#trademark objection 11

[rinkushaw]

How to Respond to a Trademark Objection

Securing a hallmark is a vital action for any kind of company seeking to secure its brand name identification. Nonetheless getting a trademark registration objection can be a traffic jam in this procedure. Recognizing exactly how to successfully reply to such arguments specifically when managing a ""trademark objection record "" is necessary. This overview will certainly aid you browse the complexities of resolving a trademark objection consisting of particular circumstances like a "reply to trademark objection under area 9" as well as a "respond to trademark objection under area 11."

Understanding Trademark Objections When you make an application for a trademark registration analyzes the application to guarantee it follows lawful demands. If any type of concerns are recognized, an argument is increased. These arguments can be based upon numerous premises usually identified under various areas of the Trademarks Act.

Area 9: Objections under this area are typically based upon the absence of distinctness of the hallmark, showing that the mark is not efficient in setting apart the products or solutions of one business from an additional. Area 11: This area take care of arguments based upon the capacity for the trademark to cause with existing trademark or pending applications, or if it is considered deceitful or complicated to the general public. Steps to Respond to a Trademark Objection

Examine the Trademark Objection Report The primary step in resolving a trademark objectionis to meticulously review and also recognize the trademark objection report. This file details the particular factors for the argument consisting of recommendations to pertinent areas of the legislation.

Determine the Grounds of Objection: Determine whether the argument drops under Section 9 Section 11 or one more component of the Trademarks Act. Evaluation the Cited Precedents: If the argument is based upon prior trademarks examine the pointed out trademarks to assess the credibility of the objection.

Gather Evidence and Prepare a Response When you have a clear understanding of the argument collect all required proof and also prepare an extensive action.

For Section 9 Objections:

Proof of Distinctiveness: Provide proof that your trademark has actually obtained distinctiveness via usage. This can consist of sales numbers, marketing expenditures, consumer reviews as well as marketing research. Historic Use: Document the background of your trademark's usage in business to show its acknowledgment out there. For Section 11 Objections:

Comparison with Cited Trademarks: Conduct an in-depth contrast of your trademark with the pointed out hallmarks to highlight distinctions in look audio, as well as significance. Marketplace Differentiation: Show exactly how your items or solutions vary from those related to the pointed out trademarks minimizing the probability of complication.

Draft a Reply to the Trademark Objection Your reply to the trademark objectionought to be clear, succinct as well as well-supported by proof.

Organized Format: Follow an organized layout dealing with each factor increased in the trademark objectionrecord. Lawful Arguments: Incorporate appropriate lawful point of views plus disagreements to sustain your placement. Sustaining Documents: Attach all sustaining files and also proof to enhance your reply.

Send the Reply Send your reply to the trademark objectionwithin the stated time frame. Hold-ups can cause the desertion of your application.

Display the Status After entry, on a regular basis check the condition of your application to remain educated regarding any type of more interactions or needs from the trademark workplace.

Tips for a Successful Reply to Trademark Objection Specialist Assistance: Consider speaking with a trademark attorney that has experience in managing Trademark Objection. Their knowledge can be important in crafting a solid reply. Thorough Evidence: The even more thorough as well as detailed your proof the much better your opportunities of getting rid of the objection. Clear Communication: Ensure that your reply is simple to comprehend with clear plus sensible debates. Typical Pitfalls to Avoid Incomplete Responses: Failing to deal with all factors hoisted in the argument can bring about being rejected. Absence of Evidence: Insufficient proof to sustain your cases can weaken your action. Missing out on Deadlines: Not sticking to due dates can cause the desertion of your Trademark application. Conclusion Reacting to a trademark registration objection calls for a critical technique and also a detailed understanding of the lawful premises for argument. Whether you're crafting a reply to a trademark objectionunder area 9, area 11, or resolving various other worries increased in the trademark objectionrecord complying with the detailed actions will certainly aid you properly browse the procedure. Bear in mind specialist assistance can dramatically improve your opportunities of an effective end result guaranteeing your brand name stays safeguarded together with unique in the market.

By meticulously assessing the opposition record collecting durable proof and also preparing a well-structured reply you can properly respond to any kind of arguments together with progress with your Trademark enrollment. This persistance not just protects your brand name however additionally enhances its identification as well as worth in the affordable market.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

An adversarial iMessage client for Android

Adversarial interoperability is one of the most reliable ways to protect tech users from predatory corporations: that's when a technologist reverse-engineers an existing product to reconfigure or mod it (interoperability) in ways its users like, but which its manufacturer objects to (adversarial):

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

"Adversarial interop" is a mouthful, so at EFF, we coined the term "competitive compatibility," or comcom, which is a lot easier to say and to spell.

Scratch any tech success and you'll find a comcom story. After all, when a company turns its screws on its users, it's good business to offer an aftermarket mod that loosens them again. HP's $10,000/gallon inkjet ink is like a bat-signal for third-party ink companies. When Mercedes announces that it's going to sell you access to your car's accelerator pedal as a subscription service, that's like an engraved invitation to clever independent mechanics who'll charge you a single fee to permanently unlock that "feature":

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/12/05/carmakers-push-forward-with-plans-to-make-basic-features-subscription-services-despite-widespread-backlash/

Comcom saved giant tech companies like Apple. Microsoft tried to kill the Mac by rolling out a truly cursèd version of MS Office for MacOS. Mac users (5% of the market) who tried to send Word, Excel or Powerpoint files to Windows users (95% of the market) were stymied: their files wouldn't open, or they'd go corrupt. Tech managers like me started throwing the graphic designer's Mac and replacing it with a Windows box with a big graphics card and Windows versions of Adobe's tools.

