Tuesday, June 18, 2002

I Want To Shoo-oo-oot the Whole Day Down
PWC Consulting is changing its name to MONDAY.  If you have a better name, please hit the envelope button to the left and send it in.  Best entry so far: HACKY SACK FRIDAY. Update: I am not endorsing this parody site, just providing a link to it.   1:11:30 PM

I Would Use The Internet To Express Myself But I Couldn't Get The Right Domain Name
Other Icann-watchers are targeting Esther Dyson's column in yesterday's Wall Street Journal for various quotes such as "ICANN is weak and powerless" (this from ICANN's first chairman).  I'm puzzled by this one: "ICANN can control not so much freedom of speech as freedom of presence of the Internet." I don't know what Ms. Dyson is referring to as "freedom of presence" but it seems to me that affordable and unfettered availability of Internet access is a lot more critical to "presence" than domain names and until people can access the Internet without bolting the door, then we're focusing on the wrong aspect of the issue.   12:25:51 PM

More Rights in GIVENCHY than GIVENCHY itself?
Strange blurb in the National Law Journal.  Givenchy (a sub of LVMH) owns US registrations for GIVENCHY for perfumes and watches.  Time Products alleges it has the rights to import and distribute GIVENCHY waches in the US (presumably from Givenchy's European watch manufacturer).  Givenchy distributed watches in the US as a giveaway with a purchase of GIVENCHY perfume.  Time Products has now brought suit in Florida alleging that LVMH has distributed "imitation and/or counterfeit" products.  I see how a trademark owner could in theory breach a sole and exclusive license.  I don't see how a trademark owner can sell imitations or counterfeits of its own product.  If I'm missing something, write me. 12:05:19 PM

© Copyright 2004 Martin Schwimmer.