Stooping pretty low

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This is the website of IAP member Bobby Weber.

Notice anything strange? - like trying to capitalize on the IAP site, those of us who have spread the logo, Jeff's hard work in building and growing the site, etc.?

Here's an email I sent.

Bobby -

As you have been a non-contributing member of the IAP (penturners.org) for nearly a year, I find it reprehensible that you would so obviously rip off the name and use it for a commercial website. It would be in your best interest to delete this site and select a name that does not rip off someone else's traffic building efforts. Also, the .org suffix is meant for non-profit organizations.

Sincerely,

Lou Metcalf
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Registrant Name:Jeffrey Brown
Registrant Organization:TSB, Inc.
Registrant Street1:
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:
Registrant State/Province:
Registrant Postal Code:
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant REMOVED

I edited this to remove my personal contact info... - Jeff
 
It appears to be some el cheapo service through Microsoft Live.

Greg, if there's still time, please delete that post since it has Jeff's email in it. BIG NO-NO. If it's too late, hopefully one of the mods will delete it.
 
Is he going to be a member much longer??[:D][}:)]

I like that, "forum decorum." Has a nice ring to it. But you forgot to mention the quality of the photos.
 
It's too bad folks can get away with such things.
To me, this is an example of an individual lacking ethics and honesty.
And, his work looks like it's overpriced [;)]
 
It is abusive, and I'd love to do something about it, but it's not feasible to invoke the dispute resolution policy. Court action is necessary for domestic (i.e. within the United States) complaints.

Read all about it! http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp.htm
 
I agree that it is diplorable how he named his website but if it's any consolation, I doubt he is doing a brisk business! Judging from the quality of his site, I have a feeling he isn't getting swamped with calls, regardless how people find him.
 
Is there an attorney among us? If not ... and with Jeff's permission, I can contact one. My oldest son is in practice in Manhattan. His firm allows him to do some pro bono work. If he has time, he might be able to help. I'll wait for the go ahead from Jeff before I talk with him.
 
DOH!!!!!

Jeff, I apologize!!!!! My fingers' microcode added the 's' to the whois command. I meant to post the info for penturner.org.

egistrant Name:Robert Weber
Registrant Street1:3068 River Ridge Rd.
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Summit
Registrant State/Province:MS
Registrant Postal Code:39666
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.6016848086
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:mathcarver@penturner.org


Sadly, this isn't against anything ICANN has. If we were big enough we could go after him legally but it would be lawyer vs lawyer. Microsoft has the $$ if someone creates a microosft.com but I doubt we do.

GK
 
Originally posted by DocStram
<br />Is there an attorney among us? If not ... and with Jeff's permission, I can contact one. My oldest son is in practice in Manhattan. His firm allows him to do some pro bono work. If he has time, he might be able to help. I'll wait for the go ahead from Jeff before I talk with him.
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Al, that's a nice offer, but I'd rather his pro bono time go to someone with real legal problems. That said, maybe a quick letter from an attorney would motivate the guy to shut down his operation.
 
How about someone mailing him one of those Texas Cow Crap pens and tell him to go chew on it. Maybe it would put as good a taste in his mouth as his actions have put in ours.[}:)]
 
He has a contact us tab....Why don't IAP members contact him, to let him know what bad taste he has...If we just keep slamming him with e-mails in protest maybe he will get the picture.[}:)][}:)][}:)]

Thanks
 
I'm sorry guys but I don't see a problem here.

Our small numbers looking at his site will not be enough to push it to the top of any search engine.

His site is .....well it's....well you know. Who in their right mind would tumble on a site like this and actually want to buy one of his pens? OK, his mother, but seriously, who else.

Don't get yer knickers in a twist over it. Save your angst for a more worthy cause. This guy is not a threat to anyone.
 
Originally posted by rlharding
<br />I'm sorry guys but I don't see a problem here.
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I think the problem is that he is trying to be cute with the site name, however The bigger problem (as I see it) is some of YOUR pen customers trying to get to the IAP on your recomendation and ending up at this site.

I suppose it would just show them how much better your pens are[:D][:D][:D]
 
So if he did a better job -----IAP should care more????????
How does that make any sense-----right is right and wrong is wrong------there really ain't no such thing as ---well it's not bad enough to care.
 
I don't know if it would be right for IAP members to spam him with emails. Ripping off popular web sites with common misspellings of the names is a normal thing. I misspell web addresses all the time and they will always lead me to some site. I really hate it when the site is something of the sexual nature.

I do not agree with this practice, I think this jerk is an idiot and his site/pens look like crap. If someone wants to put a stop to another one they might go look at registering sites that can be closely spelled to this one.
 
I not sure spamming his email is the right train of thought. I was thinking if so many IAP members slammed his email, just letting him know what bad taste he has and why. He might just see the light.
 
I don't see that he did anything wrong. Not much right, I'll agree. His work is forgetable, the site name is not original, photography lousy. But, in a free enterprise America one has the right to not do well. I don't understand the fuss. Time to move on guys.
 
