Dept. of Homeland Security Enforces Expired Patent 1006
Fouquet writes "Apparently the Department of Homeland Security does not have enough to do in keeping the US safe, and now is enforcing copyright law as well. The AP reports that a toy store owner in Oregon was requested by Homeland Security officials to remove a potentially copyright-infringing Rubik's cube-like toy from her shelves. The patent for Rubik's cube was issued in 1980, and so it is expired."
NO NO NO (Score:2, Funny)
Ahh, America (Score:5, Funny)
waste of resources (Score:3, Funny)
"One of the things that our agency's responsible for doing is protecting the integrity of the economy and our nation's financial systems and obviously trademark infringement does have significant economic implications,"
a Rubiks Cube Clone??? Seriously, i could eat a bowl of alphabits and crap a better Bullshit argument.
Re:So which is it? (Score:4, Funny)
Uh huh (Score:5, Funny)
"Within six months of passing the PATRIOT Act, the Justice Department was conducting seminars on how to stretch the new wiretapping provisions to extend them beyond terror cases," said Dan Dodson, a spokesman for the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. "They say they want the PATRIOT Act to fight terrorism. Then, within six months, they are teaching their people how to use it on ordinary citizens."
two words (Score:1, Funny)
Seriously, I'm happy I live in a country that will protect me from the ROUGE RUBICS CUBE!
Of course! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:But we all know... (Score:3, Funny)
Come one now, this is
Just the facts ma'am (Score:5, Funny)
Terrorists? Do you think we'd be mucking around in Iraq if we knew where to find terrorists??
Now just put down the cubes and nobody gets hurt.
Patents are important for security (Score:4, Funny)
Terrorist suppliers cannot be allowed to sell the tools of evil with just one click.
The terrorist must always click twice.
I think I say it for everybody (Score:2, Funny)
Re:rUSsiA (Score:5, Funny)
And that wouldn't look good on a visa application...
Conspiracy Theory (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Fear of powers (Score:5, Funny)
My search warranties always seem to expire right before I really need them.
Re:Uh... yeah. (Score:5, Funny)
So, if the Dept of Homeland Security confiscated the American cubes.... they must be agents of the Soviet Government. Thats the only thing that makes sense.
Re:Useless summary. (Score:4, Funny)
With a name like "Magic Cube" if the toy is anything at all like a Rubic's Cube then it almost certainly does infringe on the Rubic's Cube trademark.
Yeah, cause how dare they call a six-faced object with square faces a "Cube". I mean, they even capitalized the C!
Re:Oh come on (Score:3, Funny)
the real story (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Just the facts ma'am (Score:2, Funny)
You've gone over there to make some more, I'd thought. Can't have a war on terrorism without terrorists, after all...
Because he is smarter than Kerry. (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Fear of powers (Score:5, Funny)
Your job is to read the article. You didn't do so, because if you did you'd know that no trademark was infringed, and the patent's already expired.
Being /. though, this still earns you kudos, or at least karma.
Re:So which is it? (Score:4, Funny)
-russ
obligatory monty python... (Score:3, Funny)
oh damn, let me come in again.
Re:It's a case of priorities (Score:2, Funny)
No I don't want your stupid shoes, burgers, cars, television, movies or any of the rest of the crap you sell that brings no meaning to my life.
And for fucksake it is spelt colour and stop giving the letter z such a hard time. Its already coming last, it does not need all the extra work you crazy bastards seem to think it needs to get back into shape.
And no, shooting at me with a broad and interesting range of weapons is not going to change my mind.
Piss off you crazy redneck Yankie bastards
Re:Fear of powers (Score:1, Funny)
That has to be one of the most idiotic things I have ever had the misfortune to have read, and I read Slashdot a lot.
Re:And why are you people voting for Bush? (Score:2, Funny)
Godwin's law applies.
Re:sorry... (Score:5, Funny)
I feel much safer now (Score:2, Funny)
Wow, IP is confusing! (Score:3, Funny)
And I thought I had figured this whole IP thing out. Man. *scratches head*
Re:Fear of powers (Score:5, Funny)
So they've trademarked my girlfriend's personality?
end of the world (Score:5, Funny)
And now, Slashdot editors confuse copyright, trademark, and patent law all together at once, creating a sort of Grand Unified Theory of IP Confusion which was obviously the purpose of Slashdot.
So yeah, the end of the world.