Are There International Copyrights?
In this final entry of our series dedicated to international protection and enforcement of intellectual property, we will discuss how one secures copyright protection on an international level. Keep in mind, most countries do not require copyright registration in order to enjoy protection. However, most countries do require registration (particularly the United States) if you wish to bring an action for infringement.
"International Copyrights" do not actually exist, but most countries offer protection to foreign works under certain conditions. Those conditions have been simplified as a result of several international copyright treaties and conventions. If the country in which recognition or enforcement is sought is a party to said convention or treaty, then the work may be protected through compliance with the terms of the convention/treaty.
The United States has copyright relationships with only the countries who are a party to these international copyright agreements. It is crucial that either the creator of the work or his/her attorney confirm whether a nation is a member to these treaties prior to publishing the work within that nation.
To read Parts 1 and 2 of this series, wherein we discuss Trademarks and Patents respectively, please click here.
Part one of this series on international intellectual property registration 
This is the first in a series of blogs dedicated to explaining how one may protect their intellectual property rights on an international level. Presently, there are several international intellectual property agreements designed to streamline the process for an applicant to register their intellectual property in multiple jurisdictions. 
Jacksonville’s industrial and retail commercial real estate market saw some positive growth during the first quarter of 2011.
The first lady recently called on companies to recruit and hire members of the military and military spouses, stating that these individuals have a lot to offer. Michelle Obama, along with Jill Biden and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, visited a Sears shipping facility in Columbus while promoting a new “Joining Forces” effort to boost support for members of the military and their families. The first lady spoke to about 200 Sears employees who have a military connection and thanked them for their sacrifices. Sears employs more than 30,000 military veterans, more than 1,500 active service members and thousands of military spouses. Companies that make it easier for employees to transfer jobs when their military spouses are transferred were highlighted. Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden spoke highly of Sears, Wal-mart, and several other companies.
YouTube has created a video explaining its thoughts on copyright infringement and piracy due to an increase in occurrences of infringement by its users. The cautionary video also includes the possible consequences arising from such violative acts. The video goes on to explain the various forms of copyright infringement, including common misconceptions regarding what most individuals do not view as illegal. The video also explains fair use of copyright content and how to use the content legally. YouTube has a three strikes rule. If an individual has three uncontested copyright infringement claims, the individual’s YouTube account will be banned for life. You can view the 
EverBank Financial Corp. has signed a consent order with federal regulators to rectify certain foreclosure practices that have been deemed “unsafe or unsound."
Although the unemployment rate has dropped to 9 percent from a peak of 10.1 in October 2009, most jobs being created do not match the wages, hours, or benefits of the positions that were initially lost in the recession. It appears that the jobs that would trigger individuals to spend and boost the economy are not being created. People are having to accept jobs where the pay and hours are less than their previous employment. For example, Lowe’s eliminated 1,700 managerial, sales and administration positions and created 8,000 to 10,000 weekend sales and assistant store manager positions. This is the trend for most businesses. Even the health-care industry is replacing doctors, nurses, dentists and other health-care professionals with physician assistants, medical assistants, dental hygienists, and physical therapist aides. While individuals have started to accept that they may need to adapt and settle for any full-time position they can get, others are enrolling into programs to learn new marketable skills.
The future of Smartphones may be at risk due to the rise in sales of tablets, not laptops, as some analysts predict.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced its intent to bring charges against Wachovia Corp. for assessing usurious fees against its investors for collateralized debt obligations (some of which containing mortgages).
Due to the amount of layoffs during the Great Recession, 9 million more Americans joined the ranks of the uninsured. A 60% increase in skipped health care is due to the increase in cost in the past decade. There has also been an increase in problems with medical debt and out-of-pocket spending costs, leading many more to consider bankruptcy.
Current measures being taken to close the tax gap (the difference between taxes paid and tax owed) has begun to disproportionately affect small businesses. Part of this may be attributed to an increase in audits and information reporting requirements for small businesses, such as the new 1099 reporting requirement. 
Groupon recently announced it will continue its marketing campaign based on provocative ideas in order to reach new users and markets. This announcement comes as a surprise to some marketing analysts, as the company recently pulled a commercial that originally aired during the Super Bowl. The ad drew criticism for making light of the current repressive climate in Tibet, forcing Groupon to issue an apology.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu has stated that his department will be making it easier and cheaper for entrepreneurs to license technologies developed at the agency’s 17 national laboratories. The incentive program is an effort to promote innovation and job growth, and patents will be available for a $1,000 fee from May to mid-December. Companies can apply for the patent using a simplified, standard agreement available online. The department is hoping to help businesses turn ideas into innovative products by removing the burdensome paperwork and offering patent licenses at a lower cost. Small businesses create two out of three jobs in the Unites States, and federal agencies are focusing more programs that will cater to small businesses and entrepreneurs. 
