I first got into Alternative music in the summer of 92. I was visiting my cousin in LA and he made me watch a music video of a band called Blind Melon. The song was No Rain and it involved a girl dressed up in a bee costume, I am sure everyone has seen it.
Anyway in 1995 the lead singer died from a drug overdose. The band split up and Blind Melon fell apart. I was still a fan though and in 1999 I designed my own website as a tribute to them. It was located at https://unex-t.com/nico and it was the most popular fan site back then.
One day I was checking BlindMelon.com which wasn’t active and decided to email the owner asking him if he could forward the domain to my site. He replied telling me not only would he forward the domain to my site but that I could have the domain since he didn’t have a need for it. That was in 2000 and ever since then I had been running the site.
Everyone was happy, I had a very active community with a active message board with over 20,000 messages, I was providing free blindmelon.com subdomains with hosting to other Blind Melon sites and mostly I was keeping the band alive.
To make a bit of cash I had links on my site advertising the bands various CDs on Amazon and for every CD I ended up selling I got like 50 cents or something. I was making anywhere from $100 to $200 a quarter selling these CDs, its not a lot of money, it didn’t cover the hosting bill (back when I had I was hosted on fasthosts.co.uk) but it was nice cash that I injected back into Amazon by buying tshirts and sneakers.
The problem is suddenly out of the blue the band is interested in the domain. The band members all had different solo projects that all resulted in failure. Unified Theory, The Tender Trio, Extra Virgin and Mercy are some of their failed projects. Now it seems they want to release a new album of unreleased stuff in September and they want the domain.
At first they wanted me to give them the domain for free and when I refused they offered me $500. I tried to explain to them that I had a lot of sentimental attachment to the domain and the fact that I spent a lot of money on it. They disappeared and hooked up with the Law Offices of David Rudich who a few days ago sent me a cease and desist letter accusing me of cybersquatting.
This is not fair and I need help. After taking care of the site for over 6 years and keeping the band alive its not fair that they can come and take it away from me just like that. What are my options? I can’t afford a lawyer. They even HAVE a official website located at BlindMelonMusic.com, what do they want with me?
You can check out the site now by going to BlindMelon.com although I put up a fruity intro page. If you want to see how the site used to look like then you need to go to BlindMelon.com/index2.html
note: Just so there isn’t a misunderstanding, I made money from the domain but it wasn’t profit. Hosting the site cost me a lot more then what I was making from Amazon..
You can read the cease and desist letter after the jump..
THE LAW OFFICES OF
DAVID RUDICH
0806883 9255 SUNSET BOULEVARD, SUITE 920
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90069
TELEPHONE: (310) 550-8020
FAX: (310) 859-8651
To Mr. Mark:
We represent Blind Melon. According to the registration records provided by directNIC.com you are listed as the Registrant, Administrative Contact and Technical Contact for the domain name, BLINDMELON.COM (“Domain Name”).
As you know, Blind Melon achieved worldwide fame as a musical recording group. Their record sales received platinum status; they toured the world; and made a substantial impact on the music industry. Today, Blind Melon continues to have a worldwide fan base and is releasing an album in September 2006.
It is because of Blind Melon’s fame that you are able to receive a financial gain (as admitted in your email dated April 18, 2005 and enclosed herewith) from your registration and operation of the Domain Name. Your financial gain has been derived solely from your unlawful use of my client’s famous name and is intentionally trading on the goodwill of Blind Melon. Further, your use of the Domain Name causes Blind Melon fans and customers seeking Blind Melon merchandise and other items to mistakenly believe that Blind Melon sponsors or is someway connected with the operation of the Domain Name.
Despite our client’s efforts to negotiate with you to obtain rightful ownership in and to the Domain Name, you have refused citing, amongst other reasons, your financial gain from use of the Domain Name. Your actions constitute cybersquatting, a violation of our client’s rights, including without limitation the right of privacy, common law trademark rights, misappropriation, and related causes of action. Such actions expose you to significant general and punitive damages. .
We hereby demand that you immediately confirm that you shall cease and desist from any development in connection with the Domain Name, and to take all necessary steps to cancel your registration of the Domain Name, and transfer ownership to my client. In the event that I fail to receive such confirmation within seven (7) days of the date of this letter, we shall be forced pursue all available legal remedies.
