Unbelievable!

[ChickenPotPie]

*pictures the conversation*

-we need to get some more funding so we can get out from under The Man!

-yeh! we need more money for our homesteading and education to teach those to escape stupid society!

-how can we earn money?

-hey! i know! let's trademark urban homesteading and sue the crap outta everyone!

-woot!

Yeah, funny and sad at the same time.

To trademark a VERB is utterly arrogant, greedy, unethical, and a very bad move for their business if they are asking for continued support. Yeah, right. When their backyard pigs fly.

I have taken part in successful boycotts against several large corporations and specific products such as McDonald's, Carl's Junior, and Herbal Essence shampoo. I plan to do the same in this case.

To anyone who would like to boycott, you do not have to join a group or movement. Just make sure the Dervaes (sp?) knows what you are doing by sending them a letter. Additionally, commenting on any online guest books or YouTube videos will not only get their attention but the attention of the vast online community. The Derveas will start sweating and be more likely to rethink their choice when it starts to hit them in the pocket book.

 

[AnnaRaven]

As a member of the Open Source programming community, which has connections with the copyleft and GPL communities, including things like creative commons, etc, this action by Dervaes stinks. I understand wanting to prevent Monsanto or some big corporate pig from trademarking the term, but all they needed to do was to put it into creative commons and it can no longer be trademarked by those companies. Then everyone gets to use it, as it should be.

They have a right to specific terms that refer to *their* personal system -but urban homesteading is a movement that's bigger than they are. That'd be like someone claiming the trademark to 'rock and roll'. Idiots.

 

[Denim Deb]

If people are unable to use the term, they'll just come up w/something else, like city homestead, or neo homestead, or modern homestead. All they are doing is hurting themselves. What's the term? Cutting your nose off to spite your face?

 

[FarmerDenise]

I already removed their site from my favorites list. I think what they did is really stupid. as AnnaRaven said it would be like copywriting "rock and roll"

When you homestead in a city type of environment, you are homsteading in an urban environment. Now society has to get creative with making up a new word for urban.

Ok I am going to check my thesaurus for alternate words for urban.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I am practising oppidan homesteading

oppidan (p′i dən)

adjective

of a town; urban
Origin: L oppidanus < oppidum, town
noun

a person living in a town
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

[Denim Deb]

For some reason, I'm now thinking of oompa loompas.

 

[Farmfresh]

I live in the city.

I have made lifestyle choices that are good for my family and good for the environment. I am an oompa loompa homesteader.

Thank you for your support.

 

[Mattemma]

How disappointing of them. Oh well I guess I will delete my freedom garden account in protest!

 

[Denim Deb]

I got to wondering today, the word urban, is also a last name. So, if someone w/the last name of Urban decided to call their farm Urban's Homestead, would they come after them for trademark infringement?

 

[FarmerChick]

greedy bastids