Is calling JL Kirk & Associates a bunch of asshats actionable?*
Blogger Kat Coble was served papers by attorneys representing JL Kirk & Associates for a post she did about some rather, err, curious behavior that would have sent my scam detector off too. Here’s the original post and here’s a follow up. They have demanded she remove all posts and comments or she’ll be sued.
Here’s the letter transcribed.
* I mean, I don’t intend to injure the character or diminish the reputation of a business. I just think they’re a bunch of asshats.
Update: Brittney is running the play-by-play.
In other news, someone should post this at Knoxviews.com. *giggle*
Update 2: Kinda funny. But this story just took off on the blogs and scored an instalanche. Now, anyone researching JL Kirk on the web will find out about it. They’ve probably done more damage with this than her original post did. In other news, don’t send bloggers stuff that makes you look like an asshat. They tend to blog about it.
Behold the awesome power of Al Gore’s Internets.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
That is quite possibly the funniest post title in the history of the internet.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Truth is always a defense, my man.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
In other news, someone should post this at Knoxviews.com. *giggle*
But who is “Trustworthy” enough to do so?
April 11th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
“Kirk” them in the knee.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Your title in contrast to what she actually wrote brings up a good point. In order for them to find her liable for defamation they would have to prove that she did in fact, as I paraphrase what you wrote, ‘call them asshats’.
…But she didn’t. She was very careful in how she wrote how she THOUGHT they were “asshats”. I believe this is probably enough of a semantic distinction to provide her an ‘out’ instead of actually having to prove in court that they were not, in fact, actual head-wear of the ass or regions there about.
…But then again, they could try to prove her confident enough to make that distinction: between ‘asshats’ and employees of an employment agency, thereby concluding that her intentions were, indeed, defamatory.
I dunno.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
not confident enough.
competent
I’m such an asshat.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
…and it’s libel not liable.
That’s it. I rest my case. Once again I am found to be inconfident. doh!
April 11th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
After the instalanche they have been “Kirked” very hard and it wasn’t in the knee. Close to the knee but a little North and on the other side.
JL Kirk & Associates could easily have lost several hundred thousand dollars today in lost commissions.
Is there any doubt by this time tomorrow “Kirk” and “Kirked” will be new Internet verbs?
I think they just Kirked themselves.
April 11th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
[…] UPDATE: Aunt B. is reporting that Instapundit is reporting Katherine Coble’s story. And the support just keeps on coming at the House of Coble. And here’s more from Say Uncle. […]
April 11th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Love the title. And your right.
April 11th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
[…] JL Kirk & Associates can go suck an egg for all I care. […]
April 11th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Say Uncle – on the money! great title.
April 11th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
[…] Say Uncle with a GREAT subject line. […]
April 11th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
[…] Kirk and Associates – Nobody likes a bully Toys in the Attic: Time for me to steal someone’s joy Say Uncle: Is calling JL Kirk & Associates a bunch of asshats actionable?* Newscoma: The Right To Say What We Want To Say Rachel Walden: Off Topic: Don’t Bully the Bloggers […]
April 11th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
They have taken down their contact us email. Must be getting tired of the thunderous ovation they received for their great act.
April 11th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Both Uncle and I made a joke that someone should blog this at KnoxViews.
But if they did metulj, Andy Axel, and Randy Neal would most probably take the side of JL Kirk & Associates and tell Kat Coble she was wrong and to take the posts off her blog.
Some people don’t get it.
April 11th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
JL Kirk & Associates SLAPPs Katherline Coble…
Coble, K. 2007. This entry for a limited time only. Just Another Pretty Face. April 11, 2007. Available online: http://mycropht.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/this-entry-for-a-limited-time-only/.
Instapundit, Pink Kitty, Moncks Corner Moments, thinkt…
April 11th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
As tacky as this is going to sound, I’d suggest creating a new Wikipedia article just on JL Kirk 7 Associates. I’d do it myself but I’m not really all that familiar with the details beyond this particular event. In any case, I’d put together a Wikipedia article that describes what they are, links to their web page, etc, etc, and then goes into this debacle.
Wikipedia articles tend to be highly favored in Google searches, and it would also bring some more attention to their actions.
