Knockoff News 54
A weekly (or thereabouts) collection of news about counterfeits, fakes, knockoffs, replicas, imitations, and the culture of copying in general around the globe:
- Chloe sues Designerimports.com
- Journalistic ethics: Newspaper tells prom teens to knock off Oscar gowns
- Black & white letter law: "Modern tuxedo" ruled generic term
- Splitting the counterfeit baby
- Learning experience: Thief steals fakes used to teach kids about crime
- McMansion: West Palm Beach home a hub for high class counterfeits
- Don't mess with Texas Instruments: The sweet spot for RFID
- Radio radio: Smart tech fights online fakes
- Que SIRAS sera: New retail tech can fight counterfeits
- Conference call: Chinese offices propose using RFID tech to fight fakes
- What a coincidence: Knockoffs found at Flea World near Sea World
- Achtung: German customs seize record amount of fakes in 2006
- "Ceci n'est pas (seulement) une chaise": Italian court protects chair design
- Border patrol: Fake sellers retreat from Vintimille
HT: pMdM - Eurotripping: A&F, eBay and gray market goods
- Kultur kampf: Germany calls for battle against piracy at home
- No boundaries: Chinese fakes carry "Made in India" tag
- UK responds to Gowers report on IP & counterfeiting
- Private eyes: Hired investigators help police in Missouri raid
- Family values: Nike hires P.I. to investigate Green Bay store
- Operation Nike: Newport News nets record designer bust
- Buried treasure: Chinese province considers legislating against biopiracy
- Vocabulary lesson: Cosa vuol dire "oscar"?
And for those of you unclear on the difference between ersatz plastic friends and genuine plastic friends, enjoy this drama in which American Girl declines to invite knockoff dolls to the party, an outraged mummy flames the company, and Professor Christine Hurt reluctantly offers a retail world lesson.
One can't help but feel sorry for the poor little girl -- but what are the chances that our angry mummy carries a replica handbag and expects the original company to repair it? (HT: Trademark Blog)