June 2016

Former Bank CEO Cannot Sell His How-To Book

Submitted by patentadmin on Wed, 06/22/2016 - 17:48

Just what we need. Another how-to book from a bank CEO. Well, it’s not going to happen. A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Commerce Bank founder Vernon Hill cannot continue to sell his book, “Fans Not Customers: How to Create Growth Companies in a No Growth World,” because it is based on material from a manuscript that is owned by TD Bank (the bank that bought Commerce Bank), so TD Bank now owns the copyright.

Mr. Hill’s next book will be on copyright infringement in a No Growth World.

New York Times Settles Lawsuit over Front-Page Images

Submitted by patentadmin on Wed, 06/22/2016 - 17:48

The New York Times has reached a settlement with powerHouse Books over use of 64 of The Times front pages without the newspaper’s permission. It appears that powerHouse Books published a book, “War Is Beautiful: The New York Times Pictoral Guide to the Glamour of Armed Conflict,” without permission from the newspaper or obtaining a license for use of 64 images that belong to The Times.

Bong Maker Is Awarded $2M for Trademark Infringement

Submitted by patentadmin on Wed, 06/22/2016 - 17:46

Kaloud, a California-based manufacturer of hookahs, was just awarded $2 million in statutory damages by a U.S. District Court jury that found that a competitor of Kaloud had willfully infringed the company’s trademark, Lotus, by selling knockoff Lotus hookahs. A hookah (also known as a “sishas”) is a device that vaporizes tobacco or cannabis so it can be inhaled.