Re: [ga] Rod Beckstrom TM application

[George Kirikos <gkirikos@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

--- On Tue, 2/16/10, Antony Van Couvering <avc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> If it's just between you and me, why copy it to the list?

Perhaps you missed the intentional humour in that line.
 
> You have to have a special sense of humor not to miss the
> laugh value in a trademark registration of Bulls**tter's
> Anonymous.  
 
> I don't think it advocates bullsh**ting as a "foundation
> for life."  It's a clear reference to a 12-step program

http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=77212813

Click on "Trademark Document Retrieval", select all the documents, and click 
"start download" to read the 56 MB PDF worth of filings. This was not some 
"joke" filing, this was a very serious one, that gives the public a glimpse of 
Rod Beckstrom's mind when he's not self-censoring himself via prepared 
speeches, etc. Just like how he used fake WHOIS (in violation of ICANN 
policies) as "security through obscurity", as documented previously.

It was his position that:

"In the business world, the use of the term "bulls**t" is commonly accepted."

10 book titles were cited, including:

- Bulls**t and Philosophy, by Gary L. Hardcastle, published May 23, 2006

- 100 Bulls**t Jobs...And How to Get Them, by Stanley Bing, published April 24, 
2007

- The Business of Bulls**t, by Graham Edmonds, published May 30, 2006

"Applicant's mark is a commonly used phrase in the business world and should 
not be denied registration here where it is connected with professional 
business consulting services."

Anyone can go read the 112 pages, and see for themselves the very serious 
nature of the application. 

Note the hypocrisy by Rod Beckstrom, too. If it's a commonly accepted term in 
the business world, why has he not tweeted the exact phrase? Instead, he just 
refers to it as "TM filing". :-) He needs to embrace it, take ownership of it, 
if he wants to be consistent. Indeed, check the WHOIS history of the relevant 
.com --- he does appear to be the owner of the relevant .com. :-) (with the 
usual fake WHOIS in the history, albeit with beckstrom.org as the smoking gun).

The folks laughing must include ICM Registry, as they likely have a sympathetic 
soul in office who might finally push to allow .xxx to go through. If 
"bullsh**tters* is commonly accepted, than what's the problem with .xxx ? 
 
> -- you're much better at it than they are.  I couldn't
> find that comment again, though I searched for it -- could
> you post the URL? It's really very funny, I'd like to read
> it again. 

Check my Twitter feed from around January 26. :-)

http://twitter.com/GeorgeKirikos

Sincerely,

George Kirikos
http://www.leap.com/