Sunday, May 6, 2012

WTF--Trademark Infringement??

Hello Again Blog Friends!!  It's been a while and I'm FINALLY back and somewhat ready to jump into the blogging saddle again.  After navigating a few very difficult personal issues over the last couple of months, finishing a college degree that was several years in the making, and hosting family from out of town over the weekend, I'm exhausted!  However, I'm back to alert you to some other news. . . .

Living on a Dime or Less will be changing our blog name title.  No, this isn't due to some wild hair that I've gotten up my behind.  Actually, it's due to this email that I received last week:

"I wanted to let you know that Living On A Dime is a trademarked name. Therefore it is for use only by Kellam Media and Publishing Inc. as we own the trademark for Living On A Dime.
The name Living On A Dime or Less is a deceptively similar name that infringes upon our trademark. Please rename or remove your website  Living On A Dime or Less  within the next 10 days to avoid continuing violation of our trademark.
After 10 days if the sites are still up with this name we will have our lawyer contact  you about this violation.
Thank you, Tawra Kellam, President Kellam Media and Publishing, Inc."

Um. . .yeah.  So, over the course of the last couple of months I've probably only checked the blog's email box once or maybe twice a week.  I just had a lot going on.  In fact, the only reason why I continued to check the box was because of your wonderful comments and emails that were so very inspiring to me during a very difficult time. Anyways, it's by sheer luck that I got the email when I did.  As you can clearly see, I've been threatened with legal action if I don't change the name.  Aside from being a tersely written email (someone doesn't know how to play nicely in the blog sandbox!), she had to throw in a threat? Very classy.  I honestly had no clue and meant absolutely no harm.  In fact, had she written me a nicely worded email basically along the lines of "Hey, not sure if you know this or not, but the name of your blog is actually kind of a problem for me", I would have responded with an equally kind email being all apologetic and falling all over myself to make it right.  But, my inner bitch can be stirred on occasion and there's something about the way that this email was worded (the lack of any pleasatry maybe?  the threat of legal action?  A combo of the two?) that has made her hairs stand on end.  At any rate, you may notice some changes around here as I try to figure out how to make the changes which will keep Ms Living On A Dime off my back.  Now, anyone skilled in how to change a blog name and apparently a website address?  I'm learning this stuff as I go and hoping like you-know-what that the next name I choose doesn't end up in another issue with someone.  *Roll eyes*. . .UGH! 

1 comment:

  1. i just love a nicely worded email or note, i absolutely LOATHE any rudeness, any lack of considerationg and a tone in which i know that the person is speaking down to me. hellur. this new name sounds like seriously 10000x better than the previous and i am pretty sure ms living on a dime or less will probably try to take it away too! haha! good to see a post from you lady i have missed it! and thank you for the sweet comment! :)

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments, I want your comments, I need your comments. . .BUT I will delete all comments that are rude, mean, negative, or inappropriate in any way. Afterall, my Mom and Nana just might be reading!