On request from Comrade Unkulturny, who sent us an electronic transmission, we have set up a few new glorious products in our dry goods store for mass redistribution.
But please be conscientious! Only those who have solved the Cube can get "I solved the People's Cube products," and only those who are Heroes of the People's Cube can get "Heroes of the People's Cube" products. Unless your name is John Kerry, John Edwards, or Al Gore - then it's OK. The state warehouse cannot accommodate all the other losers and non-heroes.
My portfolio consisting entirely of carbon off-set credits is tanking fast, what is the current exchange rate for some "People's Heros Buttons?"
8/2/2010, 1:07 pm
Fraulein Frankenfeinstein
I SAW THE SPELLING ERROR FIRST SO I DEMANDED THE HERO CUP AWARD ALSO!! cough cough That is only equal and fair that the glorious, patrioticcaring, Made Progs like myself ourselves should receive this special award!!!
(don't make me denounce you)
Nobody's a boob with the People's Cube
is that some sort of personal insult??!! I think I'm offended!! Where's my free government provided lawyer???!!
8/2/2010, 2:12 pm
Comrade Whoopie
Frau, you and your new avatar are boob-a-licious. But you only get the cup if you fix the error. Why didn't you fix the error? Do you want our Chairman to look like a boob?
I denounce you for that!
(and I already ordered a cup so nyah-nyah)
8/2/2010, 2:31 pm
Fraulein Frankenfeinstein
I, er, uhhh, umm, well, . . . . . . . . . I DENOUNCE YOU FOR KNOCKING ME DOWN ON THE WAY TO MY FIXING IT!!! That is why I could not be the first of the first, but otherwise, I was first!! I had to be rushed to the hospital to have assessments made on my superfluous injuries and by the time I was able to get the wheelchair cane and brace adjusted and make my way back here, YOU claimed the correction!! OFF TO THE GULAG WITH YOU!!
Ooooh, thank you soooo much. Comrade Whoopie. I had a wee little government provided enhancement & readjustment makeover ™ , over the weekend, paid for by OPM. I think it will help spruce up the overall appearence of The People's Cube .
8/3/2010, 5:42 pm
Red Square
In addition to harassing me with Che Guevara images and some others, Zazzle is now banning my "People's Cube" designs. It's getting curioser and curioser.
Unfortunately, it appears that your product, Hero of the People's Cube Medal, contains content that is not suitable for printing at Zazzle.com. We will be removing this product from the Zazzle Marketplace shortly.
The details of the product being removed are listed below:
• Product Title: Hero of the People's Cube Medal
• Product Type: Button
• Product ID: 145398078504158471
• Result: Not Approved
• Policy Violations:
o Design contains an image or text that infringes on intellectual property rights. We have been contacted by the intellectual property right holder and at their request we will be removing your product from Zazzle's Marketplace due to intellectual property claims
• Image: Image
We apologize for the inconvenience, a detailed description of the policies are located here.
If you have any questions or concerns about the review of your product, please email [url=mailto:[email protected]?subject=Public%20Product%20Inquiry:%20145398078504158471][email protected][/url]
Best Regards,
Content Review Team
Zazzle Inc.
The same email I received about "I solved the People's Cube" products.
If anyone knows of a good alternative to Zazzle, I'm ready to switch. I'm tired of their crap and the only reason I'm not conducting an online war on them like I did on Cafepress is because I'm busy with more important things and just don't have time for this.
8/3/2010, 5:45 pm
Fraulein Frankenfeinstein
well, my my, what a bunch of *%$# %#*@!!
8/3/2010, 6:10 pm
Red Square
I just sent them my response:
=======================================
Dear Zazzle Content Reviewers:
Please reconsider your decision, which by any objective measure was rash and unreasonable.
Since you were not specific in your note, it's difficult to argue my points, but I'll try anyway. Whose copyright did I violate in this design? The Soviet government's? Or the Rubik's Cube's creator's? I'm actually selling those customized red cubes on my site; they are licensed cubes and have the official Rubik's Cube logo on one of the squares.
The designs you censored feature a photograph of such a licensed cube. Since when has it become a violation to promote an image of MY OWN PRODUCT, especially since it's a licensed product?
Please reconsider your decision and restore the products with the two designs you removed today:
- Hero of the People's Cube Medal
- I Solved the People's Cube!
