News & Media
Bay State lawyer takes on FOX yakker
The Boston Herald covers Fox News commentator Glenn Beck’s challenge against Randazza Legal Group client Isaac Eiland-Hall. Beck sued Eiland-Hall for defamation after he set up the satire site GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. The Boston Herald offers as background: The site, didglennbeckrapeandmurderayounggirlin1990.com, is based on a joke originally aimed at comedian Bob Saget. During a TV roast of the former “Full House” star, funnyman Gilbert Gottfried tried to squash rumors that “Bob Saget raped and killed a girl in 1990.”
Glenn Beck Internet Meme Gets Ugly
National Public Radio’s “All Tech Considered” discusses Randazza Legal Group’s brief regarding Glenn Beck’s complaint to the World Intellectual Property Organization about the satire site GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. The column analyzes the brief’s atypical legal style, in which RLG cites to various Internet memes, including All Your Base Are Belong to Us and the “Downfall” meme. In the brief, attorney Marc J. Randazza writes: “Only an abject imbecile could believe that the domain name would have any connection to the Complainant [Beck]. We are not here because the domain name could cause confusion. We do not have a declaration from the president of the international association of imbeciles that his members are blankly staring at the Respondent’s website wondering ‘where did all
The North Face claims that consumers don't know their heads from their asses
by Jason Fischer Clothing producer, The North Face (TNF), recently got a lesson in how bad trademark enforcement decisions can make a company look silly. It seems a St. Louis teen thought that it would be amusing to create a clothing line parody, calling it “The South Butt,” — south being the logical opposite of north and butt being… well… you get the idea. TNF was not amused, however, and they set their attorneys to attack mode, sending a cease and desist letter to the college freshman (source). TNF’s letter asserted that use of the “South Butt” logo (pictured below) constitutes an infringement of their own federally registered trademark (pictured above). On its face, TNF’s claim is not so unreasonable.
"What About the Children" FINALLY Fails!
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-California) is the latest moron to cry “what about the children?” while trying to score cheap political points while wiping her ass with the First Amendment. Sanchez took a swipe at free speech by proposing the “Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act.” Yes, another law named after a dead kid. That almost never ends well for free speech (or any other kind of freedom for that matter). Here is part of what her bill would criminalize. (a) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or
WTF, Wisconsin?! You Disappoint Me . . .
By: Zac Papantoniou If you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years (or possibly living “off the grid” in the back-woods of Wisconsin), you may not know that “WTF” has become a commonplace acronym for asking, “What the Fuck?” (Source). Apparently, no one told this to the people in charge at the old “Wisconsin Tourism Federation (WTF),” because once the blog “YourLogoMakesMeBarf.com” got a hold of the WTF’s logo (which prominently displayed the letters, “WTF,” above the organization’s name) and a few of the blog’s commenters had some fun with Wisconsin’s little word-blunder, the WTF took notice, and renamed themselves as the, “Tourism Federation of Wisconsin (TFW).” But the question that begs to be asked is
Bostonist, Today in Randazza's Zings: Glenn Beck, Why Do You Hate America?
The Bostonist “can’t get enough” of attorney Marc J. Randazza in its column about an e-mail exchange between Randazza and Glenn Beck’s legal counsel regarding GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. The column reads: “Today, we discovered an email that Randazza sent to Glenn Beck’s attorneys wondering, in lawyer talk, why Glenn Beck hates America, musing, in part ‘It would be an interesting day indeed if Mr. Beck preferred to risk that a panelist would apply French law to a case between two Americans over a matter of public discourse.’ ”
Jack Thompson Didn't Get the AutoAdmit Memo
Apparently Jack Thompson, asshat of the century, is suing Facebook because Facebook won’t stop its members from being mean to him. (complaint here, courtesy of Popehat). Naturally, it is 31 flavors of batshit crazy — just what you would expect from Jack. Speaking of Popehat, no sense in analyzing the complaint when Ken does an ass kicking job of it over at our soul-brother blawg. I will, however, offer up a comparison. As batshit nutty as ol’ Jack can be, and this case is no exception, his legal theory isn’t really all that original. This is pretty much the same legal theory that the Auto Admit plaintiffs tried to use against one of the employees of that site. Compare this
Glenn Beck Satire Site Fights Back
Adweek outlines Fox News commentator Glenn Beck’s claim that the website GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com infringes upon his trademark and should be shut down. The article describes the site and recounts attorney Marc J. Randazza’s legal brief on the issue. The article says: But this case also makes a political point, noting an interview Beck conducted with Congressman Keith Ellison, a Muslim, in which Beck said, “I like Muslims, I’ve been to mosques. . . . And I have to tell you, I have been nervous about this interview because what I feel like saying is, sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.” Read More…
Glenn Beck Can't Take Glenn Beck's Heat
LA Progressive explains how the First Amendment protects satire in a piece about Glenn Beck’s complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center about the website GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. Attorney Marc Randazza explains: “The Web site is a legitimate criticism site, consists of political satire, and thus the Respondent has legitimate rights in the domain name … Mr. Beck’s attempt to censor this criticism is improper and should be rejected.” LA Progressive describes how the website very clearly identifies itself as a parody. Read More…
Gloucester Lawyer Defends Satirical Glenn Beck Website
The Bostonist urges its readers to review the legal brief of Marc J. Randazza, filed on behalf of client Isaac Eiland-Hall, creator of GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. The post says: The brief, which everybody should read, goes on to explain (hilariously!) the “Gottfried technique” and the idea of an internet meme, including vivid examples like “Mr. Spock Ate My Balls” and “Hitler Hates Kanye West.”
