Messages

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Hawaiian Letters & Lawsuits Forum / Re: Ode to VKT & HAN... a poem

« on: June 19, 2012, 04:17:46 PM »

Good for you Activated!
 

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: April Brown Throws Getty Images Under the Bus in their own backyard!

« on: June 11, 2012, 04:50:34 PM »

Unreal...haven't said much on the subject as I wanted to learn more before judging...Good for April Brown for taking such a stance, sharing & warning others! I can't imagine losing a 2 year old baby in the face of an attack extortion scheme. No humanity, just ruthful greed.

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Unplanned ELI Video Update: Linda's Lyrics/Dash Poem Copyright Extortion

« on: June 07, 2012, 08:58:35 PM »

Here's a video about "The Dash" called "The Cash"...
Neat way to fight back...




Linda Ellis fights back:



S.G.

Wow wow & wow...Wow wow & wow...This makes everything else I've seen look small... I have to admit she is compelling...makes you think, I have to know more before I can form an opinion so I shall read on this more...

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Unplanned ELI Video Update: Linda's Lyrics/Dash Poem Copyright Extortion

« on: June 07, 2012, 08:46:52 PM »

Holy Moly! I'm going for the popcorn again.......

Holy Moly is right & lol on the popcorn...well done Matt & Budh!!!

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: What Will Glen Carner's ELI Contribution Be? No more free rides.

« on: June 07, 2012, 04:30:50 PM »

AGREED - no warnings!
As Matthew stated, Oscar teaches his students to take on a case if & only they are willing to stand behind it in the public eye.

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: What Will Glen Carner's ELI Contribution Be? No more free rides.

« on: June 07, 2012, 04:02:07 PM »

Glen,

The "ELI Attorney Warning System."  What that would be is when you see a "new" attorney whose letter appears extreme or is working for a stock photo agency, that you contact them (or me who would be happy to follow up them) and have a "ELI" (Extreme Lawyer Intervention) to warn them about what they are doing and how if you see another letter from them in the future that it will be posted on Scribe and ELI.  It seems harsh to potentially damage the career of an new attorney (for life on Google) because they sent out a letter you feel is inappropriate.   Wouldn't a "one strike" rule be appropriate for them?  They should at least have the choice of continuing to work for the agency and pay ELI's consequences, or to stop doing this work knowing that ELI will be watching and taking action if they continue.

My first reaction is agreeing to would not be fair to letter recipients.   One of the difficulties for recipients is that until they recieve a letter, recipients are operating in a total information vaccuum.  If they recieve an outrageous letter, they have no way of knowing whether others have recieved similar letters, how the letter they recieved stacks up relative to other letters, or what sorts of outcomes to expect for different sorts of responses.  Posting letters fills the knowledge gap for these people, inform them they are not the only ones to recieve these.  If all the outrageous ones are kept off the web, letter recipients will have little way learning about the issue.

Another difficulty is you when you request "ELI" contact you, you are actually asking some ELI person to perform an uncompensated service to benefit for you and your attorney. 

A third difficulty is that we all strongly suspect that for every letter posted at ELI, numerous other letters are never sent to Matt. So, it's quite possible that the 'first time' offender has sent out several other similar letters. None of use participating at ELI have anyway of knowing.

The fourth difficulty is: This won't work. The reason it won't work is that even if ELI promisses not to post these things, there is nothing to prevent the letter recipients themselves from posting them.  After that, people will link saying "look what I posted".

It's true that it may seem harsh to damage the career or a new attorney for life. But these letters are often harsh and can damage the lives and relationships of letter recipients. 

I think a better way to protect the newbie attorneys is for clients like you who hire them  to take two steps:

1) Inform themof the dangers of sending out letters that are too harsh. Show them examples that went overboard and

2)to review the letters to determine whether the monetary demand is clealry overboard, whether the language is too extreme and so forth.   Some letters are sent out on your behalf, and if you are worried about the career of the young attorney who has entered into a business relationship with you, you are the one who needs to take steps to review the letter and make sure that it is not outrageous. 

Asking ELI to take on the burden of doing this task for you seems inappropriate.

Very very very well said Lucia!

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: What Will Glen Carner's ELI Contribution Be? No more free rides.

« on: June 07, 2012, 03:58:36 PM »

If a certain lawyer is warned, they would most likely not take the case? If they did take the case, would that change the amount of the settlement demand or simply the way it is written. How would this warning assist those seeking collection? This idea would hinder the bottom line $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Warning a lawyer who has ulterior motives to threaten & instil fear for the purpose of making a lot of money $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Bottom line is one must choose to stand for what is ethical & what is right whether he/she is a plumber, teacher, cashier or a lawyer. Why should they be for-warned? All one needs is a conscience not a WARNING!

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: What Will Glen Carner's ELI Contribution Be? No more free rides.

« on: June 07, 2012, 03:15:48 PM »

Matthew..."It is a weird picture to envision." Never thought we'd see the day

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: What Will Glen Carner's ELI Contribution Be? No more free rides.

