I liked the issues they brought up, artists are human after all, not design machines churning out product.

From Jane Wells "Funny Business" blog on CNBC
http://www.cnbc.com/id/26457374
A couple of emails about the Mattel v. MGA trial over the Bratz dolls. As you may have read, the jury came back and awarded Mattel [MAT 19.33 -0.38 (-1.93%) ] $100 million in damages, less than a tenth of what the company thought it was due. Eventually the judge will decide the final award, and, perhaps more importantly, determine what happens to the Bratz dolls now. Can MGA continue to even manufacture them? I'm told it could be months before that is decided.

In the meantime, Nefertiti J. isn't a Mattel fan:

"I was originally reluctant to purchase Bratz because of the name. I got over the name, and now in my 7 year-old's toy chest Bratz out-do Barbie 10 -1. She has 23 Bratz dolls and three Barbies.

"My position is - Mattel didn't treat their employee right. And that should be the ultimate 'principle'. And they should have realized Barbie needed more than an update. Prince Charming is not gonna ride up on his white horse and save my daughter. She doesn't have blond hair or blue eyes and it ain't gonna happen. Also she probably won't have a 36DD bust size. Bratz are more geared to the multi ethnic kids she is surrounded by. And in each of their movies - they (the Bratz girls) end up saving the day...Mattel should have realized they had a great talent in Mr. Bryant and invested in him and other employees when they had the opportunity...I hope MGA goes public so I can buy a lot of their stock. SHAME ON YOU MATTEL. First LEAD now this idiotic suit."

R. isn't a Mattel fan either:

"Ask yourself why did Bryant go to MGA in the first place? If he was being well paid by virtue of his ideas coming to market with a share of the profits, why would he? After all, there was no certainty of success, his Bratz doll was just an idea and a sketch, why risk upsetting the applecart? My guess is Bryant was on a low salary, and Mattel, not wanting to create an alternative market to their cash cow Barbie, chose not to proceed with Bryant's designs...

"Innovation and imagination is what counts, as JK Rowling proves in spades, and she is reaping her just rewards. If management doesn't recognize talent, and pay to hold onto it, they risk the Pied Piper stealing their children."


Jane Wells

Voice of the iconic Bratz Character Burdine, Wendie Malick hopes theStudio Arena Theatre in her childhood home of Buffalo can be saved.

"I hope Buffalo quickly finds a savior for its prestigious Studio Arena Theatre before it is lost for good, and who knows, perhaps that savior will turn out to be billionaire Warren Buffett as has been suggested by so many," Malik said. "He's not a Rockefeller, but he sure could Rock-a-Buffalo by volunteering to lend a hand."





PR Release:
http://pr-canada.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42433&Itemid=58

Honest fair impartial? What? Only one person came forward so the rest of the jury was going to proceed to phase two with a racist, that alone makes me think the jury is messed up. What were they thinking that they did not all go to the judge - why were they okay going on with the trial with this racist with them? That Mattel makes these lame statements - well I can't be anymore disgusted with them, they are just showing what horrible people their corporate people are.

Mattel: Juror’s ‘Inappropriate Ethnic Remark’ Not Grounds for Mistrial
Posted by Dan Slater
For you evidence and procedure junkies out there, here’s Mattel’s opposition motion to MGA’s motion for a mistrial in the Barbie-Bratz battle. It was filed yesterday by Mattel’s lawyer, John Quinn, of Quinn Emanuel.

Last Friday, we noted the news out of California that Juror #8 in the Barbie-Bratz trial, in which Mattel won the first phase — was removed for making slurs about the ethnicity of Isaac Larian, the Jewish, Iranian-born CEO of MGA, maker of Bratz.

Juror #8’s remarks reportedly characterized Iranians as “stubborn, rude” and as “thieves” who have “stolen other person’s ideas.” The remarks were made during deliberations in the first phase of the trial that found Larian had aided a Mattel Barbie designer, Carter Bryant, who created the Bratz concept in violation of his Mattel contract. (MGA is represented by Skadden’s Tom Nolan.)

