Ten months after complying with Infinity's previous attorney's demand to remove Robert Adams transcripts and audio recordings of Satsangs made by me during actual satsangs, Infinity found a new attorney to launch a frivolous attack on our new website, which contains absolutely no material of Robert's---none, Nada. This is just proof of their single minded effort to harass me off the Internet with still further false allegations.
Their letter:
Re: Infinity Institute v. Muzika, et al.
Mr. Muzika:
Please be advised that XXXXXX represents the Non Profit Infinity Institute, Inc. ("Infinity Institute") in intellectual property matters. As such, please direct any correspondence to me, rather than the Infinity Institute.
As you are aware, the Infinity Institute is the owner of the following U.S. Copyright Registrations, which are attached collectively hereto as Exhibit A (collectively "Infinity Registrations"):
Registration No. TXu001366520 — "Silence of the heart: early works" Registration No. TXu000520922 — "Silence of the heart"
Registration No. TXu001190209 "Satsang with Robert Adams: vol. 1[-31"
Registration No. TXu000549212 — "Satsang with Robert Adams: vol. 2" Registration No. TXu000797272 — "The Silence of the heart: vol. 3"
It has come to our attention that despite numerous requests from our client, and Robert Adams himself, to cease using the Infinity Institute's works protected by the Infinity Registrations, you continue to illegally copy and publicly display such works without permission. Some examples of your unauthorized uses and display of our client's works can be found at www.wearesentience.com (a domain name registered to you), your Google blog, http://itisnotreal.blogspot.com, your video site www.wearesentience.org, and your partners site www.rajivkapur.com. These websites contain misappropriated audio and written transcripts of Robert Adams, which are now freely available for download. Your wrongful misappropriation and distribution of this material has prevented the non-profit Infinity Institute from publishing Robert Adams' works in the manner and format he personally established and approved prior to his passing.
Your continued misappropriation of the Infinity Registrations constitutes copyright infringement under 17 U.S.0 § 501, et seq., which entitles the Infinity Institute to an injunction against further copying, use, and display of our client's aforementioned works, profits, attorneys' fees, and costs. Additionally, your use of Mr. Adams' likeness on your infringing sites and blog also constitutes violations of at least 17 U.S.0 § 501, et seq., as well as Nevada's right of publicity statutes. See NRS 597.770, et seq.
In light of the foregoing, the Infinity Institute demands that you immediately cease all use of the Infinity Institute's works protected by the Infinity Registrations and remove all materials and links having to do with Robert Adams or the Infinity Institute from your www.wearesentience.com website, your Google blog, http://itisnotreal.blogspot.com/, your video site www.wearesentience.org, and your partners site www.rajivkapur.com. (Your documented electronic signature appears on hundreds of worldwide websites as the source of the infringing copyright works of Robert Adams which you link to on your present site.) This includes, but is not limited to, all works protected by the Infinity Registrations, all images of Robert Adams, and all mention of Mr. Adams and the Infinity Institute.
Your actions have interrupted the further publications of the works of Robert Adams per his sole established format as owner and creator of said works. Additionally we demand that you provide an accounting of all funds acquired from your original posted request for monies for Robert Adams transcripts on your sites and the use, copying, and display of the Infinity Institute's works and Registrations to this office no later than September 2, 2011.
Please act accordingly, and call me with any questions. This letter does not constitute a waiver of any rights belonging to our client.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY CANNOT SITE EVEN ONE ALLEGED "MISAPPROPRIATION" BECAUSE IF YOU SEARCH THE SITE, NOT ONE TRANSCRIPT OR AUDIO FILE OF ROBERT'S CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE. THEIR CHARGES ARE TOTAL FABRICATION. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY CLAIM COPYRIGHT ON ALL PHOTOS OF ROBERT TAKEN ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME. THE INFINITY WEBSITE EVEN APPEARS TO CLAIM THAT ROBERT IS STILL ALIVE!
THE NEW WEARESENTIENCE WEBSITE CONTAINS ONLY MY TEACHINGS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF MY LIFE AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH ROBERT. YET THEY DEMAND I NOT EVEN MENTION ROBERT ADAMS ON THIS BLOG OR THE WAS WEBSITE.
This is so obviously a fatuous, maliciously based injunction that I'd consider a countersuit, Ed, unless you have something other than that as an idea(which you might if the countersuit requires hiring an attorney, going to court, etc.).
