Monthly Archives: May 2010
Patent Delays Could be Slowing Economic Recovery
Small companies that are trying to attract investors have historically relied on their recorded patents to protect their inventions while disclosing information. But according to the US Patent and trademark Office, it takes an average of thirty four months – … Continue reading
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood to Enforce Intellectual Property Laws Violated by Cyber Thieves
In Mississippi, the same computer software that has been used to hunt down child predators on the internet is now about to be used to target those who illegally download copyrighted content like music and movies from the internet. Mississippi … Continue reading
Parents Can Breathe Easy; Bratz Dolls Will Remain on Store Shelves
The latest ruling in an ongoing copyright dispute between MGA Entertainment and Mattell ensures that the popular Bratz dolls will remain on store shelves come January. A court had recently ruled that the 2010 version of Bratz dolls would be … Continue reading
New Legislation to Clarify Florida’s Sunshine Law
Florida’s Great Northwest is an economic development group that receives most of its funding from public sources. The group has claimed that it is exempt from Florida Sunshine laws, which require public entities in Florida to operate with transparency. Other … Continue reading
Supreme Court Calls Honest Service Law “Too Vague”
Section 1346 of Chapter 63 of the U.S. Code identifies a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services as being included in the definition of the term “scheme or artifice to defraud.” This is … Continue reading
Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Asks Citizens to Report Illegal Tobacco Sales
According to Florida statute, all cigarettes sold in Florida must bear a stamp proving that the excise tax and surcharge have been paid. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is responsible for … Continue reading
Unusual Tech Patents and Trademarks Keep Businesses on Their Toes
When a company wants to introduce a new product, they need to be careful that they are not infringing on someone else’s existing patent or trademark. The following are four examples of out of the ordinary patents and trademarks that … Continue reading
Environmentalists and Florida State Government Officials Disagree on Relevancy of New Federal Water Quality Standards
Impending federal rules that will affect Florida lakes, rivers and streams have business groups and politicians up in arms over what they call a “water tax” that could cost Florida residents up to $50 billion. But environmentalists disagree; arguing that … Continue reading
Miami, Florida – Luxury Hotel Suffers Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak
The luxury Epic Hotel in Miami, Florida was the site of a Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak recently. Four people were reportedly made ill and one person died from the bacterial infection. The bacteria is said to have gotten in to the … Continue reading
Tips for Choosing and Financing a Florida Franchise Opportunity
With millions of people unemployed and fierce competition for jobs, many people are considering self employment. Currently, one of the most popular self employment options is to buy and run a franchise. A recent web article by a franchise financing … Continue reading