December 2009 Archives

In my vision for 2019, I see some everyday devices and services going away.

Everyone is working on their 10/25/50/100 best lists of the year or the decade, for categories like television, movies, music, games, books. I think looking back with the benefits of hindsight, some of the things that seemed "modern" back then now seem less so.

Now you can own your very own replica facehugger alien in the special Hunter edition of Aliens vs. Predator.

I think having Darth Vader there was very motivational; the the market was clearly inspired today.

This is solid win: Star Wars Weather, which puts to good use all those single biome planets which populate the Star Wars Universe.

George Lucas loses court appeal over Star Wars costume copyright

Here's the thing about the case; Ainsworth made the actual helmets for them on spec; he did not design them, someone at Lucasfilm did that, nor does Ainsworth claim copyright on the armor. This case essentially opens up the entirety of film props to be categorized as "industrial design" in Britain and subject to a limit of 15 years, rather than 70 years past the life of the creator. Within the United States, costumes are not eligible for copyright at all, as costumes are considered clothing, which is a "useful article", it is somewhat generous for them to be granting industrial design copyright protection rather than no protection at all.