Who invented …

Packard said:
In the United States, perhaps the first recorded patent for the circular saw was issued in 1777 to an Englishman, Samuel Miller; it refers to a circular saw that was created in Holland in the 16th or 17th century.

Haha, lol. We in the Netherlands (of which Holland is two provinces) didn't join the international patent system until we concluded we could gain more from joining than from freely violating foreign patents.

Philips got big on freely violating British patents in the Netherlands. Now Philips complains China is doing exactly the same to them.

As I see it, (large parts of) the patent system should not exist. More engineering talent is wasted on working around someone else's patent than is lost due to a presumed lack of innovation if patents would be scrapped in my view.

Also; it would free up a whole army of patent lawyers to do something useful for society. Not having to patent something also means you can bring products to market faster and the non-existent patent itself can't serve as a source for copies.
 
WillAdams said:
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No, if the gun was legally sold, then anyone involved in the legal sale should be immune from prosecution --- same principle as a convenience store clerk selling gasoline to an arsonist --- so long as the gasoline was dispensed into an approved/safe container, and there was no indication of itent to use it illicitly, then the clerk, and the gas station, and the company which refined/delivered the gas should not be liable for it being used for arson.

That was not the approach I meant.  I will make up an example using recent events as a starting point.

There was a recent mass shooting at a block party in Maryland.  Two died, and 28 were injured. (The above is fact, the rest is a fabrication for the purposes of making my point.)

Let’s assume that the perpetrators are caught and the gun was originally purchased in Florida with its notoriously lax gun control laws.

Can the state of Maryland sue the state of Florida for this shooting based on the concept that events like this shooting were a foreseeable consequence of their lax laws.  The lax laws were reckless and irresponsible of themselves and there for the state of Florida would be responsible for the foreseeable consequence (two dead, 28 injured).

I have never heard of a state suing a state, but the concept of reckless and irresponsible actions resulting in a foreseeable event is often used in torts. 

Like I said, I do a lot of wondering.  [eek]
 
No, because the law, as written allows for this legal sale and sovereign immunity would only allow the state to be sued if it chose to consent to it.
 
WillAdams said:
No, because the law, as written allows for this legal sale and sovereign immunity would only allow the state to be sued if it chose to consent to it.

“Sovereign immunity” sounds handy.  How do I get that?  (“No.  I don’t consent to being sued. Tough luck.”  [big grin]

I didn’t know about that. So New York can file criminal charges of kidnapping against the governors of Texas and Florida, but can’t sue the states?

The law is a complicated subject.
 
When I lived in a condo on Long Island, the father of my downstairs neighbor was a patent attorney.

This would be in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

I was having lunch with our neighbor when his dad dropped in.  He was telling about his client filing for a patent on a DNA sequence he located and identified.

I asked if he was likely to succeed. He said “no” and offered an example.

“Let’s say you were wandering in the woods and discovered a previously unknown species of oak.  Could you patent that species and charge a fee for every piece of furniture made from that?  The answer is ‘no’”.

He said that not only would his client not win, it would be a huge mistake if he did manage to win. (But, being a lawyer, he would try his hardest to win.)
 
The kidnapping charges are for actions which are not codified into law, and which presumably run afoul of Federal laws --- the sale of firearms to persons who are legally allowed to own weapons does not have such legal complications.

The problem is, one can't solve social problems by passing laws about certain pieces of metal folded into certain shapes.
 
WillAdams said:
The kidnapping charges are for actions which are not codified into law, and which presumably run afoul of Federal laws --- the sale of firearms to persons who are legally allowed to own weapons does not have such legal complications.

The problem is, one can't solve social problems by passing laws about certain pieces of metal folded into certain shapes.

Oh lots of people still think the piece of metal is the problem.

Piece of advise; do not give up a single mm on those firearms. I can look in your future and it's being not allowed to have a pocket knife on you (=whole of Amsterdam since last 1st of july) and having to show ID when you buy a 2" kitchen knife at Ikea (which is blatant age discrimination since the legal basis isn't even there).
Enforcing the law that forbids stabbing people is too complicated though...
 
I’ve had my pistol license since 1978.  You had to jump through hoops to get one in NY back then.

I was checked out through the FBI as were my references who I had to know fo at least 4 years.  Then there was the mental health check to see if I had ever been institutionalized. And finally an investor interviewed my neighbors to make sure I was not a troublemaker.

