McDonalds bans man from own name

[savafan]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117...-13762,00.html

AN Australian lawyer has fired back with a lawsuit against McDonald's after the fast-food giant blocked him for registering his nickname as a trademark.
Malcolm McBratney vowed not to back down in the battle that erupted earlier this year, when McDonald's took exception to his use of "McBrat" on the uniforms of a local rugby team.

"What it boils down to is that McDonald's seems to be trying to own not only the McDonald name but everything beginning with Mc," said McBratney, who is a specialist in intellectual property rights.

"There are a lot of people with Irish and Scottish heritage who'd dispute that, including me, and I'm prepared to take them on."

McDonald's Australia spokeswoman Kristene Mullen denied the burger giant was trying to monopolise the "Mc" prefix.

"McDonald's is like any company with intellectual property it wants to protect," Mullen told AFP. "We want to protect our investment, our image and our brand."

McBratney sponsored the Brisbane Irish rugby union team, which adopted the McBrat tag on the back of their shorts because they claimed his full name would not fit.

The company objected that McBrat could be confused with McKids. Mullen said that toys with the McKids logo had been on sale in retail outlets since earlier this year.

But McBratney said a trademark could be challenged in Australia if it had not been used for more than three years, and that McKids had been dormant since it was registered in 1987. His suit seeks to de-register McKids.

"I think it smacks of corporate arrogance that even though McDonald's is not using the McKids trademark in Australia, it still thinks it can block the registration of a separate trademark that has nothing to do with its business," McBratney said.

The Brisbane team is boycotting the chain, once a favourite haunt, in a full show of McSupport.

"Our team, with its Irish heritage, has many Mcs in it and they are all outraged," team spokesman Shane Quinn said. He said the company "really have got to be McKidding."

[RedsBaron]

I hope McBratney kicks McDonald's McButt.

[WVRed]

I wonder what McDonalds thinks of the word "McJob"?

[Unassisted]

Too many McLawyers with too little to do. Go get 'em, McBratney!

[pedro]

McDonalds McSucks.

[Yachtzee]

McFascists!

[Johnny Vander m]

Anyone who eats at McDonalds has to be McNuts anyway. Worst fast food on the McEarth. Rather eat at McWendys or McHardys. Best is at McHome on my McGrill.

[remdog]

Anyone who eats at McDonalds has to be McNuts anyway. Worst fast food on the McEarth. Rather eat at McWendys or McHardys. Best is at McHome on my McGrill.

Couldn't agree with you McMore.

Rem

[registerthis]

Anyone who eats at McDonalds has to be McNuts anyway. Worst fast food on the McEarth. Rather eat at McWendys or McHardys. Best is at McHome on my McGrill.

Hah hah

Agreed!

[Yachtzee]

Anyone who eats at McDonalds has to be McNuts anyway. Worst fast food on the McEarth. Rather eat at McWendys or McHardys. Best is at McHome on my McGrill.

Burger of the Gods (courtesy of Alton Brown)

1/2 lb. Ground Sirloin
1/2 lb. Ground Chuck
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

mix it up in a bowl, make into 4 patties and throw them on the grill. Delicious!

[Johnny Vander m]

The orignal Maid-rite is in Greenville Ohio, been there for over 60 years and still the same. For those on this board that have been there, and I do know there are some, will know what I am talking about when I say you can get free chewing gum by going through the drive up window.

[paintmered]

The orignal Maid-rite is in Greenville Ohio, been there for over 60 years and still the same. For those on this board that have been there, and I do know there are some, will know what I am talking about when I say you can get free chewing gum by going through the drive up window.

Aww you beat me to the chewing gum reference!!



For those who have never seen it, the exterior wall on the drive-though side of the building is covered entirely with chewing gum that has accumulated over the decade.

[RFS62]

I don't know. Their wormburger is pretty McTasty

[Johnny Vander m]

RFS62, most of the time the worms are still alive and I just can't just go for that. Any body have Whataburgers where you live? They have them here and in Pensacola, I kind of like them myself. Wish I could get an ole Maderite from Greenville Ohio right about now.

[RFS62]

RFS62, most of the time the worms are still alive and I just can't just go for that.

Yeah, you gotta draw the line somewhere.

Any body have Whataburgers where you live? They have them here and in Pensacola, I kind of like them myself.

I've seen them in Texas also.