Microsoft Word case and other anomolies

A judge has ordered an injunction against any sale of Microsoft Word until the case is settled. A lot of MS bashers are probably rejoicing at this news. The main problem I see with this case is a problem with our flawed legal system and our very flawed patent system. The so called patent sounds like it is trying to put a patent on XML, which is open source code and also what word is based on. I am sick and tired of second rate companies popping up out of the woodwork with a patent against a large successful company with their hands out wanting money. It is this type of behavior that has our legal costs, and insurance costs out of control. If you have a legit claim that is one thing, but I for one am tired of all these "broad patent filings" that are filed just to make a quick buck off someone else. Where was this company 10 years ago? 15 years ago? Word has been around for quite awhile and to lay claim to it now is just retarded. Why would you not open your mouth about a copyright infringement as soon as you were aware of it. Was this company in a cave with Bin Laden for the past decade or so?

Real Networks DVD copying software also has an injunction against sales on it. If you grew up in the 80's and dubbed your tapes and recorded songs of the radio raise your hand. If you copied VHS movies and recorded live TV raise your hand. It wasn't hurting the movie/music business back then, and it isn't hurting them now. So why are they making such a huge fuss over it? It isn't like the common consumer is out making thousands of copies for resale. Fair use is fair use. If I want a backup copy of something I own I should be allowed to do so!

In other news I just read an article that says the fancy telescope Spitzer caught a "rare" collision of planets. The article then states that in the solar system Peacock a 12 million year old star blah blah blah. How do they know it is 12 million years old? They can not even say for sure how old our star is. To state it as fact is ludicrous. To claim they can tell us how old a star is that is 100 light years away is insane. I mean, it would take 100 years at the speed of light to get there, yet they are telling us how old it is? Give me a break.