I think assuming it's going to be asteroid mining is premature. All we know for certain so far is that the company will be called Planetary Resources Inc. and that it will "overlay two critical sectors—space exploration and natural resources—to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP". With those descriptors, I think solar power satellites or lunar mining are equally likely, and some more 'out-there' scenarios like Mars colonization or orbital fabrication could fit as well. Heck, maybe they think they have a working fusion reactor design, and are planning to 'mine' hydrogen in bulk from the gas giants.
To the best of my knowledge, the US Patent Office doesn't actually check for prior art. They just take your money, make sure all the 'i's are dotted and 't's are crossed on your application form, and then issue the patent. Resolving things like prior art, or if what you're patenting is even patentable, is left as an exercise for lawyers.
We need to hurry up and get astronauts to Mars to find and sample its native life (if any) Real Soon. As technology continues to advance, it's only a matter of time (maybe a century, give or take) before an individual or small group is able to get a payload to Mars. Once we hit that point, it won't be long before somebody drops a primitive terraforming payload onto Mars, which will forever compromise the search for native Martian life.
The problem (for the Republicans) is that if the Tea Party doesn't completely fade away by 2016, there's going to be a faction screaming that they lost last time because Romney "wasn't conservative enough." Personally, I wish the Republicans would just go ahead and nominate an insane, right-wing, religious nutbar. Then, once he loses with numbers that make Goldwater look good by comparison, maybe the Republicans can go back to being the semi-sane party of big business.
From Gustave Gilbert's transcripts of his conversations with Herman Goering at Nuremberg:
"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."
"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
As a group, the public does not and will not make fine distinctions about copyright. To the 'man on the street' either copyright is a good thing or it's a bad thing. I think the main effect MAFIAA's war against piracy is to convince an ever larger segment of the public that copyright is a tool used by greedy corporations, and thus bad. The net result of stuff like 'control-based content pricing' is going to be that the idea of Intellectual Property is going to be reduced to a joke for generations. YMMV on whether that's a good thing or not, but that is where America is headed.
I'll second the C.J. Cherryh recommendation, and also add that if you're looking for excellent classic fantasy, you would do well to check out her non-science fiction works as well, particularly The Dreamstone and The Tree of Swords and Jewels.
As someone who hates mobile contracts with a passion, I've been quite happy with Virgin Mobile. $30-$50 per month, depending on how much you talk. You pick your phone (from a moderately limited selection) and then pick your plan. I found dealing with them easy and hassle-free, compared with other providers I've had in the past.
Slashdot Mirror
I think assuming it's going to be asteroid mining is premature. All we know for certain so far is that the company will be called Planetary Resources Inc. and that it will "overlay two critical sectors—space exploration and natural resources—to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP". With those descriptors, I think solar power satellites or lunar mining are equally likely, and some more 'out-there' scenarios like Mars colonization or orbital fabrication could fit as well. Heck, maybe they think they have a working fusion reactor design, and are planning to 'mine' hydrogen in bulk from the gas giants.
To the best of my knowledge, the US Patent Office doesn't actually check for prior art. They just take your money, make sure all the 'i's are dotted and 't's are crossed on your application form, and then issue the patent. Resolving things like prior art, or if what you're patenting is even patentable, is left as an exercise for lawyers.
We need to hurry up and get astronauts to Mars to find and sample its native life (if any) Real Soon. As technology continues to advance, it's only a matter of time (maybe a century, give or take) before an individual or small group is able to get a payload to Mars. Once we hit that point, it won't be long before somebody drops a primitive terraforming payload onto Mars, which will forever compromise the search for native Martian life.
The problem (for the Republicans) is that if the Tea Party doesn't completely fade away by 2016, there's going to be a faction screaming that they lost last time because Romney "wasn't conservative enough." Personally, I wish the Republicans would just go ahead and nominate an insane, right-wing, religious nutbar. Then, once he loses with numbers that make Goldwater look good by comparison, maybe the Republicans can go back to being the semi-sane party of big business.
From Gustave Gilbert's transcripts of his conversations with Herman Goering at Nuremberg:
"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."
"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
As a group, the public does not and will not make fine distinctions about copyright. To the 'man on the street' either copyright is a good thing or it's a bad thing. I think the main effect MAFIAA's war against piracy is to convince an ever larger segment of the public that copyright is a tool used by greedy corporations, and thus bad. The net result of stuff like 'control-based content pricing' is going to be that the idea of Intellectual Property is going to be reduced to a joke for generations. YMMV on whether that's a good thing or not, but that is where America is headed.
I'll second the C.J. Cherryh recommendation, and also add that if you're looking for excellent classic fantasy, you would do well to check out her non-science fiction works as well, particularly The Dreamstone and The Tree of Swords and Jewels.
Except we live in a society based on the rule of law.
What country do you live in? It sounds like a nice place, and it certainly isn't the United States where I live.
Unless you're an investment banker, or a well-connected corporate executive, or a politician.
As someone who hates mobile contracts with a passion, I've been quite happy with Virgin Mobile. $30-$50 per month, depending on how much you talk. You pick your phone (from a moderately limited selection) and then pick your plan. I found dealing with them easy and hassle-free, compared with other providers I've had in the past.