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Game App Trademark Specimen
Dear Rich: We're going to launch a game app soon and wanted to trademark the name. It's a download only and we're trying to do the registration by ourselves but we're confused about the sample they...
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What the Supreme Court Didn't Say About eBooks
Dear Rich: I recently received a takedown notice for posting free eBooks. Why do publishers still hassle people now that the Supreme Court has said it's okay to digitize and scan books? Perhaps it...
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Can I Embed YouTube Video at For-Profit Site?
Judge PosnerSeventh CircuitDear Rich: Is it safe to embed YouTube videos in courses that are developed for-profit? The YouTube terms and service page indicates that the embed code they offer is...
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Can I Sell Clothing Made From Copyrighted Fabric?
silk fabric weaving circa 1914Dear Rich: This question pertains to copyright images on fabric bought from the store. There have been a lot of questions regarding this because of crafter's listings...
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Can We Download News Clips to Use Within Our TV Show?
Dear Rich: We produce a nationally distributed television program for a client based on crime incidents reported in local media. After reading your article, my client claims that it is totally legal to...
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Let My Copyright Go: The 3D Moses
Michelangelo's original 3D copy Dear Rich: I’m part of the open source 3D printer community and this question was posted to a forum hosting 3D designs. Someone photographed...
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Do I Need Releases for Self-Published Photo Book?
Two shots from "Summer Weather" a photo book featuring1983 head shots of aspiring TV weather reportersby Michael Jang Dear Rich: I wanted to self-publish a small collection of my photographs of people....
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Speedy Scaffolding: Long Wait for Registration
Dear Rich: I wrote a book for contractors and in it I describe a unique and speedy way to erect scaffolding. I was going to self-publish the book but I wanted to wait until I get the copyright...
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Old Man and the ©: Book Cover in Video
Dear Rich: I'm working on a corporate video that will live on Youtube and Vimeo. In the video, we see the character reading Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea." Do I need permission from the...
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Contract Survivalists: When Is the Contract Over?
Here's a tip to survive Halloween. Check out more PD Halloween postcards.Dear Rich: We were asked to sign a work for hire agreement to modify a website. The contract was for a year, but there was...
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Why is There a Higher Copyright Fee for Two Writers?
Dear Rich: My wife and I write songs. For the last ten years we've been registering at the Copyright Office. But now things are different because they charge us a higher fee just because there are two...
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Upcycled Band T-Shirts Pulled from Etsy
Dear Rich: Can we revisit this topic of upcycling/repurposing of band t-shirts? Specifically relating to transformativeness and or derivative works relating to intellectual property and copyright...
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Charles Ives Fair Use?
Dear Rich: Here's a question for you regarding published music. Charles Ives Variation on America is a piece of music arranged for band and protected through copyright with the Theodore Presser...
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Why Can't I Copyright a Character?
Dear Rich: I want to copyright a character from a graphic novel that I wrote. I've already copyrighted the graphic novel. How do I copyright just the character? When you say you've copyrighted your...
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Can Someone "App" My Reading Program?
Dear Rich: I have written a reading program and created written materials as well as manipulatives that go with it. I have received a lot of questions from teachers as to whether I will make much of it...
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Does TM Law Limit Superman's PD Reproduction?
Dear Rich: In another entry, you mentioned that there were public domain Superman strips. If someone published a book of the public domain Superman strips, would that be infringing upon Superman as a...
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News Aggregation and Fair Use
Dear Rich: We're interested in aggregating entertainment news for a new app. Is there any formula to use to figure how much can you take from a news site. Sorry, but there's no way to quantify how much...
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How Long Can They Use My Photos in Catalog?
Dear Rich: Do I have a right to ask for extra payment if a company is still using my photos from a photoshoot in April 2012. After the photoshoot they made me sign a small paper stating I received a...
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Can I Turn Master and Margarita into Opera?
Mikhail BulgakovDear Rich: I am contemplating composing an opera in English based on The Master and Margarita by the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. Bulgakov died in 1940. The Master and Margarita was...
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Can Manager Sign Side Deal with Lead Singer?
Dear Rich: I recently became band manager and I have some questions regarding the contract that we are in the process of negotiating. The lead singer writes all the original material himself so would...
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