Apparently they have been allowed to trademark the word "The". As if I did not need more evidence that universities are just as greedy and rapacious as anything in the private sector. The trademark is apparently limited to its use on university branded clothing, but still...
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/06/23/us-patent-office-lets-ohio-state-trademark-word-%E2%80%98%E2%80%99
I wonder if my BA has just increased in value as a result.
I doubt it.
It was already a pretty good school, at least when I was there.
Labeling and branding ploys like that may just be to keep the confusion with Oregon and Oklahoma down.
And I'm sure Brutus Buckeye will be happy. But, really...
Wait--didn't we discuss this before?
Or was that on the Old Forum?
M.
Intellectual property law is just so full of blatant idiocies and contradictions, and the stuff surrounding trademarks isn't any different. Aloha Poke, anyone?
Using 'THE' as your slogan strikes me as pretty stupid and ungainly. But then, I thought the same about 'make America great again'.
I guess they used the determiner to differentiate "The Ohio State University" so it's not just "An" or "Just Any Old Ohio State University." Now we can tell them all apart. It's easy to get all them OSUs confused.
My (very silly) contribution to the group-written novel over in the "fun and games" section spent a few sentences on the "The" of OSU--maybe it was less silly than I thought.
Mercy, what this board gets me to google! It's called research, you know. Obviously, I got too much time on my hands.
Apparently, the trademark is restricted to sports apparel items, such as baseball caps and t-shirt, showing only the word "the".
The most intelligent comment I found on this was:
This won't stand up in court.
Quote from: dismalist on June 23, 2022, 11:33:56 AM
Apparently, the trademark is restricted to sports apparel items, such as baseball caps and t-shirt, showing only the word "the".
Wait, the plan is to have apparel with just the word THE? LOL.
Quote from: Dismal on June 23, 2022, 11:42:43 AM
Quote from: dismalist on June 23, 2022, 11:33:56 AM
Apparently, the trademark is restricted to sports apparel items, such as baseball caps and t-shirt, showing only the word "the".
Wait, the plan is to have apparel with just the word THE? LOL.
It's like watching an insecure teenager do something ridiculous with their hair to get attention.
Quote from: dismalist on June 23, 2022, 11:33:56 AM
The most intelligent comment I found on this was:
This won't stand up in court.
Depends on the judge, really. IP law is full of nonsense.
Upon reflection, they may run into (or foment?) some trouble from Times Higher Education (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/), which also goes by THE and may well have some tee shirts or hats or something with the acronym.
Quote from: little bongo on June 23, 2022, 11:04:28 AM
My (very silly) contribution to the group-written novel over in the "fun and games" section spent a few sentences on the "The" of OSU--maybe it was less silly than I thought.
This gives us some new material
Go for it!
M.
My cousins and I bicker over THE University: The University of Virginia or Washington and Lee?
Quote from: secundem_artem on June 23, 2022, 07:23:18 AM
Apparently they have been allowed to trademark the word "The". As if I did not need more evidence that universities are just as greedy and rapacious as anything in the private sector. The trademark is apparently limited to its use on university branded clothing, but still...
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/06/23/us-patent-office-lets-ohio-state-trademark-word-%E2%80%98%E2%80%99
Yes, we are THE Ohio State University. Never confuse us with that other Ohio State University.
Juvenal!
Are you...
...another Buckeye?
I never knew....
M.
Quote from: mamselle on June 25, 2022, 07:54:24 AM
Juvenal!
Are you...
...another Buckeye?
I never knew....
M.
Alas, no. My UG university's teams are nicknamed after a real person, not a tree. I doubt there are any dendro-activists upset about that name. Lucky them! I mean lucky "THE."
Ah.
Oh, well.
I don't like the football nonsense at all, at all, but otherwise it was a good place.
M.