Friday fantasies

Friday, the ideal day to check what's on in IP. Do check out the IPKat's Forthcoming Events page here for a quick look some attractive options, away-days and networking opportunities.

Very happy, a little embarrassed and not a little honoured, the IPKat informs readers that this weblog is mentioned as one of the 50 influential parties for 2011 in today's release from Managing Intellectual Property (here). The Kat is delighted to see some of his friends in the list too, and a little saddened by the absence of some of the others -- which probably suggests that the list is quite balanced.  Merpel's purring at seeing her name in print somewhere other than on the pages of this blog. And as for our AmeriKat, she got a special mention too. Says the IPKat, we promise to do our best to maintain and improve the standards we've set ourselves and to work hard to keep our readers happy!

After applauding the conference organised by the Norwegian Patent Office to mark its centenary, the IPKat has been roundly chided by Rán Tryggvadóttir for his inexcusable failure to tell his more adventurous readers of the one day conference planned on 18 August to celebrate the Icelandic Patent Office's 20th birthday. Says Rán, "Reykjavík is always worth a visit, especially now for those with an interest in geography aside from their IP interest". Indeed, murmurs Merpel: you never hear people say that when they organise events in Luxembourg ...

Handbags at Dawn: Intellectual Property in the Fashion Industry, the annual conference run by CLT in London, takes place this year on 22 September. It's sponsored by the Art & Artifice weblog and boasts two Kats on the list of speakers: Catherine Lee and Annsley Merelle Ward.  Team blogger Jeremy is in the chair, in between the refreshment breaks at any rate.  Art & Artifice is running a little competition for which the prize is complimentary admission and the delicious lunch that goes with it.  You can check it out here.

Life can be hard and there are some tough times ahead while we learn to live with what feels like a semi-permanent recession. Still, there's always something to smile about -- particularly if you can wait long enough for it to happen. One happy event that's still a long way off is the next World Intellectual Property Day -- Thursday 26 April 2012; the IPKat is already planning an exciting day with breakfast, lunch, afternoon and evening events in Central London.  As in previous years, all the IPKat's events are free to entrants, which means that he will be looking for sponsorships and venues. The IPKat will also be pleased to publicise events taking place elsewhere, so long as he knows about them.  If you are interested in sponsoring or hosting an event -- it might be a talk, a seminar, a debate, a party, a whisky-sampling, a cake-tasting or indeed anything else -- email the IPKat here with the subject line "World IP Day" and he'll get back to you in the autumn.


Around the blogs. In addition to Emma Beverland and Sam Bardon's summary of the Big Debate on whether we come to bury copyright or to praise it for the 1709 Blog here, there are further words from James Firth (Slightly Right of Centre) and debate partiipant Crosbie Fitch (Cultural Liberty). Over on the jiplp weblog, Australians Mark William and Tim Golder review the position regarding trade mark use on the internet here.