Letter to Warner Brothers: A Night in Casablanca Groucho Marx
Abstract: While preparing to film a movie entitled A Night in Casablanca, the Marx brothers received a letter from Warner Bros. threatening legal action if they did not change the film's title. Warner Bros. deemed the film's title too similar to their own Casablanca, released almost five years earlier in 1942, with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. In response Groucho Marx dispatched the following letter to the studio's legal department:
Dear Warner Brothers,
Apparently there is more than one way of conquering a city and holding it as your own. For example, up to the time that we contemplated making this picture, I had no idea that the city of Casablanca belonged exclusively to Warner Brothers. However, it was only a few days after our announcement appeared that we received your long, ominous legal document warning us not to use the name Casablanca.
It seems that in 1471, Ferdinand Balboa Warner, your great-great-grandfather, while looking for a shortcut to the city of Burbank, had stumbled on the shores of Africa and, raising his alpenstock (which he later turned in for a hundred shares of common), named it Casablanca.
I just don't understand your attitude. Even if you plan on releasing your picture, I am sure that the average movie fan could learn in time to distinguish between Ingrid Bergman and Harpo. I don't know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try.
You claim that you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without permission. What about "Warner Brothers"? Do you own that too? You probably have the right to use the name Warner, but what about the name Brothers? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were. We were touring the sticks as the Marx Brothers when Vitaphone was still a gleam in the inventor's eye, and even before there had been other brothers--the Smith Brothers; the Brothers Karamazov; Dan Brothers, an outfielder with Detroit; and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (This was originally "Brothers, Can You Spare a Dime?" but this was spreading a dime pretty thin, so they threw out one brother, gave all the money to the other one, and whittled it down to "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?")
Now Jack, how about you? Do you maintain that yours is an original name? Well it's not. It was used long before you were born. Offhand, I can think of two Jacks--Jack of "Jack and the Beanstalk," and Jack the Ripper, who cut quite a figure in his day.
As for you, Harry, you probably sign your checks sure in the belief that you are the first Harry of all time and that all other Harrys are impostors. I can think of two Harrys that preceded you. There was Lighthouse Harry of Revolutionary fame and a Harry Appelbaum who lived on the corner of 93rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Unfortunately, Appelbaum wasn't too well-known. The last I heard of him, he was selling neckties at Weber and Heilbroner.
Now about the Burbank studio. I believe this is what you brothers call your place. Old man Burbank is gone. Perhaps you remember him. He was a great man in a garden. His wife often said Luther had ten green thumbs. What a witty woman she must have been! Burbank was the wizard who crossed all those fruits and vegetables until he had the poor plants in such confused and jittery condition that they could never decide whether to enter the dining room on the meat platter or the dessert dish.
This is pure conjecture, of course, but who knows--perhaps Burbank's survivors aren't too happy with the fact that a plant that grinds out pictures on a quota settled in their town, appropriated Burbank's name and uses it as a front for their films. It is even possible t
How is it that we get to go to the moon bradcasted live but I still doesn't have a moon-channel? A solar powered camera transmitting 24x7 from there... I'd pay to have that channel.
I guess it's natural to miss something that risk its life every day so you can come back home in one piece. If it blows off, you'll always know it could have been you.
Have you never setup any version of Windows?? Every new version is more user friendly, more reliable and you have more fun using it. It's a pleasure just to watch it boot, in half the time on a 3-times more powerfull machine.
It would be really cool, if the iPod could choose songs based on your speed so actual bpm match your foot steps. That way, it will be adapting to your speed, contrary to what happens always. You adjust your speed to match the bpm of the song you are listening.
And the pro version would have a sort of DJ, mixing tracks as you gear up or down.
I have a Vonage line I use from Argentina. The quality is good enough so far. The bad part is that I get telemarketing calls any time of the day offering mortage and stuff.
What I find most important of this technology is that future devices and computers will be connected as soon as they are powered on. If it's plugged, it's connected.
Tin foil hats on: Now think Windows Registration and anti-piracy measures, or worms that affect recently installed Windows, goverment control, etc.
Or you can run an external power suply, sure. But how many of us have one?
Yeah, people looks at you like you have a cockroach in your ear...Maybe if they made them look like a brunette whispering in your ear. That would do...
This is great for some things, but puts another layer of abstraction between you and your money. That makes you spend much more than yoiu would have if you had cash, because you actually see it fly away.
Same as ATMs, those are like "push to get a banana" machines for test monkeys. Press a combination of buttons and you get free cash! I know you don't think this way, but most people seem to.
Slashdot Mirror
This people can wiretap your dirty chat by touching your cat5 cable? mmmm cool.
>When is a copy a copy? /.er attention span but it's worth it.
This reminds me of this famous letter. I know is long for the average
http://www.chillingeffects.org/resource.cgi?Resour ceID=31
Letter to Warner Brothers: A Night in Casablanca
Groucho Marx
Abstract: While preparing to film a movie entitled A Night in Casablanca, the Marx brothers received a letter from Warner Bros. threatening legal action if they did not change the film's title. Warner Bros. deemed the film's title too similar to their own Casablanca, released almost five years earlier in 1942, with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. In response Groucho Marx dispatched the following letter to the studio's legal department:
Dear Warner Brothers,
Apparently there is more than one way of conquering a city and holding it as your own. For example, up to the time that we contemplated making this picture, I had no idea that the city of Casablanca belonged exclusively to Warner Brothers. However, it was only a few days after our announcement appeared that we received your long, ominous legal document warning us not to use the name Casablanca.
