"spamtrap1888" schrieb :
> "Michael Kuettner" wrote:
>> How typically USAn. "I want trademark protection and copyright
>> protection, as long as it doesn't apply to me."

> Can you trademark the name of a village?

It's a region, not a village ...

> Who owns the trademark?

The wineries in the Champagne.

> In the broader sense of an indication of source used to eliminate
> customer confusion, don't you agree that "California champagne" would
> prevent customers from thinking it came from Rheims or Epernay?

Why not simply write sparkling wine ?
Otherwise, I have no problems with "California champagne".

> Do you rail against all the fragrance makers who claim to sell eau-de-
> Cologne, because it's not echt Koelnischwasser? Or you just pick on
> Americans?

I picked on the Americans here because I remember the stink they
raised when "Champagne" was protected ...
(It prohibited the vineries to use faux labels with a big "Champagne"
on it and "made in CA" in microscopic print somewhere on the label.
Lobbyism at its finest...)

> Realize if the word "Champagne" were copyrighted, Kuettner would owe
> the author royalties. Again, who was the author?

A nice strawman.
This is about producer _and_ consumer protection.
It's about correct labelling.

>
>> The good thing : If I want Champagne, I get the real thing
>> instead of USAn junk.
>

> You don't drink Sekt? (A corruption of the French word for "dry.") How
> unpatriotic.

Of course I drink Sekt (a good Mumm or a dry Schlumberger aren't bad).
But they label their bottles "Sekt".
I also drink (Pro)secco. They also label their bottles thusly.
I also drink Champagne.
I've also tried Californian sparkly wines.

We could argue whether Champagne is worth the higher price.
I don't think so, in most cases - but, well ...

Now for "unpatriotic" : We are shockingly unpatriotic. We don't salute
our flag, we don't swear funny oaths. We also don't have schmalzy
renditions of the national anthem at every ****ing soccer game.
The only time that thing is sung is when our national team get's clobbered
by^W^W^W plays against another country. And even then half of the players
don't know the text.
OTOH, we don't invade foreign countries ...

Now, before you ask : Yes, I was in the army.

Cheers,

Michael "lalahmhmlahmhmhmla or something like that" Kuettner