Messages

301

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: My Story

« on: May 12, 2012, 12:35:26 PM »

I got to thinking, and this idea may have already been broached, is Getty a publicly traded entity?  If so, would a letter writing campaign to shareholders maybe make a difference?  If all they are focused on is the bottom line, then getting the shareholders stirred up may have an effect.  Or, purchasing one share of voting stock, and making some noise at their shareholders meetings could also bring pressure to bear.  Just a thought.  Thanx again everybody.

My experience with shareholders (limited, admittedly, but cynically forged from plenty of reading and life observation) is that they want as much return as possible at dividend time and would just as soon not know where that money comes from.

Near as I can tell, letter writing campaigns, online petitions, and things like Walk Against Getty are a total waste of time.

If you want to make noise about the Getty Images and Timothy B. McCormack Law Firm copyright trolling, settlement demand, and speculative invoicing scheme, your time would be better spent contributing as much as you can to ELI or else write a polished piece that will go viral.

302

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: My Story

« on: May 11, 2012, 05:42:51 PM »

If they came down to $700, then you could counter with $699.98 and they might take that, but I'd bet a dime to a doughnut that any counter less than that would be rejected.

Doc, the problem is that reasonable people think they're dealing with reasonable people when the Getty Game begins with their initial letter.

But you quickly learn the hard way that these copyright trolls don't settle matters reasonably like rational people, and they have boilerplate responses to anything you have to say.

This game is all about money, big money, and I view what they're doing as cowardly mugging without a firearm or physical confrontation on their part.

It's the worst kind of bullying, and, as far as I'm concerned, they don't deserve any payment beyond the sweat off of S.G's bal... well, modesty forbids me from completing this image.

With that said, offering $200 seems to be an amount many people use, and it's also a figure Getty will most likely reject. But if the case ever did go to court, you would then have proof that you made a fair and reasonable counter offer to their absurdly inflated $700.

Swapping letters with them is like swapping spit with a vampire -- not much satisfaction to be had... unless, again, you enjoy playing this sort of game and have the time and energy to do so.

303

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: My Story

« on: May 11, 2012, 04:17:51 PM »

Doc, I agree with Buddhapi. If you don't have the time or the desire to continue to play this game with these extortionists compliance officers as well as the copyright troll Timothy B. McCormack and his settlement demand cohorts, your best bet is to spend the money and let Oscar handle it from there.

If you don't use the Oscar letter optioin, you'll most likely end up spending a lot of time and energy messing with all this, which is fine if you like games and fights and adrenaline rushes. But if you'd prefer a less stress filled three year period, Oscar's your man.

304

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: New Getty Images Law Firm: Lee & Hayes Settlement Demand Letter

« on: May 11, 2012, 11:42:20 AM »

Peeved, my first letter was two pages, basically repeating the same BS from Getty's letters. The second letter was four pages but toned down compared to the long one in the Scribd file. Letter No. 2 basically told me how stupid and ignorant I was regarding copyright law. The demand increased about three times in the first letter and stayed the same in the second letter. I can hardly wait for them to increase the demand in future letters since they keep telling me this issue "isn't going to go away."

They're right. It's not going to go away because I'm writing a detailed expose of the whole experience and when that work is finished and published the stink will make the fish gut tanks outside Seattle smell like Grandma's sweetest hanky.

I agree 100% with Matt that in dealing with copyright trolls the best defense is a strong offense.

305

Hawaiian Letters & Lawsuits Forum / Re: HAN/VKT question

« on: May 11, 2012, 10:50:12 AM »

Buddhapi, that's what I call a great headline!

306

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: New Getty Images Law Firm: Lee & Hayes Settlement Demand Letter

« on: May 10, 2012, 11:20:03 AM »

I wonder how many have received this softer letter from softer copyright troll Attorney Daniel M. Wadkins of the Lee & Hayes law firm?

It's dated 2 August 2011, but I've received letters this year from the copyright troll Timothy B. McCormack law firm, so McCormack's relationship with Getty isn't history by any means.

Perhaps Getty tried the softer approach and found it didn't work and then stopped using young Daniel Wadkins? That wouldn't surprise me since the trolls I've dealt with seem to enjoy swaggering around with their lies, misrepresentations, and absurd demands.

I'll be curious to see if anyone says they've had a letter from Lee & Hayes this year.

307

UK Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Another UK Getty 'Love Letter'

« on: May 08, 2012, 02:48:02 PM »

I am playing fair and by the book lets just hope they do

Getty doesn't play fair and Getty long ago tossed out the book of right and wrong. It's all about money for them and nothing else. Welcome to the merry go round.

