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Gary,

Your efforts have fallen on deaf ears. As of 5 minutes ago The RCIA logo is still on their coupon page.

Hank

Gary I didnt. And I probably wont. The guy doesnt even have a Google Maps/Places page. The BBB is worth crap. The problem is that the logo is not registered or tm. There are no legs to stand on. I personally do not fear this guy at all. But the logo needs to have legal representation in order for threats to hold water. I do not want this guy representing the logo either.

Lets have a standard professional ad to be placed by the RCIA member in that area stating the company is not a member never was and is lying. Do you really want to hire someone who is already starting out by lying to you? Hire so and so..blah blah blah

I never really thought about the logo and tm/copyright. I guess there's a decision to make here. When some knucklehead goes on using the logo against the wishes of the owner, you have what we have here. Not trying to start a fire here, but if there was any real thought of a legitimate org/certification, trademarking the logo shouldve been the first investment. Basically anyone can use the logo with no repurcussion. Taking out ads to counter the use of the logo might work, but what if 50 different people in different territories use the logo? We'd all go broke putting out counter ads w/ no guarantee of completing our objective. And the BBB is a joke. They'll wind up having this guy as a paid member when all is said and done.

The BBB is a joke, this guy just might not know. Whats not a joke is getting a letter from a real lawyer because your infrining on an actual trademark. If the guy was so concerned, we wouldnt be having this conversation. If I owned this forum and logo, I'd have it trademarked so I dont have to rely on rallying the members to go after the guy.

And if it was a trade mark/pattern rcis would have to spend money to go after him. If I put the ad in and the following week you came out with an ad calling me a liar and you could prove it.....no thanks I wouldn't do it again. To much attention calling me out on it and it would look real bad. Whats n ad.... Look I'll pitch in a coouple bucks if nessacary { would want to see ad placed } If I had to help out with 50 bucks or so extra a year I would...tax deductable no?

Pat I will help out too. Its not really the $50. If the logo was trademarked we'd be chipping in a lot less to have a lawyer send a letter. Getting a letter from a lawyer is not fun at all. I'm feeling that the logo is not worth protecting the right way. Ruuf Shampoo invested money trademarking their name. It was emailed or faxed to GoDaddy and boom, my website was shut down w/ no fukn around whatsoever. The BBB has a trademarked logo. They sent me a serious letter their tm number and the federal staute that protects it. That meant something. We can do things to nudge this guy to do the right thing, but no one is looking the big picture. This logo can be used by anyone without legal repurcussion. We're nothing more than an unofficial club. It costs roughly $1200.00 and can be done through legal zoom. If it were mine, it'd would have been done long ago. Im not saying it would have been worth it. Im in Jersey and I really dont care. I probably should care more, I do love this place. But Im just a paid member with no time or energy to police. I would rather us all chip in to have the logo trademarked.

count me in for some $$

This issue brings to light what the RCIA actually is. Is it just a loose club? Do the owners find it valuable enough to legally protect the material? We cant just thug people into complying. Thats what bike clubs do.