News Clues: January 18, 2001

News Clues
Just Enough News To Keep You Wondering

In Harrisburg, God is a Millionaire
Since 1986, The Lord has raked in over $5.2 million from the Mayor of Harrisburg, with $3.6 million of it coming during the last three years. In fact, Mayor Reed just granted another $50,993. Rumors that the Mayor is trying to reserve a seat a bit closer to The Creator are unfounded. The money has, however, been used benevolently to fund many local shelters in the City. Christian Churches United, Shalom House, and the Interfaith Family Shelter all provide emergency shelter for our homeless and needy. Ironically, each of them needs help to give help. Mayor Reed has been giving thousands of dollars annually to these and several other regional, not-for-profit organizations to give aid to the less fortunate. Neither The Father, The Son, nor The Holy Spirit were available for comment.

Have Your Vehicle
Taken Off Your Hands and Get Paid!
Call 1-800-577-5864 and your car, truck, motorcycle, boat or any other vehicle will be taken away from you and leave you with a nice tax write-off for next year. The American Lung Association is always looking for used, old, broken, damaged and unwanted vehicles to continue its ongoing Vehicle Donation Program. Once you call the Vehicle Donation hotline, The American Lung Association will arrange for a tow truck to haul your hooptie to an auction block where the proceeds will be forwarded to your local American Lung office.

“This process couldn’t be any simpler,” said Kathy Fackler, CEO, American Lung Association. “We pick up your vehicle in a matter of days, and we handle all of the paperwork.”

City Studies Paxton as it Breaks Water
Designated an “impaired waterway” by the state Dept. of Environmental Resources, the Paxton Creek has been subjected to nearly thirty years of unchecked development, a.k.a. the latest political catchword, “sprawl.” This sprawl has resulted in frequent flash floods, stream and bank erosion, and sediment loading of Paxton Creek, which is choking Wildwood Lake. Rain which once was absorbed into the ground, now runs off into the Creek, floods it and carries tons of silt into the Lake. Left as is, levels of sediment will increase, and Wildwood will be completely choked off, killing off all native aquatic life.

Mayor Reed said over $183,000 has been allotted to sponsor an in-depth study to prevent any further eutrophication of Wildwood. The study will include evaluating the Creek’s existing watershed area, north of Harrisburg, with feeder streams and other sources of runoff identified for future mitigation efforts. The final phase of the study involves the development of a comprehensive plan for reducing the sedimentation pollution and tendency of the Creek to flash flood.

One of the best things individuals can do is to not use fertilizer on their lawns. It ends up running off into the Creek where it stimulates unnatural plant growth. The overabundance of plant life removes oxygen from the water and suffocates the animal life that feeds on normal plant growth. The fish will die because they won’t be able to breathe. Think globally; act locally.

Local Organizations Hold Clothing Drive
Hemlock Girl Scout Council and Goodwill Industries of Central Pennsylvania are once again joining efforts by holding a clothing drive. The drive marks the sixth time the two groups have teamed together for their “Be Your Best” service project, which is taking place until March 3 of this year.

The “Be Your Best” service project is designed to help Girl Scouts “learn the value of serving others, and develop self-confidence and leadership skills.” Accordingly, each Girl Scout is being asked to collect three bags, while challenging others in the community to live up to the message of their project. The two organizations hope to collect 10,000 bags of clothing this winter.

For more information on the clothing drive, contact your local Goodwill Store.

Mugging of Muggles Goes to Court
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter wunderkind author, Scholastic, Inc., her U.S. publisher, and Time Warner Entertainment, which has movie rights to the bespectacled boy wizard, are all ensconced in a lawsuit over many of the characters in the Harry Potter books.

In 1984, Nancy Stouffer, a Camp Hill, PA, resident, wrote The Legend of RAH and the MUGGLES and, over the next several years, alone and under the labels Andé Publishing Company and Book Cook Incorporated, widely distributed and showcased various versions of the property to publishing and entertainment industry agents, some of whom are now employed by Scholastic.
In November 1999, there was a lawsuit slapped on Stouffer by Scholastic trying to dismiss Stouffer’s copyrights and trademarks for the multiple characters that Rowling allegedly appropriated for her own in the Potter books. Stouffers counterclaim seems pretty damaging.

Point 57 of the suit says: “Not only do the Harry Potter books appropriate verbatim Stouffer’s Muggle and Muggles marks as names for human-like, non-magical characters, the Harry Potter books also feature key character names suspiciously similar to characters in Stouffer’s books, specifically Stouffer’s Larry Potter (as Harry Potter), Lilly Potter (as Lily Potter), Nevils (as Neville), and “Keeper of [Various Things]” (as Hagrid, Keeper of Keys). See Exhibit 1 (The Legend of RAH and the MUGGLES book containing Muggles, Nevils, and “Keeper of [Various Things]”) and Exhibit 26 (Lilly book illustrating Larry and Lilly Potter).”

In Oct 1991, Steven Bochco filed a U.S. Trademark Application. Bochco sought to register the mark “Muggle & design” (a mouse cartoon character) in connection with “Entertainment services in the nature of an animated television series.” Stouffer immediately opposed it. Judgment was entered for Stouffer and against Steven Bochco Productions, Inc. by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in February 1993.

Stouffer said, “My Muggles are like my own children. I will continue to fight for the ability to market my Muggles characters and books. I not only need to carry on, I must carry on, for this case affects any writer of any venue from movies to books.”

For specifics on the case, visit realmuggles.com