Trade Secrets to Incentivize Headquarters; Beware the Blue Turf; The Future of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

Here's a summary of interesting developments in intellectual property, technology, social media, and Internet law for the week ending March 13, 2018.

Cities Claim Trade Secret to Incentivize Headquarters

Recently, major cities of Michigan were involved in the bidding war over Amazon’s latest corporate campus. In helping to craft bids for the site, the Michigan state government enlisted the help of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (“MEDC”) in its quest to secure Amazon’s site. But even though Michigan was unable to procure Amazon’s latest campus, the state government has resisted Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests to disclose how much was offered in tax incentives to Amazon under FOIA exemptions available if the information can be classified as “trade secrets.” More

Beware the Blue Turf

Boise State is known, at least in part, for the blue color of its football field. The university has had blue turf since 1986, when the athletic director installed blue turf to cut costs. In addition to saving money, the blue turf attracted players, provided additional exposure for Boise State’s athletics, and dramatically increased enrollment. According to a city historian, the blue turf now “represents the city.” More

Harper Lee’s Estate Kills Mass-Market Edition of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

One of the most-read books in high schools throughout the country will soon be undergoing a major change. After the death its author, Harper Lee, the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” will cease publication in its “mass-market edition form”—a decision that Lee’s estate made. This decision is significant because mass-market editions of books are typically much cheaper than their traditional paperback counterparts. For instance, one publisher sells a mass-market edition for $8.99, while a rival publisher, HarperCollins, sells the paperback for $14.99 and $16.99. And one report estimates that two-thirds of the approximately 30 million copies of “To Kill a Mockingbird” sold since its publication have been mass-market editions. More

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