Those americans are mad.  They really are!

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GREAT FALLS, S.C.  — A small South Carolina town is facing a hefty legal bill after losing a battle over whether it should stop using Jesus Christ's name in prayers before council meetings.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused in June to hear the town's appeal of a lower court ruling over the prayers.

Now Darla Wynne wants Great Falls to pay her more than $65,000 to cover legal bills. A judge is expected to rule on the matter within the next two months.

Wynne, who describes herself as a Wiccan priestess, sued Great Falls in 2001, saying the town violated the separation between church and state by using the name Jesus Christ in prayers because it promoted one religion over the other.

The money is not covered by insurance, and it is unclear where the town about 2,200 residents would get the cash. The amount is about 7 percent its annual budget.

"It'll be an enormous undertaking for us," town attorney Michael Hemlepp said.

Wynne's lawyer said attorneys had incurred only about $18,000 in expenses before the town decided to appeal. "We spent two years in extra litigation while they went to the U.S. Supreme Court, and I think the case was clear from the beginning," said attorney Herbert Buhl.

The Rev. Michael Sollers, pastor of Evangel Temple Assembly of God, said most of the town supported the council's decision to keep fighting the case and would be willing to help pay the legal fees.

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This one is just funny, though:

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APPLE'S IPOD PATENT GAFFE

Computer firm Apple may have to pay Microsoft £6 for each iPod it sells after a huge licensing lapse.

Lawyers at Bill Gates' firm filed a patent for technology behind the hugely successful digital music player two months before Apple.

The US Patent Office has ruled that Microsoft has the right to charge competitors a licence fee for each iPod sold.

Furious, Apple has said it will appeal the decision but at the moment it looks as though the firm will be paying a high price for the success of its product.

The iPod was launched in November 2001 but Apple waited until July 2002 to file for a patent; Microsoft snuck in to license some of the technology the previous May.

David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing, said it was open to letting other firms patent its innovations.

He said: "In general, our policy is to allow others to license our patents so they can use our innovative methods in their products.

"Microsoft and Apple have previously licensed their respective patent portfolios to one another and we maintain a good working relationship with Apple."

The dispute comes days after Microsoft declared war on the iPod and pledged to come up with a series of rivals.

So far, 21 million iPods have been sold worldwide, 18 million in the last year alone

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