My Final Post on the WR121 Blog

Since Micaeli called me the "blog master" or something like that I decided it was only appropriate to make one last post... about trademark law. Sounds boring, right? Wrong! Think about it... When I started writing this, I began with a list of trademarked terms that I noticed we use everyday:

Cheez Doodle/Cheetos – cheese curls

Sharpie – permanent marker

Styrofoam – polyurethane foam

Tylenol – acetaminophen (this works with lots of medicines, but I think this is the most widespread example)

Scotch Tape – translucent tape

Vaseline – petroleum jelly

Band-Aid - bandage

Chap-Stic – lip balm

Windex – glass cleaner

Crock-Pot – slow cooker

Jell-O - gelatin

Xerox - “to copy”

Lego – Plastic building block

Post-It – sticky note

Saran-Wrap – plastic wrap

Coke – soda (in some areas)

I then decided to look up a list… and some of the things on it were surprising: Dumpster, Rollerblade, Bubble Wrap, Formica, Frisbee, Hacky Sack, Jacuzzi, Q-Tips, Super Hero (yes, the two-word form is trademarked Jake, Matt and Sarah.)

This got me thinking about things that we don’t use as generic terms, but at the same time, we heavily associate them with a particular brand:

Crayon - Crayola

Tampon - Tampax

Orange Juice - Tropicana

Tissues – Kleenex

Cough Drop – Halls

Sandwich Cookie – Oreo

Acne Cream – Clearasil (more prominent in the 80’s, though)

Mouth Wash – Listerine

Multivitamin - Centrum

So seriously, guys... get on it. Start calling your crayons "Crayolas"... I mean that one is so begging to be a generic term.

Thoughts?

Great Observation

Ethan's acknowledgment page turned into more of a reflection, which was great. He made a great observation that "trying to fit my original thesis with the one that was forming as I was doing the research did not work. I decided from the point on to let the paper determine the thesis and I think my paper is better for it."

I think the idea of allowing your paper (ideas) to determine the thesis is brilliant. I think that too many students try to push the paper to fit the thesis, rather than allowing the thesis to be flexible.

Kat

Good Luck Brandon!

I think Brandon said he'd be running in the marathon tomorrow. Have fun!

kat

King of Twitter

I found this the other day on Optimum Online.  Thought it would be interesting for everyone to read/ watch.  And if you aren't following Ashton on twitter, everyone else is.  

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?articleId=551140

Reading: The Anti-Awkward

Hey everyone!  This is our literacy campaign! (Omri, Micaeli and Jeff)  Check it out on Facebook because Youtube won't let me upload it.  I do not know why.  Still working on it.

To Whom It May Concern...

If you have a twitter, we should be friends.
Find me, I'm sarahlynnw.
=)