3D printing

Book review  FABRICATED: The New World of 3D Printing is a text that works to illuminate 3D printing’s role in undermining the rigidity of manufacturing.  This is accomplished by providing an on-demand production tool that product designers, students, doctors, and others can benefit from. Authors Hod Lipson and Melba Kurman convey a level-headedness and cautious enthusiasm that is refreshing.  Instead of pushing the idea that every home will have a 3D printer in the future, they spend considerable time envisioning alternative scenarios by analyzing different types of enthusiast communities, how and why they’re gaining market traction.  In their book you will find coverage of various science experiments, educational initiatives, the creative thinking of large companies like 3D Systems, and more consumer-facing platforms like Makerbot and Shapeways.  The book explains the world of 3D printing in all its technologies, design tools, and downstream implications, covering corporate R&D labs to the DIY initiatives we see in the DIY and Maker communities.  FABRICATED does a great job in explaining how the technology has gained traction in industries including electronics, automotive, aerospace and the medical community.  It also dedicates a good portion of the book to explaining more conceptual areas such as 3D printed food.  See the book's takeaway points at:  http://www.psfk.com/2013/05/3d-printing-fabricated-book-review.html 

STATUTORY DAMAGES IN COPYRIGHT LAW:  A REMEDY IN NEED OF REFORM by Pamela Samuelson and Tara Wheatland   51 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 441 2009-2010

The United States is an outlier in the global copyright community in giving plaintiffs in copyright cases the ability to elect, at any time before final judgment, to receive an award of statutory damages, which can be granted in any amount between $750 and $150,000 per infringed work.  See main points of the article at:  http://www.techpolicy.com/Articles/Copyright-Statutory-Damages--A-Remedy-in-Need-of-R.aspx  Search by title to see the entire article.   

Kilo is a unit prefix in the metric system denoting multiplication by one thousand.  It has been used in the International System of Units where it has the unit symbol k, in lower case.  Kilo is derived from the Greek word χίλιοι (chilioi), meaning "thousand".  It was originally adopted by Antoine Lavoisier's research group in 1795, and introduced into the metric system in France with its establishment in 1799.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilo- 

How to convert kilograms into pounds:  http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/conversion/kg2lbs.htm 

Kilometers conversion table:  http://www.metric-conversions.org/length/kilometers-conversion-table.htm 

Bus is a clipped form of the Latin word Omnibus.  It appeared in Paris in 1819–20 as (voiture) omnibus meaning (carriage) for all, and appeared in London in 1829.  One etymology holds that "omnibus" is derived from a hatter's shop which was situated in front of one of the first bus stations in Nantes, France in 1823.  "Omnes Omnibus" was a pun on the Latin sounding name of that hatter Omnès:  omnes meaning "all" and omnibus means "for all" in Latin.  Nantes citizens soon gave the nickname of Omnibus to the vehicle.  When motorized transport replaced horse-drawn transport starting 1905, a motorized omnibus was called an autobus, a term still used.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus 

July 9, 2013  Independent legal publishers William S. Hein & Co. and Fastcase today announced a new partnership in which the companies will share complementary strengths for the benefit of their members.  Under the agreement, Hein will provide federal and state case law to HeinOnline subscribers via inline hyperlinks powered by Fastcase.  In addition, Fastcase will completely integrate HeinOnline’s extensive law review and historical state statute collection in search results, with full access available to Fastcase subscribers who additionally subscribe to Hein's law review database.  The integrated libraries will be available on both services at the end of the summer.  About HeinOnline:  Produced by William S. Hein & Co., Inc., HeinOnline includes nearly 100 million pages of legal history available in an online, fully-searchable, image-based format.  HeinOnline bridges the gap in legal history by providing comprehensive coverage from inception of more than 1,800 law and law-related periodicals.  In addition to its vast collection of law journals, HeinOnline also contains the Congressional Record Bound volumes in their entirety, complete coverage of the U.S. Reports back to 1754, famous world trials dating back to the early 1700′s, legal classics from the 16th to the 20th centuries, the United Nations and League of Nations Treaty Series, all United States Treaties, the Federal Register from inception in 1936, the CFR from inception in 1938, and much more.  For more information about HeinOnline, please visit http://home.heinonline.org/   About Fastcase:  Using patented software that combines the best of legal research with the best of Web search, Fastcase helps busy users sift through the clutter, ranking the best cases first and enabling the re-sorting of results to find answers fast.  Founded in 1999, Fastcase has more than 500,000 subscribers from around the world.  Thanks, Julie 

July 21, 2013  Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) fees – what agencies collect – is under the purview of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  OMB hasn’t issued guidance in this area since Ronald Reagan was President, despite the fact that media fee status was a topic amended in the last FOIA amendments passed in 2006.  Further, the issue of FOIA fee waivers – when agencies don’t have to collect fees (in part or full) is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice.  When there is overlap of the two issues, it seems to be anybody’s (or in reality nobody’s) game.  And then there is the constant confusion between fee waivers and fee status.  Requesters are provided a fee status – i.e commercial, education, media when a request is made.  Based on the fee status, certain things can and can’t be charged for.  Requesters can also ask for a fee waiver (mainly requesters ask when they believe the request is in the public interest).  The two items are completely separate; however both requesters and FOIA professionals often get them mixed up and provide a rationale for a certain status in a waiver request and vice-versa.  All involved in seeking fee waivers or a specific fee status level should make sure they are invoking the proper criteria and language for their requests.  Scott A. Hodes  http://www.llrx.com/features/foiafacts/foia70.htm

Feedback to Magic tricks  Too-Perfect Theory is not an empirical theory, but a philosophical notion that a trick possibly can be "too" perfect and thus lead the audience directly to the method or to a wrong solution which gives the magician no credit.  This notion was first published by Rick Johnsson in Hierophant in 1970, expanding on an idea attributed to Dai Vernon.  Rick Johnsson suggested that magicians should consciously construct their routines to lead the audience away from the actual method by allowing room for "red herrings."  Also, since spectators will try to settle upon some solution (right or wrong), whenever possible, the magicians should lead them down a path where they receive the credit for the effect.  The "Too-Perfect Theory" article was republished in Genii 2001 August along with numerous articles debating the topic.  Thanks, Paul.