Author Archives: Kenan Farrell

NFL to allow Super Bowl in Churches?

25 Monday Jan 2010

Posted by in Copyright, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Just for Fun

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The last time Peyton Manning was leading the Indianapolis Colts on a championship run, the NFL clamped down on the ability to watch the big game in churches. The NFL sent letters to churches informing them that airing the game would be a violation of the NFL’s copyright and trademark rights. However, last year the NFL called a reverse and allowed viewing in churches under certain conditions.

So what’s the NFL’s policy this year? Unless we hear otherwise, we have to assume that the NFL is sticking to last year’s policy that churches can air the Super Bowl without violating copyright laws. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something that would suggest otherwise.

So start planning those parties…Go Colts!

Social Media – The Effects of Tracking & Selling Online Activities – TechPoint Event 2/5/10

25 Monday Jan 2010

Posted by in Bloggers, Indiana, Just for Fun, Tech Developments

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One of the greatest advantages digital marketing offers is the ability to customize and personalize messages based on the recipients’ likes and dislikes. Marketing in the new social media landscape, however, brings with it new challenges of walking the fine line between quality promotion and invasion of privacy.

Our expert panelists will share their views and best practices for developing effective social media marketing platforms utilizing behavioral tracking and personalized content.

Speakers:

David Wong, Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg
Chris Baggott, CEO/CoFounder, Compendium Blogware
Mike Bloxham, Director, Insight & Research Center for Media Design, Ball State University

Date: February 5, 2010

8:00 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Presentation

Click here to register.

Hope to see you there!

Northwest Indiana SBDC hosting Intellectual Property Workshops

21 Thursday Jan 2010

Posted by in Copyright, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Patent, Trademark

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The Hammond INnovation Center, 5209 Hohman Ave., is hosting a new workshop series for small business owners. The Smart Start Workshop is an early morning workshop, held in partnership with the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center, that helps entrepreneurs get a head start on their business.

The workshops will begin with the two-part series, “Jump-Start Your Business with Intellectual Property,” presented by Cook Alex Intellectual Property Law.

Thursday, January 21 – Copyright and Trademark for Small Business: Learn about how these aspects of intellectual property law apply to your business, what is and is not covered both locally and internationally and the best ways to protect your intellectual property.

Feb: 18 – Patents for Beginners: This dedicated workshop will cover what you need to file a patent, when to move on a patent, how patents protect your invention and where to get help.

Cost is $20 per session. The workshops start at 7:30 a.m. and a breakfast will be included. Reservations and payment are required by 3 p.m. the previous day. To reserve a spot, call (219) 750-1200 or e-mail innovate@calumet.purdue.edu. Reservations can also be made online by visiting www.nwisbdc.org, clicking on calendars, workshop, the event and following the link.

Indiana Trademark Litigation Update – Situs Inc. v. Situs Realty

21 Thursday Jan 2010

Posted by in Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Trademark

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Indianapolis — Texas-based Situs Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit in Indianapolis claiming Situs Realty in Greenwood is infringing on the name the two real estate companies share. Talks have failed to find a settlement to their joint claims to the name.

The Houston-based company claims to have used the Situs name for 25 years.

However, Keith Stark, president of the Greenwood company, said he applied for and received a federal trademark on the Situs name in 2007 and that the Texas company failed to object at that time.

Situs trademark abstract:


More to come.

Source: Indy Star

What Could Have Been Entering the Public Domain on January 1, 2010?

04 Monday Jan 2010

Posted by in Authors, Copyright, Federal Initiatives, Legislation

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Current US law extends copyright protections for 70 years from the date of the author’s death. (Corporate “works-for-hire” are copyrighted for 95 years.) But prior to the 1976 Copyright Act (which became effective in 1978), the maximum copyright term was 56 years (an initial term of 28 years, renewable for another 28 years).  Under those laws, works published in 1953 would be passing into the public domain on January 1, 2010.

This includes:

  • Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451
  • C.S. Lewis’s The Silver Chair (the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia)
  • Walt Disney’s Peter Pan
  • H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds
  • From Here to Eternity (starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, and Donna Reed)

Click here for a full discussion and additional works.

Source: Center for the Study of the Public Domain