The same technology that the Library of Congress to preserve and play old records may soon be available to individual consumers.  With a 3-D copier you can place your old vinyl on a scanner which will then download three dimension images of the record onto your computer.  If you want you can get a program that will play the album with a virtual needle on your computer, cleaning up any scratches or imperfections that may exist (though some might argue that is what gives a record its characteristics).  Or if you want to hear the album without fear of damaging the record, you can get a copy made with resin or starch or plastic and then play it on your old turntables with no fear of damaging the original.

Records aren’t the only things that can be copied using this system.  Anything that can be placed inside the scanning system can have a copy of the outside of the object made. 

Unfortunately all of this leads to the some problems of copyright that are currently being faced by the music industry in other areas.  The laws that keep you from sending your friend copies of songs online keep you from sending playable 3-D images of your records. 

Of course, the price of scanners is still prohibitive for most non-millionaires, but as time goes by, we can only hope that the price will go down.

http://www.acfnewsource.org/science/digitizing_vinyl.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/business/05scan.html

Many critics, including attorneys, judges and legislators, are concerned about the problems with patent litigation.  The problems include widespread forum shopping (Eastern District of Texas) and a high reversal rate by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  

The House of Representatives recent proposal (H.R. 34) provides for a pilot program within the United States federal district courts to create specialized patent courts.  These designated patent courts would have jurisdiction to hear cases which are related to patents or plant variety protection.  Not only would these courts hear all cases filed within their district, but other district court judges could refer patent cases to these specialized courts.