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R2, I suggest a new strategy: let the Wookie win.

Contributed by an Anonymous Source. Posted by adam on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 at 10:16 PM (EST)

us with this straight from Dead Droid Records "We didn't know if we wanted this story out or not, but here it is. The day before Thanksgiving we received a very harsh letter from George Lucas' (Lucas Film Ltd) lawyers advising us that they have the patent on the word "DROID". They gave us until Jan. 6th to change our name "or further action will be taken". -more updates will follow."

Dead Droid Records (97 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

Counter Sue for making the prequels -Kevin

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Chad (January 8, 2003)

i liked episode 2

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Sticky_Floor (January 8, 2003)

episode three should kick tons of ass. While we all know what will happen, its more or less a way to see HOW. We have never seen what happens when someone succumbs to the darkside, but we will, and we will se what ha[[ens to Luke and Leia and so forth. I am excited, but i have to wait a few more years. crap!

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

It'll be a sugar coated special effects peice of junk...if it was bloddy, dark, realistic and had special efects it would be ool...but lucas makes films today for children, not for real movie fans.

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normiesabadass (January 8, 2003)

ummm I don't remember the old ones being bloody.

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

if your looking for something bloddy dark and realistic, then why the fuck bother with star wars anyway? Star wars is more or less a fairy tale and that's makes it fun for people...

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

i was being half sarcasm and half serious. I mean, the older ones weren't "bloody" but they were darker. Not so childish. Violence isn't cool in real life, but in movies it's fine.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

ya, i mean shit. its ok to show a black guy getting lynched, as long as its in a movie.

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evilmidget2 (January 9, 2003)

yeah, especially showing it positively, right? fuckin jackass

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WorkingClassWhore (January 10, 2003)

Change the name of the label to "George Lucas Licks My Asshole Records".

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evilmidget2 (January 8, 2003)

thats pretty shitty of george lucas

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

how is that shitty. its pretty shitty that they couldn't come up with their own name. unoriginal fucks.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

NERD!!!

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waste_elite (January 9, 2003)

hehe, little kids are funny...

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

can you just die please?

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

Jesus why are people so goddamn picky about who owns what words?

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Sticky_Floor (January 8, 2003)

What the Fuck? patent on the word "Droid?" I like Star Wars and stuff, and Lucasarts made some good games in the past, but this is hella fucking retarded. Mr. Lucas, you have inspired me, I am going to get a patent on the words "I," "a," and well as on the use of 3 out of the five vowels. I like your moviesv(except Episode 1), but you are being a total fucking retard.

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

yes, but you didn't invent the words "I" or "a". thats the difference. he went through all the trouble to take the "droid" out of "android"

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Sticky_Floor (January 9, 2003)

I am sure that Lucas didn't invent the word "droid." People have even said that they have heard the name used before in works other than star wars.

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Jon_the_Skafather (January 10, 2003)

lucas was the first to get to it and register it....hey punknews should see if the word punk is registered as a copyrighted word somewhere.

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Someone (January 10, 2003)

"hella"

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

WHAT THE FUCK!!! Hey Lucas, as if you don't already have enough fucking money to buy your own country, now you have to stomp on small record labels? What a fucking asshole. By the way, you haven't made a good star wars film in 20 years. asshole.

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

So they think that people are buying the albums from the label because it contains the word "DROID"???? That pretty retarded, and really the only reason they would want you to stop using it is because someone else is profiting off it. Are they gonna sue me if they find out I said it? Gotta love big business.........

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

Doesn't lucas know this record label sucks and they're going to be bankrupt by then anyway

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Don't you know that supporting big business all the time is a dirty dirty thing? Lucas has enough fucking money...the guy is filthy fucking rich. The people who run Dead Droid are probably barely scraping out a living. Their best selling release was that weezer tribute and I think that only sold about 30,000-40,000 copies(I read that somewhere) which may seem like a lot but that comp had a ton of popular bands on it...I bet their regular bands' releases don't sell even close to that. It's not like dead droids future is secure like those of bigger indies such as fat, epitaph, vagrant, or even midsize labels labels like fueled by ramen and jade tree. They are a tiny label and lucas should just leave them alone.

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

rename the label DEADLUCAS RECORDS. I don't think you can copyright a proper name and it would be a nice little fuck you to the suits. Jacobe Failingstar01@cs.com

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Scotty (January 9, 2003)

Hahaha. That's fucking awesome. I'm in support.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

that's the best idea i've ever heard. go for it.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

oh yeah

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FAKESMILE (January 9, 2003)

Best idea ever!

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

good call. that would rule.

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axx (January 11, 2003)

go for it! it would be funny.. and quite ironical too.. hehe

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

3 people not to fuck with in terms of copywrites: 1) george lucas/star wars 2) the beatles 3) someone else whom I forget (possibly simpsons or nintendo? I don't remember) anyhow, these companies/estates all have people who work FULL TIME just seeking out and catching people who they feel have violated their copyrights. Those guys have deep pockets.

