Week 10 EOC: Lawyer Jokes

Question: How can you tell that an attorney is about to lie?
Answer: His lips begin to move.
http://www.stromer.com/jokes/185jokes.html

Q: What's the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a lawyer on a motorcycle?
A: The vacuum cleaner has the dirt bag on the inside.
http://www.iciclesoftware.com/LawJokes/IcicleLawJokes.html#QandA

What's the difference between a porcupine and an ambulance chasing BMW carrying three lawyers?
-- A porcupine has the pricks on the outside.
http://www.lectlaw.com/files/fun15.htm

Q: What's black and tan and looks good on a lawyer?
A: A Doberman.
http://www.jmpressley.net/humor/lawyers1.html

Week 9 EOC: Letters of Permission

The websites I got my letters of permission from are
1.Permission to Audio Tape https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:frEtVthW9L0J:www.stmarys-ca.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/files/Sample%2520Letter%2520of%2520Permission%2520for%2520Audio%2520Taping.docx+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjkcbBns-lYMQ7uq3eg2iqjyRI1bg7PVWFpeSgzmUJSR0U2Gpz_L_3cgAC9wnFF3lrNmLPLPWGRI2ASaF8aKSEdNL1p2-EAriTYzuhP3HQQjZ2P2O1_Wnk2WDuy4Zkk5j7fEx23&sig=AHIEtbQVx36tBS9ghsqy66ZCA3F6uUdmRw

2. Permission to use copyrighted work.https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:NZgPBaNK-4sJ:www.mbc.edu/grafton/rpc/docs/step4/permission_to_use.doc+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESizOzWIX9FVRVB9aHnjBdIxT_N0r07jtHsQSa-5e1IYH_41om3tEU4za8WhFzt2mVvFP6G0FrShJU5DGOUI36R1AIpfLmcZhSyP-aZCovEXwJAYDi7TpROuOq6wQZ7JXApyifJ7&sig=AHIEtbQP2Li2pVqCqFZIc2-xwn4OZoQ5bA

3. Permission to use photographs http://guides.nccjapan.org/content.php?pid=195789&sid=1648257

4. Permission to stream video on Internet https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:o2akW3yM340J:copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/files/2010/12/model-letter-streaming-video-on-internet-121010.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiQnrF8UVfYZ5rNRnyZ69oc3ljylwyAmiYEWPKse7WxzDSXcCRLdFR8oeZeCMThryxjVy7xLdbed-4qK2aKDH8AzpjF8l0wFK7Voyc3EKtqrR8sqFkTzAKT9Gpg0z7aY6M5n7Sd&sig=AHIEtbTP_SS7d1MmgoPWXi_yVPdlH3zk5w

Week 8 EOC : Bratz vs. Mattel

The battle between Mattel and MGA is quite ridiculous. Right now, this case is like a game of tug-of-war. The court is in the middle and you have Mattel and MGA trying to get the court to rule in their favor. This case has been overturned quite a few times, first in favor of Mattel which was awarded 100 million dollars under the case of whether Barbie's clothing designer was still under contract when he came up with the Bratz design. "In 2008, a jury concluded that Barbie doll clothing designer Carter Bryant was under contract to Mattel when he came up with the initial design for the Bratz dolls. The jury awarded Mattel $100 million, and the trial judge ruled that the Bratz franchise was the property of Mattel."(under course shell description) This ruling was overturned by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by this reasoning, "it was unfair to give Mattel the Bratz line, because its value was "overwhelmingly" created by MGA." Just recently these two companies were at it again, but this time it was MGA who was coming out swinging. They were suing Mattel for using fake business cards to get access to MGA's toy shows so they could see what they were coming out with, so basically to steal their ideas. That isn't a farfetched story at all, it all likely could be true. That's what the jury thought and MGA won 172.5 million dollars. Then not too far down the road, once again, the federal appeals court threw out the verdict and said, "the company’s counterclaims shouldn’t have been allowed to go to the jury." (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-24/mga-bratz-win-over-mattel-partly-erased-by-appeals-court.html) There's so many flaws that are appearing in our court systems. One thing might be right in one court, but then they take it to a higher court and they throw out the verdict. The law is a crazy, ridiculous thing. After having the verdict thrown out twice, I would have done with it. Why doesn't MGA and Mattel just join forces and become a huge monopoly, oh wait, those are illegal...whoops.

EOC Week 7: Lawyers

Preston Sterling Kerr - 702-608-0835
Frank J. Colucci - (212) 935-5700 Ext 200
Michael D. Rounds -  775.324.4100 
Robert H. Reynolds -702-997-0467
Kendelee Leascher Works - (702)-382-4804
Maria Nutile - 702-307-4870

John Lambertsen - 702-997-1732

Mary F. Chapman - 702-800-3362

Randy Shimon - (702) 312-4175

Brian C. Whitaker - (702) 433-9696

EOC Week 6: Illicit: The Dark Trade

The movie Illicit: The Dark Trade brings to surface a dark and nasty deed that is going on around the world and how it is affecting every single industry today. It affects the fashion world, from the making and selling of counterfeit, Prada/Louie Vuitton, to the audio/video industry in the terms of downloading music and movies for free. It doesn't just stop there, but as with drugs, no surprise but there, then it also includes human trafficking. To hear that parts of the world are trafficking humans all over the world is quite absurd to say the least. Who knew that people could make tons of money trafficking humans, anyone these days will do anything to make a quick buck. Also these counterfeiting schemes have found their way into our pharmaceutical drugs. That is unbelievable! Now people have to worry about if they are taking the real deal when it comes to there prescription. In the movie they talked about this guy who was making millions of dollars selling fake Viagra to people all over the world. He was making so much money, so fast he couldn't put it in a bank, and he started spending thousands of dollars since he couldn't do anything else with the money. Being an audio production major and musician myself, I can see where these people are coming from, people stealing their hard work right from under them. Depending on who the artist is and the person they are determines their outlook on the subject. Most bands don't make money selling albums anymore since they are available on the internet just about anywhere. They will make most of their money touring the world, performing for their adoring fans. To me music was made for listening and to show people. If people are downloading your music, you must be doing something right since they want to listen to you. I show support for bands by going to their shows and buying their expensive shirts, but it's all worth it. This illegal world of the black market plays a huge impact on the world and the people that inhabit it.

