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Great Wolf Lodge verses The Villages indoor waterpark

January 23rd, 2011

When deciding on family vacation destinations indoor water parks are becoming more of an option especially in east Texas.

You no longer have to wait until the summer time to go for family fun at Splash Kingdom Water Park as The Villages indoor water park in the Flint TX area is now open.

One problem with The Villages water park, it’s tiny inside there, super crowded, and very expensive. A positive about The Villages water park is that they are very close to Tyler TX.

Now looking at Great Wolf Lodge water park in the Grapevine TX Dallas area you have a much larger all inclusive kind of thing going.

Great Wolf Lodge is in the Dallas TX area so it is a small drive from Tyler TX. The drive is a definite negative but if your spending a weekend somewhere for vacation is a 1 1/2 hour drive that big of a deal?

Great Wolf also has a really nice connected hotel and restaurant and you don’t have to worry about being hit up with a sales pitch for buying a vacation time share.

Finally with Great Wolf water park you get more elbow room, water rides and a generally more friendly professional atmosphere to experience a great family time.

Patent troll fame in east texas

January 21st, 2011

Patent LandEast Texas has had its fair share of fame. Stretched across the different counties of East Texas we can think of names like former football player Earl Campbell, country and western singer George Jones, as well as the oil industry that have brought fame to the lovely rolling hills of eastern Texas.

But there is some fame that is unwanted. When it comes to the likes of Drew Brees (who was just voted Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year), Justin Bieber, or IPod and IPad creators Apple Inc. there is nothing but positive images and good publicity.

Now what comes to mind when you think of Charlie Sheen? Not good. Or, what about Tigger Woods? Keep a low profile. Do I even need to mention Linsay Lohen? The type of fame that has been following these guys is definitely not the type of fame that you want. Unfortunately for East Texas that type of unwanted fame has come to town and it’s reared its monster head here for a while.

Since 2003 East Texas has become home to a growing number of “patent trolls” and patent infringement litigations. Simply put, these “patent trolls” look to buy patents from struggling businesses in order to target larger, successful businesses using inventions connected to the patent in order to sue for patent infringement.

Due to appealing rules, conditions, and favorable decisions for plaintiffs in the courts of Marshall, Texarkana, and Tyler, East Texas has become famous for hosting these patent trolls and their unethical way of gaining wealth.

East Texas has a long history of mostly positive publicity and reputation, but if care is not taken to deal with this growing weed of unwanted fame, that image can change.

Jury Standard Exploited in East Texas for profit motive by patent litigants

January 14th, 2011

East TX JuryWho would have ever thought that doing your civic duty would have such grave consequences? What started out as the citizens of East Texas simply fulfilling an oath to judge justly without prejudice has escalated into a gold rush of litigation battles and unethical business behavior.

Unaware for many years, the townsfolk of Marshall, Texarkana, and Tyler have become known to the legal world as having a higher percentage of deciding for plaintiffs of patent infringement cases than most other court circuits across the nation.

This has been attributed to things such as an older age group in the jury and a stronger stand on property rights, that is “what is yours is yours”. Unfortunately, some people have seen this standard as a way to turn a profit.

Namely, these people are what they call “patent trolls”. Patent trolls are companies who purchase patents from struggling businesses or firms without any plans on manufacturing the invention or technology.

Their sole use of the patent is to target any businesses that have technology or a service that might infringe on the patent in order to file a lawsuit against them for infringement.

Of course, these “patent trolls” need a feeding ground to survive and they have found that in East Texas. And it seems they are “feeding” well. Since 2003 the number of patent litigation cases in these court houses has more than quadrupled.

They only other location outside of East Texas that has hosted close to that amount of cases is Los Angeles. It’s sad to see how an unselfish act like serving in a jury has resulted in the selfish pursuit of unearned wealth.

So, next time you receive a jury summons, let’s hope your act of civil service does more to serve than not.

Choosing an East Texas Court Forum

January 11th, 2011

court forum patent trollThe Discovery Channels popular program “Myth busters” pride themselves on discovering whether or not a presupposition is correct. Well, I have a myth that needs some busting.

Is the eastern court district of Texas the best forum for patent infringement cases? Patent litigation has become more than protecting your intellectual property rights, it has become a form of business for some.

There is a genre of companies who carry the “patent troll” label based on the unethical business of obtaining patents from other businesses or firms in order to use them to collect financial rewards in patent infringement lawsuits.

Whether it’s one of these “patent troll” cases or your normal run-of-the-mill case, the plaintiff has the right to choose what “forum” or court location the case is brought to.

And throughout the patent litigation world, East Texas has become the place to go. But the question is, are the reasons why myth or reality? It has been explained that the major factors for East Texas becoming the location of choice is due to rocket docket (fast processing of patent infringement cases) and percentage of plaintiff victories.

But the truth is, in a recent investigation of patent litigation cases throughout the United States, the eastern district of Texas does not even rank in the top 5 of either one of those categories.

When it comes to “rocket docket” East Texas ranks in the bottom half and in victory percentage for plaintiffs it ranks 7th place. So is East Texas the ideal forum for patent infringement lawsuits?

When it comes to technical ranking, no it is not the best. But, just like the aging star athlete, reputation and experience can matter more, and I think that is what still makes East Texas the most popular forum.

Church Arsonists Sentenced in East Texas

January 10th, 2011

Tyland Baptist ChurchUnless you’re living in a hole in the ground, you’ve probably already heard that church arsonists Jason Bourque, and Daniel McAllister, were sentenced by Judge Christi Kennedy of the 114th court.

Baroque was sentenced to five life sentences for his successful church burnings and another three, twenty year sentences for attempted arson. McAllister received two life sentences for successfully burning two churches, and two twenty year sentences for two counts of trying unsuccessfully to burn two other churches.

Several of the pastors whose churches were attacked by the pair were present at the sentencing to offer their forgiveness and prayers. I’ve been reading the posts by individuals angry at the sentences and the Judge who brought them! Some claimed they were far too harsh. Others that the church should forgive the young men and be glad no one was hurt.

To that I would respond that it was just a matter of time before someone was in fact killed due to the young men’s actions. And while I agree that the church collectively should and has forgiven the assailants, it’s the civil authorities who must protect the public.

Tyler Texas Church Arsonists SentencedAnd in actuality, many people were in fact hurt by the perps’ actions! Like it or not, church is a big part of the lives of many East Texans. We are baptized and confirmed in them. Married in them, and raise children in them. That’s a lot of memories, and a big part of our identity that cannot be completely restored once it’s taken away.

Clearly these are very troubled young men, but the facts of their ages, and their motivation doesn’t really matter, except in proving guilt or innocence. I’m not really interested in why they burned those churches. I’m only interested in preventing them from burning any more, particularly mine!

There is certainly a place and a need for forgiveness, but contrition shouldn’t remove the consequences. I hope Bourque and McAllister get the help they need.

And I hope that they will encounter a chaplain who can help open their minds and help to make them receptive to the faith they persecuted. But it must be in the context of facing the consequences of their actions.