This is not intended to and does not set forth a complete statement of the facts or the law relevant to this matter, or our client’s position with respect thereto. Nothing contained herein or submitted herewith is intended to nor should be construed as a waiver, relinquishment or limitation of any present or future rights, remedies, or cause or causes of action, whether legal, equitable or otherwise; all of which rights remedies and cause or causes of action, are hereby expressly reserved.
Very truly yours,
DAVID RUDICH
85 replies on “The BlindMelon.com Story
(I am not Cybersquatting)”
get a lawyer
what a bunch of corporate assholes.
man!!
what are the chances!!
i read about the domain yesterday, i saw this online petition, they were demanding this guy named mark …..something 😛 to give up the domain
so i checked who owned, and when i saw that aramex address i knew it was u 😛
i stumble on it yesterday, and you get a letter about it, what are the chances (i swear i had nothing to do with this)
so now Mark goes cross atlantic.
lol that petition is silly, i read it awhile back
someone in the blindmelonforum.com started it.. [Link]
I think the laws to that will have to apply where your registrar is, i think i am not so sure, but i know sites hosted in the US are governed by laws of the US, so i would sure hope you have your registrar outside of the US, then again i am not 100% positive but you should look into this very very soon. Hope you will nail their butts, though they have some nice songs…
i just hope the racism don’t find the way into this case.
One more thing, i think legally you should state a disclaimer or summat that this aint the official band site, meh good luck man
By the way, they can sue you for it. I won’t post any details here, it’ll be too long. But search for:
1- Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act
2- Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) which can be found on http://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp.html
Also Directnic is within their jurisdiction. Hate to burst your bubble but you will lose this case like a few others before you.
If you need further counseling, let me know. I’m no lawyer but I’ve exhaustively studied Internet Int’l Laws in relation to my job.
Good luck. 🙂
Have you told them that the reason you’re profiting off the name is because you’re helping them make online sales?
I’m going to submit this to Digg.
hey mark, give me their address and i’ll make em an offer they cant refuse! LOL…
Meh, just because the band broke up doesn’t mean their name isn’t trademarked.
How very Mark of you!
So you refuse the requests of people who want to copy contents of your blog to their website but you went ahead and stole the domain name of a known band hoping nobody would notice?
You know what could turn into something interesting? Your views on trademarks and Copy Rights.
Goodluck … for the band.
? when did i refuse someone to copy contents of my blog on their website?
secondly i didnt steal the domain, nobody wanted it.
is it too late to sell it to them for $500? lol, man i think the worst thing they can do is just force the domain out of your hands since you don’t even live in the US. fuck em.
Why should you sell the domain! Demand $2000 minimum, they are going to make so much money from their album, and anyway you own the domain now, I don’t think they can force it out, I mean too bad they didn’t make it before! I’M WITH YOU MARK!
Mark they can force you out of your domain name if the registrar gets served with a court sentence, and it isnt worth it for you to get a lawyer because they cost an arm and a leg.
You could see how this turns out. Just a recommendation dont try to reason with the lawyer because he will use any thing you say and turn it around against you.. I have been in a lot of courts while I was in the states and I’ve been screwed and I have one on a few different subjects and some more serious then this.
The problem is that the address of registration is in the US. What you could do, and Im not sure about it is to transfer the website name to a friend and the address to Kuwait.. that way it is impossible to get to you. That is the only way you could get away with this.. since no legal action has been taken the only thing I see which is a loop hole if you “sell” it to a friend and the registration address is based in Kuwait or any country outside the US. then they cant do squat about it.
I wish you the best of luck.. and they are being dicks about it.. if they are making a crap load of money they might as well offer you a decent amount for the website name.. $1500 is the corrent amount since the name is simple and it has commercial value.. as well as you have been using the website for some time.. its not like you werent using it..
The Truth… please kiss my ass!
Mark, perhaps you could do one of 2 things:
1) Register a company in Kuwait with that name, then adopt the site for any kind of commerical use.
2) Sell the domain to someone in Kuwait.
