It is a Saturday in the realm, and I am here in my office nestled between two stadiums in Seattle at 0615. Why? It’s not because it’s projected to be busy — it’s not. I just have some year-end paperwork to do before the end of the year and this is the quiet time I need to get it done.
News? It’s a mixed bag this morning, but I should get to it…
Headlines That Caught My Eye This Morning
Item 1: How Israel pushed over a million Palestinians into a tiny corner of Gaza
In case anyone is wondering why Hamas is suddenly enjoying a near-100% support by Palestinians at the moment.
Item 2: Prices Fell in November for the First Time Since 2020. Inflation Is Approaching Fed Target.
Prices are dropping. The rate of inflation is settling back to pre-pandemic levels.
Item 3: Consumer sentiment finishes 2023 on high note as inflation wanes
Is this “Bidenomics”? Or just the natural cycle.
Item 4: Phone-Related Injuries Skyrocketing; Texting While Walking Biggest Danger
Item 5: Children watch in horror as Russian Santa falls to his death in ‘monstrous’ stunt
Russians are fucking crazy.
Item 6: Mickey Mouse, Long a Symbol in Copyright Wars, to Enter Public Domain
I would have been surprised if they had jumped in ahead of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Everyone is talking about how this will delay Trump’s election interference trial, but given the track record of the DC Court of Appeals, I suspect that they will deal with it in days, not weeks or months.
Item 8: Graham threatens ‘war’ over New York’s new bill that would require Chick-fil-A to be open on Sundays
Linsey Graham is clutching his pearls again, looking to be relevant in something.
At first blush, you have to stop and wonder how in the fuck can New York or any other government force a private company to remain open on Sundays or any other day. My favorite soul food restaurant here in Seattle is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3PM to 11PM. It’s his business, he gets to decide when he opens and when he closes. So how in the fuck can NY force Chick-fil-A to remain open?
Well, it has to do with contracts and operating on state land. Chick-fil-A wants to have a presence in the New York state rest areas along their freeway system. Chick-fil-A has a company-wide policy of closing on Sundays. If Chick-fil-A wants to keep operating in New York rest stop areas, they will be required to remain open on Sundays. It’s state land, the state gets to decide.
What the Fuck Did I Just Stream?
The Walking Dead: Dead City – AMC+
The series follows Maggie and Negan traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan cut off from the mainland in search of Maggie’s kidnapped son, Hershel.?The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.
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Item 6 is an error. It’s not Mickey Mouse, it’s Steamboat Willy.
The image I posted is Mickey Ratt.
But you are correct, the copyright protection for Steamboat Willie, the original rendition of Mickey expires on January 1st.
There are several renditions of Mickey Mouse. Each time Disney tweaks Mickey, they get to refile a new copyright for the new rendition. The older renditions will become public domain when those earlier copyrights end.
But wait, there’s more!
Mickey is also trademarked, meaning that even if you did want to use Mickey Mouse in the public domain, you would still have to pay Disney. Trademarks never expire.