Comcom saved Apple's bacon. Apple reverse-engineered MS's flagship software suite and made a comcom version, iWork, whose Pages, Numbers and Keynote could flawlessly read and write MS's Word, Excel and Powerpoint files:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/06/adversarial-interoperability-reviving-elegant-weapon-more-civilized-age-slay

It's tempting to think of iWork as benefiting Apple users, and certainly the people who installed and used it benefited from it. But Windows users also benefited from iWork. The existence of iWork meant that Windows users could seamlessly collaborate on and share files with their Mac colleagues. IWork didn't just add a new feature to the Mac ("read and write files that originated with Windows users") – it also added a feature to Windows: "collaborate with Mac users."

Every pirate wants to be an admiral. Though comcom rescued Apple from a monopolist's sneaky attempt to drive it out of business, Apple – now a three trillion dollar company – has repeatedly attacked comcom when it was applied to Apple's products. When Apple did comcom, that was progress. When someone does comcom to Apple, that's piracy.

Apple has many tools at its disposal that Microsoft lacked in the early 2000s. Radical new interpretations of existing copyright, contract, patent and trademark law allows Apple – and other tech giants – to threaten rivals who engage in comcom with both criminal and civil penalties. That's right, you can go to prison for comcom these days. No wonder Jay Freeman calls this "felony contempt of business model":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/09/lead-me-not-into-temptation/#chamberlain

Take iMessage, Apple's end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) instant messaging tool. Apple customers can use iMessage to send each other private messages that can't be read or altered by third parties – not cops, not crooks, not even Apple. That's important, because when private messaging systems get hacked, bad things happen:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_celebrity_nude_photo_leak

But Apple has steadfastly refused to offer an iMessage app for non-Apple systems. If you're an Apple customer holding a sensitive discussion with an Android user, Apple refuses to offer you a tool to maintain your privacy. Those messages are sent "in the clear," over the 38-year-old SMS protocol, which is trivial to spy on and disrupt.

Apple sacrifices its users' security and integrity in the hopes that they will put pressure on their friends to move into Apple's walled garden. As CEO Tim Cook told a reporter: if you want to have secure communications with your mother, buy her an iPhone:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tim-cook-says-buy-mom-210347694.html

Last September, a 16-year old high school student calling himself JJTech published a technical teardown of iMessage, showing how any device could send and receive encrypted messages with iMessage users, even without an Apple ID:

https://jjtech.dev/reverse-engineering/imessage-explained/

JJTech even published code to do this, in an open source library called Pypush:

https://github.com/JJTech0130/pypush

In the weeks since, Beeper has been working to productize JJTech's code, and this week, they announced Beeper Mini, an Android-based iMessage client that is end-to-end encrypted:

https://beeper.notion.site/How-Beeper-Mini-Works-966cb11019f8444f90baa314d2f43a54

Beeper is known for a multiprotocol chat client built on Matrix, allowing you to manage several kinds of chat from a single app. These multiprotocol chats have been around forever. Indeed, iMessage started out as one – when it was called "iChat," it supported Google Talk and Jabber, another multiprotocol tool. Other tools like Pidgin have kept the flame alive for decades, and have millions of devoted users:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/07/tower-babel-how-public-interest-internet-trying-save-messaging-and-banish-big

But iMessage support has remained elusive. Last month, Nothing launched Sunchoice, a disastrous attempt to bring iMessage to Android, which used Macs in a data-center to intercept and forward messages to Android users, breaking E2EE and introducing massive surveillance risks:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/21/23970740/sunbird-imessage-app-shut-down-privacy-nothing-chats-phone-2

Beeper Mini does not have these defects. The system encrypts and decrypts messages on the Android device itself, and directly communicates with Apple's servers. It gathers some telemetry for debugging, and this can be turned off in preferences. It sends a single SMS to Apple's servers during setup, which changes your device's bubble from green to blue, so that Apple users now correctly see your device as a secure endpoint for iMessage communications.

Beeper Mini is now available in Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beeper.ima&hl=en_US

Now, this is a high-stakes business. Apple has a long history of threatening companies like Beeper over conduct like this. And Google has a long history deferring to those threats – as it did with OG App, a superior third-party Instagram app that it summarily yanked after Meta complained:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/05/battery-vampire/#drained

But while iMessage for Android is good for Android users, it's also very good for Apple customers, who can now get the privacy and security guarantees of iMessage for all their contacts, not just the ones who bought the same kind of phone as they did. The stakes for communications breaches have never been higher, and antitrust scrutiny on Big Tech companies has never been so intense.

Apple recently announced that it would add RCS support to iOS devices (RCS is a secure successor to SMS):

https://9to5mac.com/2023/11/16/apple-rcs-coming-to-iphone/

Early word from developers suggests that this support will have all kinds of boobytraps. That's par for the course with Apple, who love to announce splashy reversals of their worst policies – like their opposition to right to repair – while finding sneaky ways to go on abusing its customers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

The ball is in Apple's court, and, to a lesser extent, in Google's. As part of the mobile duopoly, Google has joined with Apple in facilitating the removal of comcom tools from its app store. But Google has also spent millions on an ad campaign shaming Apple for exposing its users to privacy risks when talking to Android users:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883609/google-rcs-message-apple-iphone-ipager-ad

While we all wait for the other shoe to drop, Android users can get set up on Beeper Mini, and technologists can kick the tires on its code libraries and privacy guarantees.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/07/blue-bubbles-for-all/#never-underestimate-the-determination-of-a-kid-who-is-time-rich-and-cash-poor

[ultram0th]

31 Days of Derek Hale

Day 19: Action Figure

Info │ 01 │ 02 │ 03 │ 04 │ 05 │ 06 │ 07 │ 08 │ 09 │ 10 │ 11 │ 12 │ 13 │ 14 │ 15 │ 16 │ 17 │ 18 │ 19

Derek rubbed his temples in irritation as he wandered through the numerous aisles of the toy store. Aisle after aisle, row after row, brightly colored advertisements and countless useless objects with stupidly high price tags made his headache even worse.

