> Kearns may have "asserted" that he invented the intermittent windshield
> wiper, but he didn't. Both Trico and GM filed patents on intermittent
> windshield wipers before Kearns did. I doubt this film will bring in any
> serious cash at the boxoffice. Yawn.
>
> Derek

Bob Kearns developed one approach to creating intermittent wipers.
As noted, others had developed different means to create the same
outcome -- wipers which could 'pause'. I find the timing of the
release and the movie's theme to be of more interest. Granted, yet
another anti big business movie; another cheer for the little guy;
another succeeds against all odds story.

I found Ebert's review more than a bit unusual, to wit; " But
enough. I have "Flash of Genius" to review. Yes, I am agitated. I am
writing during days of economic meltdown, after Wall Street raped Main
Street while the Bush ideology held it down. Believe me, I could go on
like this all day."

Why did Ebert feel the need to slam W in a movie review? A month
before the election. In addition, why then did he fail to note the
present collapse could be directly traced to Jimmy Carter's Community
Reinvestment Act (CRA). A program which forced (not other word for
it) banks and lenders to take on extremely risky loans and mortgages.
The CRA was further expanded by Bill Clinton to push for even more bad
loans. A house of cards whose collapse started the current fiscal
fiasco. Either Roger Ebert does not know the background of the crisis
or else he believes his readers are not particularly informed. It is
pretty easy to track the banks unloading these loans to Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac. Which began buying up bad loans and offering them
for sale on world markets -- while showing very exaggerated asset
values on their books for this worthless property.

I always enjoyed Ebert's reviews. Until now. The man has long a
major chunk of his credibility with me.