Urban Homesteading trademarked, Dervaes Family gets Death Threats

[Roswell]

If someone is a Robert Jordan / Wheel of Time fan - is it okay for the Ogiers to refer to it as an Urban Homested or Urban Homestedding?

Lol. I'm a huge Robert Jordan fan and found that quite humorous.

Also, I am in the process of coining the term "Dervaes family"  

[Sister Wolf]

Sheesh, it's like trademarking "Cattle Ranch"

Exactly.  And then writing a letter to people telling them that if they're referring to other cattle ranches, the proper way would be to either call it a CATTLE RANCH (tm) and reference their works in a way they're happy with, or call it a bovine farm, or a cow palace, or some equally ghey name that nobody will ever use.

Otherwise, *shakes fist*

But it's not a cease and desist letter.  

[archer]

Also if you are a member of www.FreedomGardens.org consider closing/deleting your account. Once I can login I am going to do so.

edit: Here is the admin email for FREEDOMGARDENS.ORG: dervaes@pathtofreedom.com

[Mr. Bill]

I'd be interested to know if the term "Urban Homestead" existed prior to the Stumbling Block to Freedom website.

I don't know about their website, but the trademark for "Urban Homestead" was filed on 9/19/08 and registered on 10/5/2010.  So I'd like to know what they're going to do about, for example, [amazonsearch]The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City[/amazonsearch] by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, published 6/1/08.  Or the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, founded in 1973.  Or any of the other 212,000 hits on Google that have nothing to do with the Dervaes family.

They should never have been granted a trademark in a common pre-existing term.  On top of that, even if they do own the trademark, they only have a legal right to prohibit the use of the phrase by competing businesses, not in common parlance.

[joeinwv]

...
*shakes fist*
...

I think Sunrunner4 TM'd that on the motley fool boards around 1998 - if he tells you to stop, tell him I said to eff off.

Back on topic - I like the idea of using the Dervaes name as a cliche. So appropriating a common term / lexicon and using it as a TM would be "Pulling a Dervaes"...

[Nicodemus]

Anais's post about the cease and desist letter leads me to believe that we're not the ones who are misunderstanding anything.  They are.  I highly suggest that if any of you "like" them on facebook or follow them on Twitter, just stop.  Ban these posers.

I had to check... I know I "Liked" or "Friended" or somethinged them somewhere. I can't for the life of me recall where now.

[Roswell]

I have removed their video and link from my website MakingaHomestead.com

And NO I will not be changing the name.

[Herbalpagan]

I just don't think that their idea of FREEDOM is the same as most of ours. I am not surprised at all.  I admore their work, but have never believed they were anything but what we think of as California liberals...nothing wrong with that, unless you believe that they are different, then you get disappointed.
Sorry this has happened. It WILL affect several blogs I know of.

[fritz_monroe]

I'm also extremely disappointed in them.  I guess fame corrupts, or maybe they were just building to this from the very beginning.

[Nicodemus]

I don't know about their website, but the trademark for "Urban Homestead" was filed on 9/19/08 and registered on 10/5/2010.  So I'd like to know what they're going to do about, for example, [amazonsearch]The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City[/amazonsearch] by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, published 6/1/08.  Or the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, founded in 1973.  Or any of the other 212,000 hits on Google that have nothing to do with the Dervaes family.

Thanks for the info Mr. Bill!

[Nicodemus]

I wonder if the term "D-Bag Homestead" has been copyrighted.

[TexDaddy]

I once admired them. Now, I have scraped things off of the bottom of my boots I have more respect for. 

[archer]

I deleted my account on FreedomGardens.org

[Sister Wolf]

Also if you are a member of www.FreedomGardens.org consider closing/deleting your account. Once I can login I am going to do so.

Done.

[ZenGunFighter]

If I might have everyone's attention.

Having aspirations of becoming a Gentleman Farmer, I hearby declare, and announce to the world
on this date, February 16th in this two thosandth and eleventh year in the Common Era, that
I am commandeering and appropriating the name 'Urbane Homesteader'

Thank you all so much for your attention.
You may all now carry on.

[Nicodemus]

LOL

Dibs on "Homesteader of Urban Space". 

