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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jun 19, 2014
June 19, 2014
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Top talkables of the day:
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office yesterday stripped the NFL's Washington Redskins of six federal trademarks of the team's name because it was found to be "disparaging" to Native Americans. In a statement released after its 2-to-1 decision, the Patent Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board said, "We decide, based on the evidence properly before us, that these registrations must be cancelled because they were disparaging to Native Americans at the respective times they were registered."
Quotable: "It's the same thing that happened to the Washington Senators."
--"Only in America can we starve a people, steal their land, and make it up to them by changing a halftime show." (both from Stevens & Grdnic's "Daily Comedy Exclusive")Reaction:
Team officials essentially brushed-off the ruling yesterday. In a statement, the Redskins' trademark attorney BOB RASKOPF said, "We've seen this story before. And just like last time, today's ruling will have no effect at all on the team's ownership of and right to use the Redskins name and logo... We are confident we will prevail once again, and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's divided ruling will be overturned on appeal." Raskopf was referring to a similar ruling back in 2003 that was eventually overturned in court.
So what happens now? Not much. The team still keeps its name and can still market its merchandise. However, other entities can --at least for the time being-- get away with producing items with Redskins logos without the threat of legal action from the team. (Pacelli)Of course, as soon as the Patent Office issued its ruling, there were dozens of suggestions for new names for the team:
--Washington Illegal Aliens
--Washington Indigenous Peoples Or Whatever the Crap They Want to be Called Now
--Washington Gridlock (all from Sports Pickle)
--Washington Jepziwok (Chippewa for 'great athletes' --NFL.com)
--Washington Matwesaso (A word that means 'courageous' in the native Nanticoke dialect --NFL.com)
--Washington Wohnata (Lakota Sioux for 'they are champions' --NFL.com)
--Washington Idini ("Apache for 'like thunder' --NFL.com)
--Washington Redtapes (Twitter)
--The Washington Drones (Twitter)
--Washington Weasels (Twitter)
--Washington Red Line Delays (The 'Red Line' being one of the subway routes in DC --Twitter)
--The Washington Unbearable Summers (Twitter)
--Washington Red Skin Potatoes (A loophole. They still could be called the Red Skins, but it would mean an eatable tuber, not people. The logo could be a flaming potato shaped like a football --Washington Times)Face time with the judge:
The defense team representing Boston Marathon bombing suspect DZHOKHAR TSARNAEV wants to see his trial held outside Massachusetts, claiming it's too prejudicial and that finding an unbiased jury would be unlikely. Yesterday they filed a motion officially requesting a change of venue.
The defense says their survey of communities around Massachusetts shows it'll be tough to find jurors who weren't personally impacted by the events of last April's bombings, or who know someone who was.
New England Cable News legal analyst RANDY CHAPMAN says it's not a matter of finding a place that is favorable to the defendant, it's finding a place that is fair and impartial.
But logistically, moving it to another state does pose certain problems, according to Chapman. "There are thousands of potential witnesses in this case, there are thousands of exhibits that will have to be introduced."
Nonetheless, the Washington Post reports Tsarnaev's attorneys have asked to have his trial moved to Washington, DC. (Kaye)TV Briefs:
Guess who's a "Game of Thrones" fan --QUEEN ELIZABETH!
Yesterday, the Queen announced on her royal Twitter feed (@BritishMonarchy) that she'll be visiting the set of the HBO show next week when she's in Northern Ireland for a three-day visit.
The show has a number of sets in Northern Ireland, including scenes shot at The Wall and the Eyrie.Animal Stories:
ROBERT GABBERT of Fort Carson, Colorado, deserved a true hero's welcome after he returned home from a tour in Afghanistan, but is still fighting for his furbaby. The UK's Daily Mail reports a girlfriend promised to take care of his beloved dog, "Baxter," while he was away, but turned around and sold the Shiba Inu on Craigslist! The canine is now living with a family that refuses to give him back under the guise that their children are "attached" to the animal.
There's now a campaign to convince the new owners to return Baxter, Mr. Gabbert's supporters have started a fundraising page and may even hire an attorney.
Obvious emotional phone starter: Who gets the damn dog? (Lee) -
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