OK all, so the summer is around the corner and since I will be stuck up in the boonies in Northern Maine without a gaming outlet I will probably write on the blog a little more often.
Now Since the last time I tried to get into the Legal conflict regarding our little hobby I made a few errors (Sorry Chapterhouse, you didn't make Alt. Wolves models but I got my point out) I will try and only use the facts as represented. There are two major blogger wars going on right now...to the point where it kind of is a little amusing to watch this....
Seriously people, we are grown men/women playing with tiny plastic soldiers (dolls...errr action figures!).
Now I am only writing a few opinions based off of the facts I do know. I am not trying to attack or defame anyone just add a commentary. Remember everyone is innocent of all accusations until proven guilty in a court of law, this isn't a court. So no derogatory comments please or I will banhammer you!
Still it is good to discuss these things and form a community opinion about them, this will improve our standards and ethics that we would want to have from our community.
Case 1: Dakka Dakka vs. Resin Forge
So if you happen to swim the tides of 40k forums there was a thread recently about Dakka Dakka and their crew doing some internet sleuthing they, allegedly, uncovered evidence that the owner of Resin Forge was run by Daniel Mandelbaum who, allegedly, ran a few buisnesses prior to Resin Forge that apperently turned out to be scams. Now a few companies mentioned in the original thread I have heard about before yet I do not remember them being a scam or anything so I cannot comment on that allegation but I do know about Resin Forge as I had liked them on Facebook awhile back although I have never done business with them. Now the Dakka Crew apparently had been following this company for awhile since they felt they had probable cause that the company was run by Mr. Mandelbaum. They would go on to claim that the company is a scam and inform their base that they should avoid business with them.quoting these links as proof of his scams
Miniature Wargame Conversions website, Lord.Serpius account on Dakka, ebay accounts:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/408906.page
URL of website (now mostly abandoned):
http://miniaturewargameconversions.blogspot.com/
Ebay accounts (all now unregistered):
Lord.Serpius ebay account -http://feedback.ebay.co.ukhttp://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=lord.serpius&ftab=AllFeedback
Great.Hobby.Bits ebay account - http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=great.hobby.bits&ftab=AllFeedback&rt=nc&myworld=true
Double.Your.Bits ebay account - http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=double.your.bits&ftab=AllFeedback&rt=nc&myworld=true
Three Stage Studios and Kellz1234 account on Dakka:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/468034.page
URL of website (now mostly abandoned):
http://threestagestudios.blogspot.com/
Resin Forge would follow with this statement from thier Facebook page.
"Due to some ongoing legal reasons that are being handled as I type this, the site here will go unpublished for a bit as frankly, we are tired of trolls with no affiliation to us chiming in with slanderess lies with no evidence or proof nor are we happy with threats people claiming we are recasters to FW, which we clearly are not.
The website at www.resinforge.com will be open for regular business. You can also reach us at our Personal Resin Forge Page. (A quick search will find it.) Once all the cases are filed we will reopen this page, which will most likely happen within 24 hours.
In the mean time, continue to shop with us, chat and just plain hang out at the www site. We have many new items up so do take a browse.
To all the trolls. You lost."
-Resin Forge Facebook
May 6th, 2013
Now as anyone would respectively do when their personal, or business, life is attacked they released that fairly emotional statement as any human would put out. They would then follow with this C&D that I obtained off the Apocalypse 40k blog....
"Britcons LTD,
Kanalstr. 2,
91052 Erlangen,
Germany
08/05/2013
Mr. Regul, Jon
[address removed]
Dear Mr. Regul:
We represent Mr. Daniel Mandelbaum, Mr. Jason Martin, Mrs. Kim Hernandez and their company Resin Forge LTD (hereinafter referred to as "client"). If you are represented by legal counsel, please direct this letter to your attorney immediately and have your attorney notify us of such representation.
It has come to our attention that your website www.dakkadakka.com is spreading false, destructive, and defamatory rumors about my Client.
You are hereby directed to CEASE AND DESIST all defamation of my clients character and reputation.
