Sean Cavanagh, EDWeek Market Brief; How Did ‘Copyright Piracy’ Language Get Into ESSA, the K-12 Law?
"The Every Student Succeeds Act is meant to accomplish many things. Hold schools accountable for more than test scores. Unleash new strategies to fix struggling schools. Offer new, more flexible funding to districts.
But language included in the sweeping, 400-page-plus law also lays out another, less expected goal: informing students and parents about “the harms of copyright piracy.”
Wording that urges school officials and parents to explain the importance of preventing the illicit use of copyrighted material is improbably found in a couple sections of the law, alongside more predictable school policy language on literacy, professional development, and student achievement.
Which raises the obvious question: How did it get in there?"
Monday, August 14, 2017
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Entrepreneurialism and IP at Steel City Con; Kip Currier, August 13, 2017
Kip Currier
Entrepreneurialism and IP at Steel City Con
Steel City Con (a Burgh-based pop culture convention in the vein of San Diego's famed Comic Con) has been running all weekend at the Monroeville Convention Center (13 miles from downtown Pittsburgh) and is finishing up today. I attended Saturday, August 12th (--the biggest "autograph" lines I saw were for Burt Reynolds! And it was cool to get up-close looks at three of the Brady Bunch kids, "Greg", "Bobby", and "Cindy"..."the youngest one in curls".--) and chatted with a number of very creative Western Pennsylvania entrepreneurs, showcasing and selling their self-made wares. In a variety of ways, they're using and working with (some would say infringing upon) Intellectual Property, and, in some cases, transforming Intellectual Property into new works.
Decals are a big seller at Conventions, like this X-Men decal:
Some examples of works that I observed being sold at the Con veer closer to (and step over?) the edge of infringement than others that can make stronger arguments for "transformativeness". Cristine Cordero's Heroes and Heels is a good example of the latter. Cristine told me that she uses actual comic book-clipped images to bring one-of-a-kind "custom created comic book shoes" to life...and her customers' feet.
Some have even been worn at superhero-themed weddings. ("I now pronounce you husband and..Deadpool?")
I asked each vendor with whom I spoke if they had had any requests to "cease and desist", or worse, from the companies that own the IP rights to, say, Star Wars, Harry Potter, the Suicide Squad, and the Avengers. Everyone shook their heads or said that they hadn't experienced anything like that. A few told me that any IP rights enforcement-type issues that they'd seen at conventions were relegated to films and videos, more associated with digital piracy. One seller told me he hadn't ever seen anyone roaming around the Cons enforcing IP rights. (As an IP instructor, I contrasted that with copyright enforcement examples I'm well aware of, involving licensing "sheriffs" on the lookout for copyright scofflaw musicians and cover bands. See here and here.)
I saw some really ingenious mashups of popular TV shows and characters. This T-Shirt combines the high mortality rate trope of the Red-Shirted security officers in the orginal Star Trek series (--if Star Trek were a chess game, the Red Shirts would be your pawns), with the series name of a popular zombie apocalypse TV show you may have heard of:
"Where do you come up with these ideas", I asked their maker?
"In the middle of the night they come to me. About 4 am", she chuckled.
Another seller with GoodsandEvil.com told me that Pittsburgh-born Greg Nicotero, the special effects guru extraordinaire on The Walking Dead, had just bought up a bunch of his clever zombie-themed shirts to take back to the crew. "Pretty cool to think that these shirts may be worn by people on the set", he understandably beamed. I told him I really liked the t-shirt below, a creative homage to the Western Pennsylvania-referenced places in 1968's (copyright-free!) Night of the Living Dead film and its cinematic zombie progeny, made by Pittsburgh's own George Romero, recently deceased. I snapped up one for myself, and one for my nephew, who's a big fan of The Walking Dead--before Greg Nicotero could circle back and clean them out (for We Are Negan? Rick's Gang? Shiva???).
Bringing it back to myself...I've always loved the scene in The Fellowship of the Ring where Ian McKellen-cum-Gandalf the Wizard stares down a fiery Balrog. With just his staff and a full-throated "You Shall "Not Pass". Now I can own Gandalf's "red line" on a yellow metal sign...and daydream about where I'd like to place it.
And for any of you Games of Thrones fans out there (or, if you're not a GOT devotee but are looking for a truly unique stocking stuffer for later this year)...how about custom-made Chain Mail for your canine BFF? Not that even Valyrian chain mail would do much good, should you be unlucky enough to find a Drogon-driving, "Dracarys"-dripping Daenerys Targaryen bearing down on you on some windswept plain.
