Click Official ELI Links
Get Help With Your Extortion Letter | ELI Phone Support | ELI Legal Representation Program
Show your support of the ELI website & ELI Forums through a PayPal Contribution. Thank you for supporting the ongoing fight and reporting of Extortion Settlement Demand Letters.

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Matthew Chan

Pages: 1 ... 80 81 [82] 83 84 ... 154
1216
I knew that eventually someone would forget the reason why I recommend make written complaints to the State Bar and Attorney General.

It isn't to force revolutionary change through the organizations taking actions themselves!  It is forcing change through the secondary and tertiary effects of making those complaints.

Up until recently, as far as I know NO ONE knew or saw what an Attorney General complaint meant except for me. I already explained that it would probably take MANY, MANY complaints for them to even consider doing anything.  Of course, the "severity" of the complaints is a big determining factor.  What "crime" or fraud is being committed?

The secondary and tertiary benefits is that there is a governmental agency that makes it their business to preserve and report any and all complaints to anyone that asks however minute.  They don't make judgment on the complaints.  That means the complainer has to get smart.  For me, I should probably modify the advice given to make a complaint to list INDIVIDUALS involved.

Because Getty Images is a a large company making tons of money, very few employees really care that the name Getty Images is being disparaged.  Employees work at Getty Images to make money, that's it.  At the end of every workday at 5pm, they could care less about Getty Images. But you start listing the individuals on the complaints, I guarantee it will ruffle some feathers.  A Getty Images "chain of command" of employees behind the compliance department has been provided on the ELI Forums for those that want it.  Everyone also has a right to ask for a supervisor and manager to speak and escalate their matter to in their extortion letter cases.  The minute they DON'T escalate or simply refuse to give out their managers names, all bets are off and you publicize the individual names because it is based on actual documented research, not just a fictional list of names.

Some complaints are better than others. It is in who does the complaining. I guarantee you when I make a written complaint and if I am determined to make maximum collateral damage, it becomes so heated and unpleasant most people run away and disappear. I am that good. I say that not to brag but to point out that I have provided LOTs of examples of past cases (all kinds of matters).

One thing I like about Greg Troy's recent effort to fight Getty is that he appears to get the commitment to the goal. Personally, I think it is a bit overkill given what we know of how Getty operates but no one can say he isn't hitting back hard.

For many people, it isn't the instrument.  It is what you are willing to do with that instrument and how hard and blunt you will use it to create maximum damage.  Please don't take this out of context. I don't subscribe to violence and I don't subscribe to making up fiction. Don't make threats/bluffs you can't keep. But do be committed to doing what it takes in making a powerful written complaint.

Regarding State Bar complaints, I told everyone that the chances of an attorney being disbarred over extortion letters is very slim.  However, state bar complaints are rare because most people don't even know there is such a thing.  State bar complaints hurt the pride and embarrass the attorney more than anything else.  Any attorney that has any pride or care about their reputation will absolutely pay attention to state bar complaints no matter how trivial it might be.

As far as I can tell, it becomes a part of their permanent record and is an ongoing reminder to watch how attorneys conduct themselves. I guarantee you Timmy McCormack is much more aware and has a tighter leash on his paralegals than before.

The BBB can be a help but I largely believe they are a joke of an organization working under false pretenses.  They may claim to be non-profit but they are very much "for profit". They are busy selling their memberships, asking for donations, etc. from businesses.  So, they can never really go after businesses in a tough way. They are similar to the RipOffReport.  You play ball with the BBB and give them money and you too can have a stellar rating.

1217
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Another Victim
« on: July 27, 2012, 03:12:59 PM »
If Tracy pays the $980 or even half of that, she is out of her mind.  This is what happens when people are legally ignorant and don't bother to do research.  She takes the time to write her story but has she not bothered to look for help or resources?

It's amazing that even though ELI has a huge Google presence, people still are still in the dark. Wow.

