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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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time
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090489
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09048900.037
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1990-09-22
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NATION, Page 17American NotesLIBRARIESThe Great Patent Heist
Slipping rolls of microfilm into briefcases, the thieves evaded
detection so effectively that their heists went unnoticed for weeks
at the libraries of 13 major universities. When the operation
ended, apparently in July, their collection of 3,000 reels was
complete: a microfilm record of nearly every patent issued in the
U.S. since 1969.
Why steal patents? Even a curious spy can buy a copy of any
single patent for $1.50. Still, a roll of the microfilm sells for
about $100, and the full set could be worth at least $100,000 to
inventors who must explore the past before pursuing a new idea. The
FBI's best guess is that the thieves hope to sell duplicates at
cut-rate prices.