This applies to everyone who doesn’t understand common copyright law and general terms of use for images on the internet. Even if you think you understand it. Read on.

It seems many people don’t really really understand copyright. If you take a photo, and you publish it to the internet, it doesn’t then become the property of the internet. It is still YOUR PHOTO. You have rights to earn commissions, royalties for use, etc. Unless you specifically state that the image is public domain. Public domain means anyone can use it for any purpose, be it reference material for painting, printing and reselling, etc.

A lot of people display that Creative Commons button on their blogs, just because they have it displayed doesn’t mean they understand what it means. Let me summarize. If you see original text on a blog by that blogs author and you republish it, you must credit the author for that text. Regardless of whether or not they have that CC button. If THEY have text on their blog written by someone else, they must credit that author. Written word should be credited to the author just as much as imagry. Let me explain.

Royalty-free images: These are images that you pay for, once, to use on things that bring you income. Royalty free images may still have conditions – such as personal use only at a given size, but above a standard size you must pay for the image. Once it becomes used for business or promotion, expect to make a payment to the creator – unless you prefer to pay a percentage of your income to the creator in royalty payments.

Attribution: ALL Images – if you didn’t take them, if you don’t personally own them, should have credits to the artist and or the source unless you’ve paid for royalties (and some conditions of royalties is that the artist be given credits). This includes images used for personal things, even if you just say you like “this photo” on your blog.

Changing stuff: Public domain images only. You can’t just change up an image unless you took the photo/drew it, have specific authorization to make changes or paid for it and have a specific copyright release – because part of copyright means you cannot alter an image.

Artists always, always retain copyright to their images. Regardless of sale. Unless it has been deemed public domain.

Google Images: Just because it came up in Google search results DOES NOT make it public domain. Up on the top bar Google clearly states that “Image may be scaled down and subject to copyright.” GO to the source. CREDIT the source. Don’t just take stuff that isn’t specifically in the public domain. Be thoughtful and be responsible, because you are liable for any costs incurred for using that image without being informed about their terms of use.

Graphics: You may have purchased a design package. That package includes stuff for you to use and display for personal use. Prices are set for things like banners, etc. to display, to gain traffic from, those prices permit you to use them for that purpose. You do not pay for the right to use those images on items that will earn or have the potential to earn income. Consider that those images may have limited use and/or specific terms. You should always check with the creator before you pursue anything of that nature.

Artwork. Last but certainly not least. This applies to photography, photoblogs, illustrations, custom illustrations, caracatures, paintings, pictures of paintings – etc. No artist on the internet is going to give you free unlimited use of thier creations. Not-a-one. Many are generous enough to give you freebies to use, and they will say “these are free to use” and maybe “credit me”. If there are no rules stated, that does NOT mean no rules apply. Copyright is copyright, and it does not need to be spoken every single time. Copyright immediately belongs to the creator at the MOMENT the creation is created. Personal use – is personal use. You can’t change it or alter it, that is against copyright law. You can’t deface an original artwork, regardless of whether or not you commissioned it. That is also against the law.

Consider that by not crediting the creator, you are effectively eliminating any potential for them to earn an income from their work. Consider that by altering their artwork, you are falsely representing their creation. Consider that by capitalizing off of their imagry (or even text) without a specific release, you are, in a word, stealing their income and you could very well be expected to pay royalties when the artist is notified of its use.

Violating copyright is wrong. On so many levels, but first and foremost it is offensive to the creator of the image, the person whose creativity you are saying is worthless by not paying their due compensation for their time and talent.

Please be considerate, thoughtful and EVER mindful of copyright laws. Always look and be aware of images you publish and their terms of use. Give credits back to the source on any image you don’t own outright.

MEME #1, FIVE THINGS

The rules for this particular meme are as follows: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot. Simplicity itself!

1. Vince
2. Hanuman
3. Running2Ks
4. Chickadee
5. Leanne

Then you get to select five people to pass the love on to. I choose to fill in these spaces with whoever hasn’t done this meme and would like to – so let me know if you do it and I’ll put your links here.

Now, on to the questions!

My dear friend Paige sent me this lastnight, and after reading through it all – BOY does it hit the nail on the head about me. Very interesting stuff! If you’d like to do your own, here’s the link: Astrolabe

Let me know if you post yours on your blog so I can read it. :)
* * * * * * * *

This report has been created especially for you. It represents your Unique picture at the time you were born and at the place you were born. (yadda yadda big huge paragraph of stuff here.)

Rising Sign is in 26 Degrees Libra
Very attractive and popular, your charm helps you to get your own way and prevents others from getting angry with you. “Peace and harmony at all costs” is your battle cry. You always try to ameliorate or to cosmetically hide any physical ugliness or any angry feelings between people. Flashy, but not gaudy, you prefer to dress elegantly. You generally have good taste in music, art and literature. Beware of the tendency to compromise yourself in your attempt to be agreeable at all times. A bit of a social butterfly, at times you can be vain and lazy. For the most part, however, you are gracious and affectionate, and your refined and aristocratic demeanor serves as a role model to others.

Did you know I’m a little Irish? Well by the end of this entry, you’ll have proof. You’d think that I would have a little leprechaun following me around day after day, you know, because we all do. But honestly that’s not the case at all. It’s a demon, and it pokes us every so often with a long pointy stick.