1218
We have found that news comes in waves.  There are quiet times then suddenly, we get a ton of new information and submissions. There are also many who simply don't post.  They directly hire Oscar or hire me bypassing the forums entirely.

It has always been the case that people who post are far fewer than those who lurk and read.

Copyright extortions are still alive and well I am afraid.

1219
As Robert said, we are on the same team here. But we are also individuals who are bound to have different takes on any given topic. I think it is safe to say there are elements that people will agree with me on and there will be others that people won't agree on. We should all not try not to personalize it too much.

Quite frankly, I do grow weary of some of the repetition that occurs on the ELI Forums such as class-action lawsuits. However, what is absolutely new and of interest is that scraggy is doing something new in Israel.  It isn't like a new person who suddenly rolls in and says "Got letter, someone should class-action to stop them in future!"

With as much activity that goes on nowadays on the ELI Forums, it is hard for any one person to keep up.  There is also new information coming in both large and small.

What I say is that people should participate in those areas and topics they are interested in and passionate about as long as it is relevant to fighting copyright extortions. It doesn't require any of the ELI Defense Team members "endorsement" if you want to follow your thread of passion. Who knows? We could be swayed and jump in.

If a thread of discussion makes someone unhappy, just leave the thread.  If something is otherwise inappropriate or out of bounds, email me or Robert. We will take care of it.

1220
This post is DIRECTLY addressing SG's concerns.

I am NOT shying away from legal issues. If I did, I would never have found a "legal partner" in Oscar. However, he gets here when he can. What am I supposed to do? Fire Oscar and find another attorney to post here more frequently for free? Not likely.

I can get into the legal issues and have frequently done so in the past if people have followed my ELI work over the years. But I have to be selective. And If someone discusses something that I absolutely disagree with or feel someone is incorrect, I have no problems about (and frequently do) speak up.

One challenge with us non-lawyers discussing legal issues is that we are NOT recognized in the court system unless we represent ourselves? How many people are going to do that?  Even if we are willing to hire a lawyer, how many people are going to be proactive enough to study up to help guide the lawyer?  I have done so but I think I am in the minority. Most people entirely rely on lawyers.

We now deal with attorneys who can't even agree amongst themselves!  Go look at the Getty vs. Advernet, Corbis vs. Starr, and Masterfile vs. Chaga cases.  Those are some smart (and legally recognized) lawyers going at each other who truly believe in their respective sides. I win a lot on my own legal and other business confliect issues and so does Oscar in his own practice.  But we both know there is a LOT of uncertainty putting your fate into the court system.  Should we be afraid to do so?  No.  But it is expensive, uncertain, slow, and energy-draining.  It also plays to "other side".  So many people want to use that battleground for conflict resolution. That should absolutely the LAST place for conflict resolution.

I know some of us here want to make some permanent changes. Some want new legislation, new rules, business practices, etc. However, the core ELI audience are individuals, hobbyists, entrepreneurs, bloggers, web developers, etc. wants solutions NOW, not these sweeping regulatory or legal changes years from now.

Most don't care about the legal issues even AFTER getting the extortion letter.  So, it has been my job to simplify the learning curve and deliver simple solutions in a quick and easy way.  And even if they did, then what?  Do I suggest people to lawyer up or try to outlawyer the opposing lawyers? That is expensive and plays to the other side. It is what they count on (among other subtle factors).

Without taking anything away from Oscar's legal contribution, a good portion of what ELI does to help people is to NOT bog them down with legal issues. I know that might rub you the wrong way philosophically but I am very pragmatic.

The ELI Support call is a 30-minute crash course and distillation of EVERYTHING I know and have studied for the last 4 years. It isn't as easy as it sounds to know what to hit and target within such a short-time frame.

The whole issue of class-action is so far off the track of the day-to-day solutions than most new people want. I have to dumb everything down and I have to focus on the most essential legal issues they need to know.  I am in the media and publishing business and the less informed and less backbone people is where the money comes from.

