Sounds good to me NEQ. If I wanted to be more passive aggressive I’d want to add something about how my thinking’s moved on since I wrote it, or how the picture has changed since then, just to firmly stake my claim to authorship.
What I usually do in that case is to say politely but firmly, "I'm so glad you liked my article. I thought you ought to be aware that it's under copyright" (because it is, everything is as soon as it's created, regardless of whether you do any legal footwork on it or not) "and that, in the future, you need to credit the author and possibly seek permission before you post it. I would hate to see you get into legal trouble, and while I'm pretty easy-going, there are a lot of people out there who aren't." That way you don't look like a hard-ass so much as a kind but firm person who is doing a public service announcement (you are!) and hauling their ass out of the potential flames. This scenario has come up for me several times, because the organization I write for has its stuff routinely reposted without attribution, and we have to (kindly) educate people.
Brava, @Lamb Chopped. That's an excellent way of approaching it.
(An article of mine was once lifted wholesale, word for word, by a reporter for a paper in Nebraska. I learned of it when the Columbia Journalism Review asked me if I'd seen it. I said no, they reported it, and that was the last I heard of that particular reporter.)
I've noticed that some people quote Wikipedia on their sites without attribution--and citing, or even mentioning, it is easy enough to do. I do a web search for something, and get several hits that say exactly the same thing--with no credit given.
I was quite interested to find some of my immortal prose in a book a few years ago, from an article that I had (essentially) written for Wikipedia. As I understand it, putting anything on Wikipedia means that you have agreed to it being available for use by anyone for any purpose. But it was still a bit of a surprise.
The person who posted has "liked" my post. I'm guessing it was an honest belief that he can post without attribution. I've now provided the attribution, so I'm happy with that. If the site admins spot what's happened, they may well have a word.
I often notice, if I'm looking up a recipe online, that the identical one will crop up on, say, a named chef's site, a blogger's, and a supermarket's. Somebody is cribbing from someone.
A reason why I have no time for patents is that a device of which I was particularly proud was patented under the names of three colleagues, none of whom contributed to it. My name doesn't appear on it. But, as an employee, it wasn't mine anyway. These days I care more about writing, which occasionally gets borrowed, but only on a small scale.
There's a thing called "accidental plagiarism" which happens when idiots people either forget to paraphrase and credit, or honestly believe that "everything on the internet is free" to be used any damn way they want to. That's why I don't hammer down on people the first time they steal my deathless prose. Unless it's obvious that they know exactly what they are doing, e.g. pirate sites.
I've had an apology. The person who posted it was unaware of my article. He had cut and pasted the paragraphs from another site, which had footnotes, and he hadn't checked the footnote which cited my article as the source.
I didn't catch all the words, but a fun start to the day!
Hardly surprising - parts of it are in Russian, and Mr Lehrer also includes the names of various Russian cities, all pronounced correctly AFAIK, and without missing a single syllable...
I was quite interested to find some of my immortal prose in a book a few years ago, from an article that I had (essentially) written for Wikipedia. As I understand it, putting anything on Wikipedia means that you have agreed to it being available for use by anyone for any purpose. But it was still a bit of a surprise.
I had a similar experience. My article had, however, been written for a small group of people and was in the nature of a report so I kind of assumed a certain level of confidentiality within the group and never dreamed it would go beyond the meeting for which it was intended, then consigned to the archives. I was wrong.
Whilst I knew the book was being written, and the chances of me featuring were slight given I had moved on from that group some time ago, I had not considered the verbatim lifting of about 1000 words which were very clearly mine!
Well, I had the 'joy' of telling the URC on Facebook that they had just credited Bonhoeffer with Karl Barth's work. I mean I recognised the mistaken attribution and checked with Wikipedia to make sure. Why they did they not do the same I do not know.
TICTH the loud-mouthed fuckwit who stood too close to me in the Co-Op this morning.
Despite repeated requests to keep 2 metres away from me, he went for me like a bull at a gate, calling me a f**king c*nt, and other opprobrious epithets, and virtually spitting the words into my face.
