T-shirt maker's attempt to trademark "Obama Bin Laden" is denied, but he's stil making shirts

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: February 15, 2007,
Specious Obama Trademark … Denied
By Tom Zeller Jr.


Part of a bizarre image that Alexandre Batlle, of Miami Beach, Fla., hoped to put on T-shirts after registering Obama bin Laden as a trademark. His application was flatly refused last week. (Photo: Obamabinladen.net)

From our That Which We Call a Rose Chronicles, in which the singularness of Senator Barack H. Obama’s name flusters the unworldly, trips up the well meaning, or is exploited by his political opponents, we bring you Alexandre Batlle of Miami Beach, Fla., by way of The Smoking Gun.

Actually, we’re not sure where Mr. Batlle fits — though his case certainly signals that the American reflex for profit-chasing knows no bounds, and is unhindered by political loyalties.

Seems Mr. Batlle recently plopped down $325 to file a trademark application on the name Obama bin Laden. Now, make sure you read that closely — that’s Obama bin Laden. Get it? Not Osama, but Obama!

Oy.

Last Tuesday, Karen K. Bush, a lawyer for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, denied the trademark application, citing laws barring “scandalous” trademarks, those that create “false associations,” and other problems....

***

Mr. Batlle, who describes himself as “more of a Democrat,” has told various media that he was simply interested in “making a buck.”

Toward that end, he arranged to peddle T-shirts, coffee mugs and ball caps, emblazoned with cheeky artwork, including the image above, through a Web site he registered in January — Obamabinladen.net — with a legally obtained trademark.

As The Miami Herald notes this morning, he remains undeterred by the rejection, and the sale of the these items continues — sans trademark....

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/specious-obama-trademark-denied/

[CJCRANE]

1. Doesn't really trip off the tongue.

Osama bin Forgotten is much more catchy.

[SunDrop23]

5. That or 'Lucifer Bush'...I like that one.

[liberaldemocrat7]

8. I like SLOBOGEORGE MILOSEBUSH

and you can get a bumper sticker of that. :)

[madame defarge]

2. The true test will be...

if people wearing them get thrown off airplanes if they refuse to change clothes -- just like those who wear anti-Bush t-shirts are. I'm not holding my breathe...

[Poll_Blind]

3. Free Speech is alive and well and practiced by both Saints and Assholes.

  I have no doubt that Mr. Batlle is simply interested in "making a buck". Might I add that I should not be surprised that he would probably sell T-Shirts with images of his mother fellating a goat if he thought he could make more money than his current design.

  The free market was never big on conscience. We can only hope the consumers provide that.

PB

[shain from kane]

4. The Name Game

The name game!

Shirley!
Shirley, Shirley bo Birley Bonana fanna fo Firley
Fee fy mo Mirley, Shirley!

Lincoln!
Lincoln, Lincoln bo Bincoln Bonana fanna fo Fincoln
Fee fy mo Mincoln, Lincoln!

Come on everybody!
I say now let's play a game
I betcha I can make a rhyme out of anybody's name
The first letter of the name, I treat it like it wasn't there
But a B or an F or an M will appear
And then I say bo add a B then I say the name and Bonana fanna and a
fo
And then I say the name again with an F very plain
and a fee fy and a mo
And then I say the name again with an M this time
and there isn't any name that I can't rhyme

Arnold!
Arnold, Arnold bo Barnold Bonana fanna fo Farnold
Fee fy mo Marnold Arnold!

But if the first two letters are ever the same,
I drop them both and say the name like
Bob, Bob drop the B's Bo ob
For Fred, Fred drop the F's Fo red
For Mary, Mary drop the M's Mo ary
That's the only rule that is contrary.

Okay? Now say Bo: Bo
Now Tony with a B: Bony
Then Bonana fanna fo: bonana fanna fo
Then you say the name again with an F very plain: Fony
Then a fee fy and a mo: fee fy mo
Then you say the name again with an M this time: Mony
And there isn't any name that you can't rhyme

Every body do Tony!
Pretty good, let's do Billy!
Very good, let's do Marsha!
A little trick with Nick!
The name game

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. They that game with 'Chuck"

;)

[Jagger69]

7. bin Laden?

bin Laden??? bin Laden??? Man, that rings a bell. Who is that? Wait....let me think. Oh yes....I remember!! He's the guy that Bush was gonna smoke out of his hole and bring him to justice dead or alive! Yeah OK, I remember that guy.

I fear that Mr. Batlle flatters himself by saying he is "more of a Democrat" if he puts money above ethics. That is the very essence of neo-conservatism.