I was watching a movie with (in my view) an excessive number of ‘product placements,’ and was reminded of this recent decision in Germany  prohibiting pop-up ads, reportedly on the rationale that they force ‘the user to take without notice.’  Could this rationale be applied to product placements in movies exhibited in Germany?

OK, Japan took their online database down for the weekend and that screwed up the metasearch for a while.  The metasearch is back up, minus Japan. 

The Register on side efects of self-help policing infringement on peer to peer networks.

They won’t announce attendance figures for a while but it seemed as if many many corporations and firms did not allow their people to attend the International Trademark Association annual meeting in Amsterdam.  The fact that Hong Kong is now identified as Hong Kong, SAR (special adminstrative region) on people’s badges was one more annoyance for…

This is the first item I’ve ever posted from Baku Today, regarding the LUX trademark, to be used in connection with chicken, dairy products, ice cream, and a ‘new sort of beer.’

More on the Arsenal football team trademark case via bbc.com.  Background here.

I typed in my friend’s SSID number and I had broadband. This WiFi thing is great.

I’m clearing out for Europe, wending my way eventually to the INTA meeting in Amsterdam.  I’m bringing my wifi card, my ethernet cable and two cans and a string so if I can figure out a way to blog, I will.  If not, see you May 10. 

If you are going to be in Amsterdam, give…