Fighting for Fair Use and Safer Harbors: 2016 in Review; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), 12/29/16

Kerry Sheehan, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); 

Fighting for Fair Use and Safer Harbors: 2016 in Review:

"In 2016 we witnessed the latest stretch in an ongoing struggle over the shape of copyright law and who it serves - between a law that respects and promotes innovation and free expression, and one that only serves the interests of large copyright holders. This year we welcomed a run of victories for fair use and Internet safe harbors, while looking toward some important battles yet to come."

The Rum War; 60 Minutes, 1/1/17

Sharyn Alfonsi, 60 Minutes; The Rum War

"Who makes the real Havana Club rum? And who owns the rights to sell the liquor under that famous brand name?"

The 11 Stupidest Patents of 2016; Motherboard, 1/1/17

Daniel Oberhaus, Motherboard; 

The 11 Stupidest Patents of 2016:

[Kip Currier: Happy 2017! 1st post of the new year.]

"Last year, the US Patent and Trademark Office saw nearly 630,000 patent applications come through its doors, roughly half of which were granted a patent. Some of these patents were pretty incredible, such as Amazon’s patent for 3D printing products on demand or this “solar powered space weapon.” Unfortunately, for every patent filed for a game changing technology, several others are filed for utterly mundane inventions whose sole purpose is to be used as ‘Exhibit A’ in patent infringement lawsuits...

While Silicon Valley keeps waging its war against the patent trolls that are costing some companies millions of dollars a year, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has taken a more humorous approach to the problem. In 2014, the EFF created its ‘Stupid Patent of the Month,’ a prestigious monthly award bestowed upon patent trolls who have the unique privilege of inventing really dumb stuff. While it seemed like it was going to be difficult to top last year’s bevy of stupid ideas, 2016 has not been a disappointment.

So without further ado, here are the dumbest inventions of 2016..."

How the Grinch Ended Up in Court!; New York Times, 12/29/16

Robin Pogrebin, New York Times; 

How the Grinch Ended Up in Court! :

"The Broadway playwright Matthew Lombardo has sued the owner of copyrights for Dr. Seuss’s works, arguing that his new play does not infringe on the classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in United States District Court in Manhattan, said Mr. Lombardo’s 75-minute one-woman play, “Who’s Holiday!,” is “highly transformative,” and therefore constitutes fair use. The play, Reuters reported, features a profane 45-year-old woman who recently served time in prison for murdering her husband, the Grinch, with whom she has a daughter."

Amazon’s Flying Warehouse Idea Isn’t Even Its Biggest Challenge; Huffington Post, 12/30/16

Kate Abbey-Lambertz, Huffington Post; 

Amazon’s Flying Warehouse Idea Isn’t Even Its Biggest Challenge:

"Delivering packages by drone at all seemed at first like “a loopy idea, far-fetched and the subject of instant mockery on Twitter,” as New York Times technology writer David Streitfeld wrote when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos first mentioned it in 2013.

Now it’s considered all but a certainty, even if the timeline is hazy. Other companies are exploring or testing drone package delivery, including Google, Walmart and the United Parcel Service. 

Amazon holds a separate patent for a system of light poles that would serve as miniature drone docking stations. There’s no indication it’s any more viable than airships, but it seems to show a company rigorously exploring drone delivery from every angle.

Considering how the company’s other out-there ideas have worked out ― like entirely upending the publishing industry ― it’s safe to say it’s too early to write off flying warehouses."

Summit Brewing sues two former employees, alleging sharing of trade secrets; Star Tribune, 12/30/16

Brandon Stahl, Star Tribune; 

Summit Brewing sues two former employees, alleging sharing of trade secrets:

"When Summit Brewing Company hired Jeffrey Spaeth in the summer of 1986, the fledgling St. Paul business was just getting on its feet as one of fewer than 20 craft brewers in the country.

Spaeth rose up through Summit’s ranks to reach vice president of sales, along the way helping the company become one of the largest microbrewers in the United States amid explosive growth in the industry.

But now Summit is suing Spaeth and another longtime employee, Timothy Daly, accusing both of conspiring to sell the company’s confidential trade secrets to high-level executives for “a direct competitor.”"

Washington Redskins: Recent Developments In The Team’s Trademark Case; Fansided via FoxSports.com, 12/30/16

Desmond Lee/FanSided via Riggo's Rag Fansided via FoxSports.com; 

Washington Redskins: Recent Developments In The Team’s Trademark Case:

"The once high-profile Washington Redskins trademark case has, for the time being, taken a back seat to another matter being heard in the United States Supreme Court. What will happen next and when will the Redskins matter get back on track?

For those of you waiting for a decision in the Redskins trademark case, you’ll need to wait somewhat longer. Last month, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decided to stay the team’s case pending the United States Supreme Court’s (“SCOTUS”) resolution of a matter brought by an Asian rock band."