Quote from blindmelon fan on petition:
“Hey Melons, i happen to be looking threw the petition sigs. and noticed some very rude comments on the petition. I do want to reminded all the melons that weren’t not trying to piss this guy off more, were trying to get the domain name back to the band and were not going to succeeded if we call the guy a shit load of names and piss him off. Melons should hold their selfs at a higher level then him and not stoop that low. Shannon wouldn’t do such a thing, why would we. We need to be nice in order to get what we want. Calling him a “Fuck Face” And a “Bitch” isn’t going to get him to give the name back. Even though were all thinking that he is all those bad things, doesn’t mean we should say them. Be a Classy melon and keep it clean and support melon and don’t give the rest of us bad name, those of u who choose to be immature. I’m not saying anyone on this board has done so, I’m just saying we need to let all the other melon realize that, thats just not acceptable to do that. You dint think rogers would do that do you? i don’t think he would treat someone like that or call people names like that, exspecailly if he has something we all want. JUST BEE MELON! DONT BEE DICKS!!!!
LOVE PEACE AND BLIND MELON!!!
Lemon!”
haha these melon fans are crazy.. personally i prefer water melon or mangos!
mark
sell it on ebay as fast as u can!
maybe a dumbass would buy it and u can get rid of it, make a profit, and make him deal with the leaglities.
this is ridiculous. let’s say you genuinely registered a website because that name means something to you in one country, but then some US fuck-head corporation decides it wants it… They automatically get it?? I don’t understand. What if I’d registered micrsoft.com 20 years ago to sell erectile disfunction medication?!
you are all missing the point! Even though we all like to stick it to ‘the man’ and even though mark may have registered the name before the band did,let us not forget that the only reason mark chose that particular name was because of the band.He didnt just pull the name out of his ass! Besides,there are very clear rules and regulations regarding registering names on the net,and as far as legalities go,mark is clearly in the wrong. Its that simple. Just because mark is arab and we are in kuwait doesnt mean the rules change. Its a lost battle cuz at some point they are going to yank the domain away from mark by force,as they have dont to countless others before mark.So,perhaps it might be better to accept defeat gracefully.After all, mark was never a part of blind melon and never will be.
No offense to Americans but this type of BS only occurs when Americans are envolved! Why do they think they should sue for it! It’s their fault that they didn’t register it before you!
I wanted to register TheStallion.com and get [email protected] but both of those are taken! You don’t see me complaining and running to a lawyer like a kid would do when he cries!
tim,if you had registered the name microsoft BEFORE bill gates thought of the name,then you would be ok and could happily sell your fake viagra online legally.However,if bill gates already had the company up and running (without having to register the name online) then you would legally have to give ti up to him. Guys, its not arab shitaara! Its an ancient scam that people do all over the world and it cheapens you! There are tons of brands coming to kuwait that have notregistered their names yet. Why dont you go andregister all of them so that when the company decides to open in kuwait they have to buy their name back from you. Yeaah…..there you go…forget trying to make money ethically,lets just screw everyone!
It’s a no win situation. You have admitted to benefitting from the Blind Melon name, and were aware of their existence when you registered it. They can use that info to yank the domain from you by appealing directly to ICANN (the domain dudes). It wont cost them a thing. It aint fair – but law’s on their side.
I hope those blind melons have giant melons shoved up their kazoo!
excuse me, is there any one other than me who have claims to https://www.CyberRowdy.com? LOL
Mark, Good Luck. in 2002, I won a domain related case! but not personally favourable to me, it was for an charitable organization….
ahlein, that makes no sense. It’s feasible that when I created my “microsoft” company in 1980 when I’d never heard of Bill Gates, but he’s started microsoft in 1975 (ish). So because he’s American he gets to take the name from me? Mark created a site with band information. It’s not like so many other sites that just redirect you to useless listings sites. Bad luck to them they were not bright enough to think ahead – why can’t they just think, like Stallion, “darn it, wish I’d thought of it first”
Trust me Mark….you better remove the post from your blog unless Google has already snapped it. This is because you are clearly intending to make a profit out of an entity name which has no concern to you. Plus this matter might end up in courts costing you tons and you will for sure loose the domain. You are actually clearly stating you intend to make profit out of their name in your blog.
Not that Mark’s directly selling, but sounds just like a genuine trading arrangement. What are we gonna do, sue Amazon for selling Blind Melon CD’s too and making a profit from it??!!
It won’t cost him a cent everyone. Quit nagging the guy. This isn’t the Palestinian Cause. It’s just a domain that he happened to register the wrong site at the wrong time.
The laws are clear on domain name registrations. And it’s not the U.S. who created those laws. It’s ICANN. An international organization. Go blame the Europeans.
And no he can’t switch registrars either. Too late.