He insisted that 'the rule' was now 1 metre, failing to take into account the caveat that, under certain circumstances**, 2 metres was still required.
I'm afraid I, too, raised my voice (though I used no sweary words), and brandished my walking stick at him to keep him away...
The Manager appeared, and kindly led me outside, to ask if I was OK. I did think of calling the police, and having the fuckwit arrested, but frankly it was too much hassle. All I wanted to do was to get home...
**from the Government website:
The government recommends that you keep two metres away from people as a precaution or one metre when you can mitigate the risk by taking other precautions in this list.
Oh, @Bishops Finger what a horrible experience! I hope you are feeling okay now, it must have shaken you up a great deal. Honestly, what is wrong with some people 😡!
Thank you - yes, it did shake me up, and, as I have a secondary form of Addison's Disease, such traumatic experiences (even though relatively mild) can lead to an adrenal crisis.
Which can be very nasty, and even fatal...
Hence my desire to get home, and swill down the recommended double dose of my hydrocortisone, to ward off such ill-effects.
As to what is wrong with some people - well, I can't know how badly the whole bloody Plague thing might be affecting Mr Fuckwit, and it is possible (said he charitably as TIACW) that Mr F is having a Very Hard Time of it himself. Still, he shouldn't assault Old Men with Walking Sticks.
Sorry to read this. I hope you are ok. My granddaughter is working in Aldi, clearing and stacking shelves. She says customers reach over her as if she is not there, invading her space, making her feel threatened. When she goes to restock the sanitising station near the door she sometimes gets verbal abuse or impatient customers pushing past.
I have not been to a shop of any sort since mid March. Aldi will be my first when I do as it is just 100 yards away.( not the one where my granddaughter works).
Maybe I should take a walking stick to fend off the idiots.
That was the first time I've been verbally assaulted/attacked, though I have had occasion once or twice (not in that shop) to ask people to keep their distance.
There is a problem, inasmuch as many of the smaller shops are simply not designed for people to keep so far apart from each other - why would they be? The need hasn't really arisen until now.
But some people's behaviour in shops has always been a bit odd. I recall a paramedic colleague, working on resuscitating a heart attack victim in a supermarket aisle, having to remonstrate with a fuckwit leaning over him, and his patient, to get a packet of cornflakes from the shelf...
I have a suspicion that the paramedic concerned (our Station Officer, and known as 'Uncle' T.) probably said something along those lines, but using some rather more picturesque expressions...
Ah well - cockwombles are fairly common in these parts...
TICTH the annoying little floaters that have appeared in my left eye. A quick Google confirms that these can simply be a sign of ageing (O! Deep Joy!), but I suppose I shall have to make an appointment with an Optician this week.
I would try and see one sooner rather than later. Tbh if you say you have floaters the opticians will get you in pronto to rule out the nastier possibilities.
BF, it may be nothing to worry about. My optician once told me to give one particularly large floater a pet name, as I was going to be seeing a lot of it...
Yes, I appreciate that, annoying though it might be, it may be nowt serious, but still needs attention asap.
I've booked online, but the earliest appointment available is in a week's time - so I've called the store, and asked if something sooner can be arranged.
I have to be a bit selective about where I go, on account of needing to park as close by as possible.
I gained my eyeball companion during a very nice outing a couple of years ago. Out in the bright sunshine in apple country, suddenly there it was. After a couple of rubs at my eye to make sure it wasn't on my eye, I cursed it and went to check it out. Yup, that there was a floater the optician said. But fortunately the retina was fine.
Yes, mine arrived suddenly, too, after Church yesterday...
The optometrist wants to see me sooner than next week, so Wednesday it is. I've been warned that drops may be applied, so not to drive. Fortunately, I have my Senior Citizen's free Bus Pass!
Comments
(An article of mine was once lifted wholesale, word for word, by a reporter for a paper in Nebraska. I learned of it when the Columbia Journalism Review asked me if I'd seen it. I said no, they reported it, and that was the last I heard of that particular reporter.)
