We Feel Bad for Its Seatmate

The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

We Feel Bad for Its Seatmate
“Wayward NJ Manatee Boards Jet Bound for Florida”–headline, Associated Press, Oct. 29

Wet Suit
The National Law Journal reports that a Wisconsin state court has entered a $1.26 billion default judgment against PepsiCo after the company failed to show up in court to defend itself “in a case alleging that PepsiCo stole the idea to bottle and sell purified water from two Wisconsin men”:

Now the company is scrambling to salvage the situation. The damages award was handed down on Sept. 30. PepsiCo filed motions to vacate the order and dismiss the claims on Oct. 13, saying it wasn’t even aware of the lawsuit until Oct. 6.

The litigation began in April when Charles Joyce and James Voigt sued the soft drink maker and two of its distributors, alleging they had misappropriated trade secrets from confidential discussions the plaintiffs had with the distributors in 1981 about selling purified water. The information was illicitly passed to PepsiCo, which used it to develop and sell Aquafina bottled water, the plaintiffs allege in the case filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County before Judge Jacqueline Erwin.

We’d just like to go on record as saying the idea of bottling and selling sand is ours.

For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.