Name Changed to Protect the Innocent (me!)

[twister7boy]

i would have changed it just to be nice. its not like you said you guys were endorsing anything so how that came about is weird. heck other people use my user name on other sites. i dont care. they got it first. but yeah the request was ridicules. its not like you used his stuff. peace. gregg

[HarveyEspatchelowe]

Well, personally, I think people that anal need irritation.

[kenrg]

He may require additional irritation, but I get enough of that at work...

[HarveyEspatchelowe]

There's a band called The Bis-quits (they have a web-site). One of their, about 20 year old, songs is called "Anal All Day", and, it's great...worth finding.

[RodEOpallo]

Ken, this guy's on a power trip or something. it's pretty cool that you changed it, but it sounds to me like he's full of crap. (my opinion)

[kenrg]

Can't say I disagree ;^)

[socialscience101]

somebody PLEASE tell me what word he's talking about. I'M DYING TO KNOW !!!!!!!!!!

[kenrg]

I'm sworn to secrecy... but the truth is out there!

[pcgod8]

I was wondering what the name was, but with a little help from Google and some fellow commentators, (and the fact that a couple of video responses still have the old title) I found out which video it was and the username in question.

Anyways, I think it's a bit of an unreasonable request. You said that it came from a different account on YouTube? So how do we know that's really him?

Anyways, good videos. It's kind of cool that you still take the time to reply to a lot of your comments.

[kenrg]

Although his YouTube name isn't the same as the domans and twitter, I'm sure it was him. And I think I did the right thing. Although he had no "right" to ask me to change it, in the end, it was more important to him than to me, so no big deal.

[thizizliz]

Yeah, that was exactly my take on it - do you have an emotional, financial or other investment in the name? It appears that you don't. He clearly does. Since he asked fairly politely, I think you did the right thing. But I also agree that the request was specious.

[chicago85bearz]

There are doubles all the time. I honestly would not worry about it.

[kenrg]

Not worried anymore, thanks.

[thefrozenghost]

His whole premise of not wanting the perception that he was endorsing you or was somehow associated with you would have offended me enough to leave it, just for spite....but, really, you took the best course of action.

Now, about my "Kenrg talks shit" video....

[kenrg]

Offensive, but laughable even more so. If he actually believes that, he's just delusional enough to have pushed this to another level.

And as to your video... well, I really was talking shit, so I got no grounds to complain.

[TubularBelle]

I thought the name TubularBelle was kinda cool and unique but many had thought of it before and I have hardly been able to use it anywhere, annoying but not catastrophic. How are you Kenny baby? I Love you!

[kenrg]

Great to hear from you, stranger! Now, have you considered asking Mike Oldfield to change the name of his tune because it conflicts with your name? ;^)

[sunsetlover]

oh and for the record.... please refrain from using my call name Sunsetlover, Sun, Set, Lover, or Lovers, since valentines is near please also refrain from using anything that might be like love.... like sex, F@#k or any love making..... hmmm never mind! it sounds as stupid as his request!

[kenrg]

Damn! My Valentines video was going to be titled Lover of Sunsets! Oh well, back to the drawing board...

[LilCav68]

I would like to start using 'Ken' for myself now. Please refrain from using it. Thanks. :)

[kenrg]

No problem. From now on I'll be LilRG61.

[Menn019]

Then the big companie's should sew you

Cause of "Ken"!

Kent Cigarettes

Barbie and Ken (if i am right)

And sure there are other's.

[kenrg]

Actually, I did sue Mattel over that Ken doll thing. I had hoped to start collecting royalties on the name, but instead they just had Barbie dump Ken and get a new boyfriend. Now I got 10% of nothing. So it goes.

[Menn019]

@kenrg

There are a lotta double names over the world...

...Anyway, while the last comment i was tired...you could sew them i meant...

...Yeah and you're right, they just come up with something else, those big C's

[Draculafreak]

Tell him to go fuck himself.

[kenrg]

I have a feeling he may not like that response. I'd rather just not bother with him at all...