That is not to diminish the regulars and old-timers.  You guys provide a ton of content, advanced discussion, ideas, inspiration, and old-fashioned help to new people coming onboard.

Another fact is all the education in the world and advanced legal theory is entirely lost with so many people because they have no spine or have zero legal experience to be able to digest it or integrate into something useful into their reality.

I am not discouraging good legal discussion. But quite frankly, I have limited time and mental energy. I have to direct them to efforts I feel have the largest impact.  And fortunately/unfortunately, at this moment in history of extortion letters, making the largest impact does not require these advanced legal discussions.

Certainly, I don't want the forums to be a free-for-all and people recklessly spouting off at the mouth. But to the degree the community can, we self-patrol.  But I don't want to patrol so hard that new ideas and concepts are squashed.  I have gotten and implemented so many little ideas that people offer up even in passing. Some discussions may be off-base and a bit kooky but we can't get so heavy-handed to make people feel like they have to be law students to jump into the discussion. We have to exercise some degree of tolerance. Sometimes we nudge gently, sometimes we hit people between the eyes. It all depends on what is being said and the context.

Believe me, I absolutely cringe at the posts "Got letter, what now?" but it is part of it.  Everyone is very quick to say nowadays, "go do more forum reading". If people won't do more reading, there are paid options which DO help support ELI.  Those "new" people help subsidize the time I spend writing this long response that will probably generate me no direct revenue.

Of course, I support and encourage accurate legal discussions. But don't forget that even the attorneys can't agree amongst themselves. It isn't a matter of credentials or lack of schooling.  What chance do we have here that we will agree on everything?

I agree with the statement that there is a demographic that wants and need the advanced discussions. But that is a very small segment.  The lion's share of ELI's current financial model is helping those that are unable or unwilling to self-represent. They need and want the help.

The ELI Factor hopefully will grow large enough to earn some sponsorships or advertising.  At the very least, it will expand our SEO presence, it leads us to expanded networking, and other business opportunities.

It is a bit of a balancing act to keep the "regulars" and "old-timers" interested. Oscar and I offer ourselves as part of the ELI community.  We invite people into the "inner circle" for those that might be interested. There is a small level of camaraderie, friendship, recognition, exposure, self-promotion, etc. for those who feel it is "worth it." I try to allow every "regular" to spread their wings in a way they want to.

If what I am doing is not enough, then there it is.  If the forums ever degrade and degenerate to an unacceptable level and no one wants to help Oscar and I, then we simply lock down the forums and no one posts anymore.  We let the existing database forum stand by itself and stop all the incoming dribble.

I do not yet feel we have degraded to dribble. But I do have a contingency plan.  The forum becomes a stagnant database of information with a huge Google presence.  And ELI becomes a big digital billboard where we funnel the people who need help to paid services. Not very inspiring but I am confident it would work.

I know my answer may not be terribly inspiring but that is how it stands now. Maybe one day in the future, Oscar and I won't have our businesses or time allocation issues to worry about. But for now, it is a matter of priorities.

If someone wants to take on the job to spearhead and enhancing the "quality of legal discussions", I am open to working and appointing  someone qualified to do so.  The current ELI volunteer roster is Robert, Jerry, Oscar, and me.  Robert doesn't seem to want that job. Jerry seems happy where he is at. I believe Jerry does enhance the legal discussions but will he lead them? We have to ask him.  Oscar is qualified but time is too scarce for him. I cannot "live" in the legal discussions arena for reasons I have already discussed.

I hope this explains why I don't devote my energies to the class-action effort. I got more than enough on my plate than to focus on that. But I don't let that stop others from pursuing it. That is why we have the forums to let those who are interested connect up.

1221
I think there was a passing comment how the "regulars" were not posting on this issue. So I decided to chime in with a few important points.  We all gravitate towards different topics of interest.

I am not trying to minimize the legal discussion issue is important or significant but that is not my forte' and not my battlefront.  This is Oscar's battlefront. That is why we are business partners on ELI. If and when Oscar decides to chime in, he will.

