Messages

796

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Help from the Eli Community Needed

« on: February 05, 2013, 10:19:02 AM »

WOW!  Thank you Stinger that gets us to just under half way already!!!  

Greg, I am in for $150.

797

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty

« on: February 05, 2013, 06:44:08 AM »

Agreed and my complaint will be in there and my original packet sent was over an inch thick.  My new packet in now ready to burn on a CD as I don't want to injure any postal workers or deplete the rain forests

I'm going to confirm this today, I can't believe they have 6 cd's...thats a lot more in a year or so..even if much of the info is "fluff"...

798

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Class action suit filed against “Getty Images Master Delegate” in Israel.

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:51:56 PM »

I just thought of another benefit/victory Ian, you created a major time suck and financial drain on them both and a little payback for what they are doing to innocent infringers is more than okay with me.

799

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Help from the Eli Community Needed

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:45:04 PM »

Thank you very much Oscar!!

I'll match your $150 Greg

800

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:43:35 PM »

It looks like my experiment against Getty may be working as I heard back from the Washington State Attorney General's Office today on my request for all complaints filed against Getty images since April 2012. I spoke to Robert tonight and asked him how many CDs of complaints he received and he said he believed it was just one in the postage was only a couple of dollars. I was informed that my search yielded six CDs worth of information and over $10 and postage. It will be very interesting to see what information is on here and of course I will make it public and share it with all freely.

If anyone is interested the letter may be found here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/123892752/02-04-2013-WTAG-Request-for-Records-Results

801

Getty Images Letter Forum / Help from the Eli Community Needed

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:29:51 PM »

*******I Need the Eli Community’s Help******


Today I was presented with an opportunity which looks very interesting. I finally received a response from the SEC on my request under the Freedom of Information Act for all records pertaining to investigation of Jonathan Klein and top officers at Getty images backdating stock options. If you do not remember when I discovered this and the associated stockholder lawsuits you may read my posts here:
http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/forum/getty-images-letter-forum/an-experiment-against-getty/msg12037/#msg12037

There was an SEC investigation of Jonathan Klein, the top officers and Getty images over the backdating which Getty admits did happen though they claim it was clerical errors. The SEC has informed me that they have located four boxes of records pertaining to this investigation. I believe there must be some good information in these records which could be used to expose what goes on at Getty Images, I am hoping there would be a complete financial included in the documentation which would show the breakdown of Getty’s income and we could get a look at how much Getty actually makes off of their settlement demand letters as well as many more interesting items like that which we can use. The problem is that I must pay for someone at the SEC to sit down and go through these four boxes of documentation, redact information deemed too sensitive and copy the files. The SEC is asking for $840 for their time and $.24 per page and I am estimating final costs for getting this information around $1200. My intention is to release this information once I have obtained it so that everyone may see how the top brass at Getty operate. Here’s the letter I received from the SEC:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/123882396/01-31-2012-SEC-FIOA-Request-Response-Redacted

The reason for this post is I do not have $1200 to spare laying a round; I have spoken to Matthew and Robert tonight and suggested the idea of presenting it to the Eli community to see if anyone would be interested in helping to fund this. I am committing $150 to obtaining this documentation, Robert and Matthew have committed to $25 each towards the cause which leaves me needing approximately $1000 which would only be 40 people at $25 each. Right now I do not wish to receive any money I am just looking for firm commitments of any amount from anyone interested in this project. If it looks like the project will be doable at that point Matthew and I will set up some sort of secure donation method most likely using PayPal.

The reason why I am doing this in the sense of urgency is the letter states I must make a commitment by February 11 which is just one week from today. I will be contacting the SEC tomorrow to see if this deadline can be extended and why there is such a sense of urgency for the commitment on their part as they have stated it can take 18 to 24 months before my turn in the queue comes up in my documents are processed.

If you are willing to assist in this project please email me at [email protected] and let me know the amount you would be willing to donate to this cause.

802

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: New Topic: "ELI After Dark"

« on: February 04, 2013, 06:27:54 PM »

ROTFLMAO!

803

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Class action suit filed against “Getty Images Master Delegate” in Israel.

« on: February 04, 2013, 01:32:12 PM »

I am sorry to hear about that Ian, it was a good fight and showed many others they don't have to stand there and take it.  You did a great job!