[Draculafreak]

He's the one being a dick thinking he can claim ownership over something like this and putting you down in the process.

[sunsetlover]

He was a dillweed for asking but it's never wrong to be nice.  Either was he couldn't do any damage to the video and you still are amazing as always

[kenrg]

Thanks. It's good to be nice to the dillweeds ;^)

[DILLIGAFFUM]

two words - ponytail scissors...

[kenrg]

LMAO - I tried, but my wife won't let me.

[DILLIGAFFUM]

well then, my sympathies...

[TolstoyKafkaEvsky]

Chigurh would just flip a coin for the name.

[kenrg]

See, the coin flip would have been perfect. Always trust the coin!

[dmstealth]

Well first off Ken I still think you're really Thomas Chong in disguise and you should use that famous line as a reply next time someone tries to claiming ownership of words... "Dave's not here... man".

[kenrg]

I taught Tommy Chong everything he knows. Richard Marin too. I invented their whole act. But I asked them to change one little word and they threw me out of the act...

[dmstealth]

@kenrg I know the feeling. I'm still trying to get some form of compensation from Chrysler for the term "rich corinthian leather".

[liz1060]

ahhh ... your dilemma reminds me of the time I invented "groovy" ... I think you did the best thing for the situation.

[kenrg]

Did you coin "groovy"? Far-freaking-out man (all rights reserved).

[fehquig]

That is an unreasonable request... I guess I'm lucky in that no one has tried to use the fehquig name to my knowledge for any purposes other than to refer to me... This only goes to show something about really good user names but I forget what :)

[kenrg]

Just to prove a point, I'm going to use your username in the description and keywords of the next video I post, probably on Friday morning.... Just you wait!

[fehquig]

Free publicity :)

[LeSaMilano]

Latest tweets from unmentioned and uncopyrighted username:

"You guys need to quit blocking access to 4chan. Your company cannot dictate the Internet sites I visit. I'm an adult thanks. :)"

"Clean smells promote generosity and fair play; dark rooms and sunglasses promote deceit and selfishness."

hmmm

[kenrg]

Do we suspect our friend spend a lot of time in dark rooms with sunglasses on?

[blackturtleshow]

I hate it when people make requests for me to change something on my website and so I fully understand your predicament. I tend not to comply with requests for changes, but there have been a couple times when I complied and I felt very much compromised for doing so!

[kenrg]

I guess it depends on the degree of the request. I mean, if he'd said I have to delete the video entirely, no way I'd comply. One word in the title of a video that's "old" in YT terms (two months), really wasn't a big deal in the end. But, yeah, it's the principle of the thing...

[captainfury2007]

A little detective work and I discovered what you were talking about. I agree with you. That name belongs to him about as much as "Radical" belongs to me.

[kenrg]

Excuse me, but that that's Radical(R)TM.

[periurban]

You did the right thing. If it means so much to him, and you can easily accommodate his request without hardship then it's nice to be nice, and you are nice!

[kenrg]

Thanks. As has come up earlier in these comments, in this one case I probably did right. It's how it relates to the larger question of the copyright bozos and the privatization of language where I wonder if I should have taken a stand. But the request came from one lone idiot, not WMG, so I left the high horse out in the stable.

[periurban]

That high horse needs his hay.

[lunacatz]

I think you were sweet in doing that for that person. One question would lye in my mind though. How would I feel if someone used my name in their video? An how would I know if it was about me or something totally different. hmmmm makes ya think more don't it. lol

But in all fairness, I think if I was in your shoes I may of done the same thing. Cause you really don't know what could of happened if you didn't do as he asked right? who would?

[kenrg]

Right - It's the question of would he have let it drop, or would I have a cyber-stalker on my hands that led me to say, what the heck, let him have it.

[ournationalspace]

If it doesn't mean anything to you and it means so much to him, I think it's nice you changed the title of your video. But, man, Renetto is becoming such a douche ;-)

[kenrg]

LMAO - No, he loves it when you put his name in a title: Free publicity is his middle name. My little psychopath could learn something from Mr. R.