The point of a community is so that we can further the mission on different fronts. People should not be offended if I or Oscar don't actively push an agenda or course of action.

We have to remember that most attorneys have specialties.  Oscar is NOT a class-action attorney and he has said so.  There may actually be a case somewhere but where is our figurehead client to begin with.  Who will that be?  And do we have a class-action law firm willing to take it on? Who will do the search?

I have learned from personal experience if you look hard enough, you will find a lawyer that will see things your way or come up with an angle to help your cause. So with all the talk in the last few years about class actions, the fact is, it's been just talk. Who is going to step up and DO SOMETHING?

Scraggy appears to have done "something" meaningful and we get to learn from it.

No one is necessarily asking my advice but this is the strategy I would use.

Find a "good" figurehead client that someone can rally around and tell a good true story. Someone that is somewhat media friendly or at least receptive. That client has to be "shopped around" to the various class-action law firms with some "incentives" that the lawyers can and will make money and get high exposure of doing the case.

From there, a story and legal argument can be built around the client. I know this is a bit contrary to how some might think but that is how I think and work.

It is entirely coincidental that Robert and I have similar points of view on the issue which is why we are not terribly active on this.  But don't take that as an affront on anyone.

We can't be "leaders" or "experts" on everything. We can't spearhead every effort either.  I do what I can with what limited time I have. I have already provided full disclosure of my role on ELI since the beginning of 2012.

For what it's worth, short term, Robert, Oscar, and I are working on growing the "ELI Factor". It is our next "tool" and "platform" to expand the ELI reach and influence. It is important on so many levels that I cannot get into here.

But other community members can continue on.  If you guys want to pursue class-action, great but I highly recommend making it a more tangible endeavor than a legal discussion.

I am happy to say we have a good number of regulars nowadays and I love you guys and gals!  I almost need a scorecard to keep up with all of you and your various talents and personalities!  :-)

1222
Let me just chime in a bit here.

1. I am a glazed donut on most of the important details so I won't speak to the very detailed issues.

2. I am NOT a "save the world" kind of guy. I am more of a "help you save yourself if you do some work" kind of guy.

3. I know my limitations and my interests. Class-action is not one of my big interest as it relates to copyright extortions.

4. Class-action is a perfectly valid topic of discussion but a few of us don't care enough about it to spend time on it.  I am one of those people.

5.  Class-action requires someone to want to actually step up and step out publicly. Right now, there is only a handful willing to do so and most of those people are already part of ELI.  Out of that group, I see exactly zero people who have expressed in being that figurehead client.

6. Even if a figurehead client is found, who will front the legal work and expenses?  Most want a a class-action law firm to do it on contingency.  Fine.  We have had a few stop by and talk to Oscar and none have ever come back.  "Someone" needs to find this class-action law firm willing to do this.

7.  If I cared enough, I probably would take the lead and shake something out. I am good at these things but it's obvious I don't care enough and not terribly interested. I have other selfish priorities.

8.  No consensus is required to take meaningful action and make good stuff happen.  How do I know this?  Personal experience.  I've taken on all kinds of projects without asking for anyone's approval or proof I was right. I just went and did it.  ELI is one of those successful projects I believed in without any good rationale, tools, or roadmap.  I believed I could figure it out along the way and I have.

9.  I commend Scraggy for coming to this U.S. based forum and share his story and views. He seems to be taking meaningful action regardless of agreement or disagreement.  I don't care for putting time into class-action but can I still respect Scraggy's efforts?  Absolutely, yes and he can be at the forefront.  I think he has done tremendous things so far. But am I terribly well-informed? No, but from what I can see, he gets my respect.

10. It's clear that the ELI community prefers consensus to get "everyone" onboard especially the "regulars". But consensus is not required to get along as long as we agree on the larger issues. I think we do.  "Copyright extortion is bad. Boo. Hiss. Spankings needed." We all agree on this.

