Tuesday, November 18, 2008

What Can Brown Do For You?

This is a formal protest. Civil disobedience. The background of this blog has changed from Blue to Brown for the next 24 hours, or until they sue me. Whichever comes first.

I noticed this abomination while tracking some of our UPS shipments today.
This is horse manure. The government shouldn't allow companies to copyright a color.

Addition from 11-19-08..... After further reading, they can't copyright a color. They can only use it as a trademark. Somewhat different, but still goofy.

On a slightly related note, this is what passes for humor in the shipping and logistics industry:
Did you hear about the UPS shipments that were in the cargo holds of the airliners that hit the World Trade Center?
UPS denied the freight claims because of "inadequate packaging".
Ok, ok, it's not that funny to everyone else. But if you work with UPS, it's a real knee-slapper.

I can't believe they've trademarked a color.

4 comments:

Dr Ralph said...

WS -- where have you been? This sort of ridiculous shit has been going on for years. These bogus attempts to use patent, copyright and trademark law are for me what 2nd amendment issues are for you.

Throw away your copy of Atlas Shrugged. Start reading Lawrence Lessig.

Anonymous said...

Mattel did.

Barbie Pink. You know that eye-watering pink that all of the nippleless ones' "accessories" come in?

Trademarked by Mattel.

It's #FD67DF in Hex and that means we are both going to be shot.

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Dr.,
At this point its really more about UPS freight claims than copyright (many long tiresome stories there.)
If you hit the link in the post, there's an entertaining reference to a Batman villain who shut down the economy by copyrighting all 26 letters of the alphabet.

Nick,
I'll go to pink tomorrow.

Dr Ralph said...

Of course, claiming trademark protection, copyright, or anything else is all well and good. The question is: will the claim stand up in court?

Have they copyrighted horseshit too? That's brown.