Phoney bling ring pinged by Tolkien's kin A Melbourne man has to hand over his entire stock of “The One Ring” knock-offs to the Tolkien Estate, after losing a copyright case. The Federal Court in Melbourne earlier this month awarded a summary judgement against one Alexander Saltalamacchia over a line of rings he sold on his own Website and on eBay Australia. …
Is that some local specialty ? When you're summoned to court, aren't you (or your lawyer) generally supposed to be there ?
Daft as it sounds to me, I note that the general rule of self-representation has been respected (ie you lose). The phoning it in must really have tickled the judge's funny bone (in a "Ah so that's what you think of my court ?" way).
Personally, I wouldn't wait for the guy to "hand over" the relevant papers justifying how much he sold. With behavior like that, I'd send in the plods and have them tear the place apart to bring back every slip of proof they can get. I wouldn't trust that guy not to doctor the evidence (not that he seems smart enough to do it right in the first place).
But maybe that's the thing - the judge is handing him another length of rope, waiting to see just how he'll try to hang himself with it. Hmm, yup, sounds much more satisfactory in the long run.
"In a summary judgement, [Justice Beach] found that the knock-offs infringed “a substantial part” of the inscription, and offered them for sale at this no-longer active eBay store."
Wow, that's rough. Not only did the Judge find against him, but the judge then added insult to injury by selling the dodgy merchandise himself.
Do they not pay judges enough in Aus?
As for the IT angle? I doubt the defendent acted alone. There's probably a whole organization of people selling this jewellery... you know, a Tolkein Ring Network.
Warning: Do not use ring in traffic, invisibility increases the risk of collisions with cars
Warning: Prolonged use may cause user to fade
Warning: May attract Nazgul
Warning: Casting ring into Crack of Doom may cause volcanic eruptions, and damage to property
Sorry, couldn't resist. Mine is the one with the trilogy in the pocket
"The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming!"
In some countries you are allowed interpretation, sequel and prequel if they have artistic merit of their own. It used to be the case in the UK too. Cristopher Priest, Steven Baxter have very good works expanding the Wells universe. Unfortunately, over time UK courts have started enforcing the rather ridiculous USA point of view where any "universe" works are owned by the original copyright creator. Court cases brought by the Tolkien estate have played a major role in this direction change
As a result UK readers will never get a chance to read "The Last Ringbearer" and any of the "Wizard of the Emerald City"/"Magic Land series".
"Court cases brought by the Tolkien estate have played a major role in this direction change"
Business plan:
1. Invent magic ring which gives its wearer enormous power.
2. Reduce Tolkien estate to small pile of charred paper and even more charred lawyers and copyright trolls.
3. ?
4. Profit.
A search shows where you can get The Last Ringbearer, also some notes on Wikipedia
"Saltalamacchia had tried to skirt the law by inserting a gap into the “Black Speech” inscription otherwise copied from Lord of the Rings"
So while close enough for copyright to kick in, what he produced wasn't a proper "The One Ring"? Presumably once this is over the people who purchased it could also sue since they didn't get what they paid him for, after all he confirmed that as part of his defense!
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