11. Not every effort needs a legal argument to launch a fight. If you ask a lawyer: the legal argument is EVERYTHING.  To a non-lawyer / marketing / go get-em type like me: Legal argument is simply a tool and talking point to be used to your advantage.  It is NOT my primary compass.  My brain is. That is why I choose to speed 5mph over the speed limit with no guilt.  Or own a radar detector even if some states say it is illegal.

12.  I would like to remind everyone that supports me and ELI that the exclusive legal argument will never absolutely be the deciding factor of what goes.  ELI works on a much larger context. We get results, whatever it takes.  If we use can legal system and legal arguments, wonderful.  If that doesn't work (which we have seen frequently), we take "alternative measures" of making change. Do I need to make an extensive list of names and incidents that ELI has directly impacted and beat back without ever filing a single legal document?

So, feel free to continue on the discussion freely but just realize we may have to agree to disagree and that a consensus may not be possible.  But remember this, we can all agree "Copyright extortion: Bad. Fight and Spank back: Good."  Everyone gets to choose their favorite weapon of choice.

My favorite weapon of choice?  Writing open and public snarky letters similar to those I have done with Jennifer Sherrouse, Linda Ellis, and Julie Stewart. They seem to work very well, fun to do, and I don't have to hire a lawyer.  SG likes his cartoons and memes.  Nice weapons there too.  Robert and his Google-digging?  Like that too. Oscar and his legal insights for OUR side?  Love that too.  Scraggy?  He likes class-action.  More power to him. Don't beat him up for it. :-)

1223
Getty Images Letter Forum / ELI Factor: Episode 1 Premieres!
« on: July 26, 2012, 02:38:08 AM »
Enjoy the 1st episode by Robert and me. We would like show comments and suggestions for future episodes. If you want to join us on a show, let us know.

http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/eli-factor-episode-1/

1224
Don't go looking for problems unless you don't have enough drama in your life.

1225
I agree with Robert.  I am no fan of RipOffReport (ROR). No matter how I might feel against some of the copyright extortionists we come across, I still find it very difficult to recommend anyone to complain there.  ROR operates in a very sleazy way the way they treat people's complaints. They use no discrimination at all in how they deal content posted.

1226
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Recieved a demand letter today
« on: July 24, 2012, 02:56:18 AM »
You can email matt30060 at gmail and I can post it.

I can email you the images they sent me of their image and screen capture,
or should I post them here?

1227
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty
« on: July 23, 2012, 10:52:57 PM »
It turns out whoever posted that page is correct.  It was eventually picked up by Google and indexed on Mr. Bieker's name no less! LOL.

1228
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Recieved a demand letter today
« on: July 23, 2012, 10:50:04 PM »
We'd love to see this image.  This is going to be the newest running joke if in fact they are sending letters over photos of clouds!  It is true that no two photos of a cloud scene can ever be the same.... but give me a freaking break.  What is so darn special about these clouds?  The buildings with the clouds?

1229
The is technically NOT the first episode. This is "Episode Zero" to bridge the ELI Video Updates and the new ELI Factor.

http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/eli-factor-episode-zero-ending-the-eli-video-updates/

1230
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Heres your Saturday snicker!!
« on: July 21, 2012, 10:23:04 PM »
This is absolutely correct. You catch my thinking very fast!

We've already had our Boston Tea Party of sorts by rebelling against paying them and speaking out against Getty.

Can we get some graphics of the Redcoats vs. the Militia?  ELI (the Militia) are, of course, the underdogs of this fight.

So if Getty clerks and McCormack staff are the redcoats I guess that would make for billion-dollar Getty England in this fight. ;D

Pages: 1 ... 80 81 [82] 83 84 ... 154
Official ELI Help Options
Get Help With Your Extortion Letter | ELI Phone Support Call | ELI Defense Letter Program
Show your support of the ELI website & ELI Forums through a PayPal Contribution. Thank you for supporting the ongoing fight and reporting of Extortion Settlement Demand Letters.