John Halski
@johnhalski.bsky.social
Partner, Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC — Trademark attorney, vinyl collector, film + concert goer, part-time jogger. All posts are mine alone. he/him/his
Pinned
John Halski
@johnhalski.bsky.social
· Feb 12
“TRADEMARK” IS A NOUN NOT A VERB AND THAT’S A MEANINGFUL DISTINCTION! YOU ACQUIRE TRADEMARK RIGHTS BASED ON USE OF YOUR MARK WHETHER OR NOT YOU TAKE FORMAL LEGAL STEPS LIKE REGISTRATION “TO TRADEMARK” YOUR MARK! ALTHOUGH THERE ARE GOOD REASONS TO SEEK REGISTRATION, WHICH A LAWYER CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU!
Reposted by John Halski
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
December 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
Something I absolutely love about LEGO is how my kids inevitably make any sets they receive into something that could be legitimately marketed as a licensed MAD MAX tie-in.
December 20, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Something I absolutely love about LEGO is how my kids inevitably make any sets they receive into something that could be legitimately marketed as a licensed MAD MAX tie-in.
Gas prices are a state of mind.
Leavitt claims that gas is below $2 a gallon in "many states across the country"
December 16, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Gas prices are a state of mind.
Reposted by John Halski
As a professional film scholar I'm insisting that you buy yourself a cheap DVD player.
December 12, 2025 at 9:41 PM
As a professional film scholar I'm insisting that you buy yourself a cheap DVD player.
Reposted by John Halski
The most important thing in writing is to finish. A finished thing can be fixed. A finished thing can be published. A finished thing can be made into a movie.
An unfinished thing is just a dream. And dreams fade if you don't hold on tight enough.
So finish the thing.
An unfinished thing is just a dream. And dreams fade if you don't hold on tight enough.
So finish the thing.
November 13, 2024 at 2:38 PM
The most important thing in writing is to finish. A finished thing can be fixed. A finished thing can be published. A finished thing can be made into a movie.
An unfinished thing is just a dream. And dreams fade if you don't hold on tight enough.
So finish the thing.
An unfinished thing is just a dream. And dreams fade if you don't hold on tight enough.
So finish the thing.
Anyone else remember that episode of Star Trek in which the crew made a bunch of androids malfunction by feeding them logical paradoxes?
“If they caused a hoax, then it’s not a hoax, because they caused it to happen, a hoax is something that didn’t happen, so if they caused it, it happened, but—“ 🤯
“If they caused a hoax, then it’s not a hoax, because they caused it to happen, a hoax is something that didn’t happen, so if they caused it, it happened, but—“ 🤯
Trump on affordability: "The word they use is a hoax because they're the ones that caused the problem. It's a hoax."
December 11, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Anyone else remember that episode of Star Trek in which the crew made a bunch of androids malfunction by feeding them logical paradoxes?
“If they caused a hoax, then it’s not a hoax, because they caused it to happen, a hoax is something that didn’t happen, so if they caused it, it happened, but—“ 🤯
“If they caused a hoax, then it’s not a hoax, because they caused it to happen, a hoax is something that didn’t happen, so if they caused it, it happened, but—“ 🤯
Game on, grab your popcorn:
Operation Bluebird, Inc. v. X CORP., Cancellation No. 92090266
ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pn...
Operation Bluebird, Inc. v. X CORP., Cancellation No. 92090266
ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pn...
USPTO TTABVUE. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System
ttabvue.uspto.gov
December 8, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Game on, grab your popcorn:
Operation Bluebird, Inc. v. X CORP., Cancellation No. 92090266
ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pn...
Operation Bluebird, Inc. v. X CORP., Cancellation No. 92090266
ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pn...
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek*), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
*is this cheating?
*is this cheating?
December 7, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek*), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
*is this cheating?
*is this cheating?
Reposted by John Halski
Thread du jour-
i think to understand the meaning of the birthright citizenship clause to the framers of the 14th amendment, you have to understand significance of dred scott to the civil war republican party. dred scott wasn't just a bad ruling, it was understood as a rejection of the declaration itself.
December 6, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Thread du jour-
God Bless America!
December 6, 2025 at 12:41 AM
God Bless America!
Reposted by John Halski
A heartfelt congratulations to President Trump for receiving the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.
December 5, 2025 at 5:49 PM
A heartfelt congratulations to President Trump for receiving the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.
I feel this deeply, adding that “best version” of certain products amounts to a coin-flip choice between a half-dozen options that are a hair-split apart from each other, in reliance on a dozen “best of” lists that rarely agree on the ranking (but assure you that most of them are “good enough”).
there's a certain personality that's very debilitating in modern life. 100 years ago, if you wanted to buy something, you'd go to five local shops and decide. now with the internet, you need to spend 1,000 hours so you can own the best version in the world like you're some venetian patrician
December 5, 2025 at 2:45 AM
I feel this deeply, adding that “best version” of certain products amounts to a coin-flip choice between a half-dozen options that are a hair-split apart from each other, in reliance on a dozen “best of” lists that rarely agree on the ranking (but assure you that most of them are “good enough”).
