Moody domain purchase creates a flashback moment for me…
After reading Wilkowski loses Web address for mayoral campaign I had a flashback moment, which was a tiny bit different but similar. Over two years ago on my other blog, Liberal Common Sense, I blogged about a spammer/scammer/web phisher. One of the ways he decided to retaliate against me was by buying the domain so I could not move that blog off of blogspot and use that same name. For a time he used that domain and now someone else appears to have taken ownership of it. This inspired my use of the category “asshats” a title that very few have earned their place in.
It was a part of my education as to some of the games people play when it comes to domain purchases. I should have bought it earlier but I wasn’t planning on moving that blog right then and at the time, I didn’t think anyone would do something like that. Wilkowski should have held on to the domain, you can own one without having to have any hosting/information on it. Evidently he had some of the same trust factor, that I learned the hard way not to have. The same thing happened when Lucas County announced the possible names of their teams, I actually bought a few of those domains when I saw they were being purchased, so that if they were needed they could be used since I have seen other scenarios of domains being purchased then a high price being extracted or lawsuits as in the case of those like Valdes. This is also becoming not uncommon in the political game playing for an opponent to buy a domain to prevent it’s use, or to use it against a candidate. So the moral of the story? If you run for a political office and you think maybe at some point in the future you might want to run again or you want to make sure someone else doesn’t use it for their own purposes? Don’t let your ownership lapse and don’t forget about “The Games People Play:”
What Joe South sang about in 1968 is still true today…
Lisa – I recently discovered the same thing about my blog … however, it wasn’t a person, it was a company.
In checking around I found that this company – apparently, searches for blog names on blogger and other such free hosting sites and then purchases the name as a .com, .net, etc. I don’t know what criteria they use, but they have a lot of domains owned. They’ve also been the subject of several lawsuits over their attempt to sell back the domain for a large price. I didn’t find anywhere they’ve lost a case…
When I got my maggiethurber.com domain, I got some good advice on other possibilities and made an informed decision about purchasing…I’ve kept my ownership current – not because of future campaign activities – but because I don’t want anyone else owning my name in a domain…
As for Wilkowski/Moody? Campaigns are just a game… as ABBA sang:
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall
It’s simple and it’s plain
Why should I complain.
February 21st, 2009 at 11:39 amDomain names are irrelevant, and this may show fiscal irresponsibility on Moody’s part since in this age of Google, you can find whatever you want by searching (not by blindly typing in a domain name in hopes of it being correct).
Not to mention, it is easy to buy domains by proxy thus concealing the purchaser’s identity, a tactical error on Moody’s part that led to some negative press.
But yeah, good luck with the campaign and all.
February 21st, 2009 at 11:47 amMaggie, I agree it appears to now have become a business for some who take advantage of the name recognition some blogsites have earned to use that as far as key word searching. In my situation it was done to try to personally impact what I could do because I made the “gentleman” angry by blogging about him. I learned from that lesson.
I also agree it’s part of the political game process now which is why I recommend candidates do not let those domains expire.
February 21st, 2009 at 11:56 amgood advice, Lisa, as always…
February 21st, 2009 at 12:22 pmOnly the Blade could find “news” in this tremendously irrelevant and trivial item. And it’s even a front page story. Must have been a real slow news day at the office.
February 21st, 2009 at 2:06 pmFunny, I didn’t see anything about Moody or Kieth’s economic plans. I would think the Blade would have more coverage on things that effect the city, rather than gossip.
If I were Moody, I would not just give it to the other camp without some minor consideration. Would it be ironic if Wilkowski showed up in Moody’s campaign finance reports as a contributor?
I do disagree with GMAC, domain names do have relevance, and for the couple of bucks that it costs to register and park them, it is very fiscally responsible. Heck, I think the guy that registered “fordsucks.com” got some crazy amount of money for it.
February 21st, 2009 at 4:50 pmThe internet is heavily monitored at all times. People who do not know that, and see discussion forums the same as, say, a book club or ladies luncheon or men’s lodge, are kidding themselves. Forums are interesting, but one must always beware. They bring out the worst in people who are already “challenged” in the honesty department. And most importantly – they are not really reality.
February 21st, 2009 at 5:20 pmI got to hand it to Mr. Moody – that is doing some forward thinking, for whatever reason. And I would be interested in knowing that reason. Didn’t Moody say he would give the domain name to Wilkowski to use anyhow? There is some symbolism in this, just like Wilkowski choosing to use Obama’s former campaign headquarters. I laughed a little.
February 21st, 2009 at 7:16 pmtoledojim wrote:
In case anyone hasn’t noticed the blade is in big trouble. Many of their reporters are 2nd rate and many of their stories are AP or from a larger paper. The local stories are getting fewer and fewer and even the sunday edition is slim.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:50 amSo, yes it probably was a slow news day, but they are all slow at the blade now! Can’t wait for it to crumble so we can have the opportunity to get a real “news”paper here!
toledojim wrote:
Actually tj, it does show great relevance, if you think about it. What it shows is how little thought a ‘potential’ candidate such as Wilkowski, pays to detail! He had an exploratory committee, had owned the domain name for nearly four years and then just let it slip his mind??? Careless.
Mr. Moody is being a gentleman by gifting the domain name. How many Dems would do the same?
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:04 am