[CApoppy]

So, you are the good guy. Get over it! In the cosmic scene (or even the Earthly one), you win.

[kenrg]

Thanks - In this case, I think I did the right thing. The bigger question is in regards to over-reaching copyright bozos who seriously do think they can trademark common words and phrases. But that's not this battle.

[questionc]

He's being a weirdo more than an asshole.

Who the heck googles their username?

[kenrg]

LOL - Lots of people google their usernames. And therein may lie the problem. ;^)

[ChristopherMast]

Pfft. I would have told him where to go.

[kenrg]

Well, you tell that to everyone!

[VegetaFH1]

I honestly think by changing the video name it has made u feel more in the right, both moraly and mentaly

ya see, people these days "Just dont care"

Thats the problem here, becuase they dont care is the reason why the world is fubar

You arent in the wrong, nomatter what way you look at it, but having that integrity to listen to him and atleast contamplate the issue is what makes u better

The issue isnt weather u should or shouldnt, its what U think is right for both parties

ur a good man kenrg

[kenrg]

Thank you for summing it up like that. I really appreciate it.

[VegetaFH1]

It would appear that not everybody agrees with u, me with my minus1 lol

It doesnt matter really but its nice to see the deversity with the conversations

[TooLooseLeTrek]

S/he didn't off you any money?

How does $5K sound?

Why not do the right thing, and change it back?

[kenrg]

See, I didn't even think of this as a chance for income - Damn! Okay, I'll make a whole line of new videos playing on people's usernames and then demand payoffs to change the titles.... Thanks!

[torqueman6]

You were being a nice guy because you changed it. However I would not feel obliged to change it either. You joked about 1991 but my hacker name has been charadeur since then. However I was outed and since then several people are using that name or some form of it. So the fuck what? I was the original. LOL

[kenrg]

I said 1991 without thinking, but it probably was more like '92 or maybe '93 when I first used "kenrg" on Delphi when it was a text-only online service before AOL even took off. So, like you say, other people have used the name since, but BFD, I'm "the original kenrg." So, I let this poor SOB have his stupid name ;^)

[xDi3hardx15]

Most people would have ignored that e-mail. It is ridiculous.

[kenrg]

I considered that, but just didn't want to give him any reasons to try contacting me again.

[tarkineWild]

I guess the dilemma you posed at the beginning of this video was answered further on, but you then proceeded to do do the opposite. You should not have yielded to his request and held your ground. The fact that he had no proof of ownership to this title should have been enough for you to say No...no I will not.

[kenrg]

Well, the question wasn't one of ownership, 'cause he's surely wrong about that, but of whether that one word was more important to him or to me. He had no "legal" rights, but he does win on who cares about it more.

[ockteby]

You got another video out of it, Ken so I guess you did the right thing.

[kenrg]

I think that's, perhaps, the most important point! I traded part of a title on an old video for one entirely brand new video. I win!

[dunemoonbeam]

it doest matter dont reply to emails like that

[kenrg]

I didn't reply to him - I don't care to carry on any conversations with him - but I did comply with the request so that he'll have no reason to contact me again either.

[MoviesMusicNature]

I never would of changed your video name! Plain and Simple!!

[kenrg]

Tempting, but then I would have had him whining and threatening me and it would have gotten very annoying very quickly. Now I'm done with him, plain and simple.

[Urnkneekovaks]

Yes, his concern is ridculous. Hopefully this guy will eventually realize nobody cares so why should he.

[kenrg]

Unfortunately, I think his life is so empty that he will always care about the one clever thing he believes he came up with. He may have his word and may he and the word be very happy.

[CrappyCartoons]

UMmmm Are you saying that there are actual real people other than you who have used the name "kenrg" on other social media sites?

Ok now that I've stopped laughing what was your question again.

Actually I think you are too nice a guy to even put any worry at all into this silliness.

[kenrg]

LMAO - Yes! There's at least one other idiot who thought kenrg was a good username! I couldn't believe it either!

[lovinmanhattan]

Its his responsibility to copyright the word and if he hasnt then he has no legal hold on it. Had he wrote to you and provided his copyright then sure change you title.

