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+ - Supreme Court Rules For Monsanto In Patent Case ->

Submitted by Pigskin-Referee
Pigskin-Referee writes "WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has sustained Monsanto Co.'s claim that an Indiana farmer violated the company's patents on soybean seeds that are resistant to its weed-killer.

The justices, in a unanimous vote Monday, rejected the farmer's argument that cheap soybeans he bought from a grain elevator are not covered by the Monsanto patents, even though most of them also were genetically modified to resist the company's Roundup herbicide.

Justice Elena Kagan says a farmer who buys patented seeds must have the patent holder's permission. More than 90 percent of American soybean farms use Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" seeds, which first came on the market in 1996."

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Comment: Here's a guess... (Score 1) 469

by RobertM1968 (#39217835) Attached to: Why Didn't the Internet Take Off In 1983?

Because (a) virtually no one had computers, (b) home internet access was near impossible to get...

Really silly question, isn't it? A niche device was made that only worked in certain areas, for an infrastructure that existed near anywhere - with a price point (for if it were to be "consumerized") that nearly no one could have afforded. The time wasn't right.

Comment: Re:you know, most of them don't even bother to rea (Score 1) 186

by RobertM1968 (#37686516) Attached to: NYTimes Sues US Gov't To Know How It Interprets the PATRIOT Act

Most of the congress critters don't even read the bill that's being put up for a vote, assuming they bother to show up for the vote.

To be fair, most of the bills being put up for a vote are unnecessarily wordy and obscure, with six zillion unrelated amendments attached. All of which makes a very dry reading and makes layman's head spin (before exploding.)

So, all we need to do to fix this situation is force the congress critters to actually read these bills!!! Then, when their heads explode, we can replace them!

Comment: Re:Except for when you need it (Score 1) 862

by RobertM1968 (#37608548) Attached to: Microsoft Killed the Start Menu Because No One Uses It

Model M history lesson for you. The IBM Terminal Keyboard (the beast based off the Model M, which had a bunch of extra keys) was designed in 1984 and released/built the next year. The PC keyboard variant (the terminal keyboard will not work with a PC) was released in 1985. Perhaps he's surfing the net on an ancient IBM dumb terminal? Somehow I doubt that. ;-) They are the only ones that even have a chance of having been built in 1984, and to date, no one has come up with credible evidence of such - but again, they won't work on a PC. Different timing, different lots of things.

Anyway, a lot of people keep claiming their Model M is from 1984 because they are reading the copyright date (which is the same on all IBM Model M's and most Lexmark Model M's) instead of the "date of birth" spot which has the actual manufacturer date to the specific day (which is on all IBM and Lexmark Model M's). And of course, there are a few who keep trying to make such an incorrect claim, because claiming to have the oldest Model M seems to be a badge of fame in the Model M world.

Comment: Re:Let me get this right.. (Score 1) 133

by RobertM1968 (#37606806) Attached to: Facebook Files For a Patent To Track Its Users On Other Sites

No. Just because they patented it doesn't mean they're actually using it. Companies patent lots of things all the time.

True perhaps as a generalization. But rather funny, in this specific case, where they definitely do so (and report to me what sites my friends have visited when I am on certain partner (but non-FB) sites).

Comment: Re:Except for when you need it (Score 1) 862

by RobertM1968 (#37605320) Attached to: Microsoft Killed the Start Menu Because No One Uses It

If you tap the Windows key and start typing, like in previous versions it will start searching for what you typed. So that still works the same, at least.

What's a "Windows" key?

My 27 year old Model M doesn't have one.

Cheers,

RM

LoL, while it does not have one, it's not 27 years old, either. Even as ancient as two of mine are (first run for PC), they're not quite 27 yet. They're getting close though. ;-)

Comment: Re:What about Microsoft owning part of Apple? (Score 1) 296

by RobertM1968 (#37586366) Attached to: IBM Unseats Microsoft As Second Most Valued Tech Company

...and now they could be enjoying the rapture of Windows Phone's one percent market share. after having sold their soul to the devil to get there like Nokia is doing.

What the hell?!?!?! Talk about FUD and misinformation!!! It's almost 1.5% of the market share (of WM's total 3%). C'mon!!!

[/humorous-sarcasm]

Comment: Re:"These observations should dispel..." (Score 1) 458

by RobertM1968 (#37585940) Attached to: Canadian Ice Shelves Halve In Six Years

Not quite. The Arctic Circle's precipitation is (1) VERY low to begin with (20" or less a year) and (2) hasn't really changed.

Though the bigger problem is water levels will continue to rise. Anyone can test this by freezing fresh water, putting it in salt water of the same temperature as the Arctic Ocean, and watching what happens when the fresh-water ice cube melts. Or, you can find the real scientists who've studied such.

Comment: Re:Another milestone not mentioned (Score 1) 213

by RobertM1968 (#36978130) Attached to: Google+ Registers 25 Million Visitors

No, it's not. By the way, it's telling that there are only a million unique daily visits, much less than the claimed number of registered users. Google Buzz also achieved millions of users in a very short time but lost momentum as the novelty wore off and people stopped using the service.

That statistic does not seem to take into account mobile use (which is largely how I and others use G+).

Given its constituency, the only thing I expect to be "open" about [the Open Software Foundation] is its mouth. -- John Gilmore

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