Entrepreneurialism and IP at Steel City Con
Steel City Con (a Burgh-based pop culture convention in the vein of San Diego's famed Comic Con) has been running all weekend at the Monroeville Convention Center (13 miles from downtown Pittsburgh) and is finishing up today. I attended Saturday, August 12th (--the biggest "autograph" lines I saw were for Burt Reynolds! And it was cool to get up-close looks at three of the Brady Bunch kids, "Greg", "Bobby", and "Cindy"..."the youngest one in curls".--) and chatted with a number of very creative Western Pennsylvania entrepreneurs, showcasing and selling their self-made wares. In a variety of ways, they're using and working with (some would say infringing upon) Intellectual Property, and, in some cases, transforming Intellectual Property into new works.
Decals are a big seller at Conventions, like this X-Men decal:
Some have even been worn at superhero-themed weddings. ("I now pronounce you husband and..Deadpool?")
I asked each vendor with whom I spoke if they had had any requests to "cease and desist", or worse, from the companies that own the IP rights to, say, Star Wars, Harry Potter, the Suicide Squad, and the Avengers. Everyone shook their heads or said that they hadn't experienced anything like that. A few told me that any IP rights enforcement-type issues that they'd seen at conventions were relegated to films and videos, more associated with digital piracy. One seller told me he hadn't ever seen anyone roaming around the Cons enforcing IP rights. (As an IP instructor, I contrasted that with copyright enforcement examples I'm well aware of, involving licensing "sheriffs" on the lookout for copyright scofflaw musicians and cover bands. See here and here.)
I saw some really ingenious mashups of popular TV shows and characters. This T-Shirt combines the high mortality rate trope of the Red-Shirted security officers in the orginal Star Trek series (--if Star Trek were a chess game, the Red Shirts would be your pawns), with the series name of a popular zombie apocalypse TV show you may have heard of:
"In the middle of the night they come to me. About 4 am", she chuckled.
Another seller with GoodsandEvil.com told me that Pittsburgh-born Greg Nicotero, the special effects guru extraordinaire on The Walking Dead, had just bought up a bunch of his clever zombie-themed shirts to take back to the crew. "Pretty cool to think that these shirts may be worn by people on the set", he understandably beamed. I told him I really liked the t-shirt below, a creative homage to the Western Pennsylvania-referenced places in 1968's (copyright-free!) Night of the Living Dead film and its cinematic zombie progeny, made by Pittsburgh's own George Romero, recently deceased. I snapped up one for myself, and one for my nephew, who's a big fan of The Walking Dead--before Greg Nicotero could circle back and clean them out (for We Are Negan? Rick's Gang? Shiva???).
My brother (the above-mentioned nephew's father) has been a big fan of Jack Nicholson's iconic "Here's Johnny" scene in Stephen King's The Shining, featured on another local entrepreneur's horror-themed ceramics. Perfect for that next office cocktail party (wasabi peas, anyone?):
Bringing it back to myself...I've always loved the scene in The Fellowship of the Ring where Ian McKellen-cum-Gandalf the Wizard stares down a fiery Balrog. With just his staff and a full-throated "You Shall "Not Pass". Now I can own Gandalf's "red line" on a yellow metal sign...and daydream about where I'd like to place it.
And for any of you Games of Thrones fans out there (or, if you're not a GOT devotee but are looking for a truly unique stocking stuffer for later this year)...how about custom-made Chain Mail for your canine BFF? Not that even Valyrian chain mail would do much good, should you be unlucky enough to find a Drogon-driving, "Dracarys"-dripping Daenerys Targaryen bearing down on you on some windswept plain.
(House Lannister, House Stark, or House Targaryen?)
Cosplayers were, unsurprisingly, in abundance at Steel City Con too. Leias, Obi-Wans, Jokers, Harley Quinns...R2D2
And, yes, where you have cosplayers, you're gonna have that occasional dreaded cosplayer wardrobe malfunction. (Holy Suspenders, Batman...your utility belt's busted!)
Cue drumroll and Enter the enterprising folks from Any-Kind-A-Wear, who offered a Cosplay Repair Service:
A bit of duct tape...a well-placed safety pin and a dab-dab from a hot glue gun...maybe a spit and polish...and you're lookin' great and ready to save the world again.
...Or just hang out with your SuperFriends at your friendly neighborhood Con.
Trump Cautious on China Inquiry Over Intellectual Property Theft; New York Times, August 12, 2017
Glenn Thrush and Alan Rappeport, New York Times; Trump Cautious on China Inquiry Over Intellectual Property Theft
"Mr. Trump will return to Washington from his working vacation at his Bedminster, N.J., golf resort on Monday to sign an executive memo asking the United States Trade Representative to determine whether to investigate state-backed theft by China of intellectual property from American technology and defense companies.
The request for an investigation will focus on Beijing’s practices of coercing American companies doing business in China to partner with local firms, which require them to turn over proprietary technological secrets as part of what American officials described as a coordinated effort to steal intellectual property.