Here’s the opening of Mattel’s motion:

It is beyond legitimate dispute that nine fair, honest, impartial jurors returned a unanimous verdict against defendants. After those nine jurors reached their verdict but before it was returned, a tenth juror made an inappropriate ethnic remark that was condemned by the other jurors. The court found the remark had no effect on the jury’s verdict. And yet, because it was made, MGA insists that the verdict, reached after hearing two months of evidence, must be summarily tossed. Neither the law nor the facts require such a result. . . .
[MGA] claims the remark reveals the juror had preconceived notions, and “must have” been biased all along. But as the Supreme Court has repeatedly explained, having preconceived notions — even abhorrent ones — is very different from being biased in the legal sense relevant here . . .While the law grants wide berth to counsel to use voir dire to ferret out jurors whose experiences or preconceptions may raise questions about impartiality, once a jury has been impaneled both the procedural rules for uncovering bias and the substantive standards governing its assessment change dramatically. Source

His is an all-American toy story
Stefano Paltera / For The Times

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS: Isaac Larian, chief executive of Van Nuys-based MGA Entertainment, came to the States in 1971 at the age of 17. “The first great meal I had in the U.S. was liver and onions at Spires,” he says of the Lawndale eatery he had worked for.

Isaac Larian, who emigrated from Iran as a youth, built Bratz doll maker MGA Entertainment into a major force in the toy industry.
By David Colker, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 27, 2008
Less than a couple of hours after a resounding defeat in federal court, Isaac Larian -- the blustery chief executive of MGA Entertainment Inc. -- sounded like a man getting into the ring, not one who had just gotten a legal beating.

"They are so dishonest," he said of archrival Mattel Inc., which had just won a jury victory in a long-fought copyright infringement lawsuit that could cost MGA more than $1 billion.

Playing for keeps
"Their lawyers are dishonest," said Larian, who sees the case as a vendetta by Mattel against him.

It wasn't an unexpected reaction from the feisty Larian, 54, who built his Van Nuys-based company into one of the major forces in the toy industry from a humble enterprise so shaky that it filed for bankruptcy protection in 1997.

That success was mostly built on one product -- the Bratz dolls that MGA debuted in 2001. Beloved by preteen girls, the hip dolls with tight outfits and bare midriffs that exuded street smarts (uncomfortably close to street walker, according to some angered parents) soon made MGA anywhere from $500 million to $2 billion a year, depending on which analyst was doing the estimating.

But July 17, after six weeks of testimony, the jury found that the Bratz dolls were created by a designer who had been working at Mattel under an exclusivity contract. The jury also found that MGA and Larian aided the breaking of that contract.

The battle, and courtroom fireworks the trial generated, are far from over. On Friday, during the damages phase of the trial, it was revealed that one of the jurors had made slurs about the ethnicity of Larian, who was born in Iran. The juror was removed and MGA asked for a mistrial to be declared. The matter will be taken up in court Aug. 4.

A mistrial would wipe out Mattel's victory, justifying Larian's refusal to enter settlement talks with Mattel.

"I need to sleep good at night," he said. "I can't be in bed with them."

Strolling confidently through the courthouse hallways during breaks, Larian was always nattily dressed in well-tailored suits, and always willing to give a comment to reporters.

During noon breaks, he was often seen carrying a Trader Joe's bag that didn't go with the suits. As he entered the private sanctuary of his lawyers' workroom one day he explained, "It's my lunch. My wife is very good to me."

In a recent interview, he traced his feistiness and devotion to family to his childhood.

"It goes back to my upbringing," he said. "I grew up in Iran, being Jewish."

His family was close and he learned the value of work from his parents, who owned a retail fabric store. "My parents were not wealthy," he said, "and I had to work after school at the shop."

Larian came to the U.S. in 1971 at the age of 17. He said he had only $750 and got a job as a dishwasher at Spires coffee shop in Lawndale.

"The first great meal I had in the U.S. was liver and onions at Spires," he said.

He worked the night shift, eventually getting promoted to busboy and going to school during the day at Cal State Los Angeles as an engineering major. He planned on returning to Iran after graduating.

"The goal was to go back and get engineering work on the infrastructure," Larian said.

But by the time he made it back to Iran in 1979, the revolution had created an Islamic republic.

"Being Jewish, I didn't see that as a place where I could live," Larian said. He headed back to the U.S. and with his brother, Farhad, began an import business called Surprise Gift Wagon. He never worked as an engineer.

"My kids ask about that," Larian said. "I tell them, 'In engineering they teach you how to solve problems and in business you have to solve problems every day.' "

They imported brass giftware and other items. In 1987 they formed a division called Micro Games of America (later MGA) to distribute a Nintendo hand-held game machine called the Game & Watch. It couldn't hold more than one game at a time, and after an initial surge in sales, the U.S. venture faltered.

"I had so much inventory and nobody wanted to buy," Larian said. "It was a disaster for me that taught me a big lesson. In the toy business, kids are always looking for fresh, new products."

Nintendo debuted the legendary Game Boy in 1989, but the Larians didn't get a piece of that. The brothers were also feuding over the operation of the business, and in 2000 Farhad sold his portion to Isaac for about $9 million.

