Flashback to the previous weekend!
Won't be able to do this once THIS happens....
A Philadelphia native, Lumet moved to New York City as a child, and it became the location of choice for more than 30 of his films. Although he freely admitted to a lifelong love affair with the city, he often showed its grittier side.
Such dramas as "Prince of the City," "Q&A," "Night Falls on Manhattan" and "Serpico" looked at the hard lives and corruptibility of New York police officers. "Dog Day Afternoon" told the true-life story of two social misfits who set in motion a chain of disastrous events when they tried to rob a New York City bank on an oppressively hot summer afternoon.
Earlier this week, she received a letter from an intern who works for the MTA's marketing and advertising division requesting she stop selling the cards and remove any MTA-branded items from Etsy.com, an online marketplace. Alternatively, the intern said the artist could pay the authority for a license to utilize the MTA's brand in her artwork.
The MTA uses unpaid interns to search online for trademark infringement "when they have the time," says Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for the MTA.
Through close to 120 licensees, the MTA generates about $500,000 a year in revenue, or about what it expected to save from cutting one express-bus line during a round of service cuts last year. Typically, artists enter into licensing deals with the authority, giving up about 10% of net revenue.
Still, copyright lawyers say the MTA may not have a strong case.
"If all she is doing is painting over the MTA's logo with her own artistic expression, there wouldn't be any claim the MTA would have unless there's some statute that makes the card sacrosanct," says David Leichtman, a partner at New York law firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi and chairman of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. "The MTA...likely can't force her to take a licensing fee."
DIRTY OLD TOWN - TEASER from Blowback Productions on Vimeo.

“While we at the MTA are flattered that you recognize the value of our brand to consumers, please understand the MTA has a well-established product licensing program which markets authorized versions of such products. While we have no record of your firm requesting or being granted such authorization, we are prepared to initiate discussions with you about acquiring a license from us.
The MTA’s intellectual property is protected by applicable copyright law and trademark law. The manner in which your web site markets these items, such as your reference to New York City subway, implies involvement and/or endorsement of your business and products by the MTA.
The MTA considers its intellectual property to be a valuable asset which we protect from dilution and confusion in the marketplace. The MTA obtained and maintains its registered trademarks, copyrights and intellectual property in the public interest. It is important for the MTA to be able to communicate with the public about its services, as well as operate its established licensed products program, without unauthorized users of its intellectual property creating confusion.
Please reply to me by email or in writing to acknowledge receipt of this notice, and to indicate your intention to remove this item from Etsy and cease any sales of the item...
My big bad oil paintings, on the surface of discardedMetroCardssubway cards, are apparently a huge threat to the sanctity of the MTA’s intellectual property. Unless, of course, I want to throw down some big cash and pay for the privilege of referencing the MTA in any way.
That ain’t gonna happen.