So, if Transmeta can license technologies based on Intel patents then why wouldn't Transmeta design some stuff and license it to AMD? Sounds like a reasonable revenue enhancer to me, but I'm not sure why Intel would pay for the right to let Transmeta do that. Perhaps Intel was on the hook very heavily to Transmeta's power management patents?

Or perhaps I misread the article? Where's the big question mark icon when you need it?

Seems like the wrong metaphor. More like piss out (and forget).