A New Year. A New Season. A New Way to Look at the Stars
The beginning of the year holds something special. It is a time when vision sharpens. When people begin asking what is next, what is worth building, and how to bring more meaning into what they create. There is inspiration in the reset. In the clean calendar. In the chance to take your ideas seriously again. This is why we chose to open our new season of Intangiblia ™ with an episode that blends creativity and structure. It is full of optimism, yet grounded in clarity. It asks a very strange, very real question:
You Can’t Own Time Or Facts
We revisit the 2011 lawsuit in which Astrolabe, an astrology software company, asserted copyright in global time zone data. The case was quickly dismissed, reinforcing a core principle of IP law: facts are free to use. The takeaway? Innovation thrives when creators focus on expression, not control of public knowledge.
Tarot Enhancements And The Public Domain
A copyright dispute between Siren Imports and VHNS over different versions of the Rider–Waite tarot deck. The case examines when updates to public-domain art, such as color correction or layout changes, cross the line into protectable creativity. A live test of where the law draws that boundary.
Walter Mercado’s Trademark Battle
One of the most personal and complex cases in the episode. When Walter Mercado assigned the rights to his own name, he lost legal control over his identity. The courts upheld the contract. This segment breaks down how trademark assignments work and why creators must treat their names as any other asset.
Lines Between Culture And Ownership
This segment reflects on all the cases explored in the episode, from horoscopes to tarot and spiritual branding. It asks where shared culture ends and private ownership begins. The law makes room for both, but the line depends on what is original, what is licensed, and what is left in the commons.
Five Things to Remember
- Horoscopes are protected if they are original. Style and phrasing matter.
- Facts are not copyrightable. But the way you frame them can be.
- Public domain works are not automatically yours. Transformation must involve creativity.
- Names, likenesses, and identities can be trademarks. Assigning them in a contract means giving up control.
- IP shapes the spiritual marketplace. Even mystical content lives within legal frameworks.
A thought to take away
“The law draws a line: the constellation is free, but your story about it is yours.” Leticia Caminero
What This Episode Is Really About
This is not about astrology. It is about the choices people make when they create something meaningful. It is about understanding the contracts you sign. It is about protecting what you build so it can grow. Whether you are designing a product, writing content, launching a service, or creating a personal brand, the law is already part of your story. The more you understand it, the more empowered you become.
As Walter Mercado always reminded us at the end of every show: Mucho, mucho amor. Because ideas need care. And so do the people behind them.
Get the book!
If you want a practical, creator-friendly guide to turning ideas into protectable assets, my book Protection for the Inventive Mind was written for you. It is simple, clear, and focused on real-world steps you can take today. The future of design belongs to those who protect their imagination. Get the book!
Listen to the episode.