FYI I'm copying my legal counsel on this email.
8/3/2010, 6:25 pm
ThePeoplesComrade
8/3/2010, 8:03 pm
Comrade Whoopie
But oddly they don't have the same problem with the coffee cup design? I received shipping confirmation from UPS 2 days ago.
Something stinks here boss. I'd like to know who this mysterious complainant is, if in fact there even is one. I'm getting the feeling they just don't like The People's Cube.
Hey if they don't want your business they should come out and say so and stop making lame excuses.
8/3/2010, 8:13 pm
ThePeoplesComrade
Seems like several links on the Left don't work. Left column that is.
8/4/2010, 9:58 am
ThePeoplesComrade
The ever vigilant FBI has found Wikipedia posting "illegally" the FBI seal.
Preserved in perpetuity for the People
8/4/2010, 10:24 am
Fraulein Frankenfeinstein
Should that now read, The Department of Injustice?
8/5/2010, 1:17 am
Red Square
Here's what Zazzle wrote back:
Thank you for your interest in Zazzle.com, and thank you for publishing products on Zazzle.
Unfortunately, it appears that your product was in violation of Zazzle Acceptable Content Guidelines. Specifically, your product contained an image of a Rubik's cube which infringes upon Seven Towns Ltd.'s intellectual property rights.
We have been contacted by Seven Towns Ltd. and per their request products that violate their rights will be removed from the Zazzle Marketplace.
If you are able to demonstrate that you have permission from Seven Towns Ltd. to use their content for commercial resale on Zazzle, then we would be more than happy to allow your design in our public marketplace.
Simply reply to this e-mail with any documentation that grants you these rights or have Seven Towns Ltd. e-mail us at [email protected], referencing this incident (100803-004040) and indicating that you have permission to use their content. In the subject line please use "ATTN: Mike".
And here's what I emailed to Seven Towns Ltd. in London:
I'm stuck with a Rubik-related copyright problem, which to me looks absurd, but you seem to be the only one who can resolve it one way or the other.
I'm a writer and graphic artist in New York. As an immigrant from the former USSR , I'm spoofing the absurdities of the Marxist ideology from which I once escaped, on a satirical website https://www.ThePeoplesCube.com. The name of the site comes from my earlier joke about The People's Cube - a version of the Rubik's Cube that is red on all sides - a symbol of Marxist ideas about competition and mandated equality of outcomes, as well as the resulting totalitarianism. And my pen name on the site is Red Square.
I'm also selling totally red cubes online, although not as many as I'd like. They are manufactured by a licensed vendor and have the official Rubik's Cube logo on one side. I'm sure that Ernő Rubik, who also lived under the Marxist rule, would appreciate the joke and I'd be happy to mail him a complimentary copy of the cube if I have the address (office is OK). If you'd like one too, I'll be glad to accommodate.
My site has a sizeable following, and among other things, it popularizes the idea of the actual Rubik's Cube, which I think is an ingenious invention.
Now about my problem:
I'm supporting my satirical operations by selling shirts, mugs, and buttons through Zazzle.com - an online store that prints products on demand. They are mostly my designs with absurdist slogans and images.
But recently I made designs with red cubes to promote the site and the actual product: "Hero of the People's Cube" and "I solved the People's Cube!"
However, they were promptly banned by Zazzle.com for copyright violation. I argued to them that this is the promotion of a licensed product, and that Rubik is getting a cut on its production.
But here's what they wrote back:
If you are able to demonstrate that you have permission from Seven Towns Ltd. to use their content for commercial resale on Zazzle, then we would be more than happy to allow your design in our public marketplace.
Simply reply to this e-mail with any documentation that grants you these rights or have Seven Towns Ltd. e-mail us at [email protected], referencing this incident (100803-004040) and indicating that you have permission to use their content. In the subject line please use "ATTN: Mike".
Now, I respect the copyright law and realize that you must protect yourself from knock-offs, imitations, and other schemes by various freeloaders. My own designs have been stolen by others in the past, and it's very annoying.
But my case clearly doesn't fall in this category.
If you share this point of view, please send a quick email to Zazzle (and me), following their instructions above.
It will take you only a couple of minutes, but will mean a lot to me.
