Legal news, some illegal. All of it interesting
1. Buy Building in London for Under $20k – One Catch
Fresh on the market in London, an iconic and historic property, located in the heart of a residential neighborhood, close to a park. This cozy charmer, featured in countless movies, can be yours for less than $20K. Granted, it’s a red telephone box but what it lacks in square footage (3ft by 8ft) it makes up for in character. Amiright? There is a wee catch, mate. The red box is a historic building, so you can’t remove it or change the exterior. But should you buy a bus stop or parking space or something you can do whatever grand renovations you fancy. Cheers.
Thinking inside the red box here…
2. Oak No You Don’t – SF Threatens to Sue Oakland
Are you going to San Francisco – or Oakland? Well, Oakland hopes more travelers will choose Oakland by reminding them its airport is really close to San Francisco. They’re proposing changing Metropolitan Oakland International Airport’s name to “San Francisco Bay Oakland International.” See what they did there? The idea didn’t just fail to land with San Francisco officials, it crashed and burned. They immediately threatened to sue for SFO infringement and say the name-change would cause confusion, chaos – especially for international visitors – and societal collapse. OK, we added that last one. But Oakland says too many travelers aren’t aware of its proximity to SF, so don’t get your nose gear down.
3. Dude, Where’s Your Car? MJ Delivery Drivers to Strike
Los Angeles marijuana delivery drivers are saying no cannabis do to any more driving if their wages don’t get high-er. They will join more than 500 unionized workers statewide in taking a smoke break on the cannabis industry’s busiest day, 4/20. The delivery drivers have been negotiating with their employer, Eaze/Stach for months, asking for scheduling changes, access to affordable benefits, safer conditions and more. Last week workers say they pitched their last, best, and final offer, but Ease/Stachs wasn’t cool. The company says look who’s calling the pot, um pot? Striking on 4/20 isn’t cool.
4. Who Can Profit Off Da Vinci Merch?
Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th century “Vitruvian Man” has sparked a 21st century Italian renaissance of legal battles over copyright laws. A German puzzlemaker is fighting demands from the Italian government that it pay licensing fees for its “Vitruvian Man” puzzle. Italy’s culture heritage – or da Vinci code – allows museums or other institutions to collect payments for commercial reproductions of cultural properties. But that clashes with European Union law which says “Vitruvian Man” is a man of the people and in the public domain. A German court ruled that Italian regulations don’t apply in Germany. But with a Mona Lisa smile, Italy says it’s appealing.
5. Look What U Made Zem Do: Chechnya’s Kulture Krackdown
Chechnya’s got no love story for Taylor Swift or any pop stars. The Russian republic announced it’s banning songs that are too up-tempov or too down-tempov lest Western imperialists poison ze kultural vell. Music must korrespond to 80 to 116 beats per minute. Chechen’s top kulture komrade says borrowing musik from other peoples is inadmissible, though as journalists noted, he does seem OK with lifting ze plot from Footloose. Also, this is awkward, but the new limits mean Russia’s national anthem is nyet OK. Dohsvky! So, while Swift’s Shake it Off, Beyonce’s Single Ladies and most of Ariana Grande’s musik are out, Baby Shark is in.
