http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/02/05/lactivist-blogger-attacked-by-the-national-pork-board/ Feminist, anti-racist, pro-fat, plus whatever else we feel like talking about. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:16:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/02/05/lactivist-blogger-attacked-by-the-national-pork-board/#comment-238051 Decnavda Tue, 06 Feb 2007 18:05:51 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/02/05/lactivist-blogger-attacked-by-the-national-pork-board/#comment-238051 This is sadly typical of corporate intellectual property lawyers. One of my favorite stories of this knee-jerk intimidation tactic is from Mad Magazine. When Empire Strikes Back came out they did a typical parody and ran a cover showing Yoda ith Alfred E. Newman's face. A month or so later, they ran a letter from George Lucas' lawyers threatening a lawsuit and demand an appology and further unreasonable action. They commented, "We're sorry you didn't enjoy our magazine as much as your boss," followed by a letter they recieved from George Lucas complimenting them on the Empire Strikes Back issue. What the Lacktivist is doing is clearly fair use to anyone who knows anything about the law, but unfortunately the costs of litigation make asserting fair use prohibitive to most individuals, turning copyright law into censorship power for the powerful over the rest of us. Those interersted in activism on these issues need to check out the Electronic Freedom Foundation's website and read Free Culture by Larry Lessig, both of which can be accessed through Lessig's blog, http://www.lessig.org/blog/. This is sadly typical of corporate intellectual property lawyers. One of my favorite stories of this knee-jerk intimidation tactic is from Mad Magazine. When Empire Strikes Back came out they did a typical parody and ran a cover showing Yoda ith Alfred E. Newman’s face. A month or so later, they ran a letter from George Lucas’ lawyers threatening a lawsuit and demand an appology and further unreasonable action. They commented, “We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy our magazine as much as your boss,” followed by a letter they recieved from George Lucas complimenting them on the Empire Strikes Back issue. What the Lacktivist is doing is clearly fair use to anyone who knows anything about the law, but unfortunately the costs of litigation make asserting fair use prohibitive to most individuals, turning copyright law into censorship power for the powerful over the rest of us. Those interersted in activism on these issues need to check out the Electronic Freedom Foundation’s website and read Free Culture by Larry Lessig, both of which can be accessed through Lessig’s blog, http://www.lessig.org/blog/.

]]> http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/02/05/lactivist-blogger-attacked-by-the-national-pork-board/#comment-237996 Angiportus Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:10:34 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/02/05/lactivist-blogger-attacked-by-the-national-pork-board/#comment-237996 Oh, this hacks me off no end. Parody is not the same as full imitation...and these big companies think they made the universe. Even if someone momentarily mixes up the 2 similar slogans, it isn't that hard to untangle them. Aaaaugghhh. I hope the Lactivist can stand up to these playground bullies writ large. Even if I prefer the one about "my baby's lunch". Oh, this hacks me off no end. Parody is not the same as full imitation…and these big companies think they made the universe. Even if someone momentarily mixes up the 2 similar slogans, it isn’t that hard to untangle them. Aaaaugghhh. I hope the Lactivist can stand up to these playground bullies writ large. Even if I prefer the one about “my baby’s lunch”.

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