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Pastimes : Scammy Awards... Thursday, Feb 25, 1999 at 9pm EST -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wayne Rumball who wrote (263)	2/25/1999 9:25:00 PM
From: QuietWon	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 445

So, occciffer, drinking wasn't I, my cell fon drank it

To: Wayne Rumball who wrote (263)	2/26/1999 4:00:00 AM
From: paulmcg0	Respond to of 445

Here's another case of amazing technology (a blast from the past, the early days of SI): I'd like to present the "Huh?!? Did someone change the laws of physics and I missed it?" Scammy to International Automated Systems of American Fork, Utah. A non-humorous summary of the IAUS saga can be found at Message 7691562 . The condensed version of the saga goes something like this: Neldon Johnson, a manager of a grocery store in Utah decides it's more fun and profitable to be an inventor. He forms a company, and hypes it by running ads in Investors Business Daily claiming that he has invented a modem that will run at 6,000,000 bps, over an -unmodified- phone line. The stock price climbs to 53 dollars a share, with a market cap of over a billion dollars! The great inventor rents out a local hall to show the world his invention at the end of June 1996, telling his many engineering skeptics, "You'll believe it when you see it!" The day of the Big Demo occurs and the Great Inventor tells the expectant crowd, "Sorry, I can't show anything. Problems with the Patent Office you know..." The stock nosedives, the shareholders sue, and the SEC starts an investigation. Two years later, the magic modem has still not been seen by anyone who isn't connected with the company, and the SEC files suit against the Great Inventor seeking 3 million dollars for stock fraud. Is this a vast conspiracy to stifle technical innovation? STAY TUNED...