Michael's comments

Looking forward to it! I would love to hear an update on patent reform legislation.

The condo I am buying would have been too expensive for me if my loan was based upon my stated income. However, the loan product I received was based on the gross receipts of my company and 10% down.

I am certainly interested. I just put a presentation together for my book for a workshop I ran last month. Keep me informed Shauna!

Dynamic, interesting and interested people who sound nothing like Charlie Brown's mother.

I would love to hear a point-by-point comparision between the current system the one proposed by the Act, and its implications for independent inventors and small business owners. I thought it still needed to be approved by the Senate. Does it look that bleak?

FYI, I just sent out a call to action to my entire enewsletter subscription base.

Thanks for bringing up this issue John. It is certainly one that I am passionate about as well!

The change from first to invent to first to file is a HUGE change! Currently our first to invent laws gives patent rights to the first inventor who can demonstrate prior conception (legally document the date of their idea's conception) and diligence in reduction to practice (they have been diligently working on their patent/invention and trying to bring it to market).

This is important to individual inventors and small businesses because all that is required to document your first to invent rights is an engineering notebook, a pen and two witnesses. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on a provisional or regular patent application, anyone can gain some basic protection for $20 and a couple hours.

It is important to note that the US is the only country in the world with a first to file patent system. We are also the most innovative country in the world and guess what our largest export is??? That's right, intellectual property.

Our founding fathers got it right with respect to our patent system. It encourages and protects innovation, reduces barriers to entry, levels the playing field, encourages competition and recognizes that innovation can--and does--come from everywhere. Patent "harmonization" drastically limits our innovation as a country to the benefit of large corporations.

To frame all of this in practical terms, I currently use first to invent patent rights to protect my intellectual property and approach corporations as potential licensees. It is a win-win for both of us--I am providing them with and opportunity to co-develop the technology and be an exclusive licensee. Under a first to file system, I will need to file a patent application first which will drastically limit the number of projects I can develop and pitch and furthermore, my potential licensees will try to design around my patent and "steal" it without stealing.

Therefore, in my business model the current system encourages innovation and cooperation while a first to file system would discourage innovation and provide incentive for larger corporations to "steal" intellectual property.

Another site you should all check out is www.piausa.org. Check out the "Letter to Congress" section for ideas for your own letters to your Senators. If you live in Washington State click cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html and murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm to email your Senators.

I tend to hibernate. Sometimes this is necessary, but it can also become too much. For many of us, work and life is intimately intertwined and therefore it can be difficult to not get the wind knocked out of you sometimes.

I suppose the most helpful thing I do during these times is meditate. Exercise and cooking a great meal also help.