A new blog I came across recently is the Daily Dose of IP [1], a blog by Mark Reichel that is a source of daily tidbits on IP law. Daily Dose of IP (or DDIP for short), focuses on a variety of issues including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets and provides information on IP issues with links to cases and other materials. I recommend that you check it out, particulary the wrap-up of Starbuck’s trademark fight [2].
Highlighting the importance of intellectual property in society, Time magazine has named YouTube the ‘Invention of the Year’ [3], beating out Gardasil [4], a vaccine that prevents a cancer-causing sexually transmitted disease, and CrustaStun [5], a device that electrocutes a lobster in five seconds, and is touted as a humane alternative to boiling.
I guess it makes sense. YouTube was recently acquired by Google for $1.65 billion. Not bad for a business based on copyright infringement that is without a real plan for revenue [6].
Finally, Blawg Review #83 is up at (fittingly) Election Law [7]. A follow-up to last week’s Blawg Review by Ed Still at Votelaw [8], Rick Hasen’s web log brings a round-up of posts regarding the election outcome and process. Scariest is the write by Equal Vote Blog [9] describing where 18,000 undervotes appear to be the result of machine malfunction, poor machine design, human error, or something else in Sarasota – a vote separated by fewer than 400 votes.
But then, maybe it doesn’t matter what anyone does [10].