Trademark

Magazine executive John T. Elduff recently paid $2,000 for the trademark rights of the once-renowned weekly Collier's, which went bankrupt in the 1950s. His plans to bring it back to life as a print publication aim at folks who'll recall the name: those in the 50- to 90-year old demographic.

Remember Meister Brau beer or Pom Poms candies? How about Collier's magazine, Victrola or General Cinema movie theaters? After a recent auction, those classic names -- and many others -- may soon be going back into business. And more are still awaiting an offer.

Social-networking giant Facebook made a bit of progress in its five-year effort to trademark the world "face," at least when used in things like online chat rooms and social-networking efforts. The company received what's called a "notice of allowance," which means a decision could be coming in as little as six months.

In a case that tested the boundaries of the Supreme Court's recent expansion of Second Amendment gun rights, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that some limits still apply: A federal law banning the possession of a gun with an obliterated serial number is constitutional, the court said.

It's hot outside, but the ice cream business is preparing for a blizzard. Upstart Yogubliz' Blizz Frozen Yogurt faces a legal challenge from Dairy Queen that the Blizz name is too close to Dairy Queen's own Blizzard dessert.

In a case that may echo into the Google/YouTube v. Viacom copyright showdown, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that eBay is not liable to Tiffany's for trademark infringement, despite the significant volume of counterfeit Tiffany goods auctioned on the site.

For the owner of a small craft brewery in Vermont, the legal letter on behalf of Monster Energy Drink parent company Hansen Beverages was baffling: Stop using "Vermonster" as the name of one your beers because consumers might confuse it with the energy drink. "Your client's use...of VERMONSTER in...

A chain of fried chicken restaurants launched in 2007 in China, called Ji'a'po or, according to The Sun, "Sweaty Granny," have earned the nickname by Chinese onlookers as the "long-lost sister" of the KFC Colonel. The woman's navy blue, pink and white image appears on signs that are, indeed, the...