other things one thinks about

The parody clause of copyright law: is there an actual legal definition of parody somewhere out there? what is it? when the parties disagree about the parodic nature of a parody, will there be expert witnesses? must a parody be funny? what if it tries but fails miserably? what if one of the parties still subscribes to New Criticism? is my Optional season finale more legal than the Wesleyfic? what if one does a parody on material that violates copyright in itself? wouldn't it be fun to be a lawyer? Historical fiction vs. RPF: isn't there RPS in Ragtime? The US visa applications and visa waiver forms: do they expect for someone to walk up to the immigrations officials and say, why, yes, now that you ask me, I do intend to extend my stay well beyond the legally allowed three months, as well as get a job here and not pay taxes; also, in my free time, I plan to set up and run a crime ring, concentrating on smuggling nuclear weapons - in fact, if you just look into my carry-on bag here, you should be able to see the starter's pack, right there next to my kilo of heroin? to which the officials will respond, for now, we'll be putting you in jail, but rest assured, your honesty in filling out the forms will be remembered the next time you seek entry into the United States of America.