Friday fortitude

Please don't forget to check out the 'Forthcoming Events' feature in the left-hand side-bar of the IPKat's front page --and remember to enjoy yourself this weekend. If you've been to Berlin this past week for the INTA Meeting, you'll either have a sore head or sore feet. Whichever you've got, the Kats wish you better.


"Spurious precision" is the title of a talk, advertised on the IP Finance weblog, which Oliver Rivers is giving on Tuesday 27 May, 5pm at the London office of Olswang, solicitors (map here). Oliver is discussion the tension between the need to place IP rights within a range of values and the requirement that it have one ascertainable value at the point at which something happens to it. Light refreshments and a chance to chat (till 6.30pm) will also be provided -- and there's no charge for admission. If you want to come, email IPKat team blogger Jeremy here.


The Boards of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market deserve a warm round of applause for producing their 2007 case-law overview. This review has been brought out by the Boards' Documentation and Support Service. It contains a generous selection of decisions from the previous calendar year, covering 36 pages, and is structured so as to make it easier for readers and users to access decisions of both substantive and procedural significance. There is also a reminder that the summaries are only there for helpful guidance and have no binding effect -- not even on the Boards themselves. The IPKat rather hopes that this useful review will be complemented by the addition of significant decisions of the Opposition Division and Cancellation which -- through no fault of their own -- were never appealed.

"Nike Signs Big Brown To $90 Million Horseshoe Contract" is another of the Onion's great brand satires. The text reads, in part:

"Slated for release on June 1, the lightweight, U-shaped Air Brown horseshoe features Nike's patented air-cushioning system, consisting of a pressurized gas encapsulated in polyurethane and aluminum. According to Nike engineers, the innovative technology was created to provide equal measures of comfort, support, and performance on both dirt and grass tracks by reducing shock, distributing pressure, and protecting the hooves from overpronation. Big Brown intends to debut the Air Brown horseshoes on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes, when he attempts to become the first horse to win the elusive Triple Crown in 30 years.

Although Big Brown was approached by a number of suitors from sportswear manufacturers including Adidas, Reebok, and Pony, the undefeated 3-year-old was ultimately won over by Nike's willingness to work closely with him to create a horseshoe conforming to his strong sense of personal style as well as his physical needs. Big Brown was reportedly impressed by Nike's efforts when technicians used cameras to record his gait from multiple angles while he ran on a treadmill".

Thanks, Birgit Clark, for this delightful link to the news that Japan's Olympic men's and women's soccer squads are not expected to be allowed to sport their national emblem on their jerseys, following the tightening of Olympic trade mark display rules.The International Olympic Committee has notified the Japanese Olympic Committee that the use of the emblem, a three-footed crow, will not be allowed at this summer's Games.The IOC apparently allows only manufacturers' labels and national flags.


There's not much time left for anyone planning to enter the IPKat's Name the Bear competition. Details here.