Money has no object in the politics of special interests, other than to preserve their pipeline. Whomever promises and delivers to the money gets the support; neither side of this story stands above reproach.

I'm going to disagree with you on this.  While he is obviously legally he is in the clear, I think taking advantage of loopholes, simply to take advantage of the loopholes to make money, isn't the highest moral standard.

[reinko]

I'm going to disagree with you on this.  While he is obviously legally he is in the clear, I think taking advantage of loopholes, simply to take advantage of the loopholes to make money, isn't the highest moral standard.

People like the one described above, convince themselves by saying.  I am providing for my family, they need a nice house , need a private education, need life experiences like going to Europe and Hawaii...If I don't take care of them no one will, people are jealous of OUR success...my taxes go to people who buy crack, and drive Cadillacs...I am a good person,  I give money to my church, I clean up the occasional park or take my family to feed the homeless.

The rest of the world be damned, because it is only about ME and MINE.  Sad, more and more people think like this, don't see themselves as a part of larger communities, all about getting yours, f everyone else.

[jficke13]

pragmatic libertarianism is the way to go....get on board with me

Swanson 2016.

Q: "Why does government matter?" A: "It doesn't."

[Benny B]

pragmatic libertarianism is the way to go....get on board with me

In other words, a Modern Whig.

[mu03eng]

In other words, a Modern Whig.

Those are most definitely my people.

[HouWarrior]

I'm going to disagree with you on this.  While he is obviously legally he is in the clear, I think taking advantage of loopholes, simply to take advantage of the loopholes to make money, isn't the highest moral standard.

Actually, I think we agree...I said "neither side is above reproach"...

...my polite way of noting both my right leaning client and his lefty trial lawyer buddy profit by gaming the patent troll system...this is something that should bother folks of all leanings...but we lack the money contributions/lobbying (ie free speech) to change it. lol

[GGGG]

Got it. And we do agree!

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'm going to disagree with you on this.  While he is obviously legally he is in the clear, I think taking advantage of loopholes, simply to take advantage of the loopholes to make money, isn't the highest moral standard.

Do not disagree, but I view somewhat like hackers working for the gov't.  Sometimes those that expose the loopholes should  be cheered because then the loopholes can be closed.  It also shows how often laws and policies are so damn poorly written.

[Benny B]

Do not disagree, but I view somewhat like hackers working for the gov't.  Sometimes those that expose the loopholes should  be cheered because then the loopholes can be closed.  It also shows how often laws and policies are so damn poorly written.

I think the distinction here is that the loophole isn't being closed.  The problem is that patent trolls have a sort of "skunk defense," even if you trap one in a cage, nobody wants to go near it.

Example - One of my wife's good friends from law school is a patent attorney.  I don't know how she skated through law school but she must have a perfect 24-hour memory or something, because anyone with an IQ greater than a rutabaga would be stabbing out their eardrums after talking to her for 10 seconds.

Evidently, she got hired at one of the top IP/patent firms in San Fran... made partner in something ridiculous like less than two years.  Seriously, after 30 seconds, every neuron in your brain is trying to figure out how to jar a clot loose in your carotid artery.

I suppose a reference to the adage of "fighting fire with fire" is apropos here.  Maybe that's why we keep electing morons into political office hoping they'll clean up the other morons.