This writer's a bit beat today from burning the candle at both ends lately. So expect good, solid posts, with interesting topics (we hope never to let you down in that department, except for when we have really good excuses, like hangovers or that we slept in), but somewhat shorter. First up, a story that's begun making the rounds in the world of fashion. Levi's, the jeans company, has become the leader in litigation, suing other designer jean companies like crazy. Here's a bit:

Levi Strauss charges that many competitors have stolen its signature denim stitches -- two intersecting arcs and a cloth label -- for their own pockets, slapping them on the seats of high-priced, hip-hugging jeans that have soared in popularity.

So Levi's is becoming a leader in a new arena: lawsuits. The company, once the undisputed king of denim and now a case study in missed opportunities, has emerged as the most litigious in the apparel industry when it comes to trademark-infringement lawsuits, firing off nearly 100 against its competitors since 2001. That is far more than General Motors, Walt Disney or Nike, according to an analysis by the research firm Thomson West.