Re: Aphorisms and Copyright

Bob Cumbow <cumbr[_at_]perkinscoie.com> wrote in part:
>
> On Wed, August 12, 1998, Bob Stock <bstock[_at_]ucla.edu> wrote:
> >
> > Ashleigh Brilliant comes up with pithy sayings and registers them
> > with the US Copyright Office. To find out more about Brilliant,
> > you can take a peek at his website at:
> >
> > http://ashleighbrilliant.com/
> >
> > Brilliant claims that "the copyrights have been upheld in U.S. Federal
> > Court."
>

<snip>
> ASHLEIGH BRILLIANT v. W. B. PRODUCTIONS, INC., No. CV 79-1893-WMB,
> 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9092 (C.D.Cal., October 19, 1979).
>
>
> It's a short order. Entire text follows:
>

<snip>
> IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED:
>
> 1. That the plaintiff complied with the Copyright Laws of the
> United States and obtained and is the owner of valid, subsisting and
> enforceable copyrights with regard to each of the following epigrams
> in suit:
>
> Epigram No. 1:
>
> "I MAY NOT BE TOTALLY PERFECT,
> BUT PARTS OF ME ARE EXCELLENT."
But that's the curate's egg! It appears that Mr. Brilliant has succeeded in registering a copyright in plagiarized material. "Comes up with pithy sayings" my great aunt Fanny. "Finds elsewhere" would be more accurate.

Good grief.

Amy Stoller

ghoti
<redherring[_at_]tuna.net>
<:)))>><( Received on Fri Aug 14 1998 - 15:41:10 GMT