Some Housekeeping

Not my house. Those Cheerios can stay there until I darn well feel like vacuuming them. And I think Nyx is doing a fabulous job of sweeping up all that glitter. Plus, everyone still has clean underwear, so the laundry can still wait. No, this is blog housekeeping--clearing up a few things.

First off, The Plagiarist: I found her because I was checking out technorati links after reading about the latest scraper over at Mary P's. There was a link to her blog, and if you've ever linked to me, you know that eventually I figure it out and show up to say "Hi!" So I wandered over to check it out, and low and behold, an entire post of mine, cut and pasted into her MySpace and passed off as her own. Not cool.

Even less cool was deleting the comment I left asking about it and setting her blog to private, all the while ignoring me. As if I was going to go away. Thus began a rather heated exchange.

Her first position was this:

i told you i did not go to your blog and copy what you wrote... even if i was to give you credit for it i would even know what to put cause i don't know you nor have i even been to ivilliage...

After I provided a PDF of her plagiarized site and a link to my post, proving that it was mine, her tune changed a little:

i have decided to remove your words from my blog... i do see that you posted it and appologize that that your work was copied... but i see nowhere on there where you have copywritted your work...

While I essentially got what I wanted--for her to stop stealing my content--I had a few problems with that response.

1) She "decided" to remove my words for her blog. As though she's doing me a favour and not because she got a violation of TOS notice from MySpace and a sternly worded email from the iVillage lawyer.

2) She "sees that my work was posted and apologizes that my work was copied." Notice how she never takes responsibility? How she implies that magical beings must have come in the night and c&p'd my content into her site--sort of like the blogger equivalent of the Shoemaker and His Elves.

3) She "sees nowhere that I've copyrighted my work" Because that "all rights reserved notice"down at the bottom applies to everyone but her, apparently.

So, essentially, the whole thing irritated me. And I don't know why you would would want to irritate a blogger, because you know the first thing they're going to do is blog about it.

Now, The Bookclub....Here's what I'm thinking:

In about 3 weeks, I'm going to do a post about Single Mom Seeking. What I thought of it, what questions and issues it brought up for me, that sort of thing. Then, if you have a blog, you post your review on your blog, and leave a link to it in my comments. Don't worry if you don't have a blog (although, seriously, what are you, the last person on earth without a blog???) ; if you don't have your own blog, you can post your review, thoughts, and questions here in the comments.

I'll give everyone about a week to post--that'll let you slackers out there who never finish the book on time to have a chance to participate. I'm sure Rachel will be reading along, but after the week's up, I'll gather up the questions and Rachel and I will sit down and have a chat (and maybe a beverage). Then I'll write up the interview and post it.

What do you think? Personally, I'm kind of excited. And if it works out well, I'd be willing to consider making bookclub a regular feature (Rachel's writing a sequel, you know!).

Comments

Ooh...I'm excited too! I'm so in with the book club, Kim! I'm also irritated about your plagurist (Is that a word?) She can't even spell, Kim. I mean, really. Then again, she apparently can't read that well...I see the "All Rights Reserved" posting just fine on my page...

All writing is copyrighted the moment it is created. She's obviously uneducated and hopes that those from whom she stole are equally ignorant.

I hope the iVillage lawyer educated her about plagiarism and copyright. She can set her blog to private but that doesn't change the caches, the WayBack Machine, etc. She's a thief, pure and simple.

i copied your blog and pasted it in mine w/o giving you credit for it, just b/c i think ur stupid and i'm sure myspace didn't give a shit about your complaint get a life

Well, Random Viewer, I'd have to say you're the stupid one, because telling iVillage about it? Not smart. They have a legal team, and they take theft of their property very seriously.

MySpace probably cares about me (and my big scary lawyer) more than they care about you. So there. (Oh, god. This is the level MySpace has reduced me to. Honestly, I think what ticked me off the most is that I actually had to create an account to deal with the whole thing. I have actively avoided MySpace up to this point. grrr.)

heehee omg I love myspace, I am such an addict! I am really sad though that someone has been a jerk and copied your hard work.

Good on you and your big scary lawyer for sorting it out!!

Hey, look at it as a compliment--she's at least bright enough to recognize good writing. Not that I'm suggesting you call off the lawyer...

Some things are designed to happen exactly when we are needing something to lash out against. So now the lash out is complete, we can all ignore her and her lame explanations, pathetic attempts at insults (i mean who uses, "stupid" these days!) and really sad, grammar and spelling.
oops did I just lash out too? many apologies, will still be reading your blog on a daily basis Kim, best wishes from a kindred spirit

it just further's my point that myspace is where grammar goes to die. I cannot STAND myspace. The people there, for the most part, make me want to hurt myself.

What a blithering idiot.

Gak.

Just weighing in to add that since you write for iVillage, the copyright for the content here belongs to them. Stealing from a big corporatinon w/ lawyers who live for this kind of thing shows that the thief is pretty much a moron. But we knew that.

I would just like to add some very vital informantion on this subject. It has come to my attention that I also have read this blog before in a fwd. It what surprises me, is the date of the original sender. You posted this at the beginning of Feb. The date on my fwd is December 2006. I will say no more on this subject, except that I have informed the other person in this dispute and have let ivillage and myspace aware of the fwd.

LOVED the way you handled her!

Kim you need to keep this comment up:

"i copied your blog and pasted it in mine w/o giving you credit for it, just b/c i think ur stupid and i'm sure myspace didn't give a shit about your complaint get a life"

I'm rolling on the floor laughing right now. But really y'all...not that I can force you to change your minds about myspace, but don't knock it 'til you try it. If you look at it as a new communication technology tool then you'll view it completely different. But then again, that's the geek coming out in me. :)

I've ordered the book and it should be here by Wed. I can't wait!

Ok, since when I checked the myspace page it had already been set to private, I have had this burning curiousity. What post was copied? am I the only one out of the loop here?

It was the "What's in the mail today" post, Kira. Not even a particularly important post; certianly nothing that took me more than a couple minutes to write, but that wasn't the point. The point is that you don't get to steal other people's work. And you certainly don't get to lie about it after you have.

And I agree with Eden. If you want to take on iVillage over theft of their property, be my guest. But I don't think it's the smartest thing you'll have ever done in your life.

Julia, you may very well be right. But...given the quality of writing from Andrea and her little friends who have commented here (and been deleted, I might add), I'm inclined to agree with Thordora's assessment. But, I think we've already established that I am OLD.

Jane M? I look forward to seeing that documentation. And you might want to look up the definition of "libel."

Let's talk about the book. It's more interesting.

Ok, I feel more informed now. :)
I probably won't be able to order the book until the end of the month, but I read fast, so I should be able to participate. :)

I so identify with your little copy cat. I had one land on my blog some time ago and I was in absolute shock. Of course I new posting my column online meant that I was risking it, but the boldness of actually stealing and passing it off as hers sent me into a full blown tizzy.

Perhaps a cyber lynch mob of some sort should be considered? ;-)

You weren't "risking it" Sher. That's the point. According to copyright law, it's considered copyrighted the minute you put pen to paper. It's yours. It doesn't require a special notice or anything else. If you wrote it and posted it online, you own it, and anyone who passes it off as theirs is stealing.