Mad Scientist Club

1. NAME
This Club shall be known as The Mad Scientists (referred to as "The Mad Scientists"). The Board of Directors for “The Mad Scientists” (shall be referred to as "The Board").

2. PURPOSE
The purpose for which the club is organized is exclusively for pleasure, recreation and other similar profit and non-profitable purposes.

3. MEMBERSHIP
Qualifications. Every member must be a mad scientist in standing or at least crazy. Every member must have a crazed look about them. No member may belong to other crazed groups simultaneously holding membership in The Mad Scientists unless they want to.

Number. The membership shall be limited to 4 or 5 or 6 …, certifiably crazed individuals; however, this number will be determined by the Board.

New Members. Prospective new member will be allowed to attend regular meetings. If membership is desired, an oral application must be submitted to the club. Each individual who is accepted by the club for membership must pay the appropriate dues at the time.  This may include - being poked fun of, terrorized, and made to buy coffee.  New members may join but the Board will make decisions about permanent membership.

Dues. None! (Dues, if any, will be determined by the Board)

Members who do not pay their dues on time will be forced to buy coffee for all Board members.

Attendance of Meetings. Each member is expected to attend all meetings (unless there is a girl or liquor involved). Any member who misses three consecutive meetings will be subject to review by the Board, unless for reasons stated above.  Reasonable excuses will not be accepted, unless accompanied by a letter from a psychiatrist. The Board may dismiss a member for failure to act in a rational manner.

Public Responsibilities. Each member is expected to uphold and maintain the good name and public image of The Mad Scientists. Any member violating this rule will be dealt with accordingly. Problems will be voiced to the Board.

4. OFFICERS
There are four permanent Scientists, Edward, Vince, Frank and Jim. The term of appointment is permanent.  A scientist may quite at any time without penalty.  Although crying and caring on may occur.
The four scientists will comprise the Grievance Committee. Their responsibility is to determine the validity of any grievance voiced by any member. This committee will decide on the proper course of action for resolving any grievance that is judged to be valid or invalid.

The current four scientists will automatically be on the Board.

5. CONSENSUS
A Consensus shall be 100% of the Board.

6. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Members are expected to maintain order through out each meeting. To obtain the floor, a member must raise their hand as many times as they want or until they get some ones attention or be recognized by the presiding officer. Be sure and look the presiding officer directly in the eyes, as you may find that the eyes are open but no one is at home.  No profanity will be permitted during the meeting unless it is stated in a foreign language that no one else understands.

7. MEETING PLACE OR PLACES
JoAnns is the home meeting place of the club. Club meeting will be 9:00 every Saturday morning unless other arrangements are made.  There may be a time when meetings will be held at other locations and the requirements may differ. The club will notify members of such changes.

8. CLUB PUBLICATION:
The club publication shall be a monthly document designated The Informed Mad Scientist. All notices to members shall be deemed sufficient if published in The Informed Mad Scientist. The publication shall be written and ratified by a majority vote of the membership in attendance of regular weekly meetings. The Informed Mad Scientist shall be edited, published, and distributed at the expense of the club.

9. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The club will define Intellectual property, often known as IP, to allow people to own their creativity and innovation in the same way that they can own physical property. The owner of IP can control and be rewarded for its use, and this encourages further innovation and creativity to the benefit of us all.

In some cases IP gives rise to protection for ideas but in other areas there will have to be more elaboration of an idea before protection can arise. It will often not be possible to protect IP and gain IP rights (or IPRs) unless they have been applied for and granted, but some IP protection such as copyright arises automatically, without any registration, as soon as there is a record in some form of what has been created.

The four main types of IP are:
patents for inventions - new and improved products and processes that are capable of industrial application

trade marks for brand identity - of goods and services allowing distinctions to be made between different traders

designs for product appearance - of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture or materials of the product itself or its ornamentation;

copyright for material - literary and artistic material, music, films, sound recordings and broadcasts, including software and multimedia

However, IP is much broader than this extending to trade secrets, plant varieties, geographical indications, performers rights and so on. To understand exactly what can be protected by IP, we will need to check the four main areas of copyright, designs, patents and trade marks as well as other IP. Often, more than one type of IP may apply to the same creation.

In order to help maintain the concept of IP and to encourage participation by all members IP right must be protected.  Publication of pertinent information in The Informed Mad Scientist with due recognition will be the first step in establishing IP.  Establishing a WEB presence with information presented may also be an option.  Once an ideal has been formalized into a product members are encouraged to apply for patent or copyright.

Monies must come from members in the form of goods sold i.e. the production and sale of an invention or idea or the investment of money by members with the understanding that there must be a fair and equitable return on investment.

Spin off IP will result from the free exchange of Ideas and Knowledge.  Under these circumstances those individuals with spin off IP must be accorded protection in the same fashion as the originator.  Those who use information obtained from the meeting of The Mad Scientists will obtain credit for their elaboration and extrapolation of this information.  They will receive published credit as if the IP were the original.

10. NON DISCLOSURE
It is important that members protect unpatented ideas when showing it to another party. It is important that all parties maintain as confidential any information they learns about the product as a result of being present at meetings of the Mad Scientist Club.

11. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS:
These By-laws may be amended upon notice by a majority vote of the board in attendance at any regular meeting. "Notice" shall comprise publication of any proposed amendment or a complete revised set of By-laws, in The Informed Mad Scientist prior to any regular meeting together with notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting during which the amendment shall be voted upon.

12. EFFECTIVE DATE:
These by-laws shall be effective after October 22, 2003 if amended.

13. ENACTMENT:
Passage of these By-laws, as amended from their original form was moved, seconded, and passed by a consensus vote of the membership at a regular meeting of the club on October 22, 2003.

14. Disclaimer
The By Laws apply to the actual Mad Science Club but do not apply to the administration of MadScienceClub.com. Owership, content, and administration of the web site are the sole responsibility of ERG Enterprises.