I Was at the Occupation, and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

So, before we begin, which would be the best Twitter hash tag for this topic?

#Crass?

#Conniving?

#FailureToUnderstandtheBasicPremise?


Here's the story:

A West Islip, NY couple -- Robert and Diane Maresca -- are seeking to trademark the phrase “Occupy Wall Street” so that they can place it on a wide variety of goods, including bumper stickers, shirts, beach bags, footwear, umbrellas, and hobo bags.

("Hobo bags"? Has anyone else ever heard of these before?). If the economy doesn't improve, at least Mr. & Mrs. Maresca may have a large and growing market, assuming the hobos haven't spent their remaining spare change on hobo beans.

Citing the potential of “Occupy Wall Street” to become a “global brand,” the Marescas have filed to trademark the name of the collective movement responsible for the protests and encampments in New York City and numerous cities across the United States (as well as overseas).

I have to wonder how defensible a trademark "Occupy Wall Street" would be (for the Mr. and Mrs. Maresca), considering the countless organizations and tens of thousands of people using the mark over the previous months. Good luck with your future litigation.

According to a story featured in The Smoking Gun, Maresca said that while he has yet to mass produce any “Occupy Wall Street” product, he has inked some t-shirts with magic markers. Additionally, his wife has some experience making clothing and bags at home.

Aha! Now I know what the perfect Twitter hash tag is:

#facepalm

Yes, it's such a dumb idea, even He finds it amazing