50% of all proceeds will go to DU....

[ClintonTyree]

I've just listed the domain name; www.eastwaynesvillebaptistchurch.com on Ebay. I will donate 50% of all proceeds to Democratic Underground. Visit the listing, get the hit numbers up, e-mail it to friends etc. I figured this would be a good way to raise money for DU and of course, myself. I'm disabled and could use a few extra bucks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5772935689&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

Mods, I'm not sure if this is appropriate. You decide and I'll abide by your decision. Thanks, Gary.

[kliljedahl]

1. How long is it for?

One year, I'm assuming.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[ClintonTyree]

2. Yeah Keith...

one year. I'm taking off for a few days, it's a 10 day auction. I'll be back Wednesday if anyone has any questions.

[ClintonTyree]

3. I hope to get the fundies into a bidding war...

to keep this most holy of sites out of "Librul" hands. There's no telling what might happen if one of we "godless Liberals" got our hands on it.
Wouldn't it be great if the Heritage Foundation made a contribution to DU? :evilgrin:

[TwilightZone]

4. "Baptist" is spelled wrong in your eBay title.

Might want to fix that to ensure that you get more hits from eBay searches.

[derby378]

5. He's right, y'know...

...but I still placed the first bid. :evilgrin:

[ClintonTyree]

7. I can't change the title...

because you bid on it? No biggie, if someone wants to find it, they'll find it. The .com is spelled correctly, that's what really matters, the listing is just in error. Thanks for the bid, that's $20 bucks for DU.

There's also one snarky question from someone mentioning DU as well. I wonder if it was from one of our own, or a lurker? I answered it in a tasteful fashion. ;)

[ohio_liberal]

9. You can withdraw your bid

let him fix the title, and bid again.

[derby378]

10. Okay, I retracted the bid

You should be able to change the description now. My bid will return soon!

[ClintonTyree]

6. I'll go change it right now.

I ran it through spell check, I wonder why it didn't pick it up? :shrug:

[ohio_liberal]

8. Oh please

post the ID of the Freeper who sent the ASQ.

[ClintonTyree]

11. The title change is complete...

now we can let this sucker go. Thanks to all. I'm outta' here. Seeya! :hi:

[derby378]

12. ...and the opening bid has returned

Let the games begin!

[kliljedahl]

13. Needs a KICK!!!

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[kliljedahl]

14. And another

[DoNotRefill]

15. Isn't cyber-squatting a no-no?

I seem to remember a fair bit about litigation on this issue....

[kliljedahl]

16. Not at all

If you're not intelligent enough to protect your name, you're SOL.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Ms. Toad]

17. Hate to burst your bubble,

but cybersquatting is prohibited in the US. Here's a link with some information: http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/objectID/60EC3491-B4B5-4A98-BB6E6632A2FA0CB2/111/228/195/ART/

Haven't verified all of the details in the nolo article, but they're usually pretty accurate from a big picture view. Don't know enough circumstances to say whether this particular situation would fall into that category - but it is possible that whoever buys it will have to turn it over to the East Waynesville Baptist Church.

[kliljedahl]

18. someone is holding it hostage as a domain name until you pay a large sum

Does that apply here?
"If you own a trademark": Is the name of that church a trademark?

"buying up domain names that use the names of existing businesses with the intent to sell the names for a profit to those businesses."
Don't think that applies either

Didn't see anything there that applies to this.

[Ms. Toad]

19. Have you checked the full text of the law

and the case law interpreting it? My response was to your blanket statement that cybersquatting is not prohibited.

As I indicated, nolo is generally good on the big picture - but interpretation of the law is very case specific, and no brief article should be used to determine whether a particular act of grabbing a domain name with an name that it is known is used by another group is cybersquatting.

But, to respond to the general points you brought up, churches can register a trademark for their their names. I don't know whether this particular one has or not (I didn't research it). Even if the particular local branch didn't, the larger group to which it belongs may have, and that group may have rights with respect to the domain name. Trademark registration may not be requried, so even if PTO.gov doesn't list a registered trademark, the EWBC may still have a protectable common law trademark interest.

