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Home Decorating Tips from Barbie?
If you're looking for a good holiday gift for your tech-savvy girl, you might like the new Barbie iDesign. I saw it first at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Take a look! If you're looking for a good holiday gift for your tech-savvy girl, you might like the new Barbie iDesign. I saw it first at this... more
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Jury awards Mattel Inc. $100 million in Bratz suit
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Barbie may have taken some of the sass out of her pouty-lipped rivals Yasmin, Jade, Cloe and Sasha with a $100 million verdict against Bratz-maker MGA Entertainment Inc., but no one's left the playground yet.
A federal jury awarded toy giant Mattel the damages Tuesday in their copyright infringement lawsuit against MGA, but lawyers for the two playtime powerhouses are still wrangling over whether MGA can continue to make the saucy Bratz line. U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson must also consider whether any of the damages are duplicative before setting a final amount to be paid to Mattel.
Still, Mattel hailed the jury's unanimous decision as a victory Tuesday, although the amount fell far short of the $1.8 billion that its attorneys had asked for.
"Mattel has pursued this case first and foremost as a matter of principle," Mattel CEO Robert A. Eckert said in a printed statement. "We have an obligation to defend ourselves against competitors who choose to engage in fraudulent activities against us."
MGA and its chief executive officer, Isaac Larian, were told to pay a combined $90 million in three causes of action related to Mattel's employment contract with designer Carter Bryant, who developed the Bratz concept. The jury also ordered MGA, Larian and subsidiary MGA Hong Kong to pay $10 million for copyright infringement.
Larian said he would appeal the verdict and MGA attorney Thomas Nolan contended that the three awards related to the contract dispute were duplicative. Nolan said he planned to ask Larson at the upcoming hearing to set total damages at no more than $40 million.
Still, Nolan and Larian said they were pleased that the jury did not award any punitive damages and found that neither Larian nor MGA acted willfully when they used Bryant's drawings, which could have increased the damages.
"We are thrilled that this jury sent a strong message that they want these companies to compete in the marketplace and not the courtroom," Nolan said.
Larian said he felt confident that MGA could continue to produce Bratz dolls despite the verdict. ... RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Barbie may have taken some of the sass out of her pouty-lipped rivals Yasmin, Jade, Cloe and Sasha with a $10... more -
Barbie firm awarded Bratz payout
"Toymaker Mattel has been awarded multi-million dollar damages in a copyright case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, MGA Entertainment.
A California jury made the award after a court ruled that the creator of Bratz dolls, Carter Bryant, came up with the idea while he was working for Mattel.
The payout is thought to be at least $40m (£22m) but Mattel, which makes Barbie, had asked for about $2bn.
The large-headed, multi-ethnic, urban fashion dolls became a bestseller.
The dolls are estimated to be making profits of about $500m a year for MGA."
More at link (if you actually care!) "Toymaker Mattel has been awarded multi-million dollar damages in a copyright case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, ... more -
Hipster catches state record 21 pound catfish with pink Barbie toy fishing rod
That's a mighty big fish with that mighty tiny pole... Looks like Barbie is good for something.
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Record breaking fish caught with a Barbie fishing rod
And who said you needed professional equipment to catch a whopper.
David Hayes expected a chilled out day fishing with his 3-year-old granddaughter Alyssa, maybe catching a few tiddlers and then heading home, but oh how wrong he was.
When Alyssa asked Grandad to hold her rod whilst she nipped to the little girl' room, he thought little of it, until as he so expertly put it: "the cat hit the cricket and took off."
When his granddaughter returned to see him clutching her 2.5ft pink Barbie rod bent over double she thought the rod was about to snap, but the Barbie fishing gear stood the test of time and after 25 minutes he netted a record breaking 21 lbs,1oz catfish, 3lbs over the existing record and measuring 2inches longer than the rod itself. And who said you needed professional equipment to catch a whopper. ... more -
Barbie V Madonna
As two of the worlds most iconic figures turn 50 this year the Mail Online reveals the weird similarities between the two material girls. As two of the worlds most iconic figures turn 50 this year the Mail Online reveals the weird similarities between the two material gir... more
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Barbie triumphant in the court of law
Mattel has triumphed in a copyright court case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, MGA Entertainment.
A California court ruled that the creator of Bratz dolls, Carter Bryant, came up with the idea while he was working for Mattel.
It means that Mattel could be awarded millions of dollars when the jury comes to consider damages.
MGA Entertainment could even be stopped from selling the popular large-headed, multi-ethnic, urban fashion dolls.
Mattel had claimed that the name and design of Bratz dolls were based on drawings done by Carter Bryant while he was under a contract that entitled the world's biggest toymaker to his designs.
Mattel shares rose 4.4% in after-hours trading.