Derek had come to the toy store to find a gift for his boyfriend, Stiles… who he had to point out was a legal adult. Stiles was just a total kid at heart and loved to collect tons of franchise memorabilia, which was something that Derek loved about him. And after falling for the whole “Oh, you don’t have to get me anything” trap last year and having to deal with the fallout, Derek was determined to get Stiles the perfect gift this year.

“Damn it,” Derek growled at the memory of Stiles giving him the silent treatment after his non-gift last year, quickening his pace as he stomped through the aisles in search of something great.

Unfortunately, Derek was having no luck.

“Fuckin’ finally,” he repeated under his breath as he entered an aisle chock full of superhero action figures. 

Derek hurried down the aisle, his eyes scanning the rows of plastic men all over. Each one of them was brightly colored in blaring blues and radiant reds, their over exaggerated muscles looking extremely round and out of the realm of anything humanely possible. Derek’s trademark frown deepened as he searched all over the aisles for the perfect one.

No ordinary superhero would do, especially since Stiles already owned so many. Derek shuddered at the thought of accidentally buying his boyfriend one that he already owned, just to get the side eye and accused of not paying attention.

“Damn it,” the werewolf repeated, annoyed. He frantically began to search the aisle, picking up toy after toy and holding it close to his face studiously. Sure, they were all painted colors and had a variety of “[Insert Random Item]-Man” across the box in bright, blocky letters. However, Derek couldn’t seem to remember which ones Stiles already owned.

In his panic, the werewolf grabbed a white box that contained a blank action figure in it: no facial features or costume painted on at all.

The second his fingers grazed the mysterious box, Derek winced at the odd spark that traveled throughout his body, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. 

“What the hell was that?” he muttered as he brought his hand up to his face to examine his still tingling fingers.

Derek’s eyes widened as he witnessed his fingers taking on a shiny quality. He scrunched up his face in confusion as his fingers gleamed more underneath the bright fluorescents of the toy store. His heart raced in his chest as they stiffened, becoming immovable as his hand apparently turned into plastic.

“Wh-what?!” Derek panicked as the strange transformation traveled down his arms. Weirder was that the werewolf swore that his muscles plumped up, becoming larger and much more exaggerated before they hardened into the same plastic quality as his hands. His signature black leather jacket vacuumed to his torso as his pecs widened and pushed outwards, becoming skintight. It then started to brighten as it went from slate black to royal blue. His jeans underwent the same changes, suctioning to his buffer legs as they brightened into a cartoonish blue that looked more apt on a superhero, not a regular guy wandering around the mall. Derek winced as his bulge seemingly shrank as it was pressed tightly against him. Derek painstakingly move an almost inflexible arm and patted at his groin, groaning as it felt flat and unremarkable like a Ken doll.

The tingling sensation spread up to Derek’s head, and the altered stud couldn’t help but try to reach up with his plastic limbs. His hair had hardened into a large plastic mold, becoming a lump of black plastic in the shape of his usual hair style. His face felt smooth and unblemished, and he couldn’t help but press both of his hands on either side of his head and give it a little squeeze.  Derek couldn’t hold back his gasp as his head squished and then popped back into shape, illustrating that it made completely out of rubber now.

The werewolf tried to run off, to seek help, but he was stopped by his massively hindered movement. Like most action figures, his limbs were stiff and rigid, their over muscled selves only posable at the main joints.

“Well, well,” hummed an irritatingly familiar voice, “that’s a nice look there, Derek.”

Derek struggled to turn around, his virtually immobile body and larger muscles making movement extremely tedious. He fought back a growl when he saw none other than Theo, the bratty chimera who didn’t hide his crush on Stiles.

The mischievous smirk on Theo’s annoying face was enough to clue Derek into the fact that he was somehow behind whatever was happening to him.

“What did you do to me?” Derek demanded, trying to threateningly stalk forward, but his posable joints made his movements awkward.

Theo shrugged his shoulders. “I was lookin’ for a birthday gift for Stiles,” he snorted, “and I know that he likes action figures, and for some reason he also likes you, so…” He gestured forward at Derek’s new plastic body. “And you’re just about done.” 

Theo snapped his fingers.

Derek felt as if his sense of gravity was thrown as he wobbled on his stiff legs. The shelves in the aisle seemed to grow taller and much larger. However, it quickly dawned on Derek that the store wasn’t growing— he was shrinking.

The werewolf was helpless to do anything besides get smaller and smaller, as his movements became harder and harder to create. Derek’s scowl softened and instead he held a stoic expression as his face hardened. Eventually, the former alpha werewolf had been turned into  ten inch tall super hero action figure, complete with big muscles.

“Perfect!” Theo laughed as he easily picked up the toy Derek, snatching the blank box in his free hand.

Derek inwardly screamed, but was helpless as Theo positioned his plastic arms in a manner that looked like he had his hands on his hips in a heroic pose. He was shoved into the box, and from his frozen position, Derek could barely make out the outside of his prison chasing colors to become bright and alluring. Unbeknownst to him, the outside of the box now read: Superwolf: the World’s Most Muscular and Cranky Superhero!

“Stiles is gonna love my gift,” Theo laughed as he walked action figure Derek over to the cashier.

The whole time Derek screamed at being turned into a toy, and he just hoped that Stiles would figure out a way to help him out… and another part of him hoped that Stiles would like his large superhero muscles.

