Hurtful names and racial stereotypes of all types were discussed and dissected Thursday in a daylong symposium at the Smithsonian, and the Washington Redskins were at the top of the list for nearly all those who spoke.

WASHINGTON - A little more than an hour before President Obama's address to Congress on job creation, the Senate late Thursday passed and sent him an overhaul of the U.S. patent system.

...MULTICHAMBERED FUEL ENRICHMENT DEVICE June 16, 2009 INVENTORS: Keeton; William B. (Texarkana, Texas), Tynes; Rodney W. (Shreveport, La.)ASSIGNEE: Husqvarna Outdoor Products Inc. (Augusta) Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The Philadelphia Eagles have elevated Michael Vick to the team's 53-man roster and released receiver Hank Baskett to make room.

Matt Barrett says he discovered his knack for invention when he tried to save a customer money.

Ervin Hinkins has been inventing a variety of things for 20 years, but he's at a standstill. He doesn't know whom to talk to or what to do next.

WASHINGTON - Crustless peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, a way to move sideways on a swing, a technique for exercising cats using a laser pointer _ these are among the inventions patented in the United States over the years.

RICHMOND, Va. - A judge ended a hearing over a request for an injunction against the maker of the handheld BlackBerry device without issuing a decision Friday.

RICHMOND, Va. - The U.S. patent office on Wednesday issued its first of several anticipated final rejections of patents held by NTP Inc. related to Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry device, two days before a judge will hear arguments on an injunction on the wireless e-mail service.

...Judge Spencer also denied Research in Motion's request to delay the case while awaiting word from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which is re-examining NTP's patents. The patent office has preliminarily rejected the patents at the...