Comments on: I am the Real Restaurant Gal http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/ Scenes from the podium...one pager at a time. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:11:18 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Former Lurker http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8211 Former Lurker Tue, 19 May 2009 12:39:26 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8211 RG, SkippyMom is correct. You can copyright material that you have written, songs, books, etc. essentially any intellectual property, but you have to Trademark a name. You register the trademark with the Patent and Trademark office, and here is a link to get you started filling out an online application: http://www.uspto.gov/teas/index.html The drawback is that it costs 275 - 300 bucks, depending on the type of application. The positice side is that if you trademark your name, you can sue them for lots of money for continuing to use your name after you have asked them to stop. Good luck. By the way, I don't comment here often, but I love your writings! RG,

SkippyMom is correct. You can copyright material that you have written, songs, books, etc. essentially any intellectual property, but you have to Trademark a name. You register the trademark with the Patent and Trademark office, and here is a link to get you started filling out an online application:
http://www.uspto.gov/teas/index.html

The drawback is that it costs 275 – 300 bucks, depending on the type of application. The positice side is that if you trademark your name, you can sue them for lots of money for continuing to use your name after you have asked them to stop.

Good luck.

By the way, I don’t comment here often, but I love your writings!

]]> By: SkippyMom http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8175 SkippyMom Sat, 02 May 2009 15:07:35 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8175 Just one more thing...I did read the TOS for twitter - it specifically says "Trademark" - just because you have this name on this site and Facebook, I am not sure that constitutes a "Trademark" - do you have the legal paperwork to back this up? And I read her site at Restaurantnews.com - and it might be that she simply took her name one step off of Restaurantnews to Restaurantgal not knowing you existed. Again, just a thought. Just one more thing…I did read the TOS for twitter – it specifically says “Trademark” – just because you have this name on this site and Facebook, I am not sure that constitutes a “Trademark” – do you have the legal paperwork to back this up?

And I read her site at Restaurantnews.com – and it might be that she simply took her name one step off of Restaurantnews to Restaurantgal not knowing you existed.

Again, just a thought.

]]> By: SkippyMom http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8174 SkippyMom Sat, 02 May 2009 14:38:44 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8174 Are you using the wrong term? I was under the impression you cannot copyright a name, you can only trademark it. Copyright is used for your intellectual property as in your writings on this site...that is yours if copyrighted, but have you trademarked your name "Restaurantgal"? Because it is a pretty common name [no offense] - she may have just used it without thought that someone else out in interweb land was using it too.... I might be wrong - I just wanted to make sure that you were protected in the way you assume you are...and get that 10,000 dollars :) It might be why her boss "blew you off" - knowing you might not have a case. Just a thought. Are you using the wrong term? I was under the impression you cannot copyright a name, you can only trademark it. Copyright is used for your intellectual property as in your writings on this site…that is yours if copyrighted, but have you trademarked your name “Restaurantgal”? Because it is a pretty common name [no offense] – she may have just used it without thought that someone else out in interweb land was using it too….

I might be wrong – I just wanted to make sure that you were protected in the way you assume you are…and get that 10,000 dollars :)

It might be why her boss “blew you off” – knowing you might not have a case.

Just a thought.

]]> By: Jenni http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8159 Jenni Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:58:54 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8159 :) you're the gal!! The one and only- the original- I'm happy to be able to follow u on twitter!!!!! :) :) you’re the gal!! The one and only- the original- I’m happy to be able to follow u on twitter!!!!!

:)

]]> By: Annapolitan http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8158 Annapolitan Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:03:19 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8158 RG, when I went to Twitter and used their search function and typed in "restaurantgal1" (without the quotes), I kept getting the message "We couldn't find anyone named restaurantgal1." Even today, I got that message. I've double and triple checked to make sure I'm not misspelling the name. http://twitter.com/search/users?q=restaurantgal1&category=people&source=find_on_twitter I used the link in your blog to find you and subscribe to your tweets but I don't know what is up with that Twitter search function! RG, when I went to Twitter and used their search function and typed in “restaurantgal1″ (without the quotes), I kept getting the message “We couldn’t find anyone named restaurantgal1.”