[cityof2morrow]

Bella Brand: Bella's Beauties 005 - Signature Collection

Published: 11-7-2023 | Updated: 11-20-2023 SUMMARY “Inspired by the wealth of Bella Goth lore from the Sims/SimCity franchises (aka the “simsverse”), the Bella Brand Series includes more than a dozen sets and 230+ new business-themed items. Lore suggests that the wealth/influence of the Gilman, Crumplebottom, Bachelor, and Goth families increases considerably under Mortimer and Bella Goth, especially the latter. So, this series imagines what a prestigious Bella-based brand might look like…” For the Bella brand’s most loyal customers - a special edition hosiery/display rack and several recolors of the functional hosiery from the Bella’s Secret Remix set (Simmons, 2023).

DETAILS Requires ALL EPs/SPs. You need Mesh Set 001 (Simmons, 2023) and the Display Counter (BellasSecret_Counter_Somedaythesun)from the TS2 Maxis Match Lingerie Store Set (SomedayTheSun, 2023). This set includes a hosiery rack linked to Marble Display 001 from Bella’s Beauties 003 (Simmons, 2023) and recolors of the hosiery apparel items from the Bella’s Secret Remix set (Simmons, 2023) – all of these items are required for all textures to display in-game. Optional recolors of items from the Bella Brand Gift Set 001 (Simmons, 2023) are included as well. The counter uses recolors from the Bosenklavier Model B grand piano (Bon Voyage EP). Find recolors for the counter interior in the Bella Brand: Retail Floor Set (Simmons, 2023). Recolors may include swatches for items in other Bella Brand sets such as signs, packages, cosmetics, etc. Objects in Sims 2 are limited to two recolorable parts, so not all items are recolorable in the same way. Find additional recolors for Bella Brand sets on this site under #ts2recolors, #co2recolors, and #co2bellabrand.

ITEMS Bella Brand Legs & Heels Mannequin (1735 poly, HIGH) Bella Brand Signature Hosiery Rack (788 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

*A known game bug may disable some shelf slots. If you cannot access more than 2 slots on the hosiery/lingerie racks (the ones with 4 or 6 bars), download ONE these fixes: MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves (Numenor, 2006) MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves+LOCKEDTILES (Numenor, 2006) Object Freedom 1.02 (Fway, 2023)

Functional Apparel Objects Apparel objects are debug items and show up as “clothing pile” in the catalog (Misc > Dressers). They must be placed on one of the DEBUG displays/shelves or they’ll float. Once purchased, take them out of the sim’s inventory and choose from one of the following: Purchase Clothing. Select an outfit (or several) of any type. Each apparel object is worth §100 towards the TOTAL cost. Sims save more money (and your businesses make more money) if they use one apparel object per new outfit. Sell. Recycle the object for §100 simoleons.  If you exit the Buy Clothing window without adding anything to your shopping cart, §100 will be added to the sim’s household funds instead. Apparel objects are worth §100 regardless of how much sims pay for them on OFB/community lots. Pricing an item below this amount can function like a discount sale (i.e., pay $75 in-store and §100 towards the purchase or a 25% “discount/rebate.” You can decide whether this counts as cheating). Pricing it above this amount is not recommended since sims will end up losing extra money. Debug objects have slots which “catch” fellow clones if you place them too close. To prevent this when trying to clutter them close together, turn “snap objects to grid” OFF and “move objects” OFF.

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. CCA = Creative Commons Attribution. Thanks: @catherinetcjd, @gayars, @gummilutt, @haziewhims, @kashmiresims (Rach’), @somedaythesun, whoward, Easy Shine Removal Kit (PF Forest, 2023), Reducing GUIDs/OBJs Tutorial (HugeLunatic, 2022), Sketchfab and Blender Communities. Sources: SEE CREDITS (ALT).

[mydaddywiki]

Bob Knight

Physique: Stocky Build Height: 6’ 5" (1.96 m)

Robert Montgomery Knight (October 25, 1940 – November 1, 2023) was an American men's college basketball coach. Nicknamed "the General", Knight won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement, and currently fifth all-time. Knight was best known as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers from 1971 to 2000. He also coached the Texas Tech Red Raiders (2001–2008) and Army Black Knights (1965–1971). While at Indiana, Knight led his teams to three NCAA championships, one National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship, and 11 Big Ten Conference championships.

A tall, handsome silver daddy known as much for his tirades against players, referees and reporters as for his coaching brilliance. His trademark temper also cost him his job at Indiana in 2000. He once hit a police officer in Puerto Rico, threw a chair across the court and was accused of wrapping his hands around a player’s neck. But Knight remained "the object of near fanatical devotion" from many of his former players and Indiana fans.

Twice married with two sons from the first, I bet the sex with him would have been awesome. Profane filled angry sex. I mean look at him, you rarely see a smile on him. Just a bitter old man type. But I bet when it’s all done, I’d get a smile out of him. Knight, the brilliant and combustible Hall of Fame coach who won three NCAA titles at Indiana and for years was the scowling face of college basketball, died on November 1, 2023, at the age of 83.

Head Coaching Record Overall 902–371 (.709)

Accomplishments and Honors Championships As player: NCAA champion (1960) As head coach: 3× NCAA Division I champion (1976, 1981, 1987), 5× Final Four (1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992), 11× Big Ten regular season (1973–1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993), CCAT (1974), NIT (1979)

Awards: 2× Henry Iba Award (1975, 1989), Naismith College Coach of the Year (1987), 3× AP Coach of the Year (1975, 1976, 1989), Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award (2002), 5× Big Ten Coach of the Year (1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1989), Naismith Award for Men's Outstanding Contribution to Basketball (2007)

Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1991

College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006

[beeseverywhen]

Another week, another phantom menace for Rishi Sunak. The people he is talking about, regarding his benefit reforms, do not exist. The 1.35 million people who could work but just don’t want to, who have a label of depression or anxiety but are just a little bit sad, who could have their benefits replaced by vouchers and find that incentivising: these people do not exist.