Farhad later sued his brother, claiming that Isaac had hidden a $3-billion distribution deal from him that greatly enhanced the value of their company. The suit eventually was withdrawn.

Larian said the relationship between him and his brother is civil but not healed. To explain, he Americanized a Persian proverb: "They say if you drop and break an expensive vase, you can Crazy Glue it back together. But there is always a mark there."

The court battle with Mattel is the biggest challenge yet to his business. But even in the midst of this trial, it's clear that he enjoys looking back on what he sees as his all-American story.

"A few years ago I took my kids back to the coffee shop where I worked," Larian said. "We sat down and ate."

As far as he could tell, none of the people who had been there in his dishwashing and busboy days was still at the restaurant. But there was a reminder of those times.

"Liver and onions," he said. "It was still on the menu."
Source!

This would be seriously amusing except that people's lives are being affected. Yeah let's bring in artists to answer questions for Mattel to say a pink square is a purple diamond- who are these artists? Nervous Mattel employees? They'll say what they are told this is hardly fair.

"Nolan plans to call artists to the witness stand to detail the similarities and differences between the dolls Bryant thought up in 2000 and those that MGA eventually produced. He acknowledges that the evaluation is subjective and that jurors will also be making their own decisions independent of expert testimony."

Back to the Drawing Board in Barbie-Bratz Damages Phase

Posted by Ben Hallman

How closely do the drawings of a former Mattel designer resemble the Bratz dolls MGA Entertainment Inc. started selling in 2001? That's the question a jury will attempt to answer in the damages phase of the Barbie-Bratz smackdown that began yesterday in a Riverside, Calif., courtroom.

Read all the story here

Even if they do it just proves nasty bullies get ahead in the world,
they are the last people to speak of "morals" when speaking of
their legal dealings.

Still nothing to worry about yet, Mattel owns some of Carter's
drawings and early prototype items derived from them, so what does
that mean? Well that's what this is about. Quotes:

"The panel, which could not decide which company owns four original
drawings of the Bratz characters, must now determine whether Mattel's
drawings are "substantially similar" to dolls developed by MGA, and if
so, how much of the estimated $3 billion in profits MGA should have to
give to Mattel."

""The question is whether a consumer says these are substantially
similar," he told the jury.

But MGA attorney Thomas Nolan rejoined that the company's doll
designers had changed Bratz substantially from the concept drawings,
which "don't say nearly enough about how to make dolls that sell."
MGA went on to create more than 30 different characters and play
themes, fashions and accessories that had nothing to do with Carter
Bryant or other Mattel employees, Nolan said."

Full article below.
:)
sfb

Mattel, MGA argue in damages phase of Bratz trial
Thu Jul 24
By Syantani Chatterjee

RIVERSIDE, Calif (Reuters) - Mattel Inc (MAT.N: Quote, Profile,
Research) and MGA Entertainment Inc on Wednesday laid out widely
diverging valuations of the Bratz doll franchise in the damages phase
of a U.S. copyright infringement trial that could have major
implication for both toymakers.

The jury in Riverside, California, last week found that former Mattel
designer Carter Bryant made scores of concept drawings and sculpts for
Bratz while he was employed by Mattel. The jury awarded rights to
those works to Mattel.

The panel, which could not decide which company owns four original
drawings of the Bratz characters, must now determine whether Mattel's
drawings are "substantially similar" to dolls developed by MGA, and if
so, how much of the estimated $3 billion in profits MGA should have to
give to Mattel.

While Mattel's attorneys tried to convince the 10-member jury that the
giant toymaker deserved all profits from Bratz and related
accessories, company Chairman and Chief Executive Bob Eckert appeared
to try to manage expectations.

"Regardless of the amount of damages award against MGA and its CEO in
this phase of the trial, this has been a moral victory for Mattel
employees worldwide," Eckert said in a statement handed out to
reporters at the trial.

A big damages award could compensate for sagging sales of Mattel's
iconic Barbie doll, whose U.S. sales slipped 21 percent last quarter
in the face of competition from Bratz, and could also prove a
crippling blow to family-owned MGA.

NOT JUST A DOLL

Mattel attorney Bill Price advised the jury during his opening
statement to consider basic features -- such as the dolls' stance,
clothing, eyes and other facial features -- rather than colors or
accessories in finding whether the dolls infringe on the original
drawings that Mattel owns.

"The question is whether a consumer says these are substantially
similar," he told the jury.

But MGA attorney Thomas Nolan rejoined that the company's doll
designers had changed Bratz substantially from the concept drawings,
which "don't say nearly enough about how to make dolls that sell."

