| Patent auctions generate big sales
An innovativeChicago intellectual property firm is creating a live auction marketplace, which is rare in an age where many companies are shifting their business online. More than 200 attended Ocean Tomo Auctions LLCs auction Thursday at the Union League Club of Chicago. It was the third such event hosted by Ocean Tomo. This is like the Christies or Sothebys of patent auctions, said George Kelakos of Kelakos Advisors LLC. Opening bids ranged from $10,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Bids were solicited in at least $5,000 increments. The main advantage of the auction is simply that it is one-stop shopping for patents, said Bruce Lehman, former head of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. There really isnt any other place you can go to get a wide variety of patents.
A US carbon market could learn from Europe -IETA
NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - The United States has an opportunity to learn from mistakes made in the Europe Union's carbon trade, but the longer it waits to create a market on greenhouse emissions, the more it stands to loose, board members of a global emissions carbon trading group said. "The U.S. has a chance to catch up and learn from the mistakes that were made in the European Union and I think that is a tremendous opportunity," Patrick Verhagen, a vice president of cement maker Holcim, and a board member of the International Emissions Trading Association, told reporters. The emissions group met on Thursday in part to discuss the opening of an office in Washington, D.C., its first in the United States, to lobby the government on the possible creation of a greenhouse gas market.
Minister blocks auction of Burke and Wills trek relic
THE South Australian Government has barred the sale of a ceremonial breastplate linked to the ill-fated 1860 Burke and Wills expedition to cross Australia. The 20-centimetre brass breastplate, valued at up to $200,000 was found by brothers Eric and Klaus Ganzert in the state's far north-east in 2001. It was to have been auctioned today but state Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jay Weatherill yesterday stepped in to declare it an Aboriginal object of significance, preventing its sale. He said an investigation would determine the breastplate's rightful owners. It was presented to the Yandruwandha people of Coopers Creek by the Royal Society of Victoria in 1862 for the help given to explorers Robert Burke, William Wills and John King. Burke and Wills died of starvation during their expedition but King survived thanks to the care and compassion of the Yandruwandha.
Putting the right options on your car can impact used values
Motorists should take more care with the options they fit to their new car as making the right decision could improve used values by hundreds of pounds according to a Manheim Auctions survey. Worryingly, making the wrong decision can cost drivers literally thousands.
Manheim, which has 19 auction sites across the UK, quizzed nearly 100 of its top used car buyers for their views on the impact of optional extras on the second hand values of cars in the Family, Compact Executive and Executive car sectors.
Desirable options, now expected on virtually all types of car include leather, metallic paint and a decent sound system. Satellite Navigation is increasingly sought after and healthy premiums are paid for cars with this as a factory fitted option.
Not surprisingly it's the luxury cars in the Executive sector which are most sensitive to the right specification.
|
