Somebody stole my post about making Thanksgiving pies. Except they took out the word Thanksgiving. Otherwise, it's mine. Word for word. And even one of my pictures. I have a couple things to say about this:
- That sucks! I'm not getting paid for this. I'm having fun. I'm chronicling MY life. If it looks like so much fun then YOU pop out four kids in four years. YOU give up the career that you worked like a crazy fool to achieve while simultaneously being a full time financial analyst and full time grad student. YOU give up the only identity you've ever known as an adult and immerse yourself in all that goes with being a mom. Go ahead and do all that stuff. Then YOU can be a little bit "off" and people will smile, and maybe even chuckle, when YOU tell your stories. And no I'm not unhappy with my choices. Quite the opposite. My point is that I paid a steep price (as all do) to be able to have these silly stories, and they're mine, mine, mine.
- If you're going to steal, then steal from somebody good. I'm not a writer (you schmuck). If you are going to STEAL then go for Vonnegut. Leave me alone. I'm not fishing for compliments here. I'm just saying, if you're going to steal then go for the gusto and be really bad. Don't rob a convenience store... go for Fort Knox.
- Get a clue! Have you heard of Google analytics?! Don't be foolish enough to take what's mine and then come back on the same computer with the same I.P. address.
- I know this sort of thing happens. I guess I should have been more proactive.
I've been aware of this for awhile. I've talked (via email) with this person (small potatoes blogger) and they've deleted their post. They apologized. They even removed their blog entirely. Good riddance. I wonder what else they pilfered.
I'm still thoroughly ticked-off. I'm having trouble getting excited about sharing my life. I don't have the talent to make money at this. And I'm fine with that. That's not why I do this (honestly, if someone offered to pay me handsomely for my efforts I'd gladly take the money. I don't think that's going to happen, and it's not my motivation to be here). On the other hand, the thought of someone else profiting directly from my silliness, or even the premise upon which my silliness is based? That makes me livid.
I'm really struggling at the moment. I had a hard time with the kids yesterday. There's major crap going on here with the school district that directly impacts my eldest. I didn't behave like the mommy that I know I am yesterday. My tooth still hurts from the root canal, and I have a follow-up appointment today for something that, I'm certain, will be unpleasant.
And the worst thing about all that's going on is that someone stole my bestest toy (my blog) while I was playing in the sandbox (the Internet).... That just sucks. Whether you're 30 or 3.
20 comments:
So sorry to hear about this...I have to admit wondering what the heck a person is thinking when they pull something like this off. On the other hand, that person has to live with him/herself, and you don't. Assuming, of course, that you can let it go (which I am less than good at doing). Blogging about it helps, though. Bring on the healing.
OMG! That stinks! How did you know this? Did you happen to come across the post? Did someone alert you to it? Email me about it if you can, I am soooo oblivious to this kind of stuff.
And as for having a bad day yesterday...don't worry, we all have them. We all lose it. That is why there is a tomorrow, another chance to do it right. I hope your tooth feels better!
P.S. I guess that means your pies are delicious. Take some comfort in that, maybe?
Any chance you'll update with how you found them?
I hope you kicked their online ass. (Sorry Anonymous Mom, I don't like to curse around you.)
And while I don't condone plagiarizing, at least they have good taste. That's a great post they stole.
As I'm sure Anonymous Mom agrees, you're a much better writer than you're giving yourself credit for.
Oh KathyB! That's horrible!! I can't beleive someone would do that. You must be so sad. Please don't be too discouraged. I would know the prose of KathyB! anywhere and will accept no inferior substitutes!
You are just too darn cool! :) Love you, and sorry. I think I would feel pretty violated too. Miss you. Love you!
Wow. I didn't realize people stole blog entries. How strange.
Thats crazy and pretty darn lame. What would posses someone to blog a post that wasnt thiers? Well, at least you know you rock and are worth stealing from!
This type of theft is actually quite common and pervasive. You should take active measures to protect your proprietary work. There are lots of those who lack creativity and talent and are happy to take credit for someone else's work.
I'm so sorry that they stole your post, but chick I thought I was the only one popping them out like that...2003,2004,2005,2007 and soon to be 2 in 2009.
So happy to have found you.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Are you my long lost sister? My tooth hurts too!
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Sorry for that post. That is so poorly written it's almost embarassing. But I was really mad, and I typed, and hit post, and...ick.
Anyway, a couple folks asked about how I found out. There is a free service www.copyscape.com that you should check out. I have a friend who, unlike me, is a real writer and she actually encouraged me to check for this sort of thing, and has been taking the liberty of checking on my behalf since I didn't take her seriously. Check that site out -- it's free. She either used the high-end version or something thru her publlisher. I'm waiting to hear from her...
A friend from HS had this to add. He's a dentist, but I still like him ;) The stuff that follows is all him. I don't know how to do any of that stuff. I'm definitely going to try some of it. My blog will likely implode as a result. If you see a mushroom cloud in the east say a quick prayer for me.
--Your stuff is copyrighted whether it's posted or not (but make sure it is down at the bottom of each page).
--You can watermark your digital images and/or graphics (visibly or invisibly), so you can prove if someone has stolen a pic from you.
--Some professional sites will do their entire site in Flash, so you can't cut and paste it.
--Another thing you can do is add a line of javascript code that deactivates the right mouse click or cut and paste functions. In other words, they see a photo they want to download and right-click it to do so, and a little pop up comes up and reads "The content on this page is copyrighted by KKB...Use or reproduction without express permission is forbidden..." Google "deactivate javascript right mouse click" and will probably give you what you need.
So there you have it! This is the longest.comment.ever. And written by the blogs author no less!! Leave another comment if you have more questions.
And anonymous mom is playing bridge today :) And she doesn't mind if you cuss a blue streak. After raising me not much gets under her skin anymore!!
Thanks for posting all of this info! I bookmarked that copyscape web site and I am going to look into the watermark idea. I'm so sorry this happened to you. And BTW, I think your post from today was wonderfully written. It came from the heart. Anonymous Mom would be proud. You go, girl!
I'm a lurker, but your mom posts as anonymous and I didn't want everyone to think I was her!
I love your blog and I think you should give yourself more credit. That's all; rock on KathyB!
Aw, that is horrible! I'm so sorry to hear this, and I think it's great that you took action. Lots of hugs to you.
I looked at copyscapes and didn't really understand how she found your stuff there...did she recognize the photo and go searching, or...?
OV: She has the super-duper pay for use version, plus she also uses something through her publisher but that's not accessible to the general public. She says she would have found it with the cheap copyscape version, though, because what she found was the text. When she followed the link to the text she also found the picture. The problem with copyscape is that, unless they copy verbatim or fairly close, then it won't find it. The filters can't detect ideas. That's why some of the other suggestions my friend made are probably the better solution.
Thanks for the explanation. I hope you're feeling better today!!!
That's horrible, but at least they have good taste. I guess it reminds us that there are less than honest people out there. Bastards.
This would make me livid, too. It's amazing how many people feel entitled to put their names on the work of others.
(You'd be amazed how many times I have confronted students with plagiarism, they admit they took someone else's words, but they cannot see what is wrong with that.)
I'm glad to hear this person had the decency to disappear her blog once you confronted her.
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