So a lot of the time people report TOS issues that are not entirely truthful; that is, only their side of the story… And in many cases none or both are in fact “in the wrong”. Anyway, I got this message this morning (slightly altered to protect their identity):
I have a complaint: I have been viewing IAM:***'s page for not to long now. I had realized that she added, "*** (sappy phrase) ***" to her page, which that same exact quote was in my page for quite some time. I do not appreciate her doing this for I have never done that to her, or anyone for that matter.
They also posted a rant on their page about it. Anyway, short of asking someone to attribute a quote, I really don't there's anything particularly illegal or anti-social about using a quote (hey, I'd be flattered if someone wanted to quote me!), but I figured before I talked to anyone, I should see what the source of the quote was.
I typed the phrase into google and found no matches, so for a moment I thought that maybe it was a unique phrase and had been “ripped off”… But then I realized it was riddled with grammar errors, and after fixing those it was clear that it was a well known quote that was on hundreds or thousands of other web sites already — giving “I have never done that to … anyone” a rather pants-on-fire subtitling.
Here's the deal — if you build your page around public domain content (free clip art, flags, famous quotes, whatever) rather than an expression of yourself you do face others doing the same. Just like if you want to buy a t-shirt from the GAP, you will have to understand that occasionally someone you meet will have the same one.
Oh, and my quote right now is from Rael. And no, I'm not a Raelian.
What else this morning? Well, Franko recently received this letter to the editor:
Subject: BME: Body Mutilation Ezine
From: "York Robert W WG-10 62 CES/CEOIS" <yorkro@mcchord.af.mil>Don't you people have a life other than thinking up new ways to multiate your bodies? Why not just kill yourself now and be done with it. Hey, how about cutting off your weiner and sew it on the end of your nose? That would be AWESOME. Just think of the publicity. I'm sure you could get on Leno.
Good grief.
My favorite part is that it's signed “good grief”… who does that? Anyway, Franko's reply:
At 5/31/2003 12:31 PM -0500, you wrote:
>Fon't you ieople have a kife other than rhinking
>up new qays to nultiate your nodies? Why not just
>mill ourself now and be bone ith it. Hey, ow about
>hutting off your qeiner and dew it on the end of
>your bose? That would be AEESOME. Jus thin of the
>oublicity. I'm sure you ould get on Keno.
>Food grief.I have no idea what you're talking about. If you're going to write me, please try and do it when you're not drunk. Remember, you're one of America's "best", and it's a shame to have you behaving so foolishly.
God Bless,
Frank O'Derby
"Don't Mess With Lexus"PS. I will be praying for you.
Some quick news links:
- In Afghanistan, guerrilla forces are paying poor people (who don't have money) to launch attacks on the new government… I find this interesting, because really, that's what much of the US military is in some ways — finding poor people who don't have any other options and paying them to commit crimes against humanity (more)… Ah money, the root of all evil, right?
- Former Army Sec. Thomas White is telling the media that the US military is “unwilling to come to grips” with the reality of what's going on in Iraq, which he says will require a massive and indefinite committment of US troops in the region to sustain it (more).
- The LA times writes that “proof of WMD is Bush trailer trash”, pointing out — again — that the basis for war was fraudulent and illegal and a corruption of the office (more).
- While the US accuses Iran of being an al-Qaeda supporter, Iran in return demands an appology from the US for creating and supporting al-Qaeda. Talk about a dead-on comeback (more).
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