[Dawgus]

 This does pi$$ me off, but I'm not taking it too seriously.  I do find what they have done as admirable and inspiring, but, in my opinion, they've been far too long looked at as the "gods" of what they do.  I'm sure there are other families out there that do the same, if not more, that go unrecognized. Not to toot my own horn in any way, shape or, form; but my wife and I managed to pull just under 1100lbs of produce from our one acre last year. If we had the resources and help beyond just the two of us like they do, I could easily triple our production. Let alone have the 30+ years to build ours to what they have.
 To me, they're nothing but an example of what happens when someone takes their food production seriously, and makes it a priority, no differently than my wife and I do. Right now, I want to thank them for making me want to do everything possible to double (or more) what we had accomplished last year. We won't have a large family to help. We won't have all of the equipment and systems they do. It will be the same as always, and just be the two of us. Two thousand plus pounds, here we come. Thanks for the inspiration a-holes. Suppose I should trademark my blog name......*sigh*
  BTW, is Gene Simmons their legal council? 

[Amator]

I deleted my account on FreedomGardens.org

Same here. 

[ZenGunFighter]

While I'm at it, I think I'll also grab;
- Homesteadopolis
-metro homesteading

And Yo! Check it out homie! Ghetto homesteader.

[Amator]

And Yo! Check it out homie! Ghetto homesteader.

Ghomestedda

[fritz_monroe]

I deleted my account on FreedomGardens.org

Same here.

[TexDaddy]

I deleted my account on FreedomGardens.org

It kinda makes me sorry I never had one, so I could delete it now.

[fritz_monroe]

It kinda makes me sorry I never had one, so I could delete it now.

I didn't remember creating an account.  So I went to the log on page and did a forgot password.  I was surprised that there was an account.

[Nicodemus]

It kinda makes me sorry I never had one, so I could delete it now.

LOL No kidding. I've got no way to register my complaint. 

[Brianzona]

hmmmm...I was thinking about trademarking the word "the"

[elcoyote]

I've trademarked the words "ant" and "grasshopper".  You don't have to stop using those terms, just ask before using them and let everyone know that they belong to me.

But don't forget to be free! 

[Roswell]

They have now shut down both of their facebook pages rather than deal with people's comments. I'd hoped they would change their minds, but it doesn't seem to be happening.  "Path to Freedom"   They may want to rename themselves after this. Path to Irony, Path to Greed, Path to Turn-coating, Path to Self Ostracization, Path to Disappointment.  These are just a few I had in mind

hmmmm...I was thinking about trademarking the word "the"

Seriously.

BTW, when you get the chance, please stop over at the Intro Thread and introduce yourself.

[ModernSurvival]

Two words spring to mind,

1.  Douchebag

2.  Stupid

They had a thriving business but greed just crapped the bed for them.  I will NEVER do a thing for them again.  In spite of the misguided hippy bullshit politics that made Jules refuse to come on TSP despite me sending them over 100,000 visits I continued to mention them and continued to keep a link on the front of TSP for them until today.

What a bunch of dumbasses.  The fact I helped these people makes me want to puke!  You know I would have a bigger claim on the term modern survivalism then they don on fricken urban homestead.  May be I should trademark that and publicly state anyone can use it any time they want before some other assclown tries to do so for greed purposes. 

Anyway the only good side about the help I gave them is I can and will take it away.  Tomorrow 20,000 people will hear about this douchbaggery.  I figure more than a few of my listeners own a blog,    I am not waging war but I will take back some of the clearly misguided goodwill I sent them in the past. 

Karma is a bitch!

[TexDaddy]

If someone is a Robert Jordan / Wheel of Time fan - is it okay for the Ogiers to refer to it as an Urban Homested or Urban Homestedding?...

I also and a huge Robert Jordan/Wheel of Time fan.  If a stedding can be considered 'urban' then they are without doubt Urban Homesteddings.

BTW, do you have a source for sung wood? I can't find it anywhere.  

...Anyway the only good side about the help I gave them is I can and will take it away.  Tomorrow 20,000 people will hear about this douchbaggery.  I figure more than a few of my listeners own a blog,    I am not waging war but I will take back some of the clearly misguided goodwill I sent them in the past. 

Karma is a bitch!

Jack, I certainly wouldn't mind if you took down the entire 'Path to Freedom' board. Contains a lot of bragging on them from back when we thought they were decent people.

[OKGranny]

I used to feel like some sort of pariah because I didn't care for these people at all. Something about them just set my teeth on edge, they just didn't ring true for me at all. I'm sorry this has come down this way but I can't say I'm surprised.