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AT&T Sues PayPal and eBay for Patent Infringement
theodp writes "AT&T on Thursday fired the latest shot in the escalating Web patent wars, filing suit against PayPal and eBay. AT&T issued a press release alleging that the PayPal and BillPoint payment systems infringe on AT&T's 1994 patent for the mediation of transactions by a communications system. Besides e-Payments, the AT&T patent purports to cover e-Voting, e-Auctions, e-Gifts, e-Donations, e-Wishlists and e-Referrals. e-Gad! e-Yikes!"
Well not really but I am just board and none of the articles really make my attention. So i guess I will gust ramble. Well I guess I am done. Have a nice day Y'all
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Well, I guess if they can't make money on their shitty, overpriced, confusing-pricing-model long distance, they can go the SCO route...
Makes me glad I switched to SBC long distance when they started offering it in this area (yes, even though SBC is "big bad phone company", I've had exceptional service on both my local phone, long distance, and DSL service from them).
I loved it when I told them I was going to cancel their long distance. They asked "Why?" and I told them their rates were outrageous. She said something like, "Well, that's because you're not on one of our plans. I can put you on a plan and you'll get <some much lower rate> instead of what you're currently paying."
WELL WHY THE FUCK WASN'T I ON THAT "PLAN" TO BEGIN WITH? Do you assume people want to pay a higher rate unless they ask about their options? Basically, you charge as much as you can until people bitch and threaten, then you offer them a fair rate just as they're about to cancel. Fuck you very much, I'm outa here.
McFact No. 1: For years, McDonald's had known they had a problem with the way they make their coffee - that their coffee was served much hotter (at least 20 degrees more so) than at other restaurants.
McFact No. 2: McDonald's knew its coffee sometimes caused serious injuries - more than 700 incidents of scalding coffee burns in the past decade have been settled by the Corporation - and yet they never so much as consulted a burn expert regarding the issue.
McFact No. 3: The woman involved in this infamous case suffered very serious injuries - third degree burns on her groin, thighs and buttocks that required skin grafts and a seven-day hospital stay.
McFact No. 4: The woman, an 81-year old former department store clerk who had never before filed suit against anyone, said she wouldn't have brought the lawsuit against McDonald's had the Corporation not dismissed her request for compensation for medical bills.
McFact No. 5: A McDonald's quality assurance manager testified in the case that the Corporation was aware of the risk of serving dangerously hot coffee and had no plans to either turn down the heat or to post warning about the possibility of severe burns, even though most customers wouldn't think it was possible.
McFact No. 6: After careful deliberation, the jury found McDonald's was liable because the facts were overwhelmingly against the company. When it came to the punitive damages, the jury found that McDonald's had engaged in willful, reckless, malicious, or wanton conduct, and rendered a punitive damage award of 2.7 million dollars. (The equivalent of just two days of coffee sales, McDonalds Corporation generates revenues in excess of 1.3 million dollars daily from the sale of its coffee, selling 1 billion cups each year.)
McFact No. 7: On appeal, a judge lowered the award to $480,000, a fact not widely publicized in the media.
McFact No. 8: A report in Liability Week, September 29, 1997, indicated that Kathleen Gilliam, 73, suffered first degree burns when a cup of coffee spilled onto her lap. Reports also indicate that McDonald's consistently keeps its coffee at 185 degrees, still approximately 20 degrees hotter than at other restaurants. Third degree burns occur at this temperature in just two to seven seconds, requiring skin grafting, debridement and whirlpool treatments that cost tens of thousands of dollars and result in permanent disfigurement, extreme pain and disability to the victims for many months, and in some cases, years.
Excerpt from: Courtesy Legal News and Views, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers
Also see Van O'Steen and Partners
Newsaic : Mirrow Law
Get a (virtual) machine that you have root on. Add stuff to /etc/aliases when you are worried about spam. I've got an old pentium on a free Frame Relay (damn, life IS good) that does absolutely wonderful.
SIG: HUP
My e-mare is completely copyright-free!