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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by deschane ACL FAN, You have beaten this horse to death! Your opinions on this subject are assinine! The simple truth of the matter is, YES, U.P. has a right to their trade mark. However, in this instance they are destroying good will and their reputation as a corporate entity on this planet! It's fun to be the devil's advocate, at times, but this dog just won't hunt! The law is an ***! Mark DeSchane [/quote] I keep beating it because modelers keep posting about it and most of the time their posts seem to suggest that in the world of model railroading, laws don't (or shouldn't)apply. I am a businessman and I deal with legal issues like this frequently. While I'd be just as happy to see a court of law rule against UP (cheaper models for me and you), it is really appalling to see all the "sky is falling" and "get UP" posts that result from this situation. If someone were using these posters' property without permission, they'd be angry. But, again, because they see model trains as something other than an industry or business--which it is--they feel it should be exempt from real life laws. This isn't devil's advocacy. This is--and has been in previous posts--a continuing reminder that business is about making money and doing so while protecting one's trademark is not wrong. Now, you want to talk assinine? Let's look at logic and reality vs. your post: Do you honestly think UP cares what model railroaders think of them? How many hobbyists ship goods regularly on UP? 1%? They could lose that business and not even flinch. "Goodwill" of model railroaders doesn't matter a bit to them, since their goal is to ship goods and make money. And the rest of the public could not care less, so there's no impact there from flagging "goodwill" either. Ask Wall Street if protecting their copyright is "destroying" UP's "reputation as a corporate entity on this planet." The answer, after the laughing stopped, would be, No, they aren't. They are doing what any other company would do. And, really, there are, what, 150,000 model railroaders in this country? There are 6 BILLION people on this planet, and I'd wager that 5,999,850,000 have never even HEARD of this issue, let anlone have any interest in it whatsoever. How is UP's action doing ANYTHING to their image "on this planet" when that's the case? Bottom line: Just because you don't like something does not make it wrong, nor illegal, nor greedy.
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