• Nebraska: Rename Your Bar or Go to Jail

    From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 03:55:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska from behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in
    cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop using it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From shawn@nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 00:06:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:55:38 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska from >behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in >cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the >traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop using >it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including >being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY


    LOL. I guess they might win if the kids don't want to spend the money
    on lawyers but that seems like a clear cut win for them. I'm willing
    to bet that Nebraska never bother to try and trade mark any of those
    items and without that how can they claim any ownership?
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 04:11:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On Jun 21, 2026 at 9:06:42 PM PDT, "shawn" <nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com> wrote:

    On Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:55:38 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska
    from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in
    cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >> bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the
    traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop
    using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including >> being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    LOL. I guess they might win if the kids don't want to spend the money
    on lawyers but that seems like a clear cut win for them.

    As the video makes clear, they're willing to fight and the Institute for Justice is taking the case pro bono, so the family won't have to spend any money doing so.

    I'm willing
    to bet that Nebraska never bother to try and trade mark any of those
    items and without that how can they claim any ownership?

    One of the requirements of trademark law (as opposed to copyright) is that you must actively use the mark in commerce in order to legally keep ownership of the mark. I don't see Nebraska running any state-owned barber shops, so it seems like even if they'd registered a trademark, it would have lapsed for non-use by now.


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 05:20:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska from >behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in >cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the >traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop using >it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including >being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    I'd already read this story and didn't watch the video, which kept
    showing up in my feed. The state claims they have a trademark or service
    mark on the word "barber" and only they can license its use.

    I don't see how they can register all of the traditional symbols,
    preventing anyone from using it in business. It's all obscene since it
    goes back centuries, and names make references to other businesses and
    places and concepts all the time.

    There is trade mark registration at the state level in some states, so
    maybe that's what's going on here.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 05:22:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
    On Jun 21, 2026 at 9:06:42 PM PDT, "shawn" <nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com> >wrote:

    On Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:55:38 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska >>> from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in
    cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >>> bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the
    traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop >>> using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including
    being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    LOL. I guess they might win if the kids don't want to spend the money
    on lawyers but that seems like a clear cut win for them.

    As the video makes clear, they're willing to fight and the Institute for >Justice is taking the case pro bono, so the family won't have to spend any >money doing so.

    I'm willing
    to bet that Nebraska never bother to try and trade mark any of those
    items and without that how can they claim any ownership?

    One of the requirements of trademark law (as opposed to copyright) is that you >must actively use the mark in commerce in order to legally keep ownership of >the mark. I don't see Nebraska running any state-owned barber shops, so it >seems like even if they'd registered a trademark, it would have lapsed for >non-use by now.

    I assume there is a state law equivalent giving the state itself
    exclusive use of the term.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From anim8rfsk@anim8rfsk@cox.net to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 10:03:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY


    The woman on the panel looks like Elizabeth Moss, the most beautiful woman
    on television
    --
    The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From anim8rfsk@anim8rfsk@cox.net to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 10:28:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
    On Jun 21, 2026 at 9:06:42 PM PDT, "shawn" <nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com> >> wrote:

    On Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:55:38 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska >>>> from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in >>>> cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy
    bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the
    traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop >>>> using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including
    being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    LOL. I guess they might win if the kids don't want to spend the money
    on lawyers but that seems like a clear cut win for them.

    As the video makes clear, they're willing to fight and the Institute for
    Justice is taking the case pro bono, so the family won't have to spend any >> money doing so.

    I'm willing
    to bet that Nebraska never bother to try and trade mark any of those
    items and without that how can they claim any ownership?

    One of the requirements of trademark law (as opposed to copyright) is that you
    must actively use the mark in commerce in order to legally keep ownership of >> the mark. I don't see Nebraska running any state-owned barber shops, so it >> seems like even if they'd registered a trademark, it would have lapsed for >> non-use by now.

    I assume there is a state law equivalent giving the state itself
    exclusive use of the term.


    And the barber pole. Apparently you canrCOt have one of those advertising bloodletting.
    --
    The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 17:33:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On Jun 22, 2026 at 10:03:53 AM PDT, "anim8rfsk" <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska >> from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in
    cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >> bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all >> the
    traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop
    using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including
    being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    The woman on the panel looks like Elizabeth Moss, the most beautiful woman
    on television

    LOL!


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ian J. Ball@ijball@mac.invalid to rec.arts.tv on Mon Jun 22 11:36:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On 6/22/26 10:03 AM, anim8rfsk wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    We have a dark horse entry in the race to the bottom! Here comes Nebraska from
    behind with a strong contender.

    Kids inherit barber shop from dad when he passes. Having no interest in
    cutting hair, they re-launch the business as a barber shop-themed speakeasy >> bar.

    Enter the state of Nebraska, which says it owns the word 'barber' and all the
    traditional trappings (red-and-white pole, etc.) and orders them to stop using
    it for their bar or they'll face all sorts of bad stuff, up to and including >> being sent to prison.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuqFA7vGVY

    The woman on the panel looks like Elizabeth Moss, the most beautiful woman
    on television

    [/snark!!]


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2