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The Tour of Texas Day Two

March 8th, 2011

Presidio La Bahia in GoliadI have yet to visit the Presidio La Bahia in Goliad on a sunny day, but I guess that’s appropriate given the historical context of the place. The mission / fort is of course the place where Colonel Fannin and his men agreed to an honorable surrender after four days of fighting the Mexican army, only to be unlawfully executed upon the orders of Generalissimo Santa Anna. Today the mission has been repaired and restored to its former beauty. Unfortunately the point of interest is often overshadowed by popular locals like the Alamo. Not to take away from the significance that place; far be it from this Texan! But Goliad is an often overlooked jewel of a stop that should be visited more than it is. It’s both beautiful and significant.

From Goliad we made for the coast. We rode the Port Aransas ferry and headed for Mustang Island State Park. On the way ate from the second major Texas food group, seafood. After seeking local counsel we stopped into a restaurant / bar called Kody’s. The “décor” was… rustic. The food was incredible! Seafood allowed us to check another box on our list of traditional Texas cuisine experienced. Fish planks, shrimp sandwiches, fried oysters, gotta love dining in an ocean front town! After dinner we proceeded to the stop that was both an event and an accommodation.Goliad

An extended family member once wrote on Facebook that they longed for a foreign shore. Well they’re clearly not from Texas! As a young man I have grown up somewhat apologetic about the Texas Gulf Coast. I have often conceded that the sand is inferior to that of other states and beaches. However, over the last few years of visiting our Texas Coast and reading on its history I’ve come to Love it. Its cities have a culture and a mystique all their own. They have survived hurricanes (in Galveston’s case two), pirates, revolution and civil war. They show the characteristics of the American old south, a seaside community, and the American southwest all blended together. This stop was a first in the seven years I’ve been leading these trips. I’ve been to Mustang Island before, but never camping with a group of students, and no I’m not actually crazy. Overall the kids did great. As a class we built a fire on the sand, cooked hot dogs, and camped in tents. They slept till 7:30, got up, broke camp, and we were on the road just in time to avoid soaking in a morning thunder shower. It was a great time. Hopefully future Tours of Texas will include similar visits to state parks.Mustang IslandMustang Island TXTX Ships

Reform to Patent Litigation in Marshall Texas

December 21st, 2010

marshall texas patent trollsLike a modern day Alamo, the people of the Republic of Texas in Marshall need to board up the windows and doors and get ready for the fight of their life. Except it’s not the Mexican Army that’s coming, it’s the Coalition for Patent Fairness. And let me tell you, they have some heavy hitters. In response to heavy hits that they have been taking, some large businesses have formed or joined this coalition in order to bring reform to how patents and patent litigation is done.

The list includes popular companies like Apple, Cisco, Dell, Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Palm. We could confidently say that it’s not so much what is taking place in the courts of East Texas with their high rate of rewarded patent infringement lawsuits that has become the enemy of these companies than the whole system of patent litigation itself. The groups formed in this coalition have clearly stated on their website the ammunition they plan on using for the fight, this includes no more forums shopping, putting a cap on damages, and the standard of whether or not infringement has taken place.

These weapons of choice will make a big impact in infringement cases and thus, a direct attack against the gold mine that has come to East Texas. Although there is not a lot being said in the media, this coalition is quietly gathering an powerful army that includes the likes of the institutions of Federal Trade Commission and National Academy of Sciences, media giants like New York Times and Los Angeles Times, as well as President Barak Obama stating that it is part of his economy stimulus agenda.

There is no denying that patent infringement litigation has become a great benefit to the small town of Marshall, but with the pieces that seem to be coming together, it looks like they are in store for the fight of their lives.