Lizzie Borden Society Forum

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Let's see, there is:

lizzieborden.org The Fall River Historical Society

lizzieborden.com "The Lizzie Borden Story"

lizzie-borden.com The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast

lizzieandrewborden.com

etc.

The point that should be made, I think, is who should or should not be suing whom and why. . .

Now one of these is a NON-PROFIT historical organization based in Fall River.

One is a lodging accomodation, primarily booking rooms.

A couple of these are simply Internet websites, though they do both have commercial aspects to help support them.

Why IS Donald suing the place in Salem?

Will people accidentally think they can stay for the night there?

Is there really merit to this suit?

Can a short phrase like "museum and gift shop" be copyrighted.

Does the Historial Society have a gift shop?

Hmmmm....

You bring up good points, Chris. I have refrained from taking sides in all of this for many reasons. I believe Mr. Pickel only cited THIS site to make the point that The Lizzie Borden Virtual Museum and Library also has the word "Museum" in it- and not that he was in the least hinting he was planning to sue the owner of this domain. And his point is well-taken- can anyone own the word "giftshop", "Museum", "exhibit", "Attraction", or are they simply generic words? I can understand the house /museum/B&B may be concerned that there could be some confusion in having two Lizzie "Museum" web addresses. I think the venues are quite different and nobody will assume one is affiliated with the other, most especially since there is such a distance between Salem and FR.

I have suggested to Mr. Pickel that he might use another word such as "The Lizzie Borden Experience at Salem" or something like that.

I am personally reserving my opinion of the exhibit at Salem, and of Mr. Pickel, until such a time I can go up there and have a good look at it for myself. Surely he knows he will be under the gun from everyone and no caption is going to go unchallenged.

It is not out of the question that the Salem exhibit may provide positive exposure for the B&B. It has always been my hope that it will turn out to be mutually beneficial to both venues, and that the Salem endeavor will be something of QUALITY. If it is not, it will soon fold. If it is not, it will be an easy thing for the B&B to distance itself from it very quickly.

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Say what you will- all this hoo-ha has certainly gotten EVERYBODY in Lizzieland loads of free publicity, quotes and facetime which money could not buy. In two or three weeks after the place opens, I wonder who will even remember what it was all about.

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Why would he bad mouth this site in a newpaper? He's a member.......

I do not see that he is "bad-mouthing" this site. He is making the point that other Lizzie-related websites and entities use "Museum" in their domain, title, etc.. And he is quite right. The difference is of course that this is a "Virtual Museum" online and not a physical place. And that is a big difference. I don't see any slam against the forum or domain in that statement-it is an observation.