For a High IQ Society, American Mensa is not all that smart. Its funds are controlled by a Management Committee which is your typical old buys/ girl network.
the same committee misuses the membership funds for running personal fiefdom. From its own internal estimates (source Yahoo group m-grapevine http://groups.yahoo.com/group/m-grapevine/ - this group is open for membership to anyone), American Mensa Lt spend more than 1.9 millions dollars on needlessly suing Inpharmatica, a drug company. The waste is so infamous that Intellectual Property Attorneys give it as an example of wasteful expense, here is an excerpt from Intellectual Property attorne Clement Cheng's website:
(http://www.clemcheng.com/html/welcome.html)
Example #1 in American Mensa, Ltd. v. Inpharmatica, Ltd. et al., No. 07-3283 (D. Md filed Dec. 6, 2007) Mensa (the high IQ society) spent over a million dollars in Ferderal Court and lost, unable to stop the sales of AdMensa IQ enhancing product. Mensa was then forced to raid $600,000 from life membership funds. If the lawsuit had only cost about $100,000 by hiring a small firm for a TTAB action (limited to likelihood of confusion), there would have been little pain and still enough money to fight a dozen battles. By hiring the expensive attorneys, Mensa lost the war before it even started. Thus, in the long run, high intelligence and education are no match for creative efficiency since creative efficiency is what keeps costs under control. Clement Cheng supports Mensa as a life member and is greatly saddened by the financial losses.
One would have thought that the misuse of the membership funds will stop after such a loss. Not really, American Mensa;s Name and Logo Chair, Ms. Robin Crawford continues to use its membership funds to have its Intellectual Property attorney harass its own members, even on issues unrelated to Intellectual Property!
And here is what a Maryland Attorney records in his blog (the above case was filed in Maryland):
http://www.marylandiplaw.com/2009/05/articles/trademarks/judgment-against-american-mensa-in-trademark-dispute/
If you knew anything at all about intellectual property, you'd know that protecting the Mensa trademark was essential. If a company does not make reasonable attempts to protect a trademark, it can be diluted.
ReplyDeleteThe Cheng website link does not lead to anything about Mensa.
The Maryland link does, but it also mentions that Mensa ended up winning the trademark case.
If Mensa is contacting you about your crazed behavior, it's only because you deserve it for the insane accusations you've been making against the society.
You may have a high IQ, but that certainly doesn't mean you aren't mentally ill.
>You may have a high IQ, but that certainly doesn't mean you aren't mentally ill.
ReplyDeleteexactly my point, dude. I don't think members realize that Mensa spent $200 per member on this law suit and BORROWED money from the "the lifetime membership" funds to win a theoretical arguments since Inpharmatica never really sold or marketed the product "admensa". all they dared to do was suggest that this could be the name of their drug. Talking about crazy, now that is what's really crazy!
Read cheng's website again, American Mensa is his example #1:
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Example #1 in American Mensa, Ltd. v. Inpharmatica, Ltd. et al., No. 07-3283 (D. Md filed Dec. 6, 2007) Mensa (the high IQ society) spent over a million dollars in Ferderal Court and lost, unable to stop the sales of AdMensa IQ enhancing product. Mensa was then forced to raid $600,000 from life membership funds. If the lawsuit had only cost about $100,000 by hiring a small firm for a TTAB action (limited to likelihood of confusion), there would have been little pain and still enough money to fight a dozen battles. By hiring the expensive attorneys, Mensa lost the war before it even started. Thus, in the long run, high intelligence and education are no match for creative efficiency since creative efficiency is what keeps costs under control.
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Oh, read my email again, the said attorney now harasses its members on issues unrelated to Intellectual Property - and is being investigated by federal and local authorities from possible criminal behavior across state lines.
and American Mensa did not "win" the case, not by a long shot. Inpharmatica and American Mensa settled - where American Mensa agreed that Inpharmatica is not responsible for reimbursing it even a single cent of the $1.9 million it had spent, and Inpharmatica, realizing it's dealing with an organization led by mentally ill, agreed not to market a product which it wasn't marketing or selling anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe real winners, as is true in most cases was Mensa's attorney, who lives in a mansion in Maryland laughing all the way to the bank!
So American Mensa's main purpose for past few years appears to be funding the life style of its Intellectual Property Attorney - $200 per member, a whooping $1.9 million in total - thanks for confirming that people who lead the organization STILL think that was a reasonable way to spend the membership dues.
funny, ha ha. mensa should start selling cracker jacks under its brand name. Crackers, get it? Oh, you did, if you're a Mensa member.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking generally, you don't go to a high priced law firm to arrange for representation in a protracted legal battle but, instead, you hire an attorney to work as an employee. Then you get corporate counsel handling all your legal needs, in addition to the single law suit, and you spend a small fraction of what you'd spend on the single issue, big shot law firm.
ReplyDelete