Global TMW:
Log In  |  Register          Free Newsletter Subscription
Subscribe

Taking the Measure   



Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Most Commented On

Archives

Blog

Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (10)


Does McCain owe the patent troll?

September 17, 2008

As I reviewed John McCain’s responses to Science Debate 2008 yesterday, I came across this statement: “Under my guiding hand, Congress developed a wireless spectrum policy that spurred the rapid rise of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology that enables Americans to surf the web while sitting at a coffee shop, airport lounge, or public park.” That formulation seemed awfully close to Al Gore's March 1999 statement: "During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the Internet," which was widely misinterpreted as a claim that he had invented the Internet.

Would pundits misattribute to McCain the claim that he invented cell-phone and wireless technology and heap on him the level of ridicule that Gore has received? I thought that McCain, a self-described technological Neanderthal, would get a pass, and the Obama campaign seemed to leave the statement alone.

But now this, from AFP: “A top advisor to John McCain Tuesday said his boss was partly responsible for the ‘miracle’ of the BlackBerry, stirring a flurry reminiscent of Al Gore's claims to have helped develop the Internet. ‘You're looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create,’ said Doug Holtz-Eakin, an economic aide to Republican White House hopeful McCain, as he held up his BlackBerry wireless e-mail device.”

That, of course, opened the door for the Democrats, as AFP reports: "’If John McCain hadn't said that 'the fundamentals of our economy are strong' on the day of one of our nation's worst financial crises, the claim that he invented the BlackBerry would have been the most preposterous thing he said all week,’ said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.”

My only question: Will BlackBerry maker RIM look to inventor McCain to recover some of the $612.5 million it paid to patent troll NTP?


Posted by Rick Nelson on September 17, 2008 | Comments (10)


Email
Learn RSS


September 17, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Anonymous Coward commented:

Why not just write an article about how much you love Obama. When let technical details get in the way of promoting your candidate. Talk about trolls...




September 17, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Pete commented:

I think Gore mis-spoke...and McCain made a very careful statement indicated he spurred it on, but did not invent or create, while Gore was Gore and spoke losely and without much though and lost the election. While the careful thinking McCain will win...




September 17, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Bill commented:

.."then McCain laughed", as did 51% of us. There's no place for humor in a campaign, it seems. Saying you have been to 57 states is dumb. An aide cracking a joke about the CrackBerry is funny.




September 17, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Mr. Gary commented:

Anyone who spouts off about technology without knowing a thing should be laughed at - not because it's funny but because it is so pathetic. We have a huge number of idiots commenting on everything from nanotech to WiFi without knowing one iota. These guys should just keep their mouths shut. The McLame campaign, as well as all repubicans, subsume others ideals and morals as their own (as well as technology and ideas) and then cry bloody murder when someone calls them on it. IMHO it is time for honesty, truth, and the real American way - treat people with respect and just be freaking nice to others - does it really take that much from your soul?





September 17, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Roy Browning commented:

"IMHO it is time for honesty, truth, and the real American way - treat people with respect and just be freaking nice to others - does it really take that much from your soul?"

Does it really take that much from your soul to read, actually read, the original carefully worded statement and give it it's due rather than turning and twisting it to mean something never originally intended. Talk about Trolls.

The next time you casually mention that you have to go to the toilet just remember your rant here and think what someone could do with that humble note if twisted and turned for political means the same way you just twisted and turned a carefully worded statement.




September 18, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
battar commented:

Where I come from, technology would have progressed faster if politicians hadn't "guided" the legal and commercial policies involved in the implementation.




September 18, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Mark commented:

John McLame, truly a legend in his own mind.




September 18, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
JLJ commented:

It appears his vice presidential running mate operates without wires, as well.
On a serious note, the RNC election staff is running amok. Must be radiation from their crackberries causing it.




September 18, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Voice of Truth commented:

Yeah, Rick, your love of the Lord Most High Obama is pretty transparent when reading through many of your posts. I truly don't care who you're rooting for, but at least be honest enough with your readers - who by and large are not the typical Judge Judy crowd - and proclaim the warn tingle that runs up your leg when you hear the O speak.

You unsuccessfully bring up the remark by McCain and then pretend to wonder aloud whether anyone will compare it to that ecofraud Algore's outright claim to have invented the Internet (his own words, remember).

Rick, are you campaigning for Obama because you approve of the company he has kept in the recent past, like Bill Ayers the convicted domestic bomber, or is it the blatant anti-American statements he makes over and over - especially to foreign crowds? Maybe you don't like McCain because you don't think spending 5-1/2 years in the Hanoi Hilton and a 23-year military career compares to B. Hussein Obama's sacrificial years in the streets of Chicago as a community organizer. Oh that's right, Jesus Christ was a community organizer, right? And Sara Palin was a governor, like Pontius Pilate. Aren't those the talking points?

You have made this blog political with you choice of topics and your stumping. Why don't you go back to being the editor of a great Test & Measurement magazine, and leave your politics at home or anywhere else other than here.




September 24, 2008
In response to: Does McCain owe the patent troll?
Lostviking commented:

Hear hear. Keep the politics out of information websites. We really don't care.





POST A COMMENT
Display Name or Registered Users Login Here.
Please restrict submissions to less than 7,000 characters (including any HTML formatting).

Change Image
Before submitting this form, please type the characters displayed above.
Note the letters are NOT case sensitive.

Advertisement



Advertisements






©2009 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this Web site is subject to its Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Please visit these other Reed Business sites