Theres also the thought of do you want to be associated with him and his stuff. No I dont think you're an ass for just the pure fact you didnt fire off on him without having thought it out. Your choice was to change you title and thats acceptable as would be if you had you declined.

[kenrg]

Yes, his responsibility to copyright it... except I don't believe a username can be copyrighted. So, in the end, it's just more meaningful to him and not worth an argument to me. End of story.

[lovinmanhattan]

I completely agree :)

[musosf]

I think you did a noble thing. It doesn't make you a sap, just someone who would prefer to live in a world where people treat each other decently rather than step to conflict right away. You are "being the change you seek in the world" a la Gandhi. Wouldn't have blamed you for doing something else, though.

[kenrg]

Yeah! I'm Gandhi dammit! Take that you SOB!

[Sabrnig]

Laughing- I second this whole notion you are noble indeed!

[garouHH]

Depends on how made up the word is. If it's something that closely, though not exactly, resembles real words and could be one, like... tastylicious... oh, or copyrightlawsuitnik, then PLEASE ignore him and defend the freedom of creative grammar. Otherwise there might come a day when not all nouns can be verbed anymore because they're copyrighted. Okay, enough playing coy, what's the word?

BTW, how is the sudoku from hell coming?

[paul1967uk]

@garouHH  the word is geeknik

[kenrg]

I see Paul has given you the word, and I think it is a fairly obvious pun, and doubt that he was the first to ever use it. But I do get your point of diminishing grammatical freedom. See, if I'd talked to you first I might have changed my mind. Damn!

[tyrbolo]

Let me write your disclaimer that explains there is

no connection between you and this bucket of douche....GRIN

Since he dislikes the possiblity he might be connected to you in any way, explain that he is free to depart and not bother you again.

[kenrg]

I considered the careful disclaimer concept, but I couldn't come up with one that didn't include vulgar language that violates the YT TOS ;^)

[Rikotistic]

Then only thing left to do now is make a whole nuther video using the term in about twenty different contexts. I'll start. "Holy Jesus! I was geeknikked several times in highschool. Very embarrassing to be geeknikked." Here's another. "Nothing more sexy than a geekniked chick with glasses and a 160 IQ posing for Mentpouse magazine!" ..Niked similiar to naked... hehehhahaha..oh hum. Five BTW.

[kenrg]

LOL - I'll leave it up to you to make that video, sir!

[ClayThrower]

Ridiculous to you, but not to him. It is wrong to dismiss his opinion or feelings because you don't understand them. Also, he was nice about it. You did the right thing to change it. It meant nothing to you, and quite a bit to him so I'm not sure why you'd feel any resentment about it.

[kenrg]

No, not resentment, that's not really it. And, obviously I did take his feelings into account, as that's the only reason why I did change it. I guess my hesitation is really just that I feel he should either accept that you can't protect a username, or put out a greater effort into creating a brand and a protectable trademark. Or, maybe, if he said, "Look, I know you don't have to, but I'd appreciate it if..." I don't know. It's been a crazy couple of weeks...

[ClayThrower]

Ah. I see. Well, your question was who would be the greater ass hole were you to refuse. I think we all agree he was a little of an ass to ask, but if you then refused simply in order to teach him a lesson, (rather passive aggressively), that would be pretty dickish.

Now that I listen to your video again, I don't think he was very nice about it, from the wording of his letter. He sounds a little like the comic book collector guy on the Simpsons. A guy who takes things too seriously.

[kenrg]

LOL at Comic Book Guy - Great analogy!

[1liljet]

"F" him and feed him beans.You were nice enough to change it slightly.Now I want to know the word, of course.What's in a name? Lil-jet has been my nick- name since 1988 so I try to grab it whenever I can but really it's not that serious or should I copyright? Nah.

[kenrg]

I've vowed not to say the name again, but it's elsewhere here in the comments, and in some of the response videos to my (now altered) beat poetry video. And, anyway, beans are too good for that SOB.