Even today, I got that message. I’ve double and triple checked to make sure I’m not misspelling the name.

http://twitter.com/search/users?q=restaurantgal1&category=people&source=find_on_twitter

I used the link in your blog to find you and subscribe to your tweets but I don’t know what is up with that Twitter search function!

]]> By: Mary http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8152 Mary Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:52:26 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8152 Remind the "squatter" that extortion is illegal; in fact, it may be a Federal offense depending on where the squatter is located Remind the “squatter” that extortion is illegal; in fact, it may be a Federal offense depending on where the squatter is located

]]> By: Restaurant Gal http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8151 Restaurant Gal Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:46:53 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8151 Wow, lots of comments. Thank you, everyone. I am now on My Space and Facebook as well. I will try to keep up with these sites, most likely the twitter and Facebook ones first. And of course, my blog. It's interesting seeing who's out there, who's reading my blog, who's following all of this. Stop by Restaurant Gal on Facebook so I know who you are. As for legal action against the Twitter person, we'll see. Meanwhile, back to life in the Keys. Wow, lots of comments. Thank you, everyone. I am now on My Space and Facebook as well. I will try to keep up with these sites, most likely the twitter and Facebook ones first. And of course, my blog. It’s interesting seeing who’s out there, who’s reading my blog, who’s following all of this. Stop by Restaurant Gal on Facebook so I know who you are. As for legal action against the Twitter person, we’ll see. Meanwhile, back to life in the Keys.

]]> By: Kate http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8150 Kate Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:26:38 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8150 RG, there was a famous case about the website "katie.com" that is sort of similar. Basically, a woman named Katie (duh) got the domain name katie.com as a gift from her boyfriend. A few months/years later, a book came out called "Katie.Com" about a survivor of online sexual abuse. The legal battle that ensued was ridiculous - the publishing firm, the author, and their lawyers did everything they could to force her to give them the domain name. The whole time this poor girl was inundated with stories of abuse from people who naturally assumed the domain name was related to the book. She finally won her case. The point is, I STRONGLY suggest you get a lawyer to at least write a strongly-wordered "Cease and Desist" letter and NOT let this drop. It's your name and you own it. RG, there was a famous case about the website “katie.com” that is sort of similar. Basically, a woman named Katie (duh) got the domain name katie.com as a gift from her boyfriend. A few months/years later, a book came out called “Katie.Com” about a survivor of online sexual abuse. The legal battle that ensued was ridiculous – the publishing firm, the author, and their lawyers did everything they could to force her to give them the domain name. The whole time this poor girl was inundated with stories of abuse from people who naturally assumed the domain name was related to the book. She finally won her case.
The point is, I STRONGLY suggest you get a lawyer to at least write a strongly-wordered “Cease and Desist” letter and NOT let this drop. It’s your name and you own it.

]]> By: mikepete http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8149 mikepete Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:11:06 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8149 I'm on Twitter-but I don't really use it. I guess I don't need to know EVERYTHING a friend is doing all the time. Facebook is a whole 'nother story...I am there all the time! I’m on Twitter-but I don’t really use it. I guess I don’t need to know EVERYTHING a friend is doing all the time. Facebook is a whole ‘nother story…I am there all the time!

]]> By: Dani http://www.restaurantgal.com/2009/04/i-am-the-real-restaurant-gal/comment-page-1/#comment-8148 Dani Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:29:07 +0000 http://www.restaurantgal.com/?p=797#comment-8148 I hear that twitter is pretty good for investigating and correcting "name squatting". WaiterRant is in the same boat right now. I hear that twitter is pretty good for investigating and correcting “name squatting”. WaiterRant is in the same boat right now.

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