Jeph Jacques's Blog, page 14
March 9, 2015
Rex Equus
"The purpose of the .HORSE gTLD is to offer horse owners, service providers, horse industry employees and volunteers the opportunity to clearly define their presence on the Internet and to help potential customers gain access to content about horses.As horse owners begin to take advantage of ecommerce and other Internet technologies, horse enthusiasts are looking for easier ways to find equine information and products online. The .HORSE domain will serve as the definitive home of horse-related content online."
Walmart Displeased With Walmart.Horse, Wants It Taken Down
If you’re looking for the Walmart website, your instinct would be to simply go to Walmart.com, or maybe Walmart.net, or even Walmart.org… all of which go to the same place. There is currently no …
Why Is Walmart Upset with a Guy for Photoshopping This Picture of a Horse in Front of One of Its Stores? | VICE | United States
The retail giant claims that the prank website walmart.horse will confuse customers and will tarnish “the goodwill and reputation of Walmart�s products, services, and trademarks.”
Why the long face? Retailer says walmart.horse domain infringes its IP
"Its purpose is to provoke exactly the kind of response it has received."
March 8, 2015
Walmart.horse C&D
From: brandprotection@mm-walmart.com
To: jephco@mac.com
Subject: Notice of Walmart Trademark Rights Infringement - walmart.horse
To Whom It May Concern:
Walmart is the owner of the well-known trademarks and trade-names �Walmart� and �Wal-Mart�. As you are no doubt aware, Walmart is the trademark used to identify products, services, activities and events related to Walmart.
In connection to Walmart proprietary rights over its well known trademark we bring to your attention the following:
You have registered, without Walmart�s permission or authorization, the domain name(s) ‘walmart.horse’. The Domain Name incorporates the well known Walmart mark in its entirety, and, by its very composition, suggests Walmart�s sponsorship or endorsement of your website and correspondingly, your activities.
Your use of a Domain Name that incorporates the famous Walmart mark constitutes trademark infringement and dilution of Walmart�s trademark rights and unfair competition. Your use of our mark in the Domain Name is diluting use because it weakens the ability of the Walmart mark and domain name to identify a single source, namely Walmart. Further, your registration and use of the Domain Name misleads consumers into believing that some association exists between Walmart and you, which tarnishes the goodwill and reputation of Walmart�s products, services, and trademarks.
In view of your infringement of our rights, we must demand that you provide written assurances within 14 days that you will:
1. Immediately discontinue any and all use of the Domain Name;
2. Immediately and permanently refrain from any use of the term Walmart or any variation thereof that is likely to cause confusion or dilution;
We look forward to hearing back from you within the above-mentioned time frame.
Sincerely,
Walmart Brand Protection
Walmart Corporate
508 SW 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716-0505
brandprotection@mm-walmart.com
My response:
Hello,
I would argue that Walmart.horse is an obvious parody and therefore falls under fair use. Publicly available images of a horse, a Walmart store, and comical music make it clear that the site is meant to be a joke. I would be happy to provide a disclaimer on the website explicitly stating this. If you have any requests for other animals you would like to see added to the image on the website, I would happily comply!
Thank you for your time,
Jeph Jacques
February 9, 2015
Let's talk about Claire!
Over the past few days I’ve been getting an increasing number of people asking about Claire. Specifically, asking whether she has had gender reassignment surgery (or sex reassignment surgery, it seems like both terms are in use).
The short answer is: I have no plans to reveal this, in the comic or otherwise.
The longer answer is: I understand people’s curiosity! If you’re interested in a character, you want to know more about them. And while I try my best to make Claire more than just “the trans character,” it certainly is an aspect that factors into people’s conceptions of her.
But people are not defined by their genitalia. And I don’t want Claire to be defined by hers. Ultimately, I don’t think it matters, for the purposes of the story I’m trying to tell. If it matters to you personally, that is a valid feeling and I respect it. I understand being curious, or feeling like it would help you understand or identify with Claire better, or whatever reason you have for wanting to know. But I’m still going to stick to what I believe to be the best course.
So there we have it, that is basically where I stand on the matter. Thanks for reading.
January 23, 2015
GUITAR PORN
Winter NAMM is this weekend, which means lots of lovely new guitars unveiled for this year. Since I’m a huge gear dork I thought I’d talk about some of the instruments I’m most excited for! This is just stuff that’s been unveiled so far, so there’s probably more to come. ANYWAY:
Jackson Guitars- Misha Mansoor Signature Model
Jackson has been hitting it out of the park the past couple years, and these guitars look to be absolutely the TITS. Alder body, optional maple top, maple neck, ebony board. BKP Juggernaut pickups, 25.5” 6 strings and 26.5” 7 strings. The Periphery inlay is a little corny but entirely optional. And dig that sparkle silverburst. Unfffff. Will probably come in around the 2.5-3.5K mark pricewise, depending on how fancy you go.
Carvin Vader
Carvin responds to years of begging for extended-range headless guitars. This is clearly meant to compete with Strandberg at a more affordable price point (and without the Washburn-made Strandbergs’ host of QC issues). I’m not 100% sold on the shape, but this would be a really comfortable writing/recording guitar, and by all accounts Carvin’s new Keisel passive pickups actually sound good, unlike every other pickup they’ve ever made.
Caparison Brocken
By all accounts, Caparison makes fantastic guitars, and I am super psyched about this 8. 27 frets(!), 27” scale, mahogany/walnut body, maple/ebony neck, DiMarzio pickups, Hipshot bridge. If this comes in under $3500 I could see it being a big hit.
Ibanez RG852MPBAGBSGLHRLHGSGH seriously Ibanez stop it with the stupid model names
The Ibanez RG2228A was my go-to 8-string for years, until I stupidly sold mine. They’re really great guitars, and the new standard bridge is actually a significant upgrade over the old double-locking monster they put on the 2228s. The burl veneer is a bit gaudy for my tastes, but this is sure to be an excellent guitar at a great value. 27”, what look to be DiMarzio pickups (probably D-Activators), basswood body with aforementioned burl veneer, maple neck, 27” scale.
Mayones Legend 7
Mayones makes the best extended range guitars I’ve ever played, which is why I own two of their 8-strings. I’ve always liked the Legend body shape, and it looks great as a 7-string. I’m guessing at the specs, but it looks to be 25.5” scale, set neck, Bareknuckle pickups, and Schaller Hannes bridge. Mayones typically offer a couple different options for woods, so my guess is we’ll see ash bodies with maple caps and maple necks, as well as a mahogany/maple body with mahogany neck.
PRS- Mark Holcomb Signature
PRS finally comes out with a fixed-bridge 24 fret guitar, and it looks fantastic as usual. Mahogany body, maple top, maple neck with ebony board, 25.5” scale, Seymour Duncan Holcomb signature pickups. It’ll be pricey, but it’s PRS so that’s to be expected. Those Periphery boys sure know how to spec out their guitars, eh?
And finally, the guitar I am MOST EXCITED FOR…
lol just kidding
January 11, 2015
January 5, 2015
thunka thunka thunka thunka
thunka thunka thunka thunka
December 28, 2014
Sometimes when I need to get pumped up to work I listen to this...
Sometimes when I need to get pumped up to work I listen to this song I wrote a couple years ago
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