Thank you very much in advance,
Red Square
PS: The cubes that I sell come with this operating manual:
8/5/2010, 6:28 am
Ivan Betinov
Red Square...International Power Player and Man of Mystery.
8/5/2010, 12:01 pm
Comrade Whoopie
Let's hope this resolves the issue...until the next issue arises. Then there is still the issue of the Che' designs. When you consider how many hippies sit at home making their own Che' shirts that they sell at street fairs and Leftist gatherings, you wonder how they can get away with it. Who actually has copyrighted the image of Che'? His daughter? Some big name design studio with cache and a team of high priced attorneys on retainer?
This is all very perplexing.
8/5/2010, 12:50 pm
Red Square
Comrade Whoopie -
The famous Che photo made by the late Cuban photographer Korda is now part of the "Korda Estate" which was set up by some communist lawyers in France (since inside the communist Cuba there is no law, let alone copyright). It appears that the main point if the Korda Estate is to watch over the use of that photograph. Before his death, Korda made an arrangement - as a good subject of the Castro regime - to give all potential profits from the authorized use of his photo to some children organization in Cuba, or some such.
The most interesting part is about the permissions: anyone promoting Che as a hero, can use this photo without a special permission and no payment. But those who oppose, mock, and otherwise disparage Che's image, are forbidden to use this photo even if they pay for it.
This rule has been used against Che's detractors for years, including the Cube - in several instances by several companies. I would love to go against the Korda Estate with a lawsuit, make it big, and win with the support of all the right-thinking people of the world.
Turning Che into a holy cow in that manner makes a mockery of freedom of speech. Here in the States you could at least argue a "fair use in satire" clause, but this doesn't work internationally, and Zazzle and other such vendors have foreign offices that can be sued for what their American office is doing.
So instead of joining forces and get rid of this ridiculous legal threat, they cowardly avoid the issue. Partially, I guess, is because there are people in their management who swear on Che's holy skull to uphold his legacy by hook or by crook.
8/5/2010, 3:11 pm
Red Square
GREAT NEWS!
This morning I received three emails from Senior Vice President of Seven Towns Ltd:
Combined, they say this:
peoplescube.com have our permission to use the image of the Rubik's Cube on their site and within site related merchandise.
Can you include our credit line on your site:
Rubiks & Rubik's Cube ® used by permission of Seven Town Ltd.
Also link to https://www.rubiks.com
If you can send a cube to us and two to Erno Rubik (address in Hungary follows)
Woo-hoo! I'm going to ship the cubes tomorrow, including the operating manuals, and a request for Rubik to take a picture of him with the People's Cube for posting on this site.
Zazzle also sent me a note giving me a "kind permission" to restore the products. Here's the exchange:
Me: Can't you actually "unban" the products you had banned? It's your fault that you acted too soon, and now I have to spend more time and effort on cleaning up after you? We are equal partners in this business, and you're making money off my products. Let's act like partners then.
Zazzle:The process in which a product is reinstated may take 48-72 hours and may
not be back in your gallery until after the week. If you would like to speed up the process please feel free to resubmit your design. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for being a seller at Zazzle!
Me: That's fine, please reinstate the products. I'd rather you do it because I'm in a crunch right now doing a lot of other things of higher priority and a few days won't make much of a difference.
We still have the open issue with my anti-Che Guevara designs, and unfortunately Zazzle is not on my side in this either, taking a cowardly position of appeasing the commie thugs instead of facing them. I can create a sh*t storm in the media and the blogosphere if the Korda estate were to sue, and Zazzle could have a lot of free publicity that way, and take an honest stand for freedom of speech. It may still get publicity in this regard one way or the other, and it's up to Zazzle to decide whether it would be good publicity or bad publicity.
8/5/2010, 3:37 pm
Ivan Betinov
UUU-RRRAH! Once again, the People have prevailed and the relentless tread of the Dialectic triumphs over the defunct values of capitalist oppression!
8/5/2010, 3:52 pm
Fraulein Frankenfeinstein
HIP-HIP HOORAY!! or as Mrs. Al Czarweary would say, "LALALALALALALALALALALALA" Very good news indeed. Congrats!
unfortunately Zazzle is not on my side in this either, taking a cowardly position of appeasing the commie thugs instead of facing them.
don't you think you're probably dealing WITH commie/socialist.
.