[staplerjm]

i researched your username.. did you write "Aaron's Intifada and Other Short Stories"?

[kenrg]

Guilty. Sorry about that.

[thefrozenghost]

I read that book, and it was quite good.

[ways2die]

Id say you where being the nice guy sence you changed it.

Honeslty unless a company sends the email/notices that they are going to band the video I don't think I would have changed it... and I'm a pushover.

First come first sever is the way I see it.

[kenrg]

True, but I'd rather not push it to that point. Now, I'm just done with it and I don't have to deal with him again.

[juliact]

I'm leaning to the side of sap! It was nice of you to consider his feelings, but from what you said about his use of the user name that's about the size of the impact. He's really made a mountain out of a molehill.

[kenrg]

Yes, but I guess the point is that it may be my molehill, but it's his mountain. Let the poor SOB have it. I really don't need it as much as he apparently does.

[artofbrowneyedgirl]

but it's a common name, how can we all avoid using it?

[kenrg]

The word in question is not all that common, but it should be!

[andymooseman]

I understand your position Ken. But, i can't help feeling it would have been good & probably more satisfying, to tell the guy to go f**k himself.

Does this mean i should change the title of my video too?

BTW The word is now defined on Urban Dictionary ;)

[paul1967uk]

@andymooseman why change name Andy. I could understand the problem if you had a restaurant and called it McDonalds. However "GEEKNIK" or THE GEEKNIKS is not a registered trademark, nor is it copyright.

The name could never be trademarked or copyrighted.

[andymooseman]

My reference to changing the name of my video was actually meant rather tongue in cheek. I have no intention of changing it :)

As it happens, we are using that word in a completely different context to the way he is. So i agree with you about that copyright issue.

[paul1967uk]

@andymooseman I know it was tongue and cheek Andy LOL.

Maybe GeekNik will email you also. No doubt when he knows you have no intention on changing the name on your video he and his 237 followers may declare a Jihad on you LOL

[andymooseman]

It sounds like it could mean Tweets at dawn ;)

[paul1967uk]

@andymooseman Tweets at Dawn. GeekNik the wanker, I mean warrior from twitter, with his 237 loyal army of twits. Be careful Andy the guy sounds dangerous. LOL

[TheGeekniks]

@paul1967uk Make vlogs, not Jihads, man.

;-)

[paul1967uk]

@TheGeekniks

LOL :-)

[kenrg]

It would have been satisfying to tell him to f- off, but only until he became a pain in the neck with further and nastier demands. In the end, far more satisfying to change the title and tell the rest of the world what I think of him ;^)

And don't change your video just 'cause I did. Wait till he asks, and then make up your own mind.

[paul1967uk]

Ken you should of ignored the geek who messaged you. The title does not belong to him. Who does he think he is with his less than 238 followers on twitter.

[kenrg]

All the more reason to take pity on the poor SOB. If that word/name is all he has, I'm happy to let him have it.

[OccultistPriest]

it shouldn't matter,.. keep it remove it. it's totally up to you, he has no ownership of the name

people said Ted Bundy was nice too, but that was just an act to get what he wanted. how do you ever really know anyones true intent?

I would have been an Ass, and like you said you probably gave him free publicity

[kenrg]

Yes, it's his potential to be a "Ted Bundy" (well, maybe not that bad, but you know what I mean) that also lead me to just change it and move on. What I didn't mention in the video is that while researching him I saw some information that led me to believe he may have a not-so-nice side.

[BandOnTheRun87]

hey nice sound effects!!! have you been rehearsing them?

[kenrg]

Yes, I've been rehearsing them.... for 48 years!

[nbwulf]

Silly interwebs... (=

[kenrg]

The whole interwebs concept... it'll never last.

[SmoothInstigator]

Tell him to go .... himself.

[kenrg]

I'd rather tell him nothing and give him no reason to tell me anything else too.

[DogsAreMyLife]

A letter from an individual means absolutely nothing! You should wait for him to send you something official (ie: from a lawyer, YouTube administrative staff, or the like) My betting is that the matter will die here and that this will be the last you ever here from him. If something does arrive - remember that the first volley is just a warning and you will be given a period of time to comply.

