RE: [PIUG List] Patent Gag Orders

The excessive classification of inventions as restricted under the Inventio=
n Secrecy Act is part and parcell of broad misuse of governmental classific=
ation powers that the current administration has practiced since its inaugu=
ration. I'm sure Mr Wallace, as a librarian at a probable government docu=
ment repository, knows all too well about the classifified information mani=
a of the past 7 years. Government library closures, denial of access, fail=
ure to comply with Freedom of Information Act obligations, destruction of s=
ubpoenaed information, including emails, refusal to provide documents to Co=
ngress or to the Federal courts, all chapters in a woeful tale of abuse of =
authority. Civil liberties matter, as do citizens' rights to government i=
nformation. Something for American PIUG members to contemplate amidst all=
 the political soundbites of this frenzied political season.

Roy Zimmermann
Medtronic

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Wallace [mailto:Martin_Wallace_at_umit.maine.edu]
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 8:56 AM
To: PIUG Discussion List @ Listbox
Subject: [PIUG List] Patent Gag Orders

There is a short blurb on page 18 of the Jan. 2008 issue of ASEE Prism abou=
t patent "gag orders".

It says that in FY 2007 there were 5,002 patent applications suppressed by =
the government under the Invention Secrecy Act of 1951. This number is only=
 for independent and non governmental inventors so it doesn't include the n=
umber of inventions from DoD, DARPA, etc.

I am very surprised (and shocked, and a little scared) at this number. It b=
rings to mind the caricature of the Mad Scientist, toiling away in his lab =
to create the next Dooms Day Device! Could there have been 5,002 Dooms Day =
Devices invented in FY 2007?

Or it could be yet another example of government overreach - suppressing in=
ventions that maybe don't really need to be suppressed, but that contain in=
formation that the government just doesn't want accessible to the public fo=
r some contrary reason (i.e. maybe someone DID invent a perpetual motion ma=
chine, or a time machine, or some device that can generate more energy than=
 it takes to power the device).

I guess we'll never know!

Martin Wallace, Librarian
Science & Engineering Center
Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
207-581-1678
fax: 207-581-1653
martin.wallace_at_umit.maine.edu
http://www.library.umaine.edu/staff/wallace.htm


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Received on Thu Jan 31 2008 - 16:44:48