Week 5 EOC: Patent Trolls

The definition of Patent Troll is a disparaging term for someone who sues for patent infringement but who does not make or sell any products using the patented technology. (Patent, Copyright and Trademark An Intellectual Property Desk Reference, Pg. 137) In this article of The Wall Street Journal called, "New Breed of Patent Claim Bedevils Product Makers" they talk about these "patent trolls" who are going out and looking for companies who are putting fake patent numbers on their products. This is quite sickening to me knowing that their are people out there doing this. It's like they don't have anything else to do with themselves besides be a troll and find a way to make easy money. "According to Chicago-based merchant bank Ocean Tomo, which tracks patent suits, nearly 350 federal lawsuits have been filed since the December appellate court ruling."("New Breed of Patent Claim Bedevils Product Makers," Wall Street Journal) The world patent troll is perfect for all these people that are in the patent business only for suing. They are truly Americans from that point, since everyone just wants to sue everyone and make a bunch of money. Times are hard so lets just sue everyone. This is unbelievable, it truly is. A good example would be of The Tompkins, a wife and patent, who have sued more than a dozen companies for expired patents. ("Mr. Tompkins says he heard about the December federal-court ruling from lawyer friends. He and his wife then spent hours poring over Internet advertising to check for outdated patents on products." ("New Breed of Patent Claim Bedevils Product Makers," Wall Street Journal)  Unfortunately there is no way to get rid of trolls in the world since they are stuck behind their computers searching the internet for more out of date patents on products. All these patent trolls are just lazy people who want to make some quick money no matter how it's done.

Week 4 EOC: Experience

The experience of the game was very fun and interactive. Not only did we get to learn the definitions, but we also got a little closer as a class since it was a team effort. I would like to do this more often in class to learn definitions and earn extra points towards future exams. Nothing like giving a little incentive to do well in the game so you can do well on the exam. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves with playing the game. One thing I did not understand was how we earned the extra points where some people got as little as no points to 37 points. I accumulated 5 extra points. It isn't bad, but it isn't good also. If i had 37 extra points added to my exam, that would be a good start and allows room for a couple of mistakes and takes a lot of the pressure off. If there was a better way to distribute points, it would make the game a little more rounded out and everyone would enjoy it that much more. Frank knows how to get the class involved because he wants us to do well and pass this class.

Week 3 EOC: Jeopardy Questions

Best 3 Questions-
1. This most common kind of patent expires 20 years after the filing date of the regular formal patent application.
Answer - What is a Utility Patent.

2. This is a term for someone who sues for patent infringement but who does not make or sell any products using the patented technology.
Answer - What is a Patent Troll.

3. The process by which an owner gives permission to another party to make, use, or sell his/her patented invention.
Answer - What is licensing of an invention.

EOC Week 2: Erin Brockovich

The legal issues in Erin Brockovich were very prominent. The company of PG&E between the years of 1952 and 1966 used Hexavalent Chromium to fight corrosion in the cooling tower water. (http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb6/water_issues/projects/pge/index.shtml) Over this time period, the water dissolved the Chromium 6 and leaked into the water supply of surrounding towns, poisoning the people's water supply, exposing them to this hazardous material. To keep this on the down low, PG&E paid for the doctors visit for families to have them report that nothing was wrong. Meanwhile, Brockovich went around the town of Hinkley and talked to anyone she could to find out about their lives and if there was anything wrong with anyone due to her finding out about the Hexavalent Chromium, she ended up talking to 600 people. She encouraged Ed Masry, the lawyer who hired her at his firm, to take on this case against the giant corporation that was worth 28 billion dollars. When it was all said and done, the 28 billion dollar company, PG&E had to payout a sum of 333 million dollars to the 600 people that they have poisoned. (http://www.brockovich.com/mystory.html) Of this 333 million dollars, Erin Brockovich got a whopping 2 million dollars for her hard work to bring this company to justice. This is just plain corruption within the corporations that run America. If something like this happens with a big corporation, instead of trying to hide, they should be focusing on how to remedy the situation. Paying off doctors to tell families that everything is ok, when in reality it's not, is just down right immoral. Those doctors working for the PG&E companies should have their licenses revoked and be out of work. Innocent people's lives are on the line and for what, not everything can be saved with money. Big corporations are just in it to make money and they don't really care what happens, as long as they make their money, everything is fine.

EOC Week 1 - My Voice

As an audio producer, I'm always looking for that certain sound that gives that audio piece that distinction. One must have a keen sense of hearing, knowledge of how sound waves interact with the environment around us and knowledge of the different equipment used in the industry. My musical background has driven me towards this profession. I first started playing Alto Sax in the 6th grade and continued to play through my 7th grade year. My 8th grade year is when I switched to Tenor Sax because my band director asked me to look into since the Jazz Band didn't have any Tenor Saxophonist's yet. This opened up a whole new world of music to me which I haven't really been exposed to. I continued to play in the jazz and concert bands throughout high school with the addition of marching band which took a lot of time and dedication. I still play to this day with my band Chug-A-Luv, hoping to capture our sound and put it out into the world.