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![]() Today's issue is the most unique one, and before I explain why, there is a personal request for each and every one of you. I have started the New Age Poetry Contest weeks ago, in order to make the poets feel good about their creations and also to give you, the readers, an opportunity to win a prize. So far I have received only 13 votes (out of over 1200 subscribers), most of them are from my friends, whom I asked to vote personally. I think this is unfair, both to the poets and to yourselves. So, people, just hit the Reply button and let me know the number of the poem that deserves to be crowned as the best one. The numbers are given below the Opening Words. I am also aware of the fact that recent editions are somewhat lengthy, but I guarantee you that they worthy of your reading, so take your time scrolling through them. And now to a more burning issue. First of all, read the following letter I received this week: ----------
"Subject: Project X Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 08:34:44 -0800 From: LaCynda Gibson To: aldarow@zahav.net.il
CC: rinor@bezeqint.net
From: International Community of Christ
?????????? 643 Ralston
Street
?????????? Reno,
Nevada? 89503
Dear Mssrs. Aldarow and Zidran:
We have become aware of your use of the name PROJECT X. The name PROJECT
X is a registered trademark of the International Community of Christ (US
Registration No. 2,138,995 and previous US Registration No. 1,633,136)
The purpose of this letter is to demand that you immediately cease infringing
upon that trademark and that you desist from doing so again in the future.
In addition to demanding that you cease and desist your infringing activities
we require that all copies of materials containing the trademark, distributed
to date and inventory, be accounted for. It is within our legal right to
demand that all profits realized by the unauthorized use of the name PROJECT
X be turned over to us, and we hereby so demand. Any violations of this
type entitle us to temporary or permanent injunctive relief in a court
of law.
We trust this matter will be resolved without further legal recourse.
We require a response from you within ten(10) days of the date of this
communication or this issue of your unauthorized and illegal activities
will be turned over to our attorneys.
Sincerely,
Gene Savoy, Jr.
Legal Department
cc: Pat Lundvall, ESQ
?????? McDonald, Carano, Wilson, McCune,
Bergin, Francovich & Hicks
?????? 241 Ridge Street
?????? P.O. Box 2670
?????? Reno, Nevada? 89505
?????? John A. White, Jr. ESQ.
?????? White Law Chartered
??????? 331 W. First Street
??????? Reno, Nevada? 89503
LaCynda Gibson
http://www.aefosc.org"
----------
After I overcame the initial shock, as some of you probably did just
now, I began to act. First of all, I've responded to the person above,
with a rather sarcastic and slightly offensive letter, I must say, stating
my arguments. That was not the only step I took - I made this obscure affair
a public one. I've forwarded it to 103 of my friends on my address book,
asking them to send to the International Community of Christ a couple of
lines, stating why OUR Project X is more important to them, placing also
my e-mail in CC: line.
The total response was amazing, and I'd like to thank all my friends
for their supportive and kind words. This kind of story is familiar to
all, the big companies trying to squash the small enterprises; if my memory
does not betray me, there was a recent case of eToy.com vs etoys.com, eToy
being the huge monopoly, while etoys.com is a much smaller European website,
both are selling toys on-line, and although the latter was on-line from
much earlier period, eToy.com demanded to shut them down because of the
alleged copyright violation. And now the European kids can't buy their
toys, because the American businessmen cannot stand any competition.
I'll refer to the replies I received. There were few that, as a result
of the above threat, wished to withdraw from Project X, some told me that
I was acting out of anger and fear, some said that those people won't give
a damn about my attempt to stir the public opinion. Perhaps, they are right,
but I'm not the type that turns the other cheek - I am not as much as reactive
as I am pro-active. The majority of the e-mails, nevertheless, were in
my favor. Most of the arguments, that were brought before me as well as
before the Int. Com. of Christ, were similar to the ones I've originally
e-mailed them: I'm in Israel, therefore US / Nevada trademarks are not
valid here; my website is a non-profit and a private one; there are dozens
of others' pages on the Internet, all titled "Project X", the name is also
used in sci-fi and PC games; the Internet itself cannot be censored. Again,
I endlessly appreciate the help I received in this hour of test.
In addition, a few among my closest friends, such as Nancy and Original
Six, saw this ridiculous matter for what it really is: an attempt to suppress
us, to silence our free voices, to shut us down. The same case is the Eckankar
movement, taken over by Klemp and his dark agents, who then continued to
persecute Sri Darwin Gross, dragging him to the court because of the same
trademark rights. In contrary to what is believed this day, it is true,
the top of Eckankar movement is controlled by negative psychics. Yes, as
Gahvin Nitewalker has posted on our Open Forum, not everything is light
and love out there.
Please, don't get me wrong. I am not furious, trying to blame the other
side in all the earthly sins, greed, undoubtedly, among them. I also do
not claim that the person writing the above e-mail really thought is his
mind, "Hey, Aldarow reaches to too many people, his site is too popular,
he is the threat to our conspiracy plans, let's destroy this Jedi." However,
the same pattern, as seen here, repeats all over the planet on a much larger
scale. Under disguise of legal actions and such, free thinkers are being
'demanded to cease', materialism and thirst for power drives titanic companies
to capture an absolute monopoly, in every realm, Microsoft on software
market, mainstream Christianity in spirituality, and so on. The teachings
of Mohammed, Christ and Moses are twisted these days, adjusted to serve
the egocentric and extreme desires of the preachers. Mohammed never originally
called to terror acts, Christ was always about loving thy brother, not
charging money for that, and Moses did not deliver message about reversing
the inevitable progress of a country (in this case I'm referring ot the
religious 'leaders' of Israel).
Alex, man, some have written to me, why clinging to a name, and they
are correct, it is not the name that counts, it is the people standing
behind it, you, reader, included, sharing, helping each other, having the
time of their life, all by the means of our on-line spiritual/paranormal
community. I was suggested to change to Project XX, XYZ, X!, Ecs, Ex, and
so on. I thought also of XXX, but that would be a bit misleading, wouldn't
it? (See, I can still joke in situations like this). But let me tell you
something. It is a title that me, Rinor and Rami have chosen years ago,
to name our small group, which has started as an amateur paranormal research
team, long before we went on-line and met all the wonderful people like
yourselves. The name connects us to all the lessons we were told before,
all the obstacles we made our way through, all the experiences we had and
cosmic messages we received. Call me sentimental, but it has a value for
me, this the the name by which we have became known in the cyberspace and
on other planes, it means to us more than to the repulsive lawyers.
So there you have it - a CAUS-like lawsuit of our own. BUT if we all
stand tall, the dark ones will never be able to submit us.
Also stay tuned for the next issue as well, were you can find a very
interesting article by Doug Lewis and several amazing events that happened
to new members of our limitless circle. I will also keep you posted of
how this laughable story develops.
Originally published in Project X Newsletter #32 |
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