ReplyDeleteMark
I pity these people. It doesn't seem like they will ever stop until a judge explains to them the difference between blind assertions and logical arguments. I say ride it out, see what happens, and if it goes to court so be it. What's the worst that can happen?
ReplyDeleteShawn
Maybe they object to the use of the word Infinity (which I'm sure they've copyrighted) with a picture of a little duck under it?
ReplyDeleteConsciousness, gotta love it: shaping itself into the form of the "Infinity Institute" to harass itself in the form of a genuine spiritual teacher.
ReplyDeleteWhat a game! Hope you're having fun, at least. I doubt the folks at the "Infinity Institute" are.
Tom
(counter) Sue the idiots for harassment, liable, defamation. Maybe contact http://www.lafla.org/service.php and see if what they say?
ReplyDeleteChris
I also wonder if it gets back to a much earlier discussion on your blog about legitimate spiritual lineage. They're probably freaking out over your online satsangs being delivered under the blessing gaze of Robert's picture. It seems apparent to me that you are carrying Robert's teaching forward in a much more legitimate form than Infinity Institute is. That more than anything else no doubt bothers them a great deal. Their decision to deal with it through threats of lawsuits rather than engaging in a real discussion of the dharma shows their true colors, I think.
ReplyDeleteDear Ed,
ReplyDeleteSuch a reaction on the part of Infinity is no surprise. It was only a matter of time before such an attack would be launched in response to the posting of www.wearesentience.com .
In seeking a total monopoly over Robert's name, it is perfectly clear in their attorny's letter what is at stake for Infinity: the marketing and profitable distribution of Robert's teachings. Their fabrications to achieve their ends are blatant.
I came across the following excerpts on Infinity's web site:
"the Sage personally copyrighted and archived his own unique experience choosing the ancient tradition of pure preservation for generations to come through his personally selected embodiment of purely devoted transmission. "
"The Pure Truth Fact: As all Robert Adams students, his writings, and recordings confirm, at no time did Robert Adams ever declare his works public domain, nor distribute his transcripts freely to the public, as all of his original students are well aware. He requested a donation for each transcript in the ‘class’ as he referred to his talks, and did not ever ‘freely distribute worldwide’." (http://www.robertadamsinfinityinstitute.org/style/Thank%20you.pdf (viewed 28 Aug 2010))
Two things are immediately clear: (1) the faulty premise that Robert charged for his teachings in the form of transcripts, per class, and (2) that he established a lineage that was uniquely made responsible for spreading his teachings.
Infinity goes on to argue, in very whacky terms, that only certain students are qualified ('Pure' enough) to speak of the teachings. Further, Infinity likens itself to an SRF style of organization, thus justifying it as the sole owner of everything Robert.
The answer is clear: You must fight back. If you ever hope to spread your Guru's message, let alone anecdotes that you were party to, as well as photos that you own of Robert, you must meet them head on.
It is clear that any acquiescence to their demands has only emboldened further attack on you. As you become more known, this is only going to increase. Their harassment will never stop until you publicly erase your part of life that you spent with your Guru.
The essential legal question is simple: if Robert did copyright his work and establish Infinity as he was approaching 'death', what would be the status of all previously made transcripts and recordings he allowed to be freely distributed (prior to the supposed copyright)?
The fact remains that there are numerous recorded accounts in which Robert directly contradicts Infinity's claims. There is also the testimony of yourself and former students. Both are substantial evidence to the contrary of the accusations.
Thus, strategy: A consultation with a lawyer is free. If a lawyer feels that you have a case, you can meet them in battle in court, and even counter their attack. This would pay for your legal fees. In any event, a court case would probably be quite quick in seeing who is right; it would not be a protracted fight.
Chances are that if you do get a lawyer and s/he fires back a response possibly countering their accusations, Infinity will simply drop the case, realizing that you will no longer just roll over. At this point, it feels like they are relying on you to step down out of the perceived threat of a lawsuit. But if you called their bluff, the whole thing could dematerialize right there and then.
My father is a lawyer and if you like I could at least ask him his advice.
Maybe Ed, You could just talk things out with her, like reminding about what Robert taught and that this is not His way of dealing with things etc.
ReplyDeletejust saying
I have often talked to people at Infinity requesting a partnership beginning maybe six years ago. Nada. Now her last two attorney's have forbidden direct contact with Infinity itself, and Infinity claims she does not email or use the Internet, and they provide no phone or address to contact her directly.
ReplyDelete