-- Most mice killed: ^o.o^~~
As of 1997, Towser held the record for most mice/rats killed: 28,899. Towser worked for the Glenturret Distillery, and a statue was erected in the distillery grounds in her honor.

-- -- Penny Wise; Pound Foolish -- --

-- Notaries serve a valuable function regarding documents. The notary should verify the identity of the signer before applying a seal. The notary acts as a third party witness to a document, at a minimum cost for that verified signature.

-- A dated signature alone may appear acceptable. However, when the authenticity of the signature is challenged, the signer may fall apart as a witness. [People do like to deny things from time to time.] A notary seal near a signature may make signers better witnesses to their own signatures.

-- As for the fee paid to the notary, it's minimal, so get over it. The notary fee is capped by state law to wit: - "486.350. 1. The maximum fee in this state [Missouri] for notarization of each signature and the proper recording thereof in the journal of notarial acts is two dollars for each signature notarized."

-- If an inventor is afraid of a two dollar fee, a $500 filing fee will petrify him. Perhaps inventors could use a reminder that some inventing expenses are business expenses, eligible for schedule C. Besides, it would be unfortunate for an inventor to have a patent invalidated for lack of a notarized signature. -- Charles C. McCloskey, Patent Attorney

-- Thought of the day: --
-- "Most people never ran far enough on their first wind to find out if they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." -- William James, 1842-1910, Author

-- "Invention Marketing Help for Patents and New Ideas" --

“THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE,”
by Trevor Lambert of Invent Secrets

EXCERPT FROM INVENT SECRETS

By: Trevor Lambert

President, Lambert & Lambert
(www.lambertinvent.com)

Author, Invent Secrets
(www.inventsecrets.com)

Copyright 2009

Ask my employees and they will tell you that they have heard this millions of times from me. Whenever we have a meeting to consider representing a new product, I ask our staff who have been researching the product, prior art and competition, “What is the difference that makes the difference?”

Usually with any category or market segment there are companies with products vying for the consumer’s attention, giving them the central reason to purchase the product sitting on the shelf before them. The “difference that makes the difference” goes to the very core of the product and needs to be ascertained instantaneously. It is the immediate impact of a product on a person where their eyes light up and they say, “Ah ha!” That “ah ha” moment is what you need to identify and what your marketing must communicate clearly.

Perhaps your product will “clean in half the time” or “last 30% longer” or “cost less than the leading brand.” Whatever it may be, it must be identified and analyzed for effectiveness in your market research. Once established, this will be your beacon as you move forward in the rest of your marketing and sales preparation.

The “difference that makes the difference” will set you apart from competing products and is especially crucial if the market segment that you are working in is crowded. Often times for a product to be successful it does not need to be a complete breakthrough, it just needs that element of key innovation where the consumer will see great value.

A great example of this is with one of our client’s inventions, a plow system called POWERtach™. There were numerous existing plow systems available to consumers, but our client incorporated a new level of convenience, use of hydraulics and elegance of design that made it stand out. The difference that made the difference was that it could be attached and detached in minutes, as opposed to the competition which took upwards of 400% longer. In the end we were able to license the technology for the client and I am pleased to report that it is now the plow system for the John Deere® Gator™, which is the industry leader in utility vehicles (UTVs).

If your product does not have a difference that makes the difference, then it is destined to simply be a me-too product. Elements of key innovation signal a departure from your product to all of the others and without it, licensing will be nearly impossible.
******************************************************************
This excerpt is from a book recently written by Trevor Lambert, entitled Invent Secrets: How to Market and License Your Product Ideas. To learn more or to order the comprehensive manual, which includes sample agreements, proposals and much more, please visit www.inventsecrets.com

Trevor Lambert is also the President of Lambert & Lambert, Inc., one of the leading licensing agencies involved in establishing royalty agreements on behalf of inventors and product developers. To find out how you can have them represent your invention, learn more on their website at www.lambertinvent.com

-- "Secrets to Invention Success: How to Market and License Your Invention, Patent or Product Ideas" --

-- "Market Launchers newsletter: THE ONLINE INVENTOR archives"

-- You might be wondering how I got to see the top dogs on their dime, prior to them knowing anything about the invention. It was really simple. I went to their number one customer, their largest wholesaler, and showed the invention to them under a NDA.

-- "A thousand cups of wine do not suffice when true friends meet, but half a sentence is too much when there is no meeting of minds." -- Chinese proverb

R.W. BLAGG INTERNATIONAL

The Power to Take Your Product to the Top

We Want Your Products

-- "Respect your effort, respect yourself.
-- Self-respect leads to self-discipline. -- When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power." -- Clint Eastwood --

-- "Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century" --

-- -- Thought of the day: --
George Bernard Shaw is quoted as saying, "People are always blaming circumstance for what they are. I do not believe in circumstance. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstance they want and if they can't find them they make them."

The circumstance they are using is one of the most common: a lack of money. The real cause of their problem is lack of decision. You always attract what you need when you decide it must be done. Try this yourself today. You know the task you have been putting off "because..."

Make a decision, forget the circumstance or adopt Shaw's theory, but get it done!

-- "Landing a Spot in the Retail Big League" --
---- >> ---- >> ---- >> ---- >> ---- >> ---- >> ---- >> ---- >> You Can Do It Too

-- WHAT'S GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU - OR ???

-- Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

-- Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

-- Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoid Peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

-- Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of Horseradish in a cup of Olive Oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

-- Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

-- Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

-- Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

-- Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

-- Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

-- Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

-- Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

-- Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

-- Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

-- Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothes the pain and brings the boil to a head.

-- Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

-- Heinz Vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

-- Kills fleas instantly. Dawn Dish Washing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

-- Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

-- Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

-- Vaseline cure for hair balls..... To prevent troublesome hair balls, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

-- Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.