I say “us” as if I’m educated on the topic. Really I’m not, I just don’t want to be so alone in my misfortunes, so if you’re Irish and you don’t have a little jerk with a pointy stick by your side? Just ignore my blatherings and pretend I’m sane.

MommaK tagged me on her collection of meme’s, so here I go.

The 7 things meme

7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Live in a warmer climate.
2. Invent something cool that everyone has to have.
3. Wish upon my kids that they have kids that are just like them, and watch it happen.
4. Feel wierd, bitch and moan a whole bunch about my spine fusing together.
5. Sit in an Art Museum with my bestest buddy Paige on a bench across from my artwork and giggle and laugh about “remember when’s”.
6. Pay off and cut up all of our credit cards.
7. Be able to fully support my family on income from my artwork.

7 things I can do:
1. Paint :duh:
2. Talk really fast
3. Put my watch on with ONE HAND. (I’m magical.)
4. Dishes. When I feel like it.
5. Flare my nostrils like a bunny.
6. Shake my head and raise my eyebrows at the same time.
7. Build stuff really fast. (The stuff that comes in pieces that you have to put together.)

7 things I cannot do:

This is for Taba, and whoever else might find this remotely interesting. Seriously, I don’t care for/am not seeking pity or “omg that looks awful”, I am captivated by the human body. How much I’ve managed to screw mine up is really beside the point for the purpose of this discussion.

For reference, let’s start with the good discs! Those can be found within the yellow circle, or L1-L4. See how the discs look like little hamburgers between the vertebrae? That’s almost normal. They are degenerating, but so far they’re not as ugly as the rest of my spine. There’s a good point of reference for you then. Those within the yellow circle are decent, not bulging, not causing any interruption. Good boys. Sit. Stay.

Alrightie then, that about covers the good stuff. That seems to be a trend this week anyway, so may as well end the week the way it started, right? Right. Moving on.

See that green line on the left, the nice curvy one? Well that, my friends, is the curve of a normal spine in this area. See the actual image? The curve is going bye-bye. Slowly but surely, the curvature in the lumbar region is diminishing, causing even more stress to the sqwished up mess going on there.

Let’s move on now to the red circles. Wee!

Between the Sacrum (S1) and L5, we’ve got one giant ugly mess. What’s happening here is that the vertebrae are squishing the hamburger, and the ketchup is dripping down the leg of the table. You catch my drift? This disc also has what’s been described as a “teenie tiny herniation”. Me? Any herniation is a bad herniation, but I’m not a doctor now am I? No. There is a defined interruption between the drippy ketchup and the nerve bundle, and that’d probably be why sometimes I drag my left leg behind me like Egor. But I digress.

The upstairs neighbor to L5 is getting pretty ticked off about all the screaming from its downstairs neighbor, and boy he’s about ready to go down there and join the fight. He’s really annoying my right leg in the process, so if he’d just put some earplugs in or something and ignore all the screaming downstairs? I’d be most grateful. Translated, L4 is also bulging, pinching nerves, and almost acting like L5.

Well then we have some peace and quiet in the yellow region. Ahh. Enjoy the silence.

From L1 up, through all the T’s we have minor bulging, which since my boob job uh… breast reduction er… reduction mammoplasty hasn’t bothered me at all. Fortunately, removing 2 pounds from the front of me probably saved the back of me from what’s happening below the waistline. Crazy how the body works, isn’t it?

To sum it up: Hamburgers good, big black hole bad.

Welp folks, you’re now reading the blog of a juried member of MCFA, and my work will be exhibited in the (brick & mortar!) RiverCenter Gallery during the 2006/2007 exhibition schedule.

WHOOHOOO!

This is a huge step forward, so those of you who already own my work, hold on tight!

P.S. Those of you who voted yesterday for my Catfish “Trapped”, thank you!! I’m not sure votes were registered though, and it looks like the code is finally showing accurate results. If your vote registered, you’ll see the current results – if not, you can cast your vote again! (psst…mine is the very last one on the page!)

It seems this is a ‘must-have’ for blogs anymore, so here’s mine:

100. I was born in 1971

99. In Lake Forest, Illinois

98. I have 1 brother and 2 sisters.

97. I have 1 mom and 2 dads.

96. My real father gave me (and my bro) up for adoption when I was 5′ish.

95. My stepdad adopted us both.

94. He really wasn’t around much, either.

93. I only remember a few things about my childhood.

92. I remember even less about my real dad.

91. I remember living in Utah and Florida as a kid, but I don’t know how long we were there, and I don’t remember school at either place.

Today marks the 4th year of my second attempt at understanding my husband. My first attempt lasted approximately 7 years, then they came and took me away (ha ha hee hee ho ho)! All in all, I’ve loved the big doofus since I met him back in 1989. That’d be 16 years for those of you without a calculator handy! I think about 2 weeks into dating I scared the goobers out of him when I said “I’ve got a feeling I’ll be spending the rest of my life with you”.

He should have bolted then, when he had the chance.

Oh. Wait. Yeah, he did try to do that. Muaahaaaaahahaaa!

Anyhoo, Happy Anniversary to my dear old aging bifocal wearing gray overtaking the hairs left on his head husband, who just gets better and better with age. Because if you can tolerate me for this long, you’ve gotta be good/special/brilliant/insane.