(via Steve Silberstein) One of the reason the patent system does not work more poorly than it does is that companies acquire large portfolios of patents that they hold over each others head, effectively neutralizing the patent system and letting everyone get on with the business of actually inventing useful stuff. The "patent trolls" or non-practicing entities (NPEs) have broken this system by creating firms that don't actually do anything except hold patents, so they are free to sue, without any threat of being counter sued. Patent Freedom is a web site devoted to tracking the trolls - they have a wealth of interesting information about them.