For now - take no action & ignore it.

[kenrg]

Even though I'm sure I'm in the right, I'd rather not force him to escalate it to an official complaint through YouTube. One video title, I don't care about. Threatening my whole account is not worth the risk. And, I suppose, that's what it really came down to: he cares more about the name, I care more about my overall standing.

[jjjusssttt]

I'd say that you're the better man.

[kenrg]

Thanks - My mother agrees with you.

[LiberalViewer]

I figured out your unmentioned word (by starting to check the Google cache records on your recent videos with over 1000 views), and, when I Googled the unmentioned word, I noticed your video still comes up near the top of those Google results, pretty noticeably because it's a video result. I bet this guy was upset you were messing up his possession of the googleness of "his" word.

It makes an interesting intellectual property question, anyway, so

thanks for the video :-)

[kenrg]

Absolutely, he's been trying to get some ground with that word since 1999 and I made the Google cut with it in 7 weeks. I guess I took pity on the poor SOB ;^)

And as an "intellectual property question" I'm sure I'd win, if I cared enough to actually pursue it. Luckily, I just don't care!

[BasicModelling]

Does he have the name registered?? Well, it seems not... and if not, then register it and ask him to politely eff off.. sorry, I'm just in a bad mood at the moment.. Like Curt said, there probably is no right or wrong in this case..

[kenrg]

He certainly has no legal right to control the name. And if the request were to remove the video, you can be sure I'd tell him to eff off (and possibly not so politely), but in this one instance, it was easier to give the jerk a break.

[ralfonzo83]

you are a wise man.

[kenrg]

It's about time somebody recognized that.

[hallbe]

That is weird! My handel is kind of the same. I've been using it since I started on the internet..around 1993. And i usually get it. But, every once in a while someone already has it. I have never though twice about it. Maybe I would if I thought it was my road to fame or my career name...I don't know.

I think someone should let this guy know he doesn't own the name! If he's like to own it he could trade mark it. But, then again, meh...who really cares? ;-)

[kenrg]

That's kind of my history with "kenrg" - I came up with it on my first email account, pretty much on the spur of the moment, and it's stuck with me for nearly 20 years!

I'm sure other people, with more to lose, have told him he can't "own" a username and to take a hike. I'd rather not have any further contact with him.

[anakin1814]

Yup. You did the right thing. Is it really worth the time or effort to be an ass to this guy just 'cuz he kind of was to you? Some battles aren't worth fighting. He's definitely wrong, but what will you get proving that?

[kenrg]

Right: battle not worth fighting. I lost nothing, really, by complying except about 20 seconds of work to come up with a modified title. Dragging it out to prove a point would have been a much bigger hassle.

[OhCurt]

It's easy to say what I would have done if it were me, but that's just conjecture. Requesting that he provide proof that he possessed ownership of that term as a trademark would not have been out of the question - in my opinion - and yet, I like what you said at one point: "it doesn't cost anything to be nice."

No, you weren't being a sap. Nor would you have been an ass had you ignored him or simply turned down his request. There was no right or wrong option here so far as I can see.

[anakin1814]

How you dorin'?

[OhCurt]

I'm busy polishing my trademark, sucka!

How YOU dorin'?

[anakin1814]

I'm busy wondering if the thought I had when I woke up this morning, that Mr. Ecko is now in the body of Sayid, since Ecko and Smokey have confronted each other once before, makes any sense with tonight's episode of Lost....but this is not a Lost video, so ignore this comment!

[OhCurt]

Okay, I'm ignoring your comment in this timeline, but not in the other one, where I'm only pretending to pay attention to it while I actually ignore it.

[anakin1814]

Jacob loves you.

[OhCurt]

Namaste.

[kenrg]

Unfortunately, requesting proof of his ownership (non-existent, I'm sure) would have required my communicating with him further. Deal stopper.

[anakin1814]

This gun owning patriot thinks you did the right thing.

Now, time to watch the video!