Earlier in the week, RobotJohnny.com posted this Anagram TTC Map. I saw it and smiled. It's a cute spin on a Toronto institution. What Torontonian hasn't seen that map a billion times?
The TTC didn't find it nearly as harmless and funny. They've sent the creator a cease and desist letter. They just don't get it and that's a shame. Former Torontonian Cory Doctorow puts it best on Boing Boing:
It's part of every Torontonian's experience of the city, a part of the cultural fabric. Culture gets remixed -- that's what happens with it. Trademark is supposed to protect rightsholders from competitors who use their marks to confuse the public in the course of commerce. No one who saw RobotJohnny's genius map would have confused it for a second with a real TTC map and sent him a subway token. The TTC's legal bullying here is completely needless -- they face no risk and no loss from letting their riders make turn the map into their own personal remix.
How can the TTC not be amused at the fact Bathurst is an anagram of Butt Rash or Ossington is Gino's Snot?