People are not signed off work because we are all a little bit more comfortable talking about our moods. People are not on disability benefits because Prince Harry did a podcast. We don’t have a “sicknote culture” because it’s too easy to get a sicknote. The pressure on GPs will not be lifted by parcelling out sicknotes to private contractors. Those with depression and anxiety severe enough to claim a personal independence payment (Pip) are catastrophically unwell. If numbers have surged over the past 14 years, which they have, it is because Conservative governments make you catastrophically unwell.

Pushback on this new narrative of cruelty has so far been pathetic: at the most, you might hear a minister challenged on the scarcity of NHS mental health provision. All that is true: child and adolescent mental health services in particular are now so poor as to be almost nonexistent. There are areas of the country where a child can wait so long for help that by the time it arrives, four years later, they are no longer a child. In a grim, idiotic irony that is the trademark of a government that marries callousness to incompetence, the more severe your illness, the more labyrinthine and inaccessible the treatment: hospital trusts might meet the referral targets for psychotic episodes, but most then fail to meet the standard for providing treatment. Waiting times for severe mental illness besides psychosis aren’t recorded and people describe it as endless limbo.

But the problem starts further up the pipeline: our mental health is worse because our general health is worse. “Britain is objectively sicker than it was a decade ago,” the epidemiologist Michael Marmot wrote in January. Poverty is driving down life expectancy and driving up infant mortality – and, along the way, it’s destroying people’s sanity. Being chronically hungry – as the UN rapporteur noted in November, with some horror, that many people are in Britain – harms your state of mind, as does not being able to feed your children.

Debt, precarious housing, low wages, punitive benefit sanctions – any one of these factors might reasonably cause a person to fear for their existence. Successive Conservative governments have driven a large number of people to despair and now they want to engage us in a conversation about snowflakes. We shouldn’t dignify it.

If the premise is built on an untruth, it is not surprising that no single point is true, either. Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, is calling these ideas the “biggest welfare reforms in a generation”, but 14 years is much less than a generation and, in this time, welfare has been reformed significantly. Universal credit, introduced 11 years ago, was never benchmarked to a meaningful assessment of need, with the result that 90% of households claiming it, as of last summer, are unable to afford the essentials.

If that was the intention – to move low-income families on to the breadline – that is hands down the most successful reform the Tories have enacted. Pip, the benefit these reforms are coming for, was itself a reform of the disability living allowance. It is known for assessment criteria so harsh and nonsensical that, if anxiety isn’t one of your symptoms at the start of it, it generally is by the end.

The whole wheeze is underpinned by the fact that Sunak doesn’t have time to make meaningful changes to anything. Maybe he thinks he is laying a trap for Labour. Maybe he thinks the injection of fresh cruelty will boost his support in the local elections. If there is anything more disgusting than the sight of a half-billionaire rolling up his sleeves for a “benefits crackdown” in the middle of a cost of living crisis, the realities of which he wouldn’t be able to imagine even if it occurred to him to try, I can’t think of it.

[neurowinter]

11 Songs I Liked in No Particular Order (2023)

Dang. Humans are so good at making music. Here some tracks I enjoyed this year with some thoughts - some long, some short - on why I liked them. All song titles are linked to a YouTube video if you want to give them a listen.

Caroline Polachek - Welcome to My Island

Bouncing between the staccato verse and the swelling anthemic chorus, Polachek gives it her all for yearning. And, let me tell you, I am a yearning romantic. Lacan and myth blends into the sensual. Is she Calypso? Circe? Ariadne? All we know is that she wants, in all the meanings of that word, reveling in it.

Screaming Females - Beyond the Void

Rest in peace, Screaming Females. A fantastic, consistent rock band ending their run on a fantastic album. This song has an incredible key change into the chorus with Paternoster's trademark vibrato crooning a danceable rock waltz. Wherever this trio ends up next, I wish them all the best.

Björk ft. Rosalía - Oral

Damn if this is what's in Björk's vault, imagine what else she has. Recorded in the interim between Homogenic and Vespertine, it recalls her earlier pop-forward output. No one years quite like Björk, and she is going through it in this song. Imagining the object of her limerence in her mind, desperately wanting to show physical affection, but unsure if it's right. *chef's kiss* The addition of Rosalia's complimentary voice turns into a dialogue between two voices of the narrator's mind. And all the proceeds are going to stopping factory farm fishing!

ANOHNI and the Johnsons - Sliver of Ice

As someone with depression, I think about death a lot. Anohni recalls a conversation with Lou Reed as he was dying about how a caretaker placing a sliver of ice on his tongue was a moment of clarifying, sweet beauty. Here that narrative once becomes a sad but accepting paen of someone's final moments. All the gorgeous kindness of life focused on a melting ice chip.

Sufjan Stevens - Goodbye Evergreen

Speaking of death. Sufjan's latest album is dedicated to his late partner opens up with an incredible outpouring of everything in his heart. All of Sufjan's artistic forte comes through on this opening track. He finds anger, strength, sorrow, solace, and joy all at once and lays it bare here in noisy, melodious wail.

Yves Tumor - God is a Circle

This rocks AND rolls. Industrial, grungy, post-punk art rock balm for my ears.

Grrrl Gang - Spunky!

Indonesia is doing/has done Britpop better than any. Energetic, fuzzy, vibrating hooks dance all over this song.

Atarashii Gakko! - Tokyo Calling

Thumping bass and volcanic singing with anger at the current state of society. This is a desperate time, the group notes, of malaise, of being trapped and crushed by the systems built so long ago. But yet there is hope in the future, one that starts now as they declare, shouting and grabbing at their destiny: We are marching!

Romy & Fred again... - Strong

An honest-to-god trance bop in 2023 on a banger of a trance/house album. Like much of her work, Romy adds tenderhearted moments into the texture of the song. Small, quiet moments of two lovers punctuate the song between the thumping melodies, like the knowing glance or the smile.

DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ - Honey

Speaking of throwbacks: pseudonymous producer Sabrina output has been staggering. Their album is like a house party, ebbing and flowing through the night. This track stands at the climax as the emblem of their plunderphonics work. It's a golden-hour hued house track suffused with late-summer afternoons.

Kelela - Washed Away

I'm upset that I got to her album, Raven, so late this year, but - oh man - is it something special. Her powerful voice crests and swoons over this ethereal track. The sparse vocals speak of renewal, an ablution with the earth itself, on moving forward.

If you found this, read it, skimmed it, or skipped it, I hope the rest of your year goes by peacefully, restfully.

[summer-solo-day]

92/?? Childhood TV Shows You Should Watch

Title: Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels

Seasons: 3

Episodes: 20

Run Time: 22 Mins (11 Mins per segment)

Original Air Date: September 10, 1977 - June 21, 1980

Synopsis:

The series follows the mystery-solving adventures of the Teen Angels and their friend Captain Caveman, a prehistoric caveman and superhero whom the girls discovered and thawed from a block of ice. The concept and general plot of the show were seen as a parody of Charlie's Angels. The show also borrowed heavily from Scooby-Doo, another Hanna-Barbera show.

Captain Caveman's powers include super-strength, a variety of useful objects hidden inside his hair, and a club that allows him to fly and from which pop out different tools he uses to fight crime. His trademark is his battle cry of "Captain CAAAAAVEMAAAAAAANNNN!"

My Rating: 9/10

My Reasoning: I really loved this show when I was a kid. I still love it. It does have a lot of similarities to other Hanna Barbera shows, but that's usually a given with them lol. I find the characters likable and entertaining. I have mentioned numerous times that I enjoy the whole solving mysteries concept, especially with the way Hanna Barbera does it. I must admit some of the "gags" get a bit annoying like Captain Caveman yelling his name. Other than that, I don't really have anything bad to say about it.

[emilee-has-legs]

that one really cool sim tag thats been going around.

wasn't tagged by anyone in particular, but @loafysims and @ravensccfindss both mentioned me in this tag recently so i thought i'd give it a shot. also my need for attention is a bottomless pit so.

1.) What’s your favourite sims death?

honestly, the classic, putting a sim in a pool and then taking out the ladder. theres no common sense to the action it's just genuinely so funny.

2.) Alpha CC or Maxis Match? 

technically im maxis mix, but i tend to lean very hard to maxis match clothing.

3.) Do you cheat when your sims gain weight?

no not really. if i want them to loose weight i'll have them work out

4.) Do you use move objects?

if you dont use moveobjects, i think legally we can consider you clinically insane.

5.) Favorite mod?

this is so hard... ummmmm, probably like better build buy. i spend a good amount of time in build mode and use debug/live edit objects a ton when i build, so it's pretty useful.

6.) First expansion/game/stuff pack you got?

i think it was get to work, i even bought it in a physical case thingy and i still have it lying around somewhere. (as well as seasons.)

7.) Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing?

LIVE mode.

8.) Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

you're asking me to pick a favorite? out of all my children?? i honestly can't pick a favorite, but here's layla, and i love her.

9.) Have you made a simself?

yeah, i've tried on multiple occasions, but none of them have ever really captured my essence all that well. eventually i gave up and just started using my mascot sim, Nellie, for my quote-on-quote "branding"

10.) What sim traits do you give yourself?

im gonna go ahead and give myself five traits assuming we all have the "more traits in cas" mod:

creative, goofball, loves-outdoors, squeamish, foodie.

11.) Which is your favorite EA hair color?

the darkest brown swatch is my go-to.

12.) Favorite EA hair?

ima be so real rn i dont use EA hairs at all.

13.) Favorite life stage?

young adult. might be biased because that's around my age-frame

14.) Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

builder. i have the most fun in either buildmode or cas.

15.) Are you a CC creator?

not offically, but i've converted defaults and skin details for personal use before, and i've even released some load screens.

16.) Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad?

yeah baby, check these amazing people out.

@loafysims

@inspiredsimmercc

@pikaburr

@rhdweauni0

@dizzyscabiosa

@ravensccfindss

@gabrielle-kl

@nihilismtrcit

17.) What’s your favorite game?

i cant decide, it's between the sims, halo 3, minecraft, stardew valley, and splatoon. i want to play zelda: tears of the kingdom as well, but its just not in the budget rn sadly.

18.) Do you have any sims merch?

no.

19.) Do you have a YouTube for sims?

yeah actually, if you can ignore my 13 y.o sounding voice, check me out

20.) How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing?

omg so much. here are some side by side comparisons of my different eras/progression.

(its the way the first sim looks like she could be a trademarked lego piece that gets me)

21.) What’s your Origin ID?

pretty sure its just emilee-has-legs. i have a couple of builds on the gallery if you wanna check me out, i just never posted them on here because that was before my simblr era.

22.) Who’s your favorite CC creator?

dogsill, softerhaze, greenlamas, ceeproductions, sentate, serenity and simstrouble take the cake for me

23.) How long have you had a simbIr?

i've had my blog for a minute but i only became an active simblr like a couple months ago.

24.) How do you edit your pictures?

i dont really edit except for a few touchups in picsart, and also srwe.

26.) What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next?

probably get together, never got around to purchasing that pack and there's a couple things i want from the ep.

tagging: anyone who wants to have some fun. it was nice to chill on call with friends and fill this out. cya besties ily.

[zebee-nyx]

CalmWriMo Day 26

[11/26/2023]

Update!

Took a bit of a break today. ('^.^) Needed some time to just have a calm day to not worry about anything. For this next week I think I'll be trying to juggle a few things. Want to edit the prologue now that I've had some time to get a fresh brain about it. Also have something that I'd like to make a regular thing just to keep momentum and writing practice going. Will hopefully have that going for next week. Also also doing another thing. (00( But that'll prob take longer to sort out, so we'll see that whenever it's ready.

