STOLEN IDEAS IN THE AGE OF GLOBALISATION

1 Hot (intellectual) property

The IPKat has learned that an organisation of which he has not previously heard, the Professional Inventors Alliance USA, has selected Hot Property: The Stealing of Ideas in an Age of Globalization by Pat Choate (right) to receive the organisation's "American Innovation & Invention Book of the Year" award for 2005. Said the Association's President Ron Riley:

"While examining the intricacies of intellectual property theft, Choate offers a sense of clarity, insight and wisdom rarely seen in America".

Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge describes the book as a

"deep examination of intellectual property theft and the benefits and hindrances of copyright and patent law".

Described as a strong advocate of tight intellectual-property protections, Choate (an economist and Ross Perot's 1996 vice presidential running mate) reportedly says that international forums and domestic laws are already in place to stop intellectual property crimes. However, American policymakers are lacking the willpower to stem an impending economic, scientific and technological decline.

The IPKat (who loves IP as much as the next Kat) has visited the Association's website and he has come away from it with a queasy feeling that it's more pro-America than pro-inventor. If its shrill tone is reflected in Mr Choate's tome, he thinks he will not be making great efforts to read it. Mr Choate's premise is that capitalism is based on the concept of property and that intellectual property rights must be defended like any other assets. Merpel says, I'm sure that can't be a stolen idea, but haven't I heard that before somewhere before?

Stolen ideas here. Encyclopaedia of stolen ideas here.