Interesting aside re the SiteFinder rhubarb via ICANNWatch: Apparently there is a National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which prohibits the use of the NASA name in association with any business.  ICANNWatch asks whether the fact that SiteFinder directs traffic resulting in typing in SHUTTLE-NASA.COM, for example, to a Versisign-controlled page, violates the Act.  If so, this would concern AOL and MSN as well. ICANNWatch then answers its own question pointing out that while the fact pattern possibly satisfies the ‘use in connection with’ element of the statute, such use doesn’t convey endorsement of SiteFinder by NASA.  I only note this to point out that there are several special statutes that provide ‘anti-dilution’ like protection to special marks such as NASA and OLYMPICS and RED CROSS.  I dimly recall that the Daughters of the American Revolution had or have special IP protection as well.  Please write in if you can provide the info without going to too much trouble.

Thanks to Patrick Jones for background info on the Olympics and the Red Cross.

UPDATE:  Gretchen at Cooley writes to point us to Appendix A2 of McCarthys – “Statutes Relating to the Protection of Specific of Names, Characters and Designs.”  I counted up to 55 organizations which receive special forms of IP protection, usually for their “name, emblems, seals and badges.” (Badges?  Who needs badges?).   To give you an idea, the American Ex-Prisoners of War, American Legion and the American National Theater and Academy being the first three names on the list.