Progress:

2 Hour Writing Goal: ❌

Blurb: [see below]

Self Care:

Food: ✅

Hydration: ✅

Sleep: ✅

Reading: ✅

Blurb: Neocago Gangs

The Association:

The Association is a collection of crime families across the Undercity and Midcity. They operate under the principle that if they at least stay out of each other's way they'll all benefit. For the most part that's all they do; stay out of each other's way. They are made up of different branches with their own agreed upon territories. Occasionally the heads of the families will convene to make arrangements on how to deal with outside forces or how to best cooperate for certain operations.

Meta Brotherhood:

The Meta Brotherhood was founded by metas who were discarded by the corporations. While they originally banded together simply to survive they eventually grew resentful of how they were neglected. Since then they have slipped into a meta supremist movement under an ambitious leader. While they do provide protection to meta communities, they also go out of their way to harass anyone who isn't a meta within their areas of influence.

Bluebloods:

The Bluebloods are an Undercity gang that takes their cyberware to the extreme. They got their name from a common synthetic blood aug that helps boost certain cyberware, however turns their blood a distinctive grayish-blue color. Members of this gang get their status in the hierarchy based on how many cyberware augs they can handle. They often push their cybercomputers well past their rated capacity, which has some adverse effects on their mental stability and behavior.

Tattered Hat Club:

To the upper class of Neocago the Tattered Hat Club is an exclusive Uppercity stoner club who simply get there kicks in 'creative ways' while sometimes touring other parts of the city. To literally everyone else they are a near untouchable nuisance who leverage their excessive wealth to make games of other people's lives for their own amusement. They are recognizable by their expensive over-personalized hats that have become their trademark.

Chemical Phoenix:

Chemical Phoenix is less of a solid group and more of a loosely tied together network of hackers. On occasion they will band together to take on common enemies or objectives, but usually stick to solo work. The hackers in this group more just use the platform to connect to gigs and occasionally connect to each other in the dream-net. Chemical Phoenix established the shared hacker culture that most hackers in Neocago abide by.

[Not an exhaustive list, but these are the main ones that will pop up from time to time. Anyways and always, hope you had a lovely day, peace (^.^)v]

[martian-martian-martian]

NEW CHALLENGE FOR GEN-Z/ZOOMERS/ZILLENIALS:

(looking at YOU disillusioned gen-z queers)

reblog and/or tag with trends from the current era you actually participate in and will be able to explain to future generations.

I don’t mean ‘I have an iPhone’ I mean stuff like mullets in the 80s. (Not a wolf cut, that’s slightly different.

Say something that is very 2010s or 2020s that you actually participate in.

I’ll go first:

I was born circa 9/11 and I have a slit in my eyebrow, and I wear earrings that are just miniature objects. I wear converse and sweatpants, I sometimes drink boba tea, and I play ukulele.

If it seems basic 2020s behavior, you’re doing the trend correctly.

If you name anything that is a trademark of a PREVIOUS ERA, like doc martens or flare pants, you are OUT.

[ictlsg23]

SESSION 11. LAW ON INTERNET INTERMEDIARIES

PART 1 - INTERNET INTERMEDIARY SAFE HARBOUR

Internet Intermediary Liability: Safe harbour laws provides a measure of protection for Internet intermediaries from liability. The general rationale is that these intermediaries provides a socio-economic benefit and they need these protections in order to function effectively. However, because the definition and coverage of “Internet Intermediary” is potentially very wide, the categorisation of different types of intermediaries will provide greater certainty and clarity as to what types of intermediary gets what form and measure of protection. They are normally determined by their profile (objectives/control based on role/function) with pre-requisites and extent of protection (civil/criminal) set into the relevant legislation. There are different models of general safe harbour protection for intermediaries in different countries/regions. What are the justifications and policy reasons for such protections? What improvements can and should be made to the current regime?

Singapore Law on Internet Intermediaries: What is the scope/breadth of coverage of “network service providers” under section 26 of the Singapore ETA? Does it only cover access service providers or does it’s protection extend to content hosts/providers? How does it relate to the rights and liability of the Internet intermediary under the Copyright regime and the Internet Content Regulation regime? What is the relationship between the Data Intermediary under the Data Protection regime on the one hand and type of intermediary covered by section 26 of the ETA on the other? Other notable exceptions in other statutes and in common law (e.g. defences to an action on defamation) will also be considered.

Internet Intermediaries and Criminal/Civil Liability: What is the level/depth of protection offered by section 26 of the ETA? In this context, consider the rationale and extent of the statutory exceptions under subsection (2). What are the conditions for such protection and what are the factors that our courts are likely to consider when determining whether an intermediary is liable (under criminal or civil law) for “third party material”? What is the meaning of “merely provides access” and the lack of “effective control” over the said “third party”.

Comparison of the EU-Wide Approach and the US Approach: A general comparison will be made on the approaches in the EU and the US in relation to intermediaries in the context of trademark infringement through keyword advertising. The focus will be on the scope and application of the safe harbour protection and not on trademark law. This example is used because of the line of ECJ trademark infringement cases on the legality of keyword advertising and the allocation of responsibility between the intermediary (search engines or online auction/retail operator) and the advertiser/business.