804

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty

« on: February 02, 2013, 03:39:58 PM »

Getty and other trolls operate in a grey area of the copyright law, most find it disgusting but you would need to get them before a court and to obtain their records through discovery to get anywhere unless you can tighten up the current copyright laws.  This is why we call it “Legalized Extortion”.  Getty Images knows that they are straddling the fence line of legality with one foot on each side, while the copyright law is statutory and allows compensation regardless of how the image in question was displayed very few courts would find in favor of a company that refuses to provide the reasonable request proof to letter recipients trying to reach a reasonable settlement nor would the courts if the case were not thrown out as de minimis likely award anywhere near what was being asked. It would cost both sides more in legal fees than the rendered judgment in a federal district court would seriously frowned upon having their time wasted on a $200-$500 case.

We have already seen where courts in their opinions and judgments in reference to what the copyright, P2P and patent trolls are doing are starting to use the word extortion but I’m not sure what the courts can do until somebody actually brings the case in front of them claiming extortion. If I had the financial means I would try to find a way to bring such a case against Getty.

So Getty will continue to send out there letters and make their threats knowing that a great many will pay out of fear and until the laws change or they are spanked in court hard enough that it sinks in they will continue to ride the legalized extortion money train.

805

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: New for 2013 ~ The Copyright Troll Asshat of the Month Award...

« on: February 02, 2013, 03:13:49 PM »

I Look forward to reading it when you are able to share it.

The letter (draft) that my attorney has written is a killer, with many good points and arguments.  Should me on the asshat's desk by now.  He throws a few good jabs into Mustoe's face....and then the knockout!!!!! I'll share this letter in the future once we know he's lying on the mat.  I'm sure some of the "talking points" in this letter can be used in other defenses concerning "copywrite" protocals.

806

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty

« on: January 31, 2013, 08:26:21 PM »

Moving right along, got an email response today my request is being transfered to the correct department.  I guess the online form just goes to the main office.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/123263890/01-31-2013-Response-From-WATG-for-Public-Records

807

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: information to send or not to send

« on: January 30, 2013, 03:43:29 PM »

That was great and covered all the bases I think, thanks!

808

Legal Controversies Forum / Twitter’s Report Icrease in Gov Demands and Sheds Light on Copyright Takedowns

« on: January 30, 2013, 02:51:43 PM »

A good article from over on the EFF website.

Twitter had over 3000 requests for takedowns, yet they only complied with 53%. That means almost half of all requests were invalid. It is again to Twitter’s credit that they both publicized this data and have committed the legal resources necessary to protect their users from invalid legal requests

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/01/google-twitters-new-transparency-report-shows-increase-government-demands-sheds

809

Legal Controversies Forum / Re: "Copyright law is in place to protect artistic expression, not individual ideas"

« on: January 30, 2013, 02:42:40 PM »

Good find SG, there have been a few cases like this over the years, I believe it even states in the copyright law that you cannot copyright an idea.

This reminds me of another case from quite a while back where a photographer named Penny Gentieu who specialized in baby pictures signed an exclusive contract with Tony Stone who was bought out by Getty images. Gentieu did very we could find SG could find SG ll with Getty images bringing in over $850,000 over the years which was split 50-50 with Getty by the terms of her 1993 contract. As usual Getty change the terms of the contract saying it was now going to take 60% that Gentieu's art director at Getty was also asking six other photographers in London for the same style pictures that Gentieu was known for (babies apparently floating in a white background).

When she could not reach agreement with Getty she withdrew her images and ended up suing Getty for breach of contract and copyright infringement and in the conclusion by the court it sounds as if she actually could have won the case if she had not ruined it herself.

Conclusion

 What this opinion voiced by way of criticism below the * * * divider in its subsection on Digital Compilations could have been repeated at numerous other stages of the discussion—and it certainly merits recall here. Although Gentieu had a legitimate claim for unpaid royalties under the 1993 Contract when this lawsuit was instituted, it is one that could have been resolved long since—and without the enormous expenditure (really a waste) of resources that has ensued

*fn37—if she had not coupled that claim with contentions obviously ascribable to an overexaggerated sense of self-importance.

 At the end of the day, however, that attempt at self-aggrandizement has failed entirely. No genuine issue of material fact preserves any of Gentieu's myriad claims against an adverse judgment as a matter of law. Getty's Rule 56 motion is granted in its entirety, and this action is dismissed.*fn38

The full case review may be found here:

http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20030326_0001116.NIL.htm/qx

810

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: New Topic: "ELI After Dark"

« on: January 30, 2013, 02:01:22 PM »

LOL!