Walt Disney is like a modern-day folkhero here in America. But I wonder how that would change if more people knew that he “stole” Steamboat Willie from Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill.” And just to make sure nobody does to Mickey Mouse what he did to Buster Keaton, Walt keeps extending the copyright law so Mickey never falls into the public doman. No wonder the iconic symbol for the corporation is a rat.

Blogger Amanda makes a good point on Kalamazoo!
“Any kid can scribble or trace a picture of Mickey absentmindedly,” she writes. “But Andy Warhol appropriated him in his silk-screens and got sued. So what’s the difference? Are you only allowed to breach copyright laws if the appropriation speaks in favor of the subject?”

I personally think Amanda is on the right track, but the deciding factor isn’t whether or not the appropriation is favorable, it’s whether it’s PROFITABLE.

If my niece scribbled a picture of Mickey that only drew admiration from family and friends, that’s one thing. But let’s say Mickey was wearing Levis 501 jeans and a white t-shirt instead of red shorts. And let’s say people started to like “Mickey Bluejeans” more than Mickey Mouse. And people started downloading him on the Internet, and wearing him on t-shirts. You could be sure a lawyer or two or seven would suddenly show up at my niece’s door.
(And they probably would try to buy the rights to Mickey Bluejeans, by offering her, oh, I don’t know, a week at DisneyWorld?)

Here’s the link to Amanda’s blogpost:
Click Here for Blogpost on Mickey Mouse

Here’s a link to the article:
Click Here for Science Report on Online Dating

It’s an interesting incentive; if you knew your blog was in an online “writing contest” so to speak, wouldn’t you be a little more thoughtful about what you posted?

Here’s a link to an article I found on Technorati about the site.

Click Here for Article About Spicy Page

I’m going to try and create a link to the article I quoted in “Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!” on emotional robots. Here goes:

Click here for Emotional Robots Article

“THE STANDARD reported last week that “emotional robots” are currently being developed, sensate vacuum cleaners programmed with emotion to increase their efficiency. “If a robot feels happy after it has cleaned a dirty carpet particularly well, then it will apparently seek out more dirt in order to do the same,” the article explains. “Similarly, if the robot feels guilt or sadness at having failed at a task, it will try harder next time.”

Crazy stuff, huh? While I can see the upside in creating a robot that feels happy after it has done its job, the idea of a robot having emotions to me is a bit prickly. Isn’t it the basic concept of a robot to have something mechanical, where you don’t have to deal with the “messiness” of complex emotional issues?

A robot that feels happiness and sadness. Will we then have a robot that gets upset when we forget its birthday, or when we don’t feel like speaking to it after a long day at the office? Will I have to compliment it on what its wearing (and tell it, no its new battery pack doesn’t make it look fat)?

I’m telling you this much: I’m drawing the line at robotic Christmas presents. I have enough problems figuring out what to buy my family and friends without worrying if I bought the wrong size and color computer chip for Robot Roger.

It really is turning into A Brave New World.

Here’s a link to the full story:
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,72808-0.html

Let me repeat that for those of you who didn’t grasp the world-wide repercussions of this action:

BRITNEY SPEARS HAS SHAVED HER HEAD!

Still don’t get it?

Don’t feel bad—neither do I.

It’s sad, isn’t it?

How many children died of starvation in the world today?
How many soldiers died in Iraq?
How many homeless people are sleeping on the streets of NYC tonight, when the temperature is going to drop below freezing?

I have no idea.

But I do know…
BRITNEY SPEARS HAS SHAVED HER HEAD.

Sad.

WHAT I SEE IN LINCOLN’S EYES

“My favorite portrait of Lincoln comes from the end of his life. In it, Lincoln’s face is as finely lined as a pressed flower…It would be a sorrowful picture except for the fact that Lincoln’s mouth is turned ever so slightly into a smile…On trying days, the portrait, a reproduction of which hangs in my office, soothes me; it always asks me questions.

What is it about this man that can move us so profoundly? Some of it has to do with Lincoln’s humble beginnings, which often speak to our own. When I moved to Illinois 20 years ago I had no money in my pockets and didn’t know a single soul. So when I, a black man with a funny name, born in Hawaii of a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, announced my candidacy for the U.S. Senate, it was hard to imagine a less likely scenario than that I would win–except, perhaps, for the one that allowed a child born in the backwoods of Kentucky with less than a year of formal education to end up as Illinois’ greatest citizen and our nation’s greatest President.”

I like Obama.

Here’s a link to the entire essay:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1077287,00.html

Happy Presidents Day!

At any rate, I’ve been having a bit of ”writer’s block” lately in regard to this block, since I made such a stink on the discussion boards about wanting people to write “meaningful entries.”

But today, I can feel nothing but happy, as today is the day Mets PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT TO SPRING TRAINING!

I promise in the future (the very near future!) to discuss more important topics, such as the next presidential election, or the war in Iraq, but for now, just a simple poem to celebrate today:

SPRING FEVER  by Paul Marion

Last Sunday in February.

Neighbors lean on warm cars.

Snow pulls away from the grass.

At the corner variety store

kids huddle out front,

hustle off scattering

baseball card wrappers

colorful as April tulips.

But I really enjoyed this bit “The Five Minute University.” And I must say, an interesting choice for a homework assignment from you, Professor Gold—about a minute into the routine I thought, “Remind me again, WHY am I spending money on returning to college?” : )

I didn’t find too many differences in the original link and the “You Tube” version. The You Tube version was larger, which was nice, and you got to see how many people viewed the video, the category, a “star rating” (four out of five stars!) and people’s comments. It was fun to read people’s reactions to the video (”this is freakin’ awesome!̶ but other than that, I didn’t think watching the video in the YouTube forum changed the experience all that much for me.

HOWEVER…!!! That said, I do very much enjoy viewing videos on YouTube. When I’m viewing something I’ve specifically searched for (a particular musician’s performance, a great play from a baseball game), I love reading the responses from other people who have viewed the video. And when a particular clip moves me, I respond in kind.

So, to review Father Sarducci’s Five Minute University:
Spanish language Comprehension?
“Como esta used? Muy bien, gracias!”
Economics?
“Supply and Demand”—Buy something, sell it for more.
Theology: “Where is God?” “God is everywhere!” “Why?” “Because he likes you!”

Okay, I’m ready for my Masters Degree! : )