Jacob G. Horowitz                                                                           April 7, 2010
Assistant Interim General Counsel
North Broward Hospital District
dba Broward Health

Dear Mr. Horowitz:
    I received email today informing me that you feel I may be in violation of US trademark laws by posting the “official seal” of the North Broward Hospital District dba Broward Health on my website at www.john-degroot.com.
   Golly Ned!
   After more than three score and 10 years as a resident of this planet, this is the first time I have been accused of violating a US trademark law.
   Naturally, I'm impressed by the very official tone and language of your letter as an Assistant Interim General Counsel for the District – especially since my tax dollars pay your fees (which kind of makes me your boss).
   But then your law firm represents a legion of South Florida taxpayers, which enables Goren, Cheroff, Doody & Ezrol to earn serious bucks from a great host of diverse tax funded governmental agencies, municipalities and other politically-driven entities.
   Anyhow...
   What matters is a know a good legal “cut-it-out-or-else” letter from a government lawyer when I see one. *Like I used to work for as a special assistant to the then Florida Attorney General Butterworth.
   But I digress.
   The point is, I'm totally hip to the graph in your letter that states:
   “It is hereby demanded that the District's seal be immediately removed from your website. Your cooperation and compliance with this request would be appreciated. Be advised, however, that this office is prepared to take any and all legal steps necessary to protect the District's proprietary rights to its intellectual property and to seek other such relief to which the District may be entires in law or equity.”
    Hence, in simple terms, I gather the above means you're ready to sue my saggy old man's ass if I fail to remove the North Broward Hospital District's official logo (below) from any posts on my website.
                                       
    Which begs an obvious question:
    Like are there other government agencies that might sue my saggy old man's ass if I used their seal on my blog?
    Or, as governmental agencies go, does the North Broward Hospital District consider itself to be very, very special?
   Always,
   John deGroot
   North Broward Hospital District
   Interim Taxpaying Resident

PS:So,what are my chances of getting my ass sued by some other government lawyer if I post the official seal (below) from a different tax funded governmental?:
               
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