Limerick: Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes in the public domain / Moriarity can only complain / The game is afoot / It’s time for a book / Sit back and have some [cough] champagne / More on copyright here and here.
pop culture
Haiku: Tolerance
Word, Kanye, Kyrie / National Brotherhood Week / Words, natch, Tom Lehrer / In recognition of International Day for Tolerance. More on Tom Lehrer here.
Oh, the Places You’ll Boldly Go!
ComicMix, together with creators David Gerrold and Ty Templeton, created a Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing and distribution of a work, Oh, the Places You’ll Boldly Go!. The work was a clear nod to Theodor Geisel‘s [better know as Dr. Seuss] Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, a mash-up of the Seuss book with various … Read more
The Umpire Strikes Back
In an October 2020 decision, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board refused to allow an applicant’s registration of the trademark “Millennial Falcon,” finding that Lucasfilm Entertainment Company had established the likelihood of confusion between “Millennial Falcon” and Lucasfilm’s “Millennum Falcon.” Of crucial importance: “Applicant believes that his mark “appropriately conjures up the phrase “Millennium … Read more
Connery’s Concussive Contracts: Shaken, not Stirred
Looper reports that the late Sir Sean Connery — who will always be my James Bond — had an unusual clause in his movie employment contracts. According to Alan Moore, the award winning comic book writer and creator of Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Batman: The Killing Joke and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, among many … Read more
Free Tom Lehrer!
Tom Lehrer, the 92-year old musical satirist (and inventor of the jello shot), has released all of the lyrics to his musical works into the public domain. In the absence of this release, his words would have remained copyrighted until at least 70 years after his death. “I, Tom Lehrer, and the Tom Lehrer Trust … Read more
Space Force Trademark
The U.S. military apparently needs an intellectual property lawyer. Although the United States Space Force, the newest branch of the U.S. armed forces was announced two years ago, no one bothered to register the trademark. Well, that’s not quite accurate. The U.S. did apply to use the name ‘Space Force’ on clothing, two months after … Read more