"Worst State Ever" T-shirt copyright?
So I was browsing through various Michigan related apparel websites to see if there were any specials going on for the beginning of the season when lo and behold I see THIS.
I was under the impression that Brian had come up with this design. Shouldn't this be some kind of copyright infrindgment? I know others have mentioned seeing this around before, just wondering if Brian (or whoever came up with the design) could do something legally against these (inferior) knock-offs. Legal types, what say you?
August 8th, 2010 at 11:00 PM ^
As if o-h-i-o is needed in parentheses
Sadly, where I live it does (Northern Virginia). I've had people legitimately, non-jokingly guess Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It really is sad...
I could understand if it was one of the "square states" Colorado or Wyoming for example, but uh, wow.
On the other hand, maybe the shirt could be viewed as educational as well? Think of people asking those questions as offering an opportunity to explain how much Ohio sucks :)
Another resounding endorsement of the American Public Education System.
I am in love with your avatar. That is all.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
At least when Brian made this shirt, it was sympathetic to the inability of Ohioans to recognize their own state. This new version is just mean.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:15 PM ^
I wonder how many people in, say, Alabama, or any state fairly far away from the midwest, could look at an unlabelled drawing of Ohio and know what state they were looking at?
August 8th, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^
Just another reason why it's the worst state ever.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^
Weren't these shirts being sold by the game day t-shirt stands on Hoover several years before Brian launched the MGoShirts?
August 8th, 2010 at 11:12 PM ^
No idea. I thought I recalled reading that Brian started them. If that's incorrect then whatever. Someone stole it from someone else and is now making - or at least trying to make - money off of it. I just don't want Brian to lose out on something he came up with, if that is in fact the case.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:41 PM ^
Yes. Same stands that sold the "Muck Finnesota" type shirts. At least from 2000-2004.
They were sold by those stands last year (and I think the year before) but I don't remember seeing them before Brian introduced the shirt.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
I almost ordered my the Sparty "It's always a riot in East Lansing" shirt with the burning couch on the front for the Sparty alumni at work.
He is a Spartan alumni. Did it in only 9 years! (True story)
Who says Sparty doesn't have a sense of humor?
What I find odd is not so much that he graduated in nine years as that there apparently are more than one of him.
August 9th, 2010 at 12:03 AM ^
Re: dichotomy. Please do not use such high-fallutin' words, at least when we have Bama visitors to the site. Appropriate alternatives include "catty-wumpus," "gee-hossed," and "plumdangedness."
would likely be subject to copyright protection for whoever created it.
Unless someone has registered with the USPTO, I'm not sure they can successfully claim trademark or copyright ownership.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^
They can, even without registration.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
Exactly: if you create something, you hold the copyright. You don't need to register it or even note the copyright on it. A copyright is much easier to enforce if it's been registered, but that's not a requirement.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
You need to register it if you want to sue in court.