There must be somone at InterNIC who thinks like you do. You miss the point entirely. Trademark space is not flat -- it has to be trademarkable (not an generic term), it must be associated with a specific industry, and it must be associated with a particular region (the juridictal boundaries of the particular PTO). For a trademark violation, you must show that it is being used in the same industry in the same region, for damages you must prove that it was intentionally done to misrepresent your organization, and you must prove they profitted and/or you incurred a loss due to the misrepresentation. All the terms you list below, with the possible exception of FCC, are not even trademarkable. The idea that a US government organization could own the english word "house" is absolutely ludicrous. Associating your domain closely to that of another to gain misdirected traffic is unethical, but has nothing to do with trademark. Matt ----------
From: Bob Izenberg <bei@austin.aus.sig.net> To: Larry Vaden <vaden@texoma.net> Cc: jamie@intuition.iagnet.net; nanog@merit.edu Subject: Re: Domain Name NASA.COM Date: Saturday, July 12, 1997 8:52 AM
Larry Vaden wrote:
# www.nasa.com is reachable.
So what about these:
Computerized Horizons (FCC2-DOM) 2490 Black Rock Tpke. #309 Fairfield, CT 06430-2404 Domain Name: FCC.COM
Congressional Communications (CONGRESS-DOM) 361 Judd Farm Road Watertown, CT 06795 Domain Name: CONGRESS.COM
Voice of the Senate (SENATE2-DOM) 515 Watertown Ave., Suite 160 Waterbury, CT 06708 Domain Name: SENATE.COM
Foreign Service Review Inc. (HOUSE2-DOM) Route 1 Box 750-F Elgin, TX 78621 Domain Name: HOUSE.COM
How about these next two? Receiving a letter from the FTC would be getting off easy. :-)
Army Corner Cubes (ARMY-DOM) 3405-B Triana Blvd. #1136 Huntsville, AL 35805 Domain Name: ARMY.COM
The CPS Group (AIRFORCE-DOM) P.O. Box 619200 DFW Airport Dallas, TX 75261-9600 USA Domain Name: AIRFORCE.COM
Bob