Habanero and Scotch Bonnet are generic names for hot peppers, TABASCO is a brand name. The folk at McIllhenny have developed a strong trade dress for TABASCO, consisting in part of a white diamond on a red background, It has licensed that trade dress for a variety of products. So when someone brought out a
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Copyright News From All Over
Good collection of links from Slashdot on various copyright matters here.
Gone Fishin'
Be Back Soon!
About Three Conundrums After Eldred
Here is the text of Lawrence Lessig’s recent speech on copyright and patent terms. I hadn’t known that Mickey Mouse’s first animated film “Steamboat Willie” was a parody of a Buster Keaton film of the time, ‘Steamboat Bill.’
Regardless of how Eldred turns out, at some point the valuable properties of the 20th Centruy will…
Dinosaurs Favored Generics And That's What Killed Them
I will report without comment this article from The Times of India, which contains the sentence “the arrival of the “brand” in the past century has prompted brain evolution.” That scary thought aside, the article refers to the on-going research into the scientific basis for brand-positioning and the two key concepts of trademark law,…
Which World Lobbies Him Is A Different Question
Ernie the Attorney shines a light on Rep. Coble, co-sponsor of the Hack your Computer bill. Favorite line:
Is this a guy who understands the highly intricate world of technology that he seeks to regulate? Or is he a guy that sees only a world of screen doors and mosquitos?
But Is His Use of a Top-Ten List Ironic?
A Washington Post article on 10 ‘critical flaws’ of rhetoric “in magazines and newspapers, on Web sites and blogs, even . . . on television.”
In the Process, Mocking What I Do
This site seems to think that branding is a game.
OK, I Have a Question For You, Readers.
Over a year ago, something which was my co-op’s responsibility malfunctioned, causing damage in my apartment. Things dragged and I notified my insurance company (Insurance Company One) of my intent to file a claim. I received a claim number, but never actually filed a claim, because the co-op (finally) repaired the damage (at its expense).
Cheap Spam Joke Update
Bello Sankoh of the Ivory Coast has just offered me $2.3 million to help him expropriate funds, and therefore I have to retract my acceptance of Mr. Al-Mustapha’s offer of $1.2 million. The trick is to play these guys off against each other and get the best bid.
I’m now working on the weight…