4 ms·

Farmer sued for making t-shirts

11 points by epa 5y ago

antiterra 5y ago
Feels like this is one of those situations where you’re in the right but the effort/risk required to solve the problem is massive compared to the reward. I’d fight on principle, but wouldn’t fault anyone who moved on.
jcoder 5y ago
The farmer was not sued
- ortusdux 5y ago
  No, but he was SLAPPed down.
  - agency 5y ago
    the L in slapp stands for lawsuit
mmastrac 5y ago
Is this a story that is truly interesting? Farmer A uses existing band trademark (Rage Against the Machine) to further his goals attacking plant-based burgers. Another farmer (farmer B) trademarks the same thing, then forces Farmer A to stop using that slogan. This.. just seems like a squabble between two random people. He didn't even get sued by the band. FWIW, home-made impossible meat burritos are delicious.
- giantg2 5y ago
  I think parody does not fall under derivative work.
- antiterra 5y ago
  You’re not wrong, this is well-trodden ground. However, The Hacker News user base has generally been interested in intellectual property as it relates to a smaller creator or entrepreneur.
988747 5y ago
The case here seems pretty obvious: the farmer wanted to piggyback on the fame of certian rock band, with his slogan "Graze against the machine". If you want T-Shirts to be your own creation write your own goddamn catchphrase.
- giantg2 5y ago
  I'm guessing you're not a fan of Space Balls, Monte Python or other parody works.
  - drewcoo 5y ago
    Or US law.
    - giantg2 5y ago
      To be fair, most people who know/understand US law and are not in a position of power don't like US law.
- mcphage 5y ago
  It’s a little less obvious, given he wasn’t sued by the certain rock band.
invalidname 5y ago
Not sued and honestly deserved it... You want to eat meat fine. I'm not a vegan. It's moronic to try and show modern day beef and dairy production as "natural" in any way. These hormone pumped pollution machines are the most vile things ever. Miles away from a farm you can't breath from the stench.
fargle 5y ago
Person B ("that guy") doesn't have a valid trademark and would indeed risk it begin invalidated if he sued. Farmer A can, and should, ignore this shit and continue to make his shirts, should in fact file for his own trademark and start proceeding to invalidate the fraudulent one. Or stop griping.

11 points by epa 5y ago

Feels like this is one of those situations where you’re in the right but the effort/risk required to solve the problem is massive compared to the reward. I’d fight on principle, but wouldn’t fault anyone who moved on.

jcoder 5y ago

The farmer was not sued

ortusdux 5y ago
No, but he was SLAPPed down.
- agency 5y ago
  the L in slapp stands for lawsuit

mmastrac 5y ago

Is this a story that is truly interesting? Farmer A uses existing band trademark (Rage Against the Machine) to further his goals attacking plant-based burgers. Another farmer (farmer B) trademarks the same thing, then forces Farmer A to stop using that slogan. This.. just seems like a squabble between two random people. He didn't even get sued by the band. FWIW, home-made impossible meat burritos are delicious.

giantg2 5y ago
I think parody does not fall under derivative work.
antiterra 5y ago
You’re not wrong, this is well-trodden ground. However, The Hacker News user base has generally been interested in intellectual property as it relates to a smaller creator or entrepreneur.

988747 5y ago

The case here seems pretty obvious: the farmer wanted to piggyback on the fame of certian rock band, with his slogan "Graze against the machine". If you want T-Shirts to be your own creation write your own goddamn catchphrase.

giantg2 5y ago
I'm guessing you're not a fan of Space Balls, Monte Python or other parody works.
- drewcoo 5y ago
  Or US law.
  - giantg2 5y ago
    To be fair, most people who know/understand US law and are not in a position of power don't like US law.
mcphage 5y ago
It’s a little less obvious, given he wasn’t sued by the certain rock band.

invalidname 5y ago

Not sued and honestly deserved it... You want to eat meat fine. I'm not a vegan. It's moronic to try and show modern day beef and dairy production as "natural" in any way. These hormone pumped pollution machines are the most vile things ever. Miles away from a farm you can't breath from the stench.

fargle 5y ago

Person B ("that guy") doesn't have a valid trademark and would indeed risk it begin invalidated if he sued. Farmer A can, and should, ignore this shit and continue to make his shirts, should in fact file for his own trademark and start proceeding to invalidate the fraudulent one. Or stop griping.