FC: Radio host Michael Savage loses bid to censor SavageStupidity.com

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Previous Politech messages:

"Public Citizen will defend SavageStupidity.com in lawsuit"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-04813.html

"Radio host Michael Savage nastygrams SavageStupidity.com"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-04691.html

---

From: "Thomas Leavitt" <thomasleavitt () myrealbox com>
To: "Paul Levy" <PLEVY () citizen org>
Cc: "Declan McCullagh" <declan () well com>
Subject: Fw: DECISION - Talk Radio Network, Inc. v Thomas Leavitt aka 
Leavitt Enterprises, FA0304000155182
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 18:38:47 -0700

This turned out to be a simple case. We won. SavageStupidity.com stays on
the air, bigger, better and bolder than ever! :)

Regards,
Thomas Leavitt

The Panel finds that the &lt;savagestupidity.com&gt; domain name is not
confusingly similar to Complainant's mark because the disputed domain name
includes the term "stupidity" after Complainant's mark. Internet users would
not confuse Respondent's domain name with Complainant's mark because the
addition of the term "stupidity" indicates that the disputed domain name has
no affiliation with Complainant's mark. See Robo Enter., Inc. v. Tobiason,
FA 95857 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 24, 2000) (noting that using a negative
domain name for the purposes of criticism, such as
&lt;walmartcanadasucks.com&gt;, does not create confusion with the service
mark of Complainant); see also Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Parisi, D2000-1015
(WIPO Jan. 26, 2001) (finding that "common sense and a reading of the plain
language of the Policy support the view that a domain name combining a
trademark with the word "sucks" or other such language clearly indicates
that the domain name is not affiliated with the trademark owner and
therefore &lt;lockheedmartinsucks.com&gt; and &lt;lockheedsucks.com&gt;
cannot be considered confusingly similar to LOCKHEED MARTIN).
<P>
The Panel finds that Respondent's domain name is not confusingly similar to
Complainant's mark because the &lt;savagestupidity.com&gt; domain name is
comprised of generic terms "savage" and "stupidity." See Energy Source Inc.
v. Your Energy Source, FA 96364 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 19, 2001) (finding
that Respondent has rights and legitimate interests in the domain name where
"Respondent has persuasively shown that the domain name is comprised of
generic and/or descriptive terms, and, in any event, is not exclusively
associated with Complainant's business"); see also Zero Int'l Holding v.
Beyonet Servs., D2000-0161 (WIPO May 12, 2000) (stating that "[c]ommon words
and descriptive terms are legitimately subject to registration as domain
names on a 'first-come, first-served' basis").
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lewis, Steve" <SLEWIS () arb-forum com>
To: <thomasleavitt () myrealbox com>; <wkane () klmfirm com>
Cc: <udrp () icann org>; <rt () gandi net>; <udrp () support gandi net>
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2003 10:28 AM
Subject: DECISION - Talk Radio Network, Inc. v Thomas Leavitt aka Leavitt
Enterprises, FA0304000155182


Attached is a copy of the decision from the Panel in the above referenced
case.

Mutual Jurisdiction:  Location of the Registrar


 <<Notice of Decision.doc>>  <<savagestupidity.com DECISION.DOC>>

Steve Lewis
Case Coordinator
National Arbitration Forum
slewis () arb-forum com




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