There may be some trademark issues here. While the term "penturners" is quite generic and descriptive (the most difficult to assert trademark rights to), nevertheless, penturners.org has been established for several years, and the name may have taken on "secondary meaning." In other words, in the minds of a large number of people in the woodworking/pen interests, "penturners" invokes reference to this site.

The fact that another person has used a substantially similar term for marketing pens could give rise to an issue of "likelihood of confusion," in that an unknowing visitor to penturner might assume a connection to penturners. The low-quality pens displayed for sale on penturner, along with the poor photography, could thus create an unfavorable opinion of our site in the minds of those who mistakenly make a connection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_trademark_law

Meanwhile, the owners of this site might want to consider adding a subscript TM to the penturners logo. This helps further establish an unregistered trademark's use in a "normal course of business." The circle-R is only allowed for trademarks that have been registered with the USPTO.

Cheers.
 
Originally posted by WWAtty
<br />There may be some trademark issues here. While the term "penturners" is quite generic and descriptive (the most difficult to assert trademark rights to), nevertheless, penturners.org has been established for several years, and the name may have taken on "secondary meaning." In other words, in the minds of a large number of people in the woodworking/pen interests, "penturners" invokes reference to this site.

The fact that another person has used a substantially similar term for marketing pens could give rise to an issue of "likelihood of confusion," in that an unknowing visitor to penturner might assume a connection to penturners. The low-quality pens displayed for sale on penturner, along with the poor photography, could thus create an unfavorable opinion of our site in the minds of those who mistakenly make a connection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_trademark_law

Meanwhile, the owners of this site might want to consider adding a subscript TM to the penturners logo. This helps further establish an unregistered trademark's use in a "normal course of business." The circle-R is only allowed for trademarks that have been registered with the USPTO.

Cheers.
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WW, I believe it would take an extreme stretch to find any sort of violation in what he did. Your own post pretty well supports that. You used the words: may (several times); difficult; similar; could; mistakenly; might and on and on, aud infinauseum. Then you reference Wikipedia, probably the least reliable source of information in the world. As far as similarity is concerned, it flourishes everywhere in the commercial world. Look at the woodworking/turning catalogs. The names of the catalogs are nearly identical in many cases. We (including myself) have already spent way too much time on this huge non-issue.
 
Originally posted by rlharding
<br />....Don't get yer knickers in a twist over it... This guy is not a threat to anyone.
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I gotta agree with Ruth on this one. By the way the momentum is building on this thread, by page six there will be recommendations of tar and feathers.

And as far as anyone sending their customers to the IAP... who does that? Do we really want our customers to know that those $125 pens they bought only cost us $14 in parts and take 30 minutes to make? [:)]
 
Originally posted by Texatdurango
[...the way the momentum is building on this thread, by page six there will be recommendations of tar and feathers
Click to expand...

Which one you bringing?!?!? [}:)][}:)] [:D][:D][:D]

&lt;Music on&gt;
Simply irresistible
&lt;/MO&gt;
 
No doubt that his actions are deplorable and I do not condone them in any way, shape or form. However I see something here that is equally deplorable and it seems to have been ignored. Specifically, I am talking about the posting personal information in direct violation of the posted acceptable use policy of which which I quote:

"You may not use the service to transmit the private information of another person without consent, nor may you post the contents of email exchanges without the consent of all parties involved."

Perhaps I am in the minority here but to me it seems that we are no better than he is.
 
Frank,
I see you have a web site www.ozarkwood.com. It seems to be under construction, so I am not sure what you are putting on there. Lets just say its pens nice pens with nice photos of them pens. You have also worked hard to build up the traffic flow.

Then someone comes along sees that you have something there and wants to take advantage of your hard work. So they start a web site called, OH, I don't know maybe www.ozarkswood.com or www.ozarkwoods.com. And they post some really shabby work with some really shabby photos.

Would this be a huge non-issue to you Frank????

Legal maybe, right I don't think so. I do think it should be talked about. And I do think that this man should know how others feel. I also know that folks could let him know how they feel about his deplorable action, with a e-mail.....clean e-mail, letting him know how a person feels about what he is doing. And taken advantage of someones hard work is wrong just flat out wrong [V][V][V]

The personal information that is posted here, is on his web site as well. Did we need it here?? I'm not really sure. However Its not really personal if the person post it on his own web site. Just a thought.

Also the web sites I listed are just examples. I have know idea if they are real or not other then Franks, just purely to make my point.
 
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I'm with George, I wouldn't send any client to this site. too much information that could force me out of business.

As far as the person at hand. He's doing what every other guy has done on the internet. I recall someone registering the domain www.coke.com and holding it hostage until coke paid a substantial fee to buy it.

want another. try www.nissan.com pending legal battle over that site. The owner's last name is..... Nissan and has had a business under that name since before Datsun changed it's name.

so, while I'm sure the guy isn't selling any pens, what he has done is totally fine. Oh, and don't leave the first s off of craigslist.com (DAMHIKT)

Oh, and as to the posting private info. That's actually public info that was posted. Anyone on the internet can look it up.
 
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