In the context of mostly depressing world news, I was encouraged to know that smart people are making progress towards solving important problems.

Barbie v. Bratz
CNN: “Barbie v Bratz Battle Rages On To The End“:
Nine-year-old Ashley Gibbs of Cumming, Georgia, is a fan of the edgy dolls, so it came as an unpleasant surprise that they would soon leave store shelves.
“Ever, ever, ever?” she asked her mother, Kathryn Adams, after Adams said stores weren’t going to sell Bratz after the end of this year.
But after a moment of reflection, Ashley seemed relieved. “Good [thing] I have lots.”
Ashley didn’t know it, but Bratz are the target of allegations that their creator came up with the concept when he was working for Mattel, the maker of Bratz rival Barbie.
Everything Must Go
From today’s Wall Street Journal’s corrections:
The name of home furnishings retailer BED BATH & BEYOND was misspelled as BED BETH & BEYOND in a Marketplace article Friday on retail liquidations.
Who Is The Real BLACK SABBATH?
Tony Iommo, co-founder and lead guitarist of BLACK SABBATH, sues Live Nation of use of BLACK SABBATH name.
If you search the term “BAND NAMES TRADEMARKS” you will find many articles of unknown quality as to how to protect band names. I’ll tell you this: unincorporated partnerships can be ugly things to unwind.
Complaint Black Sabbath
Does This Sort Of Thing Happen Outside of France?
Hasbro Drops ‘Scrabulous’ Lawsuit
CNET: Hasbro drops ‘Scrabulous’ lawsuit As of this morning, there were 425k monthly active users for Habro’s Scrabble on Facebook, the international version had 276k and Wordscraper, the Agarwalla Brothers’ re-named version, had 195k.
Defamation and DJ Action Against Coach Over Counterfeiting Allegations
Perfect Bride v Momma’s Boys
Owners of rights in PERFECT BRIDE Turkish reality show re mothers arranging marriages for their sons sue Ryan Seacrest’s company re MOMMA’S BOYS show.
Analysis of Brown M&M Prohibition Clause
Smoking Gun discusses Van Halen’s contractual demands that there be no brown M&Ms supplied to it. It had nothing to do with M&Ms.