Mr. Trump’s trade advisers, speaking to reporters on a conference call early Saturday, did not say why the administration decided to add the intermediate step of requesting an investigation, rather than starting one immediately. This month, people familiar with Mr. Trump’s deliberations suggested that the administration was prepared to immediately begin an inquiry into Chinese theft under the 1974 Trade Act."
"Mr. Trump will return to Washington from his working vacation at his Bedminster, N.J., golf resort on Monday to sign an executive memo asking the United States Trade Representative to determine whether to investigate state-backed theft by China of intellectual property from American technology and defense companies.
The request for an investigation will focus on Beijing’s practices of coercing American companies doing business in China to partner with local firms, which require them to turn over proprietary technological secrets as part of what American officials described as a coordinated effort to steal intellectual property.
Mr. Trump’s trade advisers, speaking to reporters on a conference call early Saturday, did not say why the administration decided to add the intermediate step of requesting an investigation, rather than starting one immediately. This month, people familiar with Mr. Trump’s deliberations suggested that the administration was prepared to immediately begin an inquiry into Chinese theft under the 1974 Trade Act."
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Trump to China: Trade probe is coming Monday; CNN Money, August 12, 2017
Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money; Trump to China: Trade probe is coming Monday
"Trump told President Xi Jinping that he plans to direct U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday to begin the probe into alleged Chinese violations of U.S. intellectual property rights, the official said.
The move could lay the groundwork for Trump to impose tariffs against Chinese imports, which would mark a significant escalation in his efforts to reshape the trade relationship between the world's two largest economies."
"Trump told President Xi Jinping that he plans to direct U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday to begin the probe into alleged Chinese violations of U.S. intellectual property rights, the official said.
The move could lay the groundwork for Trump to impose tariffs against Chinese imports, which would mark a significant escalation in his efforts to reshape the trade relationship between the world's two largest economies."
Friday, August 11, 2017
Mercedes-Benz patents exterior airbags for pedestrians; AL.com, August 11, 2017
William Thornton, AL.com; Mercedes-Benz patents exterior airbags for pedestrians
"A new filing through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that Mercedes-Benz has developed an exterior airbag for pedestrians...
The Drive speculates that this technology is similar to some employed by Volvo but left undeveloped. In addition, companies apply for patents to protect intellectual property that might never be used."
"A new filing through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that Mercedes-Benz has developed an exterior airbag for pedestrians...
The Drive speculates that this technology is similar to some employed by Volvo but left undeveloped. In addition, companies apply for patents to protect intellectual property that might never be used."
Mayo prevails in patent case, but legal fight isn't over; Star Tribune, August 10, 2017
Joe Carlson, Star Tribune; Mayo prevails in patent case, but legal fight isn't over
"Mayo Clinic has successfully invalidated the patent on a method of diagnosing a rare autoimmune disorder, handing the Minnesota health system a legal victory against one of the largest private lab companies in the U.S."
"Mayo Clinic has successfully invalidated the patent on a method of diagnosing a rare autoimmune disorder, handing the Minnesota health system a legal victory against one of the largest private lab companies in the U.S."
The Copyright Office belongs in the Library of Congress; ALA District Dispatch, August 9, 2017
Alan Inouye, ALA District Dispatch; The Copyright Office belongs in the Library of Congress
"In “Lessons From History: The Copyright Office Belongs in the Library of Congress,” a new report from the American Library Association (ALA), Google Policy Fellow Alisa Holahan compellingly documents that Congress repeatedly has considered the best locus for the U.S. Copyright Office (CO) and consistently reaffirmed that the Library of Congress (Library) is its most effective and efficient home.
Prompted by persistent legislative and other proposals to remove the CO from the Library in both the current and most recent Congresses, Holahan’s analysis comprehensively reviews the history of the locus of copyright activities from 1870 to the present day. In addition to providing a longer historical perspective, the Report finds that Congress has examined this issue at roughly 20-year intervals, declining to separate the CO and Library each time."
"In “Lessons From History: The Copyright Office Belongs in the Library of Congress,” a new report from the American Library Association (ALA), Google Policy Fellow Alisa Holahan compellingly documents that Congress repeatedly has considered the best locus for the U.S. Copyright Office (CO) and consistently reaffirmed that the Library of Congress (Library) is its most effective and efficient home.
Prompted by persistent legislative and other proposals to remove the CO from the Library in both the current and most recent Congresses, Holahan’s analysis comprehensively reviews the history of the locus of copyright activities from 1870 to the present day. In addition to providing a longer historical perspective, the Report finds that Congress has examined this issue at roughly 20-year intervals, declining to separate the CO and Library each time."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)