LC--Sounds good.
Rossweisse--Ditto yikes.
I've noticed that some people quote Wikipedia on their sites without attribution--and citing, or even mentioning, it is easy enough to do. I do a web search for something, and get several hits that say exactly the same thing--with no credit given.
There's a thing called "accidental plagiarism" which happens when idiots people either forget to paraphrase and credit, or honestly believe that "everything on the internet is free" to be used any damn way they want to. That's why I don't hammer down on people the first time they steal my deathless prose. Unless it's obvious that they know exactly what they are doing, e.g. pirate sites.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gXlfXirQF3A
I am no longer annoyed.
Hardly surprising - parts of it are in Russian, and Mr Lehrer also includes the names of various Russian cities, all pronounced correctly AFAIK, and without missing a single syllable...
What an artist the man is!
I had a similar experience. My article had, however, been written for a small group of people and was in the nature of a report so I kind of assumed a certain level of confidentiality within the group and never dreamed it would go beyond the meeting for which it was intended, then consigned to the archives. I was wrong.
Whilst I knew the book was being written, and the chances of me featuring were slight given I had moved on from that group some time ago, I had not considered the verbatim lifting of about 1000 words which were very clearly mine!
Despite repeated requests to keep 2 metres away from me, he went for me like a bull at a gate, calling me a f**king c*nt, and other opprobrious epithets, and virtually spitting the words into my face.
He insisted that 'the rule' was now 1 metre, failing to take into account the caveat that, under certain circumstances**, 2 metres was still required.
I'm afraid I, too, raised my voice (though I used no sweary words), and brandished my walking stick at him to keep him away...
The Manager appeared, and kindly led me outside, to ask if I was OK. I did think of calling the police, and having the fuckwit arrested, but frankly it was too much hassle. All I wanted to do was to get home...
**from the Government website:
The government recommends that you keep two metres away from people as a precaution or one metre when you can mitigate the risk by taking other precautions in this list.
Which can be very nasty, and even fatal...
Hence my desire to get home, and swill down the recommended double dose of my hydrocortisone, to ward off such ill-effects.
As to what is wrong with some people - well, I can't know how badly the whole bloody Plague thing might be affecting Mr Fuckwit, and it is possible (said he charitably as TIACW) that Mr F is having a Very Hard Time of it himself. Still, he shouldn't assault Old Men with Walking Sticks.
I have not been to a shop of any sort since mid March. Aldi will be my first when I do as it is just 100 yards away.( not the one where my granddaughter works).
Maybe I should take a walking stick to fend off the idiots.
There is a problem, inasmuch as many of the smaller shops are simply not designed for people to keep so far apart from each other - why would they be? The need hasn't really arisen until now.
But some people's behaviour in shops has always been a bit odd. I recall a paramedic colleague, working on resuscitating a heart attack victim in a supermarket aisle, having to remonstrate with a fuckwit leaning over him, and his patient, to get a packet of cornflakes from the shelf...
Re your supermarket story:
Paramedic: 1-1000, 2-1000, Come-1000, any-1000, closer-1000, and-1000, you'll-1000, be-1000, defibrillated-1000, dufus!-1000.
Alt version: Could be said in a Dalek manner.
TICTH the annoying little floaters that have appeared in my left eye. A quick Google confirms that these can simply be a sign of ageing (O! Deep Joy!), but I suppose I shall have to make an appointment with an Optician this week.
(No inflammation, and no bleeding, AFAIK).
(I don't even notice it now)
I've booked online, but the earliest appointment available is in a week's time - so I've called the store, and asked if something sooner can be arranged.
I have to be a bit selective about where I go, on account of needing to park as close by as possible.
Suggestions for pet name(s) welcome...
The iSpec(k)?
Whatever you call it, I hope you don't have its company for too much longer.
The optometrist wants to see me sooner than next week, so Wednesday it is. I've been warned that drops may be applied, so not to drive. Fortunately, I have my Senior Citizen's free Bus Pass!