Memes strike back: Gerbils, gay blood elves, and Glenn Beck
Ars Technica details the legal brief filed by Marc J. Randazza on behalf of Isaac Eiland-Hall, the man Fox News commentator Glenn Beck threatened with legal action after he put up the website GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com. The post analyzes the question: “In the US, courts have long adopted a “moron in a hurry” test for dealing with issues of trademark confusion. Would a moron, hurrying home at the end of a long day and seeing the offending sign/billboard/website, likely confuse it with an official offering of the trademark holder?” Read More…
Glenn Beck Urges Parody Site Be Shut Down
Online Media Daily reports on Glenn Beck’s attempts through the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center to have the website GlennBeckRapedandMurderedaGirlIn1990.com taken down. Beck alleges trademark infringement and defamation. Attorney Marc J. Randazza argues in his legal brief: “We are here because Mr. Beck wants respondent’s Web site shut down. He wants it shut down because Respondent’s website makes a poignant and accurate satirical critique of Mr. Beck by parodying Beck’s very rhetorical style.” Read More…
Jesus and His Blasphemous Nails
By Tatiana von Tauber Today is Blasphemy Day and its objective is to “open up all religious beliefs to the same level of free inquiry, discussion and criticism to which all other areas of academic interest are subjective” according to Center for Inquiry, the host of the Blasphemy Day Artist Showcase exhibition. Meet Dana Ellyn. She’s the showcase artist and she’s getting lots of attention she doesn’t want for a painting which was spurred by creativity and a theme. “I don’t want to be the poster child for atheism. It is a fact that I don’t believe in god or practice any religion – but that is not what defines me or my art.” The attention Ellyn is getting is
Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel
Wins the Homo Walmartus idiocracy asshat flunkie of the week award. Here’s why. Indiana… the Midwest’s Florida.
New Copyright Czar, Background in Trade and Education
by Jason Fischer On Friday, President Obama appointed the first “Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator,” a new position created last year by the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (a.k.a. the PRO-IP Act). While many criticized that legislation as further enlisting U.S. law enforcement to do the dirty work of the RIAA and MPAA, some of those same voices are praising the president’s choice of Victoria A. Espinel as a fair compromise. “We believe she will be fair in her approach to intellectual property enforcement issues,” said Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, a left-leaning digital-rights advocacy group. (source) This commentator hopes that Ms. Espinel’s understanding of the complex landscape of international trade, combined with a history in academics
In Defense of "Sex Offenders"
Rogier van Bakel sticks up for sex offenders…. and there’s not a goddamned thing wrong with it.
Worst. Day. Ever.
For this guy. Amazingly, this did not happen in Flori-duh!
Why Fat Chicks Are Hot
By Tatiana von Tauber Confidence is the biggest motivator of hotness there is. I’ve been trying to figure out why exactly confidence is so enduring, sensual, erotic and empowering not from the standpoint of having confidence but viewing others with it. It’s just sexy when in its right doses. I think confidence is like a musk, a pheromone likeness that ignites the brain’s attraction zone. The ugliest people can be very attractive if they’re confident in their own skin (a sense of humor and reasonable intelligence helps too). I think the same for fat chicks. One obstacle I face in attracting women to have erotic and boudoir photos taken is most of them think they’re fat. For those who are, convincing them that
@Left-wing Nutjobs: Disagreeing with the President does NOT make me a racist
by Jason Fischer An extremely disturbing trend has started to develop in the U.S. political landscape, which needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. It seems that the the left would like to start playing the “race card” every time someone disagrees with President Obama. Not only is this behavior irresponsible and childish, it only serves to breathe new life into the real race hatred that we would all hopefully like to see eliminated in this country. Like most political rhetoric, this started out at the fringes of the left, but in recent weeks, it has made its way into popular media. Personally, I was offended when I read the following, which appeared in an early-August issue of the
