Patent trolls

The information and technology age has spawned a new industry occupation best described as "patent troll". A patent troll is a person or company that looks to acquire patents with the primary purpose of making patent infringement claims against other companies. Patent trolls make money by forcing companies to license their patented technology through lawsuits or litigation.
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Business decision rule of thumb

A good rule of thumb that many successful leaders follow says when they have sixty percent of the information they need to make a decision, they go ahead and make it.
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The 90-50 project management rule of thumb

The 90-50 project management rule of thumb comes into effect when you have completed 90% of the project leaving only 50% left to complete.
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Henry J. Kaiser

Henry J. Kaiser is on the list of Forbes most influential in business. His companies helped construct America’s roads, bridges and dams. His ship-building companies helped win World War II. Kaiser’s industries included automobile manufacturing, aluminum and real estate development. His diverse group of companies and employees led him to help form the country's first HMO, Kaiser Permanente.
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The first income taxes

The first income tax in the United States was enacted in 1862. Congress passed the income tax law in order to raise revenue to pay for the Civil War effort. A typical worker during this time paid about three percent of their income in taxes. In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution made the income tax a permanent fixture in the U.S. tax system.
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Rules of automation

"The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency." -- Bill Gates.
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NASA's infamous space pen

The legend of NASA's infamous space pen. NASA astronauts discovered during their first flights into space that their pens did not work in zero gravity. NASA engineers developed, at considerable cost, a pen that worked upside down, in a vacuum, in zero gravity, and even under water. Meanwhile, the Russian space program's solution was simpler: use a pencil.
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