April 11th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
[…] including: Instapundit Bill Hobbs Say Uncle […]
April 11th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Huck wrote:
“Your title in contrast to what she actually wrote brings up a good point. In order for them to find her liable for defamation they would have to prove that she did in fact, as I paraphrase what you wrote, ‘call them asshats’.” … and etc.
I completely misread the intent of your headline.
I didn’t think you meant “is it ok for this other blogger to call these guys asshats?”
I thought you meant “These guys are asshats. Is it ok for me to say so?”
I guess I was wrong, huh?
April 11th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
[…] course, all hell breaks loose. In a move much like the “I am Spartacus!” “No, I am Spartacus!” deal, bloggers everywhere post about this […]
April 11th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
[…] Krumm: Kirked Bill Hobbs: Suing a Blogger Toys in the Attic: Time for me to steal someone’s joy Say Uncle: Is calling JL Kirk & Associates a bunch of asshats actionable?* […]
April 12th, 2007 at 1:18 am
Don’t pick a fight with someone who can harvest all the fully recyclable electrons they want with open source blogging software, or something like that. We need an analogy for the olde “ink by the barrel” saying.
April 12th, 2007 at 4:12 am
[…] This is the tale of a pile-on. And by that I mean a lot of other bloggers and such are writing about the same thing. As compelling as the original is, though, the pile-on is the real story. Let’s start with my favorite quote from the whole affair, courtesy of Say Uncle: “Don’t send bloggers stuff that makes you look like an asshat. They tend to blog about it.&#… […]
April 12th, 2007 at 6:59 am
[…] be sure to read this and this and this and this and this just for […]
April 12th, 2007 at 8:40 am
JL Kirk took down their email contact
Ed Note: Email address removed. I’m not crushing your dissent or anything but I think they have gotten the message. And, obviously, they don’t want that info published
April 12th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
[…] blogger reaction ensues, with general condemnation of the suing party and their lawyers as “asshats“8. Suing party and their lawyers corporate names are now forever associated with the negative […]
April 12th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Is a New War Starting?…
I may be wearing the foil hat a bit too tight right about now, but earlier today, I just had this eerie feeling that a war over the right to free speech was about to erupt. First we have The Enlightened and Exalted Eminent Emancipator and Supreme Benev…
April 12th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
[…] OTHERS, including: Instapundit Bill Hobbs Say Uncle […]
April 13th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
This month’s luncheon is on Thursday, April 26th at Sunset Grill, 2001 Belcourt Ave., Nashville, TN, 37212.
See you there!
This month’s speaker is Kirk Leipzig, owner of J L Kirk Associates.
Leipzig owns JLKA staffing company with many different locations throughout the country. He’ll speak on “The Importance of Finding and Hiring the Right Person” to do the job and sharing about the career coaching/management world. His company, J. L. Kirk Associates (www.jlkirkassociates.com) helps people make the change who have been in the same industry for years and want to do something different. J.L. Kirk Associates teaches them how to apply skill sets to another industry and how to present and market themselves.
11 a.m. Networking
11:30 to 1:00 p.m. Luncheon and Speaker
Valet Parking
April 13th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
http://www.nashvillenawbo.com/
April 14th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
[…] “Kirked” something, you’ve screwed up in a major way. And the list goes on: Say Uncle, Smiffster, Toys in the Attic, Salems Lots, the best librarian ever (Women’s Health News), […]
April 16th, 2007 at 3:02 am
This is an attempt to silence her. They know they have no case, but want to hurt her with legal bills. They’ll drag the case out until she cries uncle. It’s the Scientology method of dealing with those who speak the truth.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
[…] missed this bon mot from SayUncle in regards to the JL Kirk and Associates situation that Katherine Coble has been dealing with: In […]
April 17th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I looked up the website http://www.nashvillenawbo.com/ mentioned above. It turns out that the Nashville branch of the National Assoc. of Women Business Owners are pleased to be having Mr. Kirk Leipzig, owner of J L Kirk Associates speak at their April luncheon and bring his pearls of wisdom (presumably on how not to bully bloggers) to the happy assembled ladies.
July 18th, 2007 at 3:01 am
[…] Krumm: KirkedBill Hobbs: Suing a BloggerToys in the Attic: Time for me to steal someone’s joySay Uncle: Is calling JL Kirk & Associates a bunch of asshats actionable?*Home Ec 101: The curious case of JL Kirk and Associates Rex Hammock: Bloggers and the lawyers who […]