I think the people of the Amazon should sue Amazon.com, and replace the website with pictures of rainforest and indigenous tribes. They were around way before the online retailer.
Mark, I hope you sell the domain at a high price. Check this out, a similar story happened to this guy. https://www.nissan.com
I wish I could add something more to this discussion, but I think whatever needs to be said is already said.
Mark, since the site clearly promotes the band, and you have admitted making money off from the site, your chances of getting something out from this look very low.
What pisses me off is that these guys must have paid > 2000 dollars to these fancy lawyers to write these fancy letters and make all this ruckus, while they could have easily settled it by giving you that money instead.
1. We can safely assume that the vast majority of people who visit http://www.blindmelon.com are fans of the band (as opposed to distributers/consumers of actually melons)
2. Upon arriving at the site, they are re-directed to Amazon via where they can purchase Blind Melon CDs (again, a safe assumption being that only a fan will actually click on the link to Amazon).
3. Mark is compensated for this annually by Amazon
Sorry Mark, but I dont think you have a case here. You are essentially deriving an economic benefit that relies solely on the fact that fans are visiting your site in the belief that it is the official Blind Melon site. If your site were named , it is highly probable that you would not receive as much money from Amazon as you do now (simply by substracting the web traffic that comes from Blind Melon fans)
You should have settled for $500 when you had the chance. Sorry man, but I think this ruling will go against you. Good luck however.
Fuck those corporate assholes .. you bought it you get it .. and that’s it …
what a bunch of losers!!
What gives them the right to do that? Even if Blind Melon are a band, that doesn’t mean they have the right to take the domain away. Maybe we should all start a band called “Google” or “Amazon” and sue either one so we can get their domain. what the fuck.
honestly this isnt going to cost you a thing. If you just keep it, and they are going to yank it from you anyway, so might as well enjoy it while you have it.
Let them take it when the court decides that way, and them wasting the money on their lawyers.
And those crazy melon heads who are acting crazy and stuff. Seriously these melon heads are religious about this band.. calm down people it aint fucking Guns N Roses or something like that! Its bling melons.. so yeah be the melons that you want to be! lol
i just removed all the band material from the site, turning it into an online fruit store.
Hahahaha! Now that is….priceless! I want to see how they respond to this.
Sorry mate, don’t think you have much of a case. They can’t do much, but you won’t win either.
1. You have no demonstratable right to own this domain (i.e. your name isn’t ‘Melon’ or ‘Blind’ so you cannot claim that you bought this domain for personal use). You bought it for commercial gain beccause it is a name of a band, and not some arbitrary name you came up with.
2. You admitted that it is of commercial value. If it was a fan site that didn’t make money for you, or if it was for a totally unrelated product or service, you’d stand a better chance. Admitting that you make money because you redirect people to Amazon is in itself a mistake.
3. The rights to the name were owned by the band before you. The Nissan dude was called ‘Nissan’ before the car company changed its name from Datsun to Nissan. It’s a totally different case.
Dunno. Think you should’ve settled, or at least tried to negotiate with them because if it goes to court, you have nothing to gain, and the possible compensation money to lose.
ROFLMAO. I cant wait till the blind melon fanboys/girls see that. And mark for extra finesse put dark black glasses on the melon 😉
How come when i type blindmelon.com in my address bar i get another website then the link u have in the post.
Its weird.
Mark, just claim that you made up the name in 1988…..then you registered it…..and then a band was formed shortly there after. You listened to their music and thought it was pretty cool, so you linked it to Amazon.
I did some searching Mark, and it could go either way. From my quick scan of the Anti-Cybersquatting act (https://www.patents.com/acpa.htm)
it seems that you acquired the domain name in what they call “good faith”.., which means your intentions were not to blackmail the band later on, as they were already split….
Legally however, u probably should inquire with a lawyer. Not sure what they can do with you in the middle east, but liability can reach up to $100,000 in damages.
Watch your step with this one. We don’t wanna see you in trouble.
i find it very random and quite wierd that you actually own that domain, i figured the band would have definitely bought it or owned it way before you purchased, so i’m a little thrown off by that.. it’s kinda cool in way.
now i’m not familiar with all the legal jargon that was brought forth against you, but i can tell you one thing: none of the people who posted there views and perspectives above are lawyers, so dont listen to anything they said. they might be true, but they also might be very wrong.. seek an actual lawyer’s advice who deals with internet ownership and anti-trust laws, only then will you know…
from my point of view, i wouldnt have taken the $500 either, i definitely wouldve expected something around $5,000 (no joke), and then i MIGHT have thought about selling it..
