Facebook is trying to trademark the words "Face" and "Like"

From TechCrunch:

Facebook is currently trying to register the word “Face” as a trademark. (It already owns the trademark on “Facebook”). Facebook took over the trademark application for “Face” from a company in the UK called CIS Internet Limited, which operated a site called Faceparty.com

It is also trying to patent the word "Like"

They are also going after companies with similar names like Placebook etc now, just because they have the pockets. (Whoever owns Phasebook.com, Faecebook.com and Fazebook.com - watch out!)

Maybe this is the way for Olde Media to make money again - use their cash to trademark all the popular words and then charge everybody for using them. If I recall correctly, to trademark something in the US is about $5k, so if I trademarked "and" and then charged every US media source $.001 a pop for using it, I reckon I'd be a gazillionaire by dinnertime.

Sadly, in the US they will probably get away with it, the whole US IP/Trademarking scene is (too often) essentially a "who pays, wins" game, irrespective of prior usage, legal rights or whatever.