COPYRIGHT NO LONGER APPLIES
On January 1, 2024, the Walt Disney Company’s copyright protection on Mickey Mouse finally runs out. Technically, it’s just the 1928 animated short film “Steamboat Willie,” Mickey Mouse’s first appearance in film, that will no longer be protected. But at 12:01 a.m. in the new year, the entire film will enter the public domain and be fair game to anyone to do with as they please. Users have already been using Mickey and other Disney characters in their own art before now, but there has always been a risk of legal action from the copyright holder. But come the new year, that risk will disappear. In this day of artificial intelligence-driven graphics, who knows what new forms—delightful or unsettling—people will come up with for that mouse.
RESTRICTIONS NO LONGER APPLY
Paul urged the Christians in Colossae to leave behind the “elemental principles” of the world, specifically manmade restrictions pertaining to special foods, festivals, and dates. These strict limitations, which were easy to understand even if they were not so easy to obey, belonged to the non-Christian way of living. Paul wanted his readers to abandon such restrictions and stop thinking that such rules had any value to produce a heart of godliness, humility, or wisdom.
Questions
- What is your favorite animated character or movie?
- What food dish are you most looking forward to enjoying in the holidays?
- How can we be sure we don’t put our faith in human restrictions that have no value in God’s eyes?