Do what you gotta do, and good luck with it..
thos fans that wrote the petition are a funny bunch lemme tell ya, i was cracking up when i was reading it.. “don’t be dicks, let’s be classy melons”
Hey Mark,
I’m a friend of your bro pat. Listen man, the fact is, you did “gain” some money redirecting people. The fact that you “redirected” them is your main concern.
I’ve never even heard of the band Blind Lemon. And honestly i don’t give a shit. It’s your website, so make sure you keep it.
I’m with you Mark!
Should anything happen, you should also charge them for bandwidth, back in 2000 that wasn’t cheap.
I don’t know anything about if you have a case or don’t (surely they can just give you a better offer–that offer was pathetic), but the fruit stand looks great!
so mark do you deliver? i need like half a dozen. you need to make this 2 legit 2 quit.
Just a note, i editited the post above so its more web friendly. going to try and post it on digg now.
URL is banned on Digg, I gave it a try yesterday in support of your cause, gave slashdot a try too but I wouldn’t count on it.
The only way you’re going to be heard now is through spreading the word the old fashoned way.
Holla: If you’re up for it, we could work together and supply Mark with “Blind-Melon-Fan-Head-On-Stick” so he can sell them and make the domain ever more legitimate.
https://www.icann.org/udrp/udrp.htm
this might help… seems they have to lodge trademark claim in court first, etc. etc.
Dude have you thought about striking a deal with them whereby you get to be the official webmaster if you agree to hand over the domain? Surely you can negotiate a settlement that is satisfactory to both parties.
Ashish,
Most band websites are handled by their respective record company, besides even if he does manage to get a deal sorted, they’re likely to screw him over later on.
^^^^
LOL this reminds me of Holla Vs Holla.
The site is dead Mark.. You aren’t doing anything with it… You say that you’ve been keeping the band “alive” for the last 6 years? The only thing you are doing is keeping the domain… You talk about the message board, yet did you inform your readers that you shut it down a while ago, forcing tons of people to have to find another place to chat about Melon? Have fun fighting this losing battle.
i had to change from a windows server to a cheaper linux server and the messageboard ran on ASP which is windows based so it doesnt work anymore.
Perhaps I’m just thinking on a much simpler level here, but doesn’t all of this kind of defeat the notion of being a true fan of the band? I mean, you started the website as a fan, to keep the band alive when it wasn’t really around. Now the band is back (i.e. now they’re “alive” again) and you don’t want to hand the site over. I understand that it’s frustrating – after all, they never thought to register the domain and create the site themselves, whereas you did. However, going back to the whole point of why you started this site – you’re a fan. Why get into this whole legal battle with the band over a silly website that doesn’t even make you much money, when you’re supposed to be a fan of that very same band? I always thought that being a fan of a band was to be a part of something, to share an experience with other fans and with the band – not alienate yourself from the entire “community”. What’s the point? Then it just becomes something about spite. Is that what this is boiling down to? Because if you still care about the site as a fan site, and hence, care about the fans and about the band, then you’ll give up the domain without causing such a ruckus. At least that’s how I see it.
dude, ur site is dead. u care about the vouchers u get from amazon and not about the band.
ur right, the band wants the domain name because a lot of ppl visit http://www.blindmelon.com. so fucking what? sounds normal to me that these guys can run their own website. U did a great work but now i think it’s time to give up
This has nothing to do with corporate assholes, I have a petition with 959 signatures of Blind Melon Fans who think the domain should go back to Blind Melon….the Band….not the label. Nothing against you Mark….but why do you want to keep it?
omg stfu fags who think they can win with 959 sigs, petitions NEVER work. is asking for more money wrong? and did he ever say he was a ‘true’ fan no, so shut the hell up.
Maybe I should get a petition with 960 signatures of people who think that i should keep the domain lol.
do you really think you’ll find 960 ppl thinking you should keep it?
very easily
if you think so, get a petition and we will see
Strange, the domain is something that you think is so petty, yet you can’t let it it go even though you don’t give a crap about the band. Have fun with all of your web-savvy friends giving you legal advice. It must make your head spin. I have already taken screen captures of your page saying how you made financial gains from using Blind Melon’s name. That’s where the devil is in the details y’see. You admitted to financially gaining from their name, and thus their work. You could have at least opened a dialogue with them, but it was more fun and arrogant to have an fu attitude about the whole issue.
