I confirm that a design patent is good for 14 years, and there are no maintenance fees (as are associated with utility patents). Unlike regular patents, a design patent is not published, but is kept a secret until after it is granted. This brand of patent is very strict, no person can copy or even import anything similar, a most likeable feature. Further, it protects against similar items even if they be independently derived. As with other patents, only the owner has any claim or the right to prosecute. Now, where do I get the $346.00?The trivia for today is the first design patent in America. Back in 1842, somebody patented a new font. How did he know 150 years later people would figure out what a font was? I was unable to find a sample, but I’m sure it wasn’t any webdings. [Author's note: I have thoroughly searched all US Patents concerning my puzzle, including various Boolean combinations without which I do not believe it possible to adequately describe (and therefore protect) the design. Today's photo reveals how accurate my searches have been, for you can see it produced just 13 results, remarkable in itself. Of those, only two were word games.]
That tall, skinny actress that reminds me of Antonia was in today. She is convinced her ex-boyfriend is tapping her phone, computer and car. I told if that is true, he should take me on as an apprentice, since he also seems to read her email and stalks her no matter what computer she uses. If he can do that, I want to learn how.
Fred went home on the weekend and set the clocks back, not realizing a few others had done the same and he showed up for work in the dark at 6:00 AM this morning. I am doing some job hunting on the half-hearted side (ha ha) because I can easily make more money than any job will pay these days.
That comes with a codicil to others that Florida is can be very, very competitive. Don’t think experience and technical knowledge alone is a guarantee, for employers would rather hire three or four dropouts and muddle through than pay you a decent rate. Florida has an infinite supply of dropouts.
Back in time, I made what I thought a minor prediction. I wondered when the world would figure out it is cheaper to change the way one does business to match what a computer can do. It would appear that has happened by attrition. Most of the jobs out there are done “on a computer” but very few of them require any real skill.
Today is one of those sad days where I have to get serious. That fat woman, Maria, went ballistic at the computer shop. She was asked to log off the computer for a paying customer and refused. When asked a second time she also refused, at which point she got crazy. I reached over to turn off the computer (my property), at which time she pounded my upper left chest with her fist. I was completely unprepared. It was like getting kicked by a horse. It kind of looked like it, too.
She threw a tantrum, throwing things about, including heavy objects like scotch tape dispensers and bells, things which could cause serious injury. She caught me in the hip with a stapler Fred came out of the back but was unable to halt her insanity. She continued for at least two minutes, to the horror of my new customers. I don’t know who that woman thinks she is.
In a sense, I am glad for she won’t be back. That behavior is intolerable. She has been a pest like this before, refusing to obey house rules. Likely she was spoiled as a child and has never gotten over it. At least she won’t be hogging my computers any more. That is one dumb broad who is going to die a lonely old lady.
