Chicago Restaurant tells Hawaiians to stop using Aloha!

[Scottish Socialists]

Almost as stupid as when frozen foods chain ICELAND in BRITAIN began telling businesses who used the name “ICELAND” IN ICELAND to stop.

Like, come on!
You aren’t even in Iceland!
You have no right to claim it!

Wrong. Completely wrong. The supermarket chain never did that. Iceland, the country, considered taking action to stop the supermarket from potentially doing that: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... -over-name

Alrighty then, my words are no longer needed!

[Indo-Malaysia]

Sorry, the word H*ward is trademarked. I will ask you to cease and desist all usage of the h-word.

This is a violation of my freedom of worship

Sorry, w*rship is trademarked by the C*tholic Ch*rch. As is Cr*sade, D*us V*lt, and Exc*mmunication.

[The South Falls]

I'm suing you, because Banana Republic used one of your words.

I'd find it more credible if Interplay Productions or Bethesda Softworks tried to sue me for using it.

Fuuuuuccccckkkkk I haven't played fallout in so long.

[Internationalist Bastard]

This is a violation of my freedom of worship

Sorry, w*rship is trademarked by the C*tholic Ch*rch. As is Cr*sade, D*us V*lt, and Exc*mmunication.

C*rses

[Scottish Socialists]

I'd find it more credible if Interplay Productions or Bethesda Softworks tried to sue me for using it.

Fuuuuuccccckkkkk I haven't played fallout in so long.

Exc*se m* s*r, Bet***da ar* s*ing y*u f*r s*ying “*******”

[Petrasylvania]

Fuuuuuccccckkkkk I haven't played fallout in so long.

Exc*se m* s*r, Bet***da ar* s*ing y*u f*r s*ying “*******”

Fus Ro Dah?

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

This is what happens when you have too many lawyers.

[Scottish Socialists]

Exc*se m* s*r, Bet***da ar* s*ing y*u f*r s*ying “*******”

Fus Ro Dah?

Th*t too.

[Katganistan]

Reminder that when TSR had the Indiana Jones RPG they slapped (TM) on their cardboard representations of generic Nazis. Not specific characters created by Lucasfilm, mind you.

This should be thrown out. It's like saying people can't say, "Good morning" any more because there's a show called Good Morning America.

Also, I am sure that many of the businesses he's trying to sue were in business for years before him. That should show how frivolous this is.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I don't know how Amerian copy right law works, but in the Low Countries, you can only protect your copyright in your sphere of influence. So, I would say, Hawaii and Ancorage are outside of their sphere, so they should shut up. I think the Ancorage one overreacted to a scary-sounding legal letter, though.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Trademarks and patents shouldn't exist in the first place.

This is somehow even dumber than what the thread is about. Nice.

[Ethel mermania]

I don't know how Amerian copy right law works, but in the Low Countries, you can only protect your copyright in your sphere of influence. So, I would say, Hawaii and Ancorage are outside of their sphere, so they should shut up. I think the Ancorage one overreacted to a scary-sounding legal letter, though.

Copyr8ght covers the entire country, Hawaii and Alaska are part of it.

[Ethel mermania]

Reminder that when TSR had the Indiana Jones RPG they slapped (TM) on their cardboard representations of generic Nazis. Not specific characters created by Lucasfilm, mind you.

This should be thrown out. It's like saying people can't say, "Good morning" any more because there's a show called Good Morning America.

Also, I am sure that many of the businesses he's trying to sue were in business for years before him. That should show how frivolous this is.

It's more like you can't have a show called "good morning america" for just a local market in the states.

Edit: And yes prior usage should be used against the Chicago folks.

[Newmanistan]

Where are Hawaiians being told they can't use Aloha?

Hawaiian business are being told they can't use the phrase "Aloha Poke" in regards to restaurants, catering, and takeout.

And that's all. Do people only read the titles of things?

[Rusthenia]

Where are Hawaiians being told they can't use Aloha?

Hawaiian business are being told they can't use the phrase "Aloha Poke" in regards to restaurants, catering, and takeout.

And that's all. Do people only read the titles of things?

yes my friend.

[The Multiverse of Holly Starlight]

They technically stop allowing the Hawaiians to stop using the word, actually.

The non-natives open a restaurant, called it Aloha Poke, THEN doubled down and asked that other stores, including the ones owned by Hawaiians, to stop using it.

