Russia Profile: “Trademark Squatters Profit at the Expense of Multinationals“:
Starbucks is one of hundreds of foreign brands that have become targets of Russian trademark squatters. The American company first registered its trademark in the country in 1997, but did not open any stores here because of the economic crisis in 1998. The
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Prof Goldman: “1-800 VAIL Doesn’t Infringe — Vail Associates v. Vend-Tel-Co“:
This case nicely illustrates that a vanity 800 number containing a third party trademark doesn’t create a likelihood of consumer confusion. To the extent that 800 numbers are analogizable to keyword advertising, this case suggests that maybe keyword trademark triggering doesn’t either.
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WSJ.Com: Running Over Fair Use Like The Hogwarts Express?:
“Warner and Rowling filed a lawsuit against RDR Books, a small publishing house in Michigan, over its plans to publish a print edition of The Harry Potter Lexicon website, a compendium of all things Harry that looks, well, rather daunting to neophytes like us. In
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CNN.com: Domain Name Game Still Going Strong.:
Demand Media, based in Santa Monica, Calif., received $100 million in a funding round last July, led by Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) GS. Demand Media has raised $320 million since its launch two years ago.
Another big player, Oversee.net, last month said it received $150 million in a
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Prof Patry: Copyright In Letters
NY Times: Verizon Rejects Hollywood’s Call to Aid Piracy Fight
TTABlog: Three Cheese Refusal of NORMANDIE CAMEMBERT
IPKat: Spicy Decisions From the UK Trade Marks Registry
Copyfight: Bye Bye Baidu?
Counterfeit Chic: Halston at Internet Speed (next day delivery of couture as anti-piracy)
Dunkin Donuts is a franchisor. If a franchisee allegedly breaches its agreement such that Dunkin terminates the license, and the licensee continues to use the trademarks, then in addition to any contractual claims, there may be trademark claims as well:
Dunkin Donuts v. Bakery Maestro, 1:08-cv-00659-RBK-JS (D NJ Feb 6 2008) (excerpted complaint).
Kevin Kelly: “Better Than Free“:
When copies are super abundant, they become worthless.
When copies are super abundant, stuff which can’t be copied becomes scarce and valuable.
When copies are free, you need to sell things which can not be copied.
Well, what can’t be copied?
via Dennis Kennedy.
WSJ: “Provocative Lawyer Advertising: Fair or Foul?
To a large degree, the story focuses on Florida. The Sunshine State prohibits slogans, jingles and “manipulative” visual depictions, among many other no-no’s. The Florida bar also has a thing about certain animals. Pit bulls are verboten (as was the advertisement pictured), and the bar has also stricken
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Prof. Goldman: Kentucky Court Votes Keyword Ads = TM Use In Commerce:
Either way, this case reinforces the pattern that Second Circuit-controlled courts aren’t finding trademark use in commerce from keyword triggering and all other courts are. In that respect, this ruling is reminiscent of the American Airlines v. Google ruling, where the court declined
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