Friday fricasse

One of the earlier British IP- and media-oriented weblogs, Mediabeak was up and running as long ago as 2003. This blog went through a quiet patch, but it's very much back in action again now. The IPKat had occasion to visit it a couple of times in the past week and he found some jolly interesting content. Masterminded by Edgar Forbes, Mediabeak covers most of the romps and scandals that the lower echelons of the British press get caught up in. You can see it for yourself here.


The Competition Law Association has announced that Lord Justice Jacob will deliver the annual Burrell lecture on Monday, 25 February 2008 at 6pm at the The Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Sir Robin will be speaking on THE MONOPOLISTS v THE ANTI-MONOPOLISTS - A NEVER ENDING STORY. Their intellectual hunger sated, the attendees can swiftly move on to the reception and dinner which follows in the Old Hall, Lincoln's Inn [says the IPKat, this suggests that, unlike the story -- which is never-ending -- the talk is of finite duration].

Left: this year's speaker, Lord Justice Jacob, pictured here in listening mode

The Burrell lecture alternates between competition and IP subjects. Competition commissioner Sir John Vickers delivered last years'; it's IP's turn in 2008. Sir Robin joins a line of distinguished speakers to have delivered the Burrell lecture, including Sir Christopher Bellamy, Mario Monti, Lord Hoffmann, Judge Koen Lenaerts and Neelie Kroes. Further details and how to reserve your place can be found here.

Thank you, Jim Davies, for linking the IPKat to this BBC report that the Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) has set up a website to promote its campaign to give the term "Cornish Pasty" protection as a geographical indication.

Right: a live, unexploded Cornish Pasty (cross-section)

The IPKat wonders how successful the CPA will be. His Collins English Dictionary defines "Cornish Pasty" as a "pastry case with a filling of meat and vegetables" and his Oxford English Dictionary also treats the term as being generic.

Dr Stephen C Smith (Consultant Patent Attorney NuPharm Intellectual Property) has emailed the IPKat the following message:

"I am writing with my IPAN http://www.ipaware.net/ webmaster hat on, but also as a regular IPKat reader.

I expect you have already heard that on 16 January the Football Association Council confirmed, as expected, the appointment of Lord Triesman as their first independent Chairman. The FA’s gain will be a real loss to progress in modernising IP arrangements in the UK. In a relatively short time he seemed to appreciate what was needed and have the energy and enthusiasm to move things along. Still I expect that making progress with the national game is as important as IP!"

The IPKat is relieved to know that, in the view of at least one correspondent, the national game is football and not IP infringement -- a pastime in which there are many who excel despite the absence of official encouragement, sponsorship deals and state-funded training facilities.

Deirdre Kilroy (LK Shields, Dublin) has excitedly emailed the IPKat this link, which reveals that Irish retail chain and alleged serial design infringers Dunnes are to appeal against the High Court's decision that it had infringed various fashion designs belonging to Karen Millen (see earlier IPKat post here).