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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>These TMCH gaming issues have been well documented all the way back to 2014 .</span></a><a href="http://domainnamewire.com/2014/02/10/how-common-words-like-pizza-money-and-shopping-ended-up-in-the-trademark-clearinghouse-for-new-tlds/"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>http://domainnamewire.com/2014/02/10/how-common-words-like-pizza-money-and-shopping-ended-up-in-the-trademark-clearinghouse-for-new-tlds/</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Gaming the TMCH is as easy as starting an ecommerce store on a template and selling various products like t-shirts and pens with the arbitrary use of a common/valuable term (e.g.. pizza pen shop). This allows registration of the trademark for the term in any number of jurisdictions and subsequent registration in the TMCH.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'>Jonathan Frost<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'>General Counsel<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'>Telephone: (+1)877-707-5752<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#595959'>100 SE 3rd Avenue, #1310<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#595959'>Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'>E-Mail: </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="mailto:jonathan@get.club"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>jonathan@get.club</span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'> </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'>Website: </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="http://www.get.club/"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>www.get.club</span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#666666'> </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="https://app.getsignals.com/link?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.nic.club%2f&amp;ukey=agxzfnNpZ25hbHNjcnhyGAsSC1VzZXJQcm9maWxlGICAgMCxgJ8KDA&amp;k=00a65763b45344369d29299760b3ae45"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=51 height=16 style='width:.5312in;height:.1666in' id="Picture_x0020_14" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D27D43.E204C550" alt=club></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:6.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;color:black'>Please be advised that this communication is confidential. The information contained in this e-mail, and any attachments, may also be attorney-client privileged and/or work product confidential.&nbsp; If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited.&nbsp; If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify&nbsp;Jonathan Frost&nbsp;by telephone at 877.707.5752 or by email at </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="mailto:jonathan@get.club"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>jonathan@get.club</span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;color:black'> and delete the original message.&nbsp;</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org [mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Phil Corwin<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 2, 2017 9:13 AM<br><b>To:</b> Jon Nevett &lt;jon@donuts.email&gt;; gnso-rpm-wg &lt;gnso-rpm-wg@icann.org&gt;<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [gnso-rpm-wg] TMCH Blog<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>I’m tempted to say that is one of *** craziest things I’ve ever seen, but if I use *** word *** I might be cited for infringement or have to pay a licensing fee ;-)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Seriously, it would be interesting to know in what jurisdiction <b>the</b> trademark was granted in and whether they professed to demonstrate use in commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Also seems to be an example of a situation where everyone in general but no one in particular has an incentive to challenge <b>the</b> acceptance of <b>the</b> mark by <b>the</b> TMCH.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>Philip S. Corwin, Founding Principal</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>Virtualaw LLC</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>1155 F Street, NW</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>Suite 1050</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>Washington, DC 20004</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>202-559-8597/Direct</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>202-559-8750/Fax</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>202-255-6172/Cell</span><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>Twitter: @VlawDC</span></b><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:navy'>&quot;Luck is the residue of design&quot; -- Branch Rickey</span></i></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'> <a href="mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org">gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org</a> [<a href="mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org">mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jon Nevett<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 02, 2017 8:55 AM<br><b>To:</b> gnso-rpm-wg<br><b>Subject:</b> [gnso-rpm-wg] TMCH Blog<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>FYI -- for those who haven't seen this blog:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.thedomains.com/2017/02/01/the-trademark-clearinghouse-worked-so-well-one-company-got-24-new-gtld-using-the-famous-trademark-the/">https://www.thedomains.com/2017/02/01/the-trademark-clearinghouse-worked-so-well-one-company-got-24-new-gtld-using-the-famous-trademark-the/</a><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><h1>The Trademark ClearingHouse Worked So Well One Company Got 24 new gTLD using The Famous Trademark “The”<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=entry-meta>February 1, 2017 by <a href="https://www.thedomains.com/author/michael-berkens/" title="Posts by Michael Berkens">Michael Berkens</a> <span class=entry-comments-link><a href="https://www.thedomains.com/2017/02/01/the-trademark-clearinghouse-worked-so-well-one-company-got-24-new-gtld-using-the-famous-trademark-the/#comments">5 Comments</a></span> <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="http://www.trademark-clearinghouse.com/" target="_blank">The Trademark ClearingHouse (TMCH)</a> which was set up/ contracted by ICANN to protect those famous worldwide brand names from abuse by those nasty domain name squatters resulted in a whole new industry.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Those playing the TMCH for their own benefit to get first jump at new gTLD domain names to get registered in Sunrise ahead of all other under common words like “the”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Actually there maybe no better example than those domain names obtained on the world-famous trademarks as of the word”the”,&nbsp; which <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_common_words_in_English">is the most used word in the English language</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>The world-famous trademark for the word “the” was obtained by Goallover Limited of London who according to DomainTools.com owns an amazing amount of domain names approaching nearly 100, but was able to get all of the following new gTLD’s using their globally well-known trademark on the word “the” under the ICANN trademark clearinghouse rules which&nbsp; allows them to obtain the domain names ahead of all other applicants.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Of course the company could have had obtained even more “the” new gTLD domain names in Sunrise but apparently did not apply for more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Somehow the company doesn’t appear to own the domain name The.Com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>For all Trademark Holders its nice to know the world is a safer place:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>the.car<br>the.career<br>the.cars<br>the.casino<br>the.doctor<br>the.earth<br>the.foundation<br>the.furniture<br>the.game<br>the.group<br>the.ltd<br>the.mba<br>the.pub<br>the.report<br>the.run<br>the.school<br>the.services<br>the.storage<br>the.tools<br>the.university<br>the.watch<br>the.wine<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=1 width="100%" noshade style='color:#A0A0A0' align=center></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>No virus found in this message.<br>Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature">www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 2016.0.7998 / Virus Database: 4749/13855 - Release Date: 01/28/17<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>