I am sitting in front of the TV and flipping through the cable channels and I see a commercial for The Learning Channel and their new line of Life Lessons figurines. These are cute little statues with cartoon-like figures in a variety of comical "life" situations. They go through the collection - which are offered for sale on their website when WOW - did I just hear what I think I heard? One of the figurines is entitled "ALL YOU CAN EAT IS NOT A CHALLENGE". Excuse me. I do not recall getting an email or any contact from The Learning Channel asking my permission to name one of their figurines after the title of my web blog. Yet there it is - and offered for sale no less.
A week ago I am at the movies. Commercials come on the screen - yes, in this country you pay $10 for a ticket to see a movie that lasts less than 90 minutes and you get to watch commercials before the movie starts - I do not mean previews of other movies (those are great). I am talking about product selling commercials. So the commercials start and SPLAT - across the screen is the same TLC commercial for these figurines and there we are again! Right up there on the big screen. A thrill if I got any credit for it - but no credit given.
This blog site was titled and established at the beginning of August 2005. Just scroll down to the beginning articles to see. This ad campaign started no earlier than March 2006. This blog site is my copyright under the laws of the United States. It is published and available to the general public. I've been robbed!
So what am I going to do about it? Well, for a start I will be contacting The Learning Channel and let them know that they have infringed on my copyright. I happen to know a copyright and patent attorney and I know an attorney that likes to fight for the underdog. What do I want? Well, I never started this expecting to make a buck, but hey, I have readership and I put a lot of effort into this to make it both informative and entertaining. From my readers I only ask for your continued visits to the site. From these fatcats in big industry that stole from this humble, little guy... Well, we shall see. We shall see.
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2 comments:
I have been thoroughly enjoying your website. Buffet eating tends to be a repetitive to write about, but you do seem to make it work.
As for the name of your blog - are you sure you yourself actually coined the term "All You Can Eat is Not a Challenge"?
We live in VA and it is something we have been saying for over 10 years, since our first [disgusting] trip to OCB in Stafford VA...Did you happen to use this in another work [a book or a flyer] years ago that your readers are not aware of? If not...I must say...
It is a cute expression, for sure, but I am afraid it is not unique to you.
Good Luck in all your endeavors.
Me again - [I just sent a comment re this saying]
I just wanted to add that we know we didn't make up the "All You Can Eat..Challenge" thing either all those years ago - it is just something that had been going around our group forever...
And the OCB in Stafford, VA is no longer there - they closed due to overwhelming and repeated health violations - and is now a very expensive Mexican restaurant.
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