Via Legal Blog Watch, Michele Boldrin and David K. Levine argue that the cheapest (read: free) way to revive the economy would be to abolish copyrights and allow patents only where the applicant can show that (1) his invention has social value, (2) a patent is not likely to block even more valuable innovations and (3) the innovation would not be cost effective without a patent. I’m not sure this would work for patents and copyrights already out there, as revoking an existing patent or copyright without just compensation strikes me as a pretty clear violation of the takings clause, and revoking one with just compensation would be insane. But for future patents and copyrights, why not?

Comments from anyone who isn’t Justin Levine are welcome. Comments from Justin Levine are, too, of course, just as soon as he gets over his “my posts are too good to be tarnished by comments” mentality. Geese, ganders, etc.

Never mind that I had to move north to end up in the South, apparently my former status as one living too far west to be south makes me a damned Yankee, not a neo-Southerner or even an ordinary Yankee. Proof is in the pudding: I’ve been living here for three years, I still think y’all talk funny, I still don’t want to hear no triple negatives no more, I still ain’t cool with “ain’t” (unless it’s properly employed as a contraction for “am not,” which it almost always ain’t) and I still can’t stand sweet tea (though Xrlq 3.0, our anchor baby, loves that stuff). Despite all that, I might could join all o’y'all at the Raleigh Tea Party, though, if y’all will turn on a little Southern hospitality and put up with his incurably damned alleged Yankee for a few hours.

Let this pic serve as your reminder to set your clocks forward tomorrow night.

UPDATE: Guess the joke’s on me; by the time we actually did switch to summer time the snow was gone, and the heat has been sweltering ever since. Now if our Congresscritters can just persuade Mr. Sun to get up an hour earlier…

It’s not too late to sponsor me for Saturday’s Big Brothers / Big Sisters bowl. It’s for a good cause (or two, if mocking the skills of our nation’s Bowler in Chief is your idea of a good cause). Thanks to all who have sponsored already.