It seems that in 1471, Ferdinand Balboa Warner, your great-great-grandfather, while looking for a shortcut to the city of Burbank, had stumbled on the shores of Africa and, raising his alpenstock (which he later turned in for a hundred shares of common), named it Casablanca.
I just don't understand your attitude. Even if you plan on releasing your picture, I am sure that the average movie fan could learn in time to distinguish between Ingrid Bergman and Harpo. I don't know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try.
You claim that you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without permission. What about "Warner Brothers"? Do you own that too? You probably have the right to use the name Warner, but what about the name Brothers? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were. We were touring the sticks as the Marx Brothers when Vitaphone was still a gleam in the inventor's eye, and even before there had been other brothers--the Smith Brothers; the Brothers Karamazov; Dan Brothers, an outfielder with Detroit; and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (This was originally "Brothers, Can You Spare a Dime?" but this was spreading a dime pretty thin, so they threw out one brother, gave all the money to the other one, and whittled it down to "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?")
Now Jack, how about you? Do you maintain that yours is an original name? Well it's not. It was used long before you were born. Offhand, I can think of two Jacks--Jack of "Jack and the Beanstalk," and Jack the Ripper, who cut quite a figure in his day.
As for you, Harry, you probably sign your checks sure in the belief that you are the first Harry of all time and that all other Harrys are impostors. I can think of two Harrys that preceded you. There was Lighthouse Harry of Revolutionary fame and a Harry Appelbaum who lived on the corner of 93rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Unfortunately, Appelbaum wasn't too well-known. The last I heard of him, he was selling neckties at Weber and Heilbroner.
Now about the Burbank studio. I believe this is what you brothers call your place. Old man Burbank is gone. Perhaps you remember him. He was a great man in a garden. His wife often said Luther had ten green thumbs. What a witty woman she must have been! Burbank was the wizard who crossed all those fruits and vegetables until he had the poor plants in such confused and jittery condition that they could never decide whether to enter the dining room on the meat platter or the dessert dish.
This is pure conjecture, of course, but who knows--perhaps Burbank's survivors aren't too happy with the fact that a plant that grinds out pictures on a quota settled in their town, appropriated Burbank's name and uses it as a front for their films. It is even possible t
How is it that we get to go to the moon bradcasted live but I still doesn't have a moon-channel? A solar powered camera transmitting 24x7 from there... I'd pay to have that channel.
I believe what I believe and don't try to confuse me with facts!
I guess it's natural to miss something that risk its life every day so you can come back home in one piece. If it blows off, you'll always know it could have been you.
Have you never setup any version of Windows??
Every new version is more user friendly, more reliable and you have more fun using it. It's a pleasure just to watch it boot, in half the time on a 3-times more powerfull machine.
That should be enough reason for anyone...
It would be really cool, if the iPod could choose songs based on your speed so actual bpm match your foot steps. That way, it will be adapting to your speed, contrary to what happens always. You adjust your speed to match the bpm of the song you are listening.
And the pro version would have a sort of DJ, mixing tracks as you gear up or down.
Loved the "Nitro" song for the extra boost.
From the creators of the top-acclaimed "Do no evil", comes "Marketing menace"!!!
Will this be a trilogy following the good-wins-then-bad-wins-then-good-wins-again pattern? Hope so.
I have a Vonage line I use from Argentina. The quality is good enough so far.
The bad part is that I get telemarketing calls any time of the day offering mortage and stuff.
Must be a hell of a show watching it on LSD
Yeah, what's with that?
BTW, guess what's coming to a theater near you? Knight Rider movieee!! Yeah! Google for it...
What I find most important of this technology is that future devices and computers will be connected as soon as they are powered on. If it's plugged, it's connected.
Tin foil hats on:
Now think Windows Registration and anti-piracy measures, or worms that affect recently installed Windows, goverment control, etc.
Or you can run an external power suply, sure. But how many of us have one?
What about VoIP? Or are they still secret about this one?
With all that data, imagine the patterns waiting to be discovered and how much can it (the data) tell about society...
0.00001% of Slashdotters actually get phone calls not involving work
Yeah, people looks at you like you have a cockroach in your ear...Maybe if they made them look like a brunette whispering in your ear. That would do...
Han shot first!
Didn't the TVs in 1984 did it already? Can this count as prior art? Oh, they must have filled a patent..right..
Just like in Soviet Rusia!!
The TV sees YOU!!!
Do these guys WANT to drive users to open source?
No, that's Slashdot job.
And btw, Vista's firewall will not be crippled, just configured differently.
This is great for some things, but puts another layer of abstraction between you and your money. That makes you spend much more than yoiu would have if you had cash, because you actually see it fly away.
Same as ATMs, those are like "push to get a banana" machines for test monkeys. Press a combination of buttons and you get free cash! I know you don't think this way, but most people seem to.
If only Sony had the rights for Mario....
Removing these NYPD cameras, could be a good start.
Don't even think going out in the wild without it.
These pair of babies will make you the geekest of all times, including the tronguy
Instead of winning because of better products, simply bully the competition out by force or draconian laws.
OMFG WHAT DID YOU JUST DO TO MEEEE??!?!?!
I wish I'd never seen that website!!
Advisory to sentitive people: Sometimes is better to stick to your happy childhood memories.