« on: June 07, 2012, 03:06:32 PM »

Matthew,

The only thing I feel more passionately about than extortion is free speech. I've always said, your forum, your rules. But if you decide anyone is required to pay money to participate on these forums, I will have to resign as a ELI team member. I was the one that initially emailed and asked Glen to join these forums. We were all quite surprised when he showed up. Now, suddenly he is a huge burden? Frankly I don't get it, but I suspect my goals and those of this forum have somehow diverged.

It would be a shame to lose you or any of our regular team members over a disagreement....agree to disagree ...

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Hawaiian Letters & Lawsuits Forum / Re: Oscar Michelen Hits Back Against Conrad-Scherer Extortion Letter (HAN Lawyer)

« on: June 07, 2012, 02:55:09 PM »

Very nice letter Oscar.  And thanks for publishing it Matt.

I think this shows the  value of the Letter program to anyone looking at the program and trying to decide if that is the proper way to proceed.

Second that!

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Looking for more info on actual and expected results from defense letter program

« on: June 07, 2012, 11:09:03 AM »

I really believe "like attracts like". You ask why you keep coming back even though your case is over? There is some part of you that is similar to the rest of us. AS you said, you might have lapsed in this case but you are probably outspoken and strong in other areas of your life.  Either that or you like hanging around us mean, rebellious, vigilante types! 

No I won't take this the wrong way but let me be clear that my personality is far from that of being a push over. I make my own mind up on matters & all know why this brought me to my knees. Everyone has fear over something & for me,  going to jail is right up there with drowning or burning alive. I had every reason to believe this could happen after reading § 1204. Criminal offenses and penalties . My work  & moral ethic, will & determination in life have always been strong. There is almost nothing I won't try & tackle myself regarding just about anything. In this situation, thankful I had the luck to stumble upon the professional services of Oscar & ELI. Of all the lawyers I could have found & fortunately for me, ELI was the first thing that came up on Google when I began researching my options. I'm the furthest thing from the fearful person I became over all this. I guess the old saying applies, live & learn & I have.

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Looking for more info on actual and expected results from defense letter program

« on: June 06, 2012, 09:05:18 PM »

It is an old story & everyone on ELI have been there in a positive way...

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Looking for more info on actual and expected results from defense letter program

« on: June 06, 2012, 08:39:26 PM »

Thanks Peeved...that is the question...I'll bet many.

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: A Man of Principal and Not Interest

« on: June 06, 2012, 08:34:14 PM »

In contrast, at the risk of experiencing the wrath of Soylent Green, it seems to me HAN is a bit different. As far as I can see, your letters have at least tried target businesses though I think you may have bungled a number of points. (ENVL was a HAN case, right?). That said: plastic surgeons who are actually accepting clients, travel agencies who have numerous clients and so on are businesses and ought to respond to other businesses in a business like way.

Yes EVNL was a H N, my website is home-made & no we are not a travel agency. My husband is a travel agent & I built the website for him to help improve his sales. It receives almost zero traffic. I offered to do this for him because I knew how...like I said before, anyone who can read can build a website but not everyone should.

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Looking for more info on actual and expected results from defense letter program

« on: June 06, 2012, 08:22:58 PM »

Regardless of my position, I think your message is helpful to others in your situation.  Notice how you felt better when you received professional legal help.  This is often (always) the best policy and educating yourself (on and off ELI) about the situation made it clear that you were not going to go to jail even though copyright law places that penalty on some types of infringements.  There are a few aspects of your comments that I am surprised I was not more receptive to hearing when we talked.  My apologies for that as well.

I was tormented for over 3 weeks with that fear until the moment I called Matthew & Oscar. One of the best patent attorneys in my community felt I had no chance of getting any kind of a break on it.

Why weren't you responsive when I was in tears telling you I was afraid of what would happen to my son?  Before I spoke with ELI & Oscar, as far as I knew, you could have won in court for the $10,000...All it would have done is bankrupt us as my husband & I were just starting a new marriage & came together without any assets, I tried to explain this to all involved. I also provided evidence that
I was being honest about my financial situation at that time.

The only thing I had to lose was my freedom & the well being of my son. Mr. Tylor's wife seemed to understand my position when she tried to tell me no one goes to jail. I would think she of all people would have responded to the real fear she heard in my voice. When I apologised to her, I truly meant it. But she had me contact you, you know the rest of the story. Why would HAN & Brandon Sand have me believing I would ever even spend 1 day in prison? Brandon Sand however felt I should be reminded that the law is the law & kept me on the hook for over 3 weeks, that is a long time.

Matthew teaches the ELI community to "get it together"...My whole life, I have always been strong, nothing has ever stopped me in my tracks like this.

I am not here for vengeance, only for truth, life is too short & too sweet for that, I am here to help others.
If you are really here to make a difference in the way that you collect, are you telling me & all of ELI that this will not happen again to some other naive fool such as I? Tell you what, this will be my last post where I mention your name or anyone else that was involved. I forgive you all. Maybe if you can forgive yourselves, a greater change will come. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you are trying to turn over a new leaf by making a positive less intrusive change & while you do that, please remember what I went through & how hard it must have been for me to think of being separated from my son.