The anti-cybersquatting law isn't limited to prohibiting selling the name back to the business for a profit. It also includes "using a domain name with the intent to profit in bad faith from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else." It may well be that selling the domain on eBay (in part to) to raise money for yourself or DU would fall into the above category. Drawing folks to your opposing website based on the "goodwill" associated with EWBC may also be considered profiting from the goodwill of their mark.

If you (or anyone else) wants to bid on this - go ahead. Just don't do it blindly assuming that you will be able to keep the domain name just because the EWBC was "not intelligent enough to protect name."

[derby378]

20. One solution: Start your own "town"

I am now one of two residents of East Waynesville, Texas. If you send me mail and address it to "East Waynesville, TX" on the envelope, I will receive it. Just make sure you get the ZIP Code right and there won't be any problem in delivering mail to me.

Now, any Texas town worth its salt needs at least one church. Since Baptist churches are the default down here, what the hell - let's make it a Baptist church. And we don't even need a building for it. Just ask Fred Phelps. Isn't his "Westboro Baptist Church" little more than a PO Box in Wichita and his own family altar at home?

In short, problem solved. The town of East Waynesville salutes DU!

[derby378]

22. Almost forgot...

...my wife is an ordained minister. She has her credentials of ministry mounted above the TV set. East Waynesville Baptist Church of East Waynesville, TX, has a pastor now!

[alittlelark]

21. 'Thelittlelark' on Ebay is the high bidder!!!

:evilgrin:

[derby378]

23. Not anymore, Tweety...

:woohoo:

[alittlelark]

24. Oh, yeah.... bring it on.....

[derby378]

25. Nooooooooo!!!

Curses. Foiled again. :silly:

[alittlelark]

26. I'm sending the link w/ appropriate R/W ravings

(from my non-me e-mail) to my Mom... she is 'one of them' from 25 years ago. She is like a 6th or 7th level Mason in their world. I hope it works!

[derby378]

27. One of "them?" Mason?

I'm a little confused. Is/was she a GOP grand poobah or something?

[Dorian Gray]

28. wow... cool...

Any takers?

[kliljedahl]

29. Needs another KICK!!

:kick:


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[DistressedAmerican]

30. Keep This Post Kicked Folks! There is power in numbers!

This is a great post. I tried to nominate it. Sadly it is too old. But. It needs a bit more recognition!!!

Help out DU and give Gary a hand as well!


:kick: :grouphug:

[kymar57]

31. Just cause I can :kick:nt

[kliljedahl]

32. Another KICK!!

[BrklynLiberal]

33. kick

[DistressedAmerican]

34. Fundie Kicking!

[NMMNG]

35. What a cool idea

kick some gay bashing fundie ass :kick:

[DistressedAmerican]

37. Awesome User Name! Belated Welcome To DU BuffyTheFundieSlayer!

:toast:

[texanwitch]

36. kick

:kick:

[izzybeans]

38. it was pulled from ebay.

[kliljedahl]

39. It's still there

[DistressedAmerican]

43. Ah good! I Was Worried. I;m Loving This Idea Gary!

Hope you blled them for their own name!

[izzybeans]

44. Good, but when I first checked the link

it gave me a long message saying it had been removed and that if an order had been confirmed to contact someone. It was wierd.

[Runcible Spoon]

40. DU KICK!

let's see where this goes...

[paineinthearse]

41. hey hey hey

It's up to $75

[paineinthearse]

42. "Why don't you and the rest of the nutballs at DU...."

Questions from other buyers for this listing
Q: How stupid are you, really? You think you're going to draw attention to this ridiculous action by trying to profit off of it? Why don't you and the rest of the nutballs at DU, actually get off your ass and do something? Like, protest the church...firebomb it, do whatever....but since you and your ilk think there is no invisible man in the sky, you shouldn't be shrieking about the membership in his house. On principle I agree with you. The pastor is an ass and his congregation should be ashamed. But you profiting off of it, is probably just as bad
May-07-05
A: I DO NOT condone the use of force or illegal activities (arson) as a protest about this matter and neither should you or anyone else. As to why I'm selling the domain name, it's done all the time, this is American. As to my intelligence, why are you the one asking stupid questions and telling people to burn the place down? I'm providing a service, and you are..........?

[DistressedAmerican]

45. Kicking Again!!!

[paineinthearse]

46. Bid early and often.

Bid early and often.

:kick:

[paineinthearse]

47. Wednesday noon kick

:kick: