I generally feel pity for people who get caught in the glare of the media while just going about their everyday lives.

But not that woman. Nope. She deserves whatever media hell she gets. Her poor kids don't, though. I wouldn't wish foster care on any kid, let alone eight of them, but I sure hope they end up with more stable parentage before they're old enough that lasting damage is done.

That is quite possibly the first sensible thing she's done. I don't mean that as a compliment. Terrible genius.

She's no Octodog, that's for sure.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I'm with mudpuppie. And the doctor(s) who allowed/did the IVF should have their licences revoked.

Don't you have to trademark stuff like this *before* it becomes a part of popular culture?

It reminds me of that Russian company that tried to trademark the emoticon.

As much as I think the doc is a douche, he techinically did nothing wrong. Thee are no laws or even hard rules about the number of embryos allowed. Since they left it to the doctors discression this was bound to happen eventually.

Realguidelines need to be put in place so it doesn't happen again

She's not even OctoMom. She has 14 CHILDREN!

Rhaomi, since it's a nickname solely applied to her, she will likely be able to trademark it. It's different when you have a term that's in use to mean other things -- like crackerjack.

Also, most people aren't aware that there can be more than one use of a mark as long as they don't conflict and one of them isn't "famous", where famous is defined as roughly of Xerox-Coca-Cola level fame.

As for her, well, she's picking the current culture's preferred deal, which is taking opprobrium and running with it. Britain had Jade Goody, we have Octomom. In olden days the word for this would have been "vulgar". Well, guess what? Vulgar pays.

So in that sense I do think it's smart.

Also, the leaks about her being the world's worst mother who hasn't actually killed or harmed one of her children can be viewed as actually helping the brand. No such thing as bad publicity and all that.

From what I hear she's not exactly making lots of cash (she has 14 kids and no job or husband that supports them, right?), I think she has to trademark this.

(as an aside, how can a lady with six kids and no job or sugardaddy afford lip-implants or whatever it is she's done there, and IVF, when I am a working mom who can't even treat myself to a facial and am using contraception as I fear I can't afford another child right now? wtf no fair?)

She's going to need all the money she can get if all those children are to be well cared for, so I say good luck to her.

I think in this country, and elsewhere in Europe, there are now rules which forbid implantation of more than 2 embryos in IVF treatment (three if the woman is over 40) - because of the increased risk attached to carrying multiples.

She should rent out her womb as event space.

America loves people like Ms. Suleman because she gives us the opportunity to feel moralistic both for being better than her, and also for being better than the media. Thanks Nadya!

Oh man. My cousin, who has eight children (born one at a time, thenk you verra much) has been using "octomom" as her username for email and various other things for ages. I can't help but feel sorry for her at the moment.