Cambridge University Press et al v. Patton et al

Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Inc. and Sage Publications, Inc. are suing Georgia State University.

Here is a very brief synopsis of the suit from the publishers' point of view:

http://www.publishers.org/issues/1/19/

The higher Ed trade press weighs in here:

http://chronicle.com/article/Out-of-Fear-Institutions-Lock/127701/

http://www.insidehighereducation.com/news/2011/05/23/university_presses_and_academic_publishers_keeping_pressing_georgia_state_on_copyright_issues

Kevin Smith, a blogger at Duke, is afraid of the situation and refers to it as a nightmare scenario:

http://blogs.library.duke.edu/scholcomm/2011/05/13/a-nightmare-scenario-for-higher-education/

IBM Buys SPSS

IBM has purchased SPSS. Not sure really why so many colleagues insisted on using SPSS, even while SAS is a far superior product for academic research. In any case, maybe Big Blue can make SPSS more logical and useful:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-ibm-spss-0729-jul29,0,7990855.story

Reed Elsevier Sues FL Man for Predator Database

WEST BOCA - A South Florida man is at the center of a billion-dollar lawsuit that he says has hindered his efforts to help law enforcement find child predators.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-boca-lexis-lawsuit-child-p070509,0,3459709.story

Who Controls Journals?

Sage apologizes to board of political science journal for making leadership change without consulting academics -- and signs deal to run sociology association's scholarly publications. This story, covered by Inside Higher Ed, is likely to become more common as academic publishing becomes more of a business:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/07/07/sage

Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver

Quoting from the Department of  Homeland Security form I-94W given to all non-US citizens arriving in the US: 

" ... are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities; ..."  

This is followed by two boxes: Yes and No.