[Ifreann]

It doesn't seem especially likely that people will confuse Aloha Poke restaurant in Chicago with Aloha Poke restaurant in Anchorage or with Aloha Poke restaurant in Honolulu.

Maybe if one of these companies establishes themselves as a nationwide franchise there'd be a problem.

[Ethel mermania]

They technically stop allowing the Hawaiians to stop using the word, actually.

The non-natives open a restaurant, called it Aloha Poke, THEN doubled down and asked that other stores, including the ones owned by Hawaiians, to stop using it.

That's not it at all. No one is being asked not to say aloha or poke.

What is being objected too is using the phrase "aloha poke" as the name or part of the name of a place that serves poke bowls.

That is what trademark does. It's the exact same as saying you can not open a department store called "target", because that name is trademarked and using it would confuse the public between your store and the dept. Store chain based in Minnesota.

[Aclion]

Reminder that when TSR had the Indiana Jones RPG they slapped (TM) on their cardboard representations of generic Nazis. Not specific characters created by Lucasfilm, mind you.

This should be thrown out. It's like saying people can't say, "Good morning" any more because there's a show called Good Morning America.

Also, I am sure that many of the businesses he's trying to sue were in business for years before him. That should show how frivolous this is.

Here's hoping for significant punitive damages.

[Ethel mermania]

It doesn't seem especially likely that people will confuse Aloha Poke restaurant in Chicago with Aloha Poke restaurant in Anchorage or with Aloha Poke restaurant in Honolulu.

Maybe if one of these companies establishes themselves as a nationwide franchise there'd be a problem.

Or if aloha poke goes nationwide. US copyright is national, not regional.

[Ifreann]

They technically stop allowing the Hawaiians to stop using the word, actually.

The non-natives open a restaurant, called it Aloha Poke, THEN doubled down and asked that other stores, including the ones owned by Hawaiians, to stop using it.

That's not it at all. No one is being asked not to say aloha or poke.

What is being objected too is using the phrase "aloha poke" as the name or part of the name of a place that serves poke bowls.

That is what trademark does. It's the exact same as saying you can not open a department store called "target", because that name is trademarked and using it would confuse the public between your store and the dept. Store chain based in Minnesota.

I long ago concluded that most people deliberately refuse to understand what trademarks actually are, because that way it's easier for them to roll around the internet going "not allowed to be king because burger king ololololo"

[The Multiverse of Holly Starlight]

They technically stop allowing the Hawaiians to stop using the word, actually.

The non-natives open a restaurant, called it Aloha Poke, THEN doubled down and asked that other stores, including the ones owned by Hawaiians, to stop using it.

That's not it at all. No one is being asked not to say aloha or poke.

What is being objected too is using the phrase "aloha poke" as the name or part of the name of a place that serves poke bowls.

That is what trademark does. It's the exact same as saying you can not open a department store called "target", because that name is trademarked and using it would confuse the public between your store and the dept. Store chain based in Minnesota.

Ahh, gotcha. I stand corrected, then.

Then all of this seems like a rational attempt to stop other "Aloha Pokes" from popping up. With that said, a restaurant named Aloha Cafe or Aloha Grounds should still be allowed.

[Ethel mermania]

That's not it at all. No one is being asked not to say aloha or poke.

What is being objected too is using the phrase "aloha poke" as the name or part of the name of a place that serves poke bowls.

That is what trademark does. It's the exact same as saying you can not open a department store called "target", because that name is trademarked and using it would confuse the public between your store and the dept. Store chain based in Minnesota.

Ahh, gotcha. I stand corrected, then.

Then all of this seems like a rational attempt to stop other "Aloha Pokes" from popping up. With that said, a restaurant named Aloha Cafe or Aloha Grounds should still be allowed.

Those would be allowed.

Now I 5hink the other restaurants have a prior use claim against the Chicago firm, and should (if willing to spend the money) be able to get the trademark overturned.

[Petrasylvania]

Reminder that when TSR had the Indiana Jones RPG they slapped (TM) on their cardboard representations of generic Nazis. Not specific characters created by Lucasfilm, mind you.

That was an urban myth gone wild. As per Sean K. Reynolds.

[Baalkistann]

What's next? Are they gonna trademark the Happy Birthday Song? Oh wait...