Mark this is so silly….why does this have to be a bad thing? As a melon fan yourself wouldn’t you like to do something positive for the band and for the fans? Some of the comments on this are so nasty and hurtful to the fans of Blind Melon, you state you are a fan yourself but you condone this behavior? Be a part of something big…. a selfless act can make you feel better than anything. Just give up the domain, you are not losing a “battle” you are giving something special to fans everywhere who will be so happy you did this for them.
dude why waste your time with a screenshot. they know i make money, i told them myself.
meredith the band have a domain blindmelonmusic.com
what do they want with me? blindmelon.com is mine and i have my own fan based melon site and thats that. if they dont want me to post blind melon material fine, i will turn it into a fruit store i dont care..
a fruit store. . . do you think that really offends fans of Blind Melon? Keep trying dude. . .
who said i was trying to be offensive?
Mark, you may own the domain right now, but do you really think fans are going to support any site you put on it? If you want to learn about ford you would type in http://www.ford.com and assume it was the official site correct? Blind Melon fans everywhere should have the ability to type http://www.blindmelon.com and find the official site. Its almost deceiving people, and then making a small profit to boot…..that is not right. Put yourself in someone elses shoes for a second.
sorry but what you are saying is illogical. its not as if i was printing my own BM pirated cds and selling them. I was directing people to amazon and they were buying cds off them. this means every cd i helped the band sell they made money off. According to you all music stores around the world should shut down because they are making profit on selling cds..
I dont need any fan to support the site.
you don’t need any fan to support the site… but you need a lawyer dude!
Hmmm.
Looks like the Melon fans are beginning to show their true self now that the gloves are off.
What happened to “LOVE PEACE AND BLIND MELON!!!” ?
Mark, what happened to you man? For the few years I was around the msg board I never knew you were so selfish.
I just don’t understand what the problem is. I don’t get it… Just tell me something.. What’s your reason for wanting that domain so bad? You say you don’t make that much money.. The msg board is out (oh and btw, you say it was a ‘technical problem’ but that’s NOT what it says on the msg you left.. You decided to shut it down and take away a beautiful thing from so many people b/c of “ABUSE” remember?)… Oh the whole “I grew attached” thing is SUCH bullshit.. You don’t even remember that site exists anymore.. It’s NEVER updated! Sorry man, but no one would go through such huge trouble for no reason… Unless you’re an asshole or making shitloads of money off a band you never gave a fuck about.
Cajetan Baretto you said ‘What happened to “LOVE PEACE AND BLIND MELON!!!” ?’ … ask Mark!
It’s been more than a year he closed the site and never update it since (except to add a link to the new blind melon merchandise). He don’t really care about the band and he totally don’t care about the melon community and now u want us to be nice with him? i think it’s enough…
Justice when I went and updated the site and added more feautres and a better messageboard everyone complained.
When I moved it back to the old one again, everyone complained.
The links to the Blind Melon cds help the band more then they help me just for your information.
Links to Blind Melon CD’s shouldn’t have helped you AT ALL. If you were making money of the CD’s you should have put it back into site maintenance, not buying clothes and shoes from amazon…ESPECIALLY when some unsuspectiing fans assumed it was an official site when it wasn’t.
Selfish is right.
Or maybe this is Mark’s claim to fame….this domain is all he has to make him feel important.
site maintainance? dude I was paying 90$ a month for fucking hosting back when it was hosted on fasthosts. 90 bucks a month! Who was paying for that? Where you paying for it? Was the band paying for it?? I was paying for it so if I got $100 off helping blind melon sell their cds then I have the right to spend it anyway i like. I never made profit from the site, I made money true but it wasnt profit.
That was you choice, not your duty. You chose to get the domain and make a site, nobody asked you to. Nobody held a gun to your head and said pay for this site. You never had to do it. So who freaking cares about how much it cost? I run two fan sites because I enjoy doing it, it takes time and a little money but I wouldn’t hold that over anyones head or use it as a cheap excuse to make myself a martyr.
yeah exactly it was my choice so you dont have the right to come here and tell me what i should spend my money on.
anyway this subject is closed. i lawyered up and will not be discussing this any further.