You are browsing the archives of November 2008.

When records are retired they are usually sent to an off site archive for storage. Archival research is an important part of any complete research plan and can lead to important data.

Last week, The New York Times ran a Jackie Calmes article discussing the vetting questionnaire being distributed by the Office of the President-Elect. Answers provided to many of the 63 questions can be verified using public records. This includes Question 28, which concerns restrictive covenants.

According to the US Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime. The combination of multiple moves and a lightly regulated moving industry has created market
opportunities for scam artists and unscrupulous “rogue movers.” Read here to find out how to vet a moving company and help protect yourself from getting ripped off.

This case study should put to rest any lingering doubts about whether we can learn more from failure or success, at least as the lesson relates to preparing and delivering expert studies. For more on our analysis of why a study purporting to demonstrate the economic costs of unwed mothers failed to garner significant media and public attention read here.

Patents are an underused (and often overlooked) source of public information – everything from inventor names to attorney-client relationships and hidden assets. This document focus uses a 1989 patent for the Shark Protector Suit to demonstrate how to analyze and draw value from patents.