Confidential settlement
MGA argued that while Mr Bryant had worked for Mattel between 1995 and April 1998 and then again from January 1999 to September 2000, the idea had come to him in the gap between his two stints.
Mr Bryant himself reached a confidential settlement with Mattel on the eve of the trial.
The jury also ruled that MGA and its chief executive Isaac Larian had intentionally interfered with the contractual duties that Mr Bryant owed to Mattel as well as aiding and abetting his breach of loyalty.
Mr Larian said he was confident MGA "will prevail in the end", suggesting that there will be an appeal against the verdict.
He is expected to claim in the damages phase of the trial that the dolls themselves do not breach Mattel's copyright because they were converted from Mr Bryant's drawings by MGA's designers.
Nonetheless, the damages awarded are expected to be hefty as Bratz dolls are estimated to be making profits of about $500m (£250m) a year.
US sales of Barbie dolls have been sliding since Bratz came on the market and were down 15% in 2007. Mattel has triumphed in a copyright court case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, MGA Entertainment. ... more -
S&M Barbie gets public lashing
People are not too thrilled with Barbie's new BDSM look. Mattel says she's not into handcuffs and kinky sex, but instead is modeled after Black Canary, the DC comic super hero. Black Canary Barbie is due out in September. People are not too thrilled with Barbie's new BDSM look. Mattel says she's not into handcuffs and kinky sex, but instead is ... more
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Barbie picks up poop!
Not only can Barbie be a doctor or a lawyer, she can pick up poop too. Barbie now has a dog that eats and poops, and a pooper scooper to scoop it all up. The best part is the little poops - that kinda look like the dogs food.
(I know some of my neighbors that need this Barbie maybe it will teach them to pick up their real dog's poop - if Barbie can do it so can you?) Not only can Barbie be a doctor or a lawyer, she can pick up poop too. Barbie now has a dog that eats and poops, and a pooper scoope... more -
Campaign Update 05/30/08
La vida loca, the end of the party, and a female vice-president (just not the one you're thinking).
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Black Barbie
Check out Black Barbie by Little Jackie. It's really funny. And She's the life of the Party.
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Iran official calls Barbie 'destructive'
A top Iranian judiciary official has warned against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.the latest salvo in a more than decade-old government campaign against Barbie, Prosecutor G eneral Ghorban Ali Dori Najafabadi said in an official letter Monday to Vice President Parviz Davoudi that the doll and other Western toys are a "danger" and need to be stopped.
"The irregular importation of such toys, which unfortunately arrive through unofficial sources and smuggling, is destructive culturally and a social danger," said the letter, a copy of which was made available to The Associated Press.
Iranian markets have been inundated with smuggled Western toys in recent years partly due to a dramatic rise in purchasing power as a result of increased oil revenues.
While importing the toys is not necessarily illegal, it is discouraged by a government that seeks to protect Iranians from what it calls the negative effects of Western culture. A top Iranian judiciary official has warned against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie d... more -
Barbie doll is destructive and dangerous, says Iran
A top Iranian judiciary official warned Monday against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.
Prosecutor General Ghorban Ali Dori Najafabadi said in an official letter to Vice President Parviz Davoudi that the Western toys was a "danger" that needed to be stopped... A top Iranian judiciary official warned Monday against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbi... more -
Einstein: Gravity
The Greatest Relativity Show! Gravity explained by Einstein and Barbie.
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Einstein: Energy
The Greatest Relativity Show! Energy explained, by Einstein and Barbie.
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Einstein: Time
The Greatest Relativity Show! Time explained by Einstein and Barbie.
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Wannabe Barbie? Now you can!
Reading this story, I thought of two things...
Number 1 -- This is what is ruining the youth of the world.
and
Number 2 - Why didn't I think of it?
This store is going to be a goldmine for the owners who only invited a half million dollars to open it. Wonder when it will be coming to America? Reading this story, I thought of two things... Number 1 -- This is what is ruining the youth of the world. and ... more -
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader...Barbie Dolls?
In celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' uniform, Mattel is giving Barbie a makeover as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader! Barbie as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader also demonstrates ethnic diversity, designed as a blond Caucasian and a brunette Hispanic and African-American. Hey, what about the Asians??!
Want one? You can pre-order yours at Wal-mart.com for $34.95 each, which will arrive in time for the holidays. They'll be available in stores this December. In celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' uniform, Mattel is giving Barbie a makeover as a Dallas C... more -
The Karen Carpenter story as told by Barbie
It's a classic. It's been banned. It's illegal. And all it is is a little documentary of the rise and death of Karen Carpenter as told with Barbie Dolls. Mattel sued the filmmaker and won. He cannot show this film anywhere to anyone. However, as much as Mattel tries, they can't seem to get it off the Internet. We all win! It's a classic. It's been banned. It's illegal. And all it is is a little documentary of the rise and death of Karen... more
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