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normiesabadass (January 8, 2003)

nintendo, they sued anybody with pokemon related domain names

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

the simpsons can do no wrong. period.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

fox is a real bitch about it. they shut down tons of simpsons sites for violating copyright.

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Fuzzy (justin) (January 9, 2003)

Apple.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

yeah, my friend had a label called sector 7 G (the part of the power plant that homer works in) and fox made him take down the site and stop using the name...

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

seems like courtney love is a big bitch about her media too...not that she wansnt a bitch anyway

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Isn't Disney like the classic case? Fuck, they're big business at it's worst, rich pompous assholes who can ignore the fact that "customers" and "workers" (the only "acceptable" things to be to these assholes) are people as well.

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Bryne (January 9, 2003)

Don't forget Metallica.

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Someone (January 8, 2003)

I think the record company is the Wookie....Lucas is acting like george bush. I think I'm gonna throw my star wars films away, this bastard didn't deserve my money.

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gutterhippo (January 9, 2003)

um...if you threw all your star wars films away, that means that you bought them in the first place, so he already has your money

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

so, what you're saying is that if we throw stuff away, we don't get the money back???? ARE YOU NUTS??? Whenever I throw something away, I immediately get reimbursed into my checking account.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

I get reimbursed direct deposit.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

he was joking calm down

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SpamMan (January 8, 2003)

I know they got this off of the website, but I still have a kneejerk reaction to say that it has to be a hoax. Am I the only one that recalls, that you can't "patent" a word? You can just copyright a logo or proper name? Droid is short for "Android" and it has been used in science fiction way before Star Wars. The "prior art" on it would have been amazing. The only way I will believe? Pony up the patent filing for Lucas on the word "droid". There is an online database.

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

um, no, you can patent words in specific situations. the phrase "the year 2000" was copyrighted. and besides, he didn't copyright "android", he but "droid", which is a word nobody used before him, even if it was derived from "android". its still not the same word. they should change it to "dead androids" ..

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SpamMan (January 9, 2003)

You throw around "patent" and "copyrighted" interchangable, they are not the same thing. You say "they" copyrighted the phrase "the year 2000". Patents are different than copyrights. And one of my major points was, that he was not the first to use 'droid'. Science fiction using that words has gone well back into the 50s.

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Someone (January 10, 2003)

Lucas also has a patent on the term "light sabre". Seriously. He sued some sort of medical equipment company from using it.

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secondplace (January 23, 2003)

** I know they got this off of the website, but I still have a kneejerk reaction to say that it has to be a hoax. Am I the only one that recalls, that you can't "patent" a word? You can just copyright a logo or proper name? Droid is short for "Android" and it has been used in science fiction way before Star Wars. The "prior art" on it would have been amazing. The only way I will believe? Pony up the patent filing for Lucas on the word "droid". There is an online database.** Not that my word probably means much more to you, but I can guarantee you that the letter is not a hoax.

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normiesabadass (January 8, 2003)

Hey, don't nessicarrily blame George, its probably some asshole that works for him whos job it is to find shit like that. Well I guess its still his fault, but I doubt he said, "hey lets go fuck over this little record label... heh heh."

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fracturedstart (January 8, 2003)

fuck it. "LucasEatsDick Records" for life.

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waste_elite (January 9, 2003)

i'd say something but... i don't wanna get sued i say they change their name to "dead george records". it works on so many levels...

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

YES!!!!

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

um, that was already mentioned, buddy. yer almost as original as the people who named the record company in the first place.

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waste_elite (January 9, 2003)

actually it wasn't

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Haha fuck star george (lucas and bush) and fuck shitty star wars. this reminds me of an article i saw in the Onion titled "Microsoft patents 0's, 1's."

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

yeah, except you're dumb

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Someone (January 10, 2003)

yeah, except you're a nazi

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Fuck that, i don't even listen to any of the bands on that label but i support them over lucas film here. You shouldn't be able to copyright a word like Droid, their logo doesn't have artoo or some star wars character in it so i see no problem. I'm a star wars fan but this just looks awful if lucas goes thru with this, i hate to see stuff like this happen

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

he came up with the word. even if it is derived from another word. if they would've asked, he mighta let them. he's pretty open about it, if people ask him. he's a big fan of clerks and clerks is a filthy filthy movie. although great.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

you're such a fucking fascist...dead droid is a small label from my area and it's not like they're making money off the name,...the little money they do make is off the music(duh)...not because people look at a dead droid album and go "droids?! cool! I'm buying this" Something tells me you work for the Republican party or are you Dick Cheney himself? Eat a dick and die

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Fuzzy (justin) (January 9, 2003)

But yet Onelinedrawing gets no flack.