MGA went on to create more than 30 different characters and play
themes, fashions and accessories that had nothing to do with Carter
Bryant or other Mattel employees, Nolan said.

The dolls might look similar to Carter Bryant's drawings "on a blink
test" but MGA built not just a doll but a successful brand, Nolan said.

Price said MGA should turn over to Mattel all profits it made from the
dolls since 2001 -- an estimated $987 million -- and should also pay
punitive damages based on the estimated $1.9 billion net worth of MGA
Chief Executive Isaac Larian.

MGA believes that no damages are appropriate, and if it is forced to
give Bratz profits to Mattel, the amount should be limited to its
first-year profits of $4.3 million, Nolan said.

In a worst-case scenario, MGA should pay no more than $422.2 million,
which subtracts the value-added products and branding devised solely
by MGA, Nolan said.

Testimony in the damages phase was expected to last two weeks.

(Writing by Gina Keating; Editing by Gary Hill)
Read the story here

Hey there Bratz World- Check this out! The full album will be released
exclusively on iTunes on July 22.

Leave a great review too!
:)

Friends Are Everything - Single
Bratz

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=282780319&s=143441

Release Date: Jun 10, 2008
Total Songs: 1
Genre: Pop
(P) 2008 MGA Melodies

These beautiful Bratz Pictures are by Bratz TV member Lukam! They are SO cute!

If Bratz Worlders would like to do some art/wallpapers with them I have the hi-
res un-marked versions
:)
sfb
( Read more, beeg pix behind the cut! )
Some fun I had with the pix, a crisp fall day with good friends and furry poochies!




the new cover of Bratz World TV

This was inspried by a great thread on Bratz World on Yahoo
http://www.bratzworld.tv
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BratzWorld/message/67809

Since many stories we read in the news try to present the Bratz as something all parents hate or should be hating, I want to show people that its not true and from the sales numbers there have to be a lot of parents buying the Bratz. These are questions for "Bratz Moms and Dads" to answer, people who have kids and buy Bratz for their kids and in many cases, themselves. So these answers are from a parent's perspective. (Since there is enough hate out there this is for people who don't hate the Bratz so if you do, please use your time for something else :) ).

The biggest problem some people seem to have with the Bratz are how they are dressed. Hookers, streetwalkers and strippers and worse, are some of the terms some writers have used.
What do you think of the Bratz fashions?
How would you describe what they look like?
How do you think they compare with other doll's fashions?
How do you think these fashions will affect your kids self image now and in the future?
Also feel free to mention your personal favorite lines and looks.

Another issue people have with the Bratz is their supposed attitude. They are accused of being, among other things, rich-acting, self absorbed shopaholics with nothing better to do with their time than chase girls and boys around for dates and hang out gossiping. These characters are supposed to depict teens and teens do like to have fun but in the various storylines surrounding the Bratz there are many more things in which they are involved.
What do you think the Bratz represent as far as goals and interests?
Is their image damaging to your kid's developing attitude about life?

The make-up. These are dolls with an animated colorful appearance and a lot of color and detail in the facial features.
What do you like about these faces?
Do you think seeing a face with all these colors on it makes a girl or boy want to wear make-up?
And if they want to wear make-up do you see this as particularly harmful or personal/ creative expression?
If you think playing with the dolls bring on a request for purchasing make-up what is your reaction?

There are many ways people share with their families and collecting is one way some do things together. Common interests are a great thing to share with your kids.
Do you collect Bratz too?
How do you decide who gets what dolls?
Do you have ways you play together or share in Bratz collecting like shopping together or making up home areas for the Bratz or re-dressing and mixing fashions and styling the hair for example?

Why don't you see the Bratz as the downfall of mankind the way others seem to see them?
How come the Bratz are not "corrupting" your child/children?
Give your thoughts on where you think the Bratz fit into the world and their role in shaping pop culture or their reflection of it depending on how you personally view it.
Add any other thoughts you would like to about the Bratz and your family.

**********************
You can email me answers directly or answer them on Bratz World. Lurkers please feel free to answer too by directly emailing me and just let me know what name you want to use so you can stay private if you like.

If you have pictures you want to share, send them or the links to me directly and any captions/credits you'd like used.

The answers individual people give will be listed under the question with your name at the start of your answer.

This "interview" will get its own page eventually like the fun Bratz World interviews we already have up like our most recent one on Lauren Evans

Lauren Evans interview, scroll down for links to more fun interviews
http://bratz-world.diaryland.com/LEvans.html

There is already too much out there full of negativity against the Bratz so add to the positive so people who just like to complain and bash can't act like every parent "out there" hates the Bratz.
:)
sfb
email
bratz_world_rocks @ yahoo.com