Reposted by John Halski
This PlayStation patent submission will never stop being funny.
December 4, 2025 at 4:40 AM
This PlayStation patent submission will never stop being funny.
This photo inspired me to resurrect an old meme format...
In order, from left to right:
1. Trademarks (R2-D2 is common law, C-3PO is registered)
2. Utility Patents
3. Design Patents
4. Copyrights
5. Trade Secrets
Does it make sense?
Maybe not, but then neither does the source material.
In order, from left to right:
1. Trademarks (R2-D2 is common law, C-3PO is registered)
2. Utility Patents
3. Design Patents
4. Copyrights
5. Trade Secrets
Does it make sense?
Maybe not, but then neither does the source material.
1. THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL (dir. Steve Binder)
Dismal reputation deserved. Cheap, boring & borderline unwatchable. It’s just a cobbled together collection of cash-grab nonsense. Chewbacca’s dad watching VR porn is where I clocked out. I can see why Disney have buried this bollocks.
Dismal reputation deserved. Cheap, boring & borderline unwatchable. It’s just a cobbled together collection of cash-grab nonsense. Chewbacca’s dad watching VR porn is where I clocked out. I can see why Disney have buried this bollocks.
December 4, 2025 at 7:30 PM
This photo inspired me to resurrect an old meme format...
In order, from left to right:
1. Trademarks (R2-D2 is common law, C-3PO is registered)
2. Utility Patents
3. Design Patents
4. Copyrights
5. Trade Secrets
Does it make sense?
Maybe not, but then neither does the source material.
In order, from left to right:
1. Trademarks (R2-D2 is common law, C-3PO is registered)
2. Utility Patents
3. Design Patents
4. Copyrights
5. Trade Secrets
Does it make sense?
Maybe not, but then neither does the source material.
My favorite local coffee shop had stopped accepting tips early this year because, at the time, they were doing well enough that the tips weren’t necessary.
They’ve gone back to accepting tips.
Tariffs are a tax. And we’re all paying for it.
They’ve gone back to accepting tips.
Tariffs are a tax. And we’re all paying for it.
December 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
My favorite local coffee shop had stopped accepting tips early this year because, at the time, they were doing well enough that the tips weren’t necessary.
They’ve gone back to accepting tips.
Tariffs are a tax. And we’re all paying for it.
They’ve gone back to accepting tips.
Tariffs are a tax. And we’re all paying for it.
If we can’t stand up for our fellow U.S. citizens when they’re attacked, then what are we even doing here?
And if any elected official gets to pick and choose whose citizenship they will recognize, then what “rights” do any of us truly have?
And if any elected official gets to pick and choose whose citizenship they will recognize, then what “rights” do any of us truly have?
Ilhan Omar: "Over 90% of Minnesota Somalis are citizens of this country ... a lot of Somalis when Trump first got elected decided to carry a passport ID because they knew he wasn't only coming for people who are undocumented, that he would come for immigrants who are citizens."
December 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
If we can’t stand up for our fellow U.S. citizens when they’re attacked, then what are we even doing here?
And if any elected official gets to pick and choose whose citizenship they will recognize, then what “rights” do any of us truly have?
And if any elected official gets to pick and choose whose citizenship they will recognize, then what “rights” do any of us truly have?
Reposted by John Halski
Today, the Supreme Court is hearing a case involving anti-abortion centers. These centers disguise themselves as places pregnant people can visit for reproductive health care like free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD testing, and more.
December 3, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Today, the Supreme Court is hearing a case involving anti-abortion centers. These centers disguise themselves as places pregnant people can visit for reproductive health care like free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD testing, and more.
Or, alternatively and to the contrary, go with me here a minute… what if, actually…
Rep. Kat Cammarck: "Today, one in six people in the US is foreign born. That quite frankly is not sustainable to maintain a culture that we are known for here in the United States."
December 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Or, alternatively and to the contrary, go with me here a minute… what if, actually…
Reposted by John Halski
Did they dial that back at some point, or do we carry around tiny x-ray machines in our pockets these days that tell us everything from how to plan a brunch to whether that bump on our back is a pimple or a tumor?
December 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Did they dial that back at some point, or do we carry around tiny x-ray machines in our pockets these days that tell us everything from how to plan a brunch to whether that bump on our back is a pimple or a tumor?
At what point do we find a memo from a lawyer advising every Republican to deny personal knowledge up and down about anything they know was probably illegal to create plausible deniability for personal liability once the Trump Regime is over?
talking to reporters last night, Trump claimed of Hegseth's double tap strike that "I don't know anything about it," then moments later claimed "I don't who you're talking about" when asked his plan to pardon the former Honduran president
December 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
At what point do we find a memo from a lawyer advising every Republican to deny personal knowledge up and down about anything they know was probably illegal to create plausible deniability for personal liability once the Trump Regime is over?
Reposted by John Halski
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
More adventures in pinball IP licensing…
November 30, 2025 at 9:37 PM
More adventures in pinball IP licensing…