I think they are still owned by whoever owned them until they choose to sell them on again.

I seem to remember at the time of British rail "privatisation" one of the train operating companies wanted to use the name LNER. It couldn't, the name was still owned by BR.

Fair enough.

Just curious, by the way. No plans.

I refer the honourable gentleman to the international trademarks association FAQ:

http://www.inta.org/info/faqsU.html

However, as Patrick points out, companies tend to hang on to their marks and renew them - which is why the chap from Portakabin writes to every magazine that uses the word incorrectly (if a trademark falls into everyday usage as a generic term it's gone, baby); trademarks are worth big money. Even marks that are no longer used are part of a firm's IP portfolio, which they tend to guard in the same way a small dog guards a sausage.

Not sure about the animation - I remember something similar (thatcher, laserbeams and rabbits) which is here : http://www2.b3ta.com/jada/

Yup, that's it. Thanks, David.

How could you not be sure that you knew what I was looking for, though? Like, of the thousands of animations out there matching my description, could this possibly be the one?


> in the same way a small dog guards a sausage.

You been finding that out the hard way lately, then?

I didn't watch it. ;-D

D

Ah.

My God. I'd forgotten what utter nonsense on a stick that cartoon is. My description actually seems rather sane in comparison. I'd forgotten about the fish, the sheep, and Bez.

Great music, though.

It's the same song as the current Mars adverts. The one with the waitress wearing a gown when serving.

Yes, it's a standard. I prefer the Scandinavian version.