Statutes: (relevant provisions will be highlighted in class)

Section 26 of the Electronic Transactions Act

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act

Section 4 of the EU E-Commerce Directive

Cases: (inapplicable to COR2226, general principles will be explained to you in class)

Joined Cases C-236/08 to C-238/08 Google France and Google Inc. et al. v Louis Vuitton Malletier et al. (2010)(only in relation to the extent of intermediary safe harbour protection)

PART 2 - LIABILITY FOR ‘PUBLICATION’ IN DEFAMATION LAW (NOT APPLICABLE TO COR2226)

Defamation Laws: The law on defamation pre-dates the age of new media and the objectives were set in defined limits, both jurisdictional and societal. The tort of defamation is less consistently applied across jurisdictions, given the potential conflict with the freedom of speech and expression as well as journalistic interests. The extra-territorial reach and ease of dissemination through the electronic medium, and the rise of blogs, social media, citizen journalism and other platforms which allow individual and groups of people to share their views and opinions that can relate to the character and reputation of another gives rise to new issues that the old rules on defamation do not easily address. Courts, and the legislature in certain jurisdictions, have had to provide some guidance and answers, taking into consideration the original purpose of the law and the new context and age in which it now operates.

New Media, New Context: Publications now can take the form of websites such as blogs, electronic mail and other forms of communication, social media such as twitter and Facebook and so on. From these, new practices and forms of sharing have emerged. These can also take the form of text and pictures, and video and audio messages. We are now familiar with terms and phrases like “Internet trolling”, the “viral” process of Internet sharing, “cyber-vigilantism”, and the use of “hyperlinking”; all of which bring forth new problems and issues for the application of the law on defamation. Consider the new media and new context, where relevant, when answering the below questions.

What is “publication” in the context of social media platforms?

What is “publication” in relation to a conduit or intermediary such as a search engine?

Do/Should defamation law allow non-legal entities to be both the defamer and the defamed, in relation to private and public entities?

Should a distinction be made for some intermediaries such as by way of specific exceptions or defences?

Cases: (inapplicable to COR2226)

Qingbao Bohai v Goh Teck Beng [2016] SGHC 142

Golden Season Pte Ltd and others v Kairos Singapore Holdings Pte Ltd and another [2015] 2 SLR 751; [2015] SGHC 38

Zhu Yong Zhen v AIA Singapore Private Limited [2013] SGHC 37

Ng Koo Kay Benedict and another v Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd [2010] SLR 860; [2010] SGHC 47

McGrath v Dawkins, Amazon and others [2012] EWHC B3 (QB) (issue of publication, parties)

Godfrey v Demon Internet Service [2001] QB 201 (issue of publication, parties)

Statutes: (for reference in class only)

Defamation Act

References: (optional)

Gary Chan, Reputation and Defamatory Meaning on the Internet: Communications, Contexts and Communities (2015) 27 SAcLJ 694

Gary Chan, Defamation Via Hyperlinks: More Than Meets The Eye (2012) Law Quarterly Review

[kanakkupillai-trademark]

Trademark Objection: Legal Tips for Resolution

Receiving a trademark objection notice can be concerning, but it’s a standard part of the trademark registration process in India. The objection notice is issued by the trademark examiner if there are concerns about your trademark application. Here's a simple guide on how to respond to it.

1. Understand the Objection Notice

The first step is to read the objection notice issued by the Trademark Registry carefully. The notice will specify why the trademark has been objected to. The objections are usually based on:

Section 9: The trademark lacks distinctiveness or is descriptive.

Section 11: The trademark is identical or similar to an existing registered trademark.

2. Consult a Trademark Attorney

If you need help with how to respond, it's advisable to consult a trademark attorney. An expert can help you understand the reasons behind the objection and guide you in preparing a response.

3. Prepare a Response to the Objection

Your response should include:

Counterarguments: Provide reasons why your trademark is distinct and doesn’t conflict with existing trademarks.

Supporting Documents: Include any evidence (such as sales invoices, advertisements, etc.) that proves the uniqueness or long-standing use of your trademark.

Legal Precedents: Reference any legal cases or judgments that support your claim.

4. Submit the Response Online

You must file your response within 30 days of receiving the objection notice. You can do this online through the Trademark Registry portal.

5. Attend the Hearing (if required)

If the Registrar is not satisfied with your written response, you may be required to attend a hearing. In this case, you or your attorney will need to present your case in person.

6. Wait for the Final Decision

After submitting your response and attending any required hearings, the Registrar will review your case and issue a decision. If your response is accepted, the trademark will proceed to publication in the Trademark Journal. If rejected, you may appeal the decision to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB).

Key Tips:

Act quickly: Respond within the given deadline to avoid delays or rejection.

Be thorough: Ensure your response addresses all points raised in the objection.

Seek professional help: An experienced trademark attorney can significantly increase your chances of success.

By following these steps, you can effectively handle a trademark objection and move closer to getting your trademark registered.

[cityof2morrow]

Bella Brand: Collection File + OFB Shelf Fix (Optional)

Published: 11-20-2023 | Updated: 5-19-2024 SUMMARY: Bella Brand Collection File Here is a collection file for all 230+ objects (thus far) in the Bella brand Series (Simmons, 2023). Objects from each set are grouped together. DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | MEGA

SUMMARY: OFB Shelving Fixes (as needed/recommended - CHOOSE ONE) *A known game bug may disable some OFB shelf slots. Not all players experience this bug in the same way, but if you do – there is a long-standing fix for it. If you cannot access more than 2 slots on hosiery/lingerie racks (the ones with 4 or 6 bars – see below), or another OFB shelf, download ONE of these fixes: MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves (Numenor, 2006) MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves+LOCKEDTILES (Numenor, 2006) Object Freedom 1.02 (Fway, 2023)

PICTURED (left to right): (1) Bella’s Secret Hosiery Rack (LINK; 360 poly), (2) Bella Brand Display Rack 001 (LINK; 384 poly), (3) Bella Brand Display Rack 002 (LINK; 256 poly), (4) Bella Brand Signature Hosiery Rack (LINK; 788 poly)

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. CCA = Creative Commons Attribution. Thanks: @chocolatecitysim, @kashmiresims (Rach’) for discovering/testing re: the OFB shelving bug, Sketchfab and Blender Communities. Sources: SEE CREDITS (ALT).