An ethical will is a good way
An ethical will is a good way to pass on your values to your descendants. Here’s a template and some advice to get you started.
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kottke.org posts about legal
Tattoo copyrights and lawsuits
Tattoo copyrights and lawsuits. David Beckham is being threatened with a lawsuit by his tattooist should he and his wife “go ahead with a promotional campaign highlighting their body art”.
Ugh, riders on the NYC subway are
Ugh, riders on the NYC subway are going to have their bags randomly searched by the NYPD. “People who do not submit to a search will be allowed to leave, but will not be permitted into the subway station.” What the fuck?!?
Another use for Google Maps: getting out
Another use for Google Maps: getting out of traffic tickets in the courtroom. Many traffic cases are decided in favor of the state because of a lack of information on the part of the defendant…you’d be surprised at how good a chance you have of fighting a ticket if you show up armed with good information.
Coke is using 500,000 liters of water/day
Coke is using 500,000 liters of water/day in India despite water shortages. Coke is threatening to sue a photographer who put up a billboard critical of that water usage.
Jason Scott on why his BBS documentary
Jason Scott on why his BBS documentary will never make it onto TV.
Sandra Day O’Connor resigns from the Supreme Court
Sandra Day O’Connor resigns from the Supreme Court. Good news for conservatives, I guess.
Theft or homage?
Nike is catching some shit for appropriating some imagery for one of their skateboarding events from a 1984 album cover by Dischord Records’ Minor Threat. Dischord is alledging that Nike stole the image:
No, they stole it and we’re not happy about it. Nike is a giant corporation which is attempting to manipulate the alternative skate culture to create an even wider demand for their already ubiquitous brand. Nike represents just about the antithesis of what Dischord stands for and it makes me sick to my stomach to think they are using this explicit imagery to fool kids into thinking that the general ethos of this label, and Minor Threat in particular, can somehow be linked to Nike’s mission. It’s disgusting.
Here are the images (original on the left):
Setting aside the difference in philosophy between the two parties, this is obviously an homage on Nike’s part (or rather, on the part of the designers working on this campaign for Nike…they probably love skating and that album and are paying their respects). Graphic design, filmmaking, pop culture, and music is full of stuff like this…sampling and ripping and riffing and homages are all part of the deal. Seems like a punk label like Dischord should be aware of that but in the above quote they sound more like a big company afraid of losing their intellectual property. Isn’t punk all about taking without permission? Or does that not apply when you don’t like the folks doing the taking? Lighten up, Dischord.
Update: Nike has apologized for producing the poster. Lame.
Update #2: I’m getting a ton of mail about this, the most about a single post in quite awhile. Without exception, you all disagree with me.
Supreme Court rules that file-sharing companies can
Supreme Court rules that file-sharing companies can be sued for what their users do with their service. Next up, gun companies being liable for murders committed with their products.
Choirboy
Choirboy. “As head boy at a legendary choir school, Lawrence Lessig was repeatedly molested by the charismatic choir director, part of a horrific pattern of child abuse there. Now, as one of America’s most famous lawyers, he’s put his own past on trial to make sure such a thing never happens again.”
Microsoft is sponsoring a short film contest
Microsoft is sponsoring a short film contest called Thought Thieves about intellectual property theft. And the entry form states: “I will formally license on terms acceptable to Microsoft, all intellectual property rights in my film and agree to waive all moral rights in relation to my film if requested to do so”. Heh.
A quick take on Apple’s control freakishness
A quick take on Apple’s control freakishness. “Running a tightly controlled company has worked well for Jobs. But being a little out of control can pay dividends, too - by fostering creative freedom, not to mention goodwill. Jobs need only look at his own slogans. Life Is Random. Enjoy Uncertainty. At Apple, this is marketing, not a way of life.”
Keeping tabs on Martha Stewart on parole
Keeping tabs on Martha Stewart on parole. Is attending a dinner party “essential employment”?
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