308

Hawaiian Letters & Lawsuits Forum / Re: Vincent K Tylor Tuesday!

« on: May 08, 2012, 02:44:19 PM »

After skimming through the url about disfellowship, it's painfully obvious that VKT would benefit from an appointment with Dr. Phil, at the least, because he apparently has some very loose screws.

309

Legal Controversies Forum / Re: Exclusive: Publisher sues Tumblr over porn pics

« on: May 07, 2012, 01:58:22 PM »

As a professional writer, I'm sensitive to copyright, and I believe those who make their living via copyrightable materials should receive fair compensation for what they do.

With that said, the current state of copyright is absurdly inadequate in a digital world, and with the proliferation of extrajudicial copyright trolling schemes to extort money from websites and users, I fear matters are only going to get worse.

The "good old days" of the internet may soon be behind us, especially if the politicians and greedy bastards who own them, along with lawyers like the copyright trolls at Timothy B. McCormack law firm who are out to make an easy buck by abusing the spirit of many laws, are allowed free rein.

Perhaps, however, in the future, groups like Anonymous will develop ways to keep the internet vital and free by making it impossible for the trolls and their masters to ruin digital life for the rest of us. It saddens me to look to what some would call "rogue elements" for justice, but, alas, the American "justice system" these days is not a friend of the average person. Instead, for the most part, it seems to me to be just another broken part of a system that now works mainly for the special interests.


 

310

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: 2 Clients with Getty Letters

« on: May 07, 2012, 10:47:22 AM »

Getty Images and McCormack have to put a cork in it once the three years are up. Those of us bothered by these folks, however, don't have a three year statute of limitations. We can continue for the rest of our lives to identify and poke fun at and share experience and information learned to help others avoid paying these extortionists, if we feel so moved.

I'm like Buddhapi... I do feel so moved.

311

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images Corporate Counsel Staff Found on LinkedIn

« on: May 04, 2012, 06:38:10 PM »

Given my very ugly mug, I can't in good conscience cast stones about John Lapham's appearance, but I will say that I'd hate to have this man's karma.

The vibe coming off his photograph immediately summoned from my old brain the last stanza of Emily Dickinson's wonderful poem, "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass":

But never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
Without a tighter breathing,
And zero at the bone.

312

Legal Controversies Forum / Re: Judge: Facebook "Like" button doesn't count as "Free Speech"

« on: May 04, 2012, 06:25:54 PM »

I sounded just like Don Brewer when I first opened my letter from Getty. Alas, I no longer have a head of hair that could compete with his, however.

And though I'm sorely tempted, I'm not going to join in the V Dialogues in this topic. That would be unseemly at my advanced age, and I'm sorry to say late afternoon testosterone rushes these days are few and far, far between! 

313

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Newbie to the club

« on: May 04, 2012, 10:51:53 AM »

... I am not so sure I could muster up a petulant voice given my quiet and demure demeanor. 

That's like calling Hurricane Katrina a gentle spring shower!

314

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Jonathan Klein: Chief Executive Hypocrite & Bullshitter of Getty Images

« on: May 04, 2012, 10:29:51 AM »

They should rename "Getty Images" to "Jonestown Images".
Because he's obviously serving some funny tasting kool-aide at the offices of Getty, and the drones there are gulping it down.
But, I'm not.

S.G.

Amen, brother. Amen. With all the info and growth and increased participation going on here at ELI, Mr. Big Shot CEO may end up eating drinking some of these words of is before too much longer.

Matt, great videos. Thanks for posting them!

315

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Lisa Willmer of Getty Images in 2009 Los Angeles Times Article

« on: May 04, 2012, 10:23:41 AM »

Take 20,000 extortion letters per year and say 50% cave and pay the initial demand of $780.

That's a cool $7,800,000 in Getty's pockets.

Say another 10% cave in and pay a typically reduced $630 demand sent if a person replies to the first letter. That's a cool $1,300,000.

Given how easily frightened most people are and given Getty's sophisticated manipulation of the human fight or flight instinct, I'd say 50% paying immediately may actually be close to the mark.

I can see a greedy CEO getting a memo on figures like this from their extrajudicial business model... eyes light up like the tip of a hot soldering iron, drool forms at the corner of the mouth, deep chuckle starts to rumble up from the evil chest, and words come out...

"Hire another ten interns right now and ramp this baby up!"