I was a member of an elite club.  When a cop was advised that I was a pistol license holder, it spoke to him, “This is a certified good guy.”

I liked it better back then.  Having a pistol license should be earned by good character and admirable behavior.

The idea that we should let him have a gun and let’s see how that works out, seems ass-backward to me.

Demonstrate your worthiness and you can have a gun.

It should not be easier to get a pistol license than it is to get a driver’s license.

We now return to our regular programming:  Who invented….
 
Packard said:
It should not be easier to get a pistol license than it is to get a driver’s license.

Yet drivers kill more people each and every year in a row than gun owners, and that's without counting drive-by-shooters as drivers. Operating heavy machinery on the public road isn't specifically constitutionally protected either.

As for on topic;
[attachimg=1]
1994 by Knipex

This thing is awesome. Flattening bend metal edges, 'ratchet' function, zero damage to nuts, huge range. The current 250mm model goes up to 52mm and weighs less than the previous 46mm version. Ever since I bought my first one my adjustable spanner doesn't see much use.

Sadly it seems a ton of those in jobs that could benefit from a pliers wrench don't know about it's existence. Every time I see some 'professional' messing with an adjustable spanner I advertise the Knipex pliers wrench. I wonder how many of them were sold because of that.  [big grin]
 

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Packard said:
I was a member of an elite club.  When a cop was advised that I was a pistol license holder, it spoke to him, “This is a certified good guy.”

I liked it better back then.  Having a pistol license should be earned by good character and admirable behavior.

The idea that we should let him have a gun and let’s see how that works out, seems ass-backward to me.

Demonstrate your worthiness and you can have a gun.

It should not be easier to get a pistol license than it is to get a driver’s license.

By that same logic, you should be able to sue the state when a driver hits your car. "They gave him a license" which says he is capable of driving correctly. If he isn't, it's their fault.
I'm against most government regulation, because they aren't good at anything, but making things worse.
The Constitution specifically points out the right to own a gun and freedom to travel. They are equal.
In Ohio, you have to declare that you have a permit upon contact with the police, which instantly turns things adversarial in most instances. Not that you actually are armed, just the fact that you hold the permit!
I actually had an officer demand that I surrender my pistol to him, while he was entering my house to take a report of a break-in. (You don't even need a permit for that) I told him absolutely not, in my own home.....he refused to stay inside.

Just yesterday, I went through the hassle of renewing my drivers license. I just don't get the fascination with birth certificates? There is no evidence whatsoever on there that's you. It shows that someone was born on that day. Maybe, the first time, to show your age, but after that? why? I just did that 4 years ago
 
Crazyraceguy said:
I'm against most government regulation, because they aren't good at anything, but making things worse.

The US (not alone the US) could do with some regulations against SUV's and pickup trucks. Just take a look at the insane increase of frontal rollover 'accidents'.
 
Coen said:
The US (not alone the US) could do with some regulations against SUV's and pickup trucks. Just take a look at the insane increase of frontal rollover 'accidents'.

The problem is, much of the mania for these larger vehicles was driven by government tax laws where in trying to make delivery vans and working pickups more affordable for small businesses, they to a large degree funded doctors, lawyers, accountants, and other professionals (ab)using those tax laws so as to purchase larger vehicles which qualified for the tax rebates for (ultimately) personal use. These laws pretty much created the Hummer Corporation, and when they were (finally) changed (and gas prices increased) it went way.

If those tax laws hadn't been changed, Ford would still be selling some equivalent to the Ford Escort at a loss, so that they could sell F-150s at a profit.

To go back to woodworking tools, John Economaki invented the Jointmaker Pro (and many other nifty tools), and l just picked up one during a recent sale and have been very pleased with it --- it makes cutting the lids off boxes a much less nerve-wracking thing.
 
I was not familiar with the Jointmaker Pro.  It is apparently off patent at this time.  Bridge City makes a version for $760.00.

For others not familiar with it, I found a video.
 
Michael Kellough said:
Invented by John Economaki, founder of Bridge City Tool Works

About John Economaki

I’m glad you posted that link.  I had him confused with Chris Economaki, the sportscaster for racing cars.  Apparently, they are not related other than their shared Greek heritage.
 
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