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

Relevance meter = 0

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waste_elite (January 9, 2003)

if you knew something about the band you would know it was relevant

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Hamish (January 9, 2003)

Jonah (onelinedrawing) has an R2D2 toy that he has at all his shows with a drum machine taped to it and there's R2D2 sounds in some of his songs and it appears on the cover of his new album. So yeah, it's relevent.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Dicks in your ass meter = 47

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Yeah, I think that George Lucas and his posse are just trying to push the label around with their money and power. They probably dont have the copyright, but just think they can intimidate Dead Droid to change their name because of their power.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Dawg, "Lucas and his posse" gonna drive through the hood in their lowridin 64 impala and blast lead into them dead droid bitches for gettin on their fuckin turf. Word.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

George Lucas should go see the Lord of the Rings movies and hang his head in shame. That guy can't make a good movie to save his life anymore. Even the best star wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, wasn't directed by him. What a schmoe. Also, is the new FSF out on Dead Droid or are they still on Tooth and Nail. I am not enough of a scenester to know this. I see your schwartz is bigger than mine. --Stamos

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

i don't want to be a dick or anything, but "schmo" doesn't have an "e" on it.. fuck.. jeezus... omg.. i can't believe this.

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

John Stamos?

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

its on tooth or nail, feb. 11th

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

I don't know if anyone else posted this, sorry if they did, but what about the Selby Tiger's song "Droid"? Nothing happened to them, as far as I know.

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RightCliqificus (January 9, 2003)

maybe they suck? or maybe they got permission. he gives permission to anyone that asks pretty much

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

quit sucking lucas's dick and skullfuck him. NOW!!!

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Hubitcherkokov (January 9, 2003)

Maybe you've accounted for almost 18% of the comments on this news section about DeadDroid Records. Twelve comments!!!

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

To all the 'anti-lucas' name ideas, have you heard of a little thing called Slander? :o Regardless, I would think that the record label would be able to scan some dictionaries and find one with a definition of the word droid that does not reference 'android,' or they could even make up an acronym. It's really sad that businesses feel the need to protect their intellectual property in this way and this law is so dated that it needs some sort of safety clause in case the company shares the same name but does not take the meaning from the copyright owner as well as does not gain any money directly from having the name. Example (from dictionary.com): In England there is equivalent mainstream slang; a `jobsworth' is an obstructive, rule-following bureaucrat, often of the uniformed or suited variety. Named for the habit

show rest of comment

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

In order for it to be legal "slander", there has to be an accusation involved that isn't true, and people have to believe it. I.e., telling everyone that "Sally fucked Bob" when she really didn't. If you wanted to name it "Lucas is an asshole records", you could, because there's no actual claim to fact in the name. "Lucas fucked a little boy records", however, would be slander.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

"Lucas fucked a little boy records", however, would be slander. but it's such a great name...

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Well I guess it's only slander if it ISN'T true... so I guess it could be used afterall.

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rayjay (January 9, 2003)

why is everyone surprised? i thought it was clear that george lucas was a money grubbing scum fuck

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AstroVince (January 9, 2003)

I second that. Lucas is a washed up has-been who continues to alientate Star Wars fans. This is just another example.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

I can tell you carefully crafted that answer at chess club practice. Go back to your room Poindexter, nobody likes you.

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AstroVince (January 9, 2003)

your mom did.. OHHHHH

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Propagheny (January 9, 2003)

George lucas is not punk

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Someone (January 10, 2003)

I believe the correct punk rock terminology, outlined by REAL PUNX FOR LIFE would be: JORJ LUKASS R NOT 4 REIL PUNX!! HE R SELOUT RICH POZER!! OI OI OI!!

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

You idiots there is no such thing as a patent or copyright on a word!!!! Only a trademark

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InaGreendase (brian) (January 9, 2003)

haha i didn't realize it until that comment but yeah he's right, a patent is on a product that you invented, and the word droid wasn't invented by lucas. and you'd a big fuckin loser if you invented and then patented a word anyway. copyrights are on songs and books basically. trademark is the actual term.

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

wow, messing up terminology, you're right, they're idiots. nobody cares.

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newjackshit (January 9, 2003)

tell george lucas to stick to making movies and quit his crying. like deadroid records poses some sort of threat to george lucas and his entertainment monopoly. fucka that.

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Hamish (January 9, 2003)

Good, maybe they'll stop putting out shitty records (Weezer and Green Day tributes? gag me).

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Someone (January 9, 2003)

Just remove one "D" from your label name and you're in the clear.. "DEADROID RECORDS" Ta-Daa...

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Someone (January 11, 2003)

dead roid sounds like a medical problem.

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punky (January 10, 2003)

What about LucASS Rec.? I just saw the episode of the South Park where they make fun of George Lucas and Steven Spilberg.

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Someone (January 11, 2003)

The sad part is, Lucas probably doesn't have a legal leg to stand on. Deaddroid is in a different industry, and there is no hope for confusion, so there really isn't a copyright violation. But if I've learned one thing in law school, it's that it doesn't matter if the law's on your side. I have a feeling Lucas has slightly more expensive lawyers than Deaddroid, and that's all that matters. Too bad, great fucking name, what with that play on "detroit" and all.