And a Special Thanks Goes..

To my readers, thanks for your thought provoking questions, for your contributions, and for your kind words. This week I would like to salute the following readers.

• Holly asked if I had additional information on Joseph H Smith. All she knew was that the African American inventor, Joseph H Smith was granted two patents for lawn sprinklers. Holly, you can view and read the patents of Joseph H. Smith in our Patent Gallery - there are six pages of Joseph H Smith material. I would suggest reading the texts, the inventor describes his inventions in his own words. To select an inventer who has had more material written about him/her use Black Inventors A to Z.
• Rita - According to one source - school lockers were first used at Yale University in 1851 - however, I need backup on this before deeming it a fact. Does anyone out there know about the first school locker?
• Casey - if someone gives you a piece of art, you own that piece of art. However, you do not own the copyright, which defines how the art can be used. You do need permission to distribute (i.e. put on the internet) his photographs or alter them. Sorry to hear that you two argued. Stay friendly and let your photographer know that a copyright notice (on the art) is no longer necessary to establish copyrights. Did you hire him to do the photography? Copyrights do not belong to the creator in the case of works made for hire as defined by law.