fair use
I like reading old newspapers, it makes me feel prescient. This news, however, I have not heard about, and apparently, the actual event took place more than three months ago.
In last Saturday’s New York Times, there was an article about the J.K. Rowling case (where she and her publishing, Warner Bros. Entertainment, are suing and blocking the publishing of a book about Harry Potter, written by a librarian, fan, and webmaster of a popular Harry Potter website) and how Standard Law School’s Fair Use Project is defending RDR Books.
Fair use, as my limited understanding goes, is what allows my favorites shows, The Daily Show by Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report to take footages from FOX network, make fun of them, and not having to ask for permissions from the network to do so. And if you blog, draw, collage, design, or express yourself publicly in any way - then fair use is probably important to you.
Somewhat related articles: Judy’s take on fair use; The ecstasy of influence: A plagiarism, the infamous article by Jonathan Lethem; and his Promiscuous Materials Project.