My client has spent years in this profession, building a positive reputation. We realize that your Website is a Community and the posts as such where not written by yourself, however the posts are defamatory and causes substantial harm to my clients repuation as a business owner. Though you have a First Amendment right to state an opinion, you do not have a right to make false and defamatory statements against him.
The defamatory statements on your Website involved
• Alleged statements regarding business transactions which never took place.
• My clients participation in alleged criminal activities (To quote your (mod)majortom11, “Mandelbaum is a known scammer”), further quotes have been attached to this email as screenshots.
Leading to statements regarding Personal Information about his whereabouts, his family etc. (mothers Obituary) AND more importantly, threats of bodily harm against my client. My client has even received Death Threats due to your Website. (Not to mention the financial consequences for his company).
Accordingly, we demand that you please correct and retract the statements immediately.
If you do not comply with this cease and desist demand, my client is entitled to seek monetary damages and equitable relief for your defamation. In the event you fail to meet this demand, please be advised that my client has asked us to communicate to you that he will pursue all available legal remedies, including seeking monetary damages, injunctive relief, and an order that you pay court costs and attorney’s fees. Your liability and exposure under such legal action could be considerable.
Before taking these steps, however, my client wished to give you one opportunity to discontinue this illegal conduct by complying with this demand within 2 days.
Sincerely,
M. Duerkop, CEO
Britcons LTD "
Now that is an interesting C&D letter. First of all it is from Germany and from a CEO of a company that I can only find is a British steelworking company. It also seems to be worded kind of funny. Also, from my understanding, German lawyers have no legal authority in the USA and could not comment on 1st Amendment Rights. I would like to hear from a lawyer to comment on this. This C&D seems a little fishy to me as it has no contact information on it, other than an address that doesn't exist on google maps(yet it is German so I am not sure on how often they are updated), and ends in a vague company name that is hard to find on the internet. From what I have read they are a Private Investigations company. Now some claim this to be fake but I would take that with a little salt as it does exists and Dakka Dakka takes it seriously. Yet it is still odd that Resin Forge would use a German group when he apperently lives in the USA and is trying to go after a USA based website
UPDATE:
So this now is apparently a fake C&D. The company's website was under such scrutiny it was taken down, also there was apparent copying from another website to make the website and it was shoddily made in the first place. Doesn't look good for Resin Forge
UPDATE:
So this now is apparently a fake C&D. The company's website was under such scrutiny it was taken down, also there was apparent copying from another website to make the website and it was shoddily made in the first place. Doesn't look good for Resin Forge
Yet they, as in Dakka, see that since Mr. Mandelbaum acknowledged in this letter that he owns Resin Forge they are content with that alone and point to the previous actions he apparently made with other companies they regard as scams. Now those accusations were their words not mine.
So what do we make of this? Well Resin Forge does have thousands of Facebook likes and a few defenders in their own rights. Since it is hard to fake that many facebook accounts I believe it looks legitimate. All we know is that it is run by a person who is infamous enough on the internet that the guys at Dakka, who are nice and honest people, would throw the gauntlet down to try and get their community to stay away from this company. It also seems this bad press has increased volume at the Resin Forge store according to their facebook (Which is kind of funny since the C&D says the opposite). So I guess even bad press is still good press? Now I have no need to deal with this company anyway as I cannot afford this hobby as it is (haha) so I cannot use their service anyway but I would use an air of caution with any company with any claims against it anyway. Yet lets grab some popcorn and see where this one goes. If anything I would suggest anyone uses internet research on any company to find out if they are legit or not. Now Resin Forge itself does sell forgeworld but at a much higher cost than the forgeworld website (obviously shipping is not included in either case yet this is still a little odd and I have no experience with ordering from either source).
This case seems interesting as it is the 2nd blogger legal war in as many weeks. The other I will wait to comment on. Now I would like to see a conversation on this below but keep it tame. I do like to play devils advocate and see things from both sides so lets be fair and hear it out. Everything written above is based off of what is claimed from both sides in this case.
This case seems interesting as it is the 2nd blogger legal war in as many weeks. The other I will wait to comment on. Now I would like to see a conversation on this below but keep it tame. I do like to play devils advocate and see things from both sides so lets be fair and hear it out. Everything written above is based off of what is claimed from both sides in this case.