New online advertising blog INSIDE CHATTER by ZDNET veteran Donna Bogatin.
Search Engine Fans: Keep Your Eyes on MAHALO
MAHALO is a ‘human-powered’ search engine. It raises interesting questions Its founder, Jason Calacanis, is discussing Mahalo’s development on his blog. Mahalo is adding ‘hand-written’ results one at a time. If you’re monitoring a certain brand, you can be notified when it’s added.
“False Endorsement!!” Raves The Times
43(b)log and Prof Goldman on producer Scott Rudin’s attribution of NY Times Online reader comments as coming from the Times (which he is doing to protest the Times’ practice of posting reader comments).
In 1961, famed Braodway producer David Merrick found 7 people with the names of NY threatre reviewers and quoted them in an ad promoting his play “Subways Are For Sleeping.” True but misleading, as we say in the trade.
Conley v Gibson Overruled, Effects On Copyright Claims
Prof Patry discusses possible ramifications of Bell Atlantic v Tombly (setting forth what is required to state a claim under FRCP 8(a)(2), on ‘meritless’ copyright claims.
Lowering “Irreparable Harm” Standard to “Serious Issue” For Olympics
The Vancouver Sun: A Canadian parlimentary committee has approved a proposal regarding protection of Olympic symbols in connection with the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, lessening the standard for an injunction from ‘irreperable harm’ to proving there is a ‘serious issue.’
Reuters: “Protecting Real Brand Names In A Virtual World”
Reuters: “Protecting Real Brand Names in a Virtual World” (quoting me).
‘Suitable Ruse’s Remain Suitable
The NY Countly Lawyers’ Association Ethics Committee has advised that trademark lawyers may hire investigators who ‘dissemble’ while investigating trademark infringement, that is to say, give a false impression through deception, under narrowly defined circumstances (“Work for the trademark owner? Who me? Never heard of him. Now I’m going to need a receipt for this.”)
Text of opinion here.
The Shape Of Food To Come

Engadget: “DIY 3D Printer utlizes hot air, sugar to craft random objects”
More on 3D printers here.
Trademark Blog trade dress archives here.
Jeff Brandt
If you were fortunate, then you got a chance to know Jeff Brandt. He died unexpectedly at the age of 52, on Wednesday, most likely of a heart attack or stroke. He was a loving husband and father, a doting grandfather, and a talented laywer (he was involved in the issuance of one of the first business process patents). One of his clients said to me today “he was an entrepreneur’s best friend.” He was a good guy and a straight shooter and my friend and I will miss him.
If You Were Harry Potter’s Publisher’s Lawyer . . .
. . . what would you do to protect against people using the Internet to maliciously disseminate spoilers?