Since Ray copied MJARSULIC's "Transformed!!!" post directly to his blog without citation or a link as required by the usage statement at the bottom of the page, please help me to remind him that if he wants to use the post he must provide a link over here. I posted the following comment.
As this post came directly from the Raytractors blog, please follow terms of use listed at the bottom of the page or else remove this post. "Any post or comment represents solely the viewpoints of the original poster. If you would like to use them or reference them on your own site (this means you, Ray), you must provide a link back to "http://raytractors.blogspot.com," (if you are able) and preferably the link should point to the actual blog post that you are referencing."
Thank you,
MacGyverJr - Moderator, Raytractors Blog
Edit: I also forwarded a similar post on to the LW Moderator email address
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Someone caught it. Cool. I'd post and remind him, but of course I'm banned.
ReplyDeleteI attempted to post a comment on the thread, and I sent an email to the "moderators". He's a serial quote miner, he doesn't care.
ReplyDeleteHe has three options
ReplyDelete-totally ignore it.
-quote "fair use" even though he's quoted the entire post.
-point out where the Raytractors have posted full posts.
I'm having trouble guessing which one he'll do.
This is the internet, so the whole 'copyright' notion is fairly loose. However, you should always source your quotations and link to the original whenever appropriate out of respect and intellectual honesty.
ReplyDeleteIt was very noticeable that Ray left certain things out of his cut 'n paste over at AC. Very telling in its absence, is the reference to mjarsulic wanting to meet Terry Burton.
ReplyDeleteI think Ray has severed all links with our favourite feverish florida fundie....
oh yeah, he did edit it a little. maybe Terry is "Damnatio memoriae"
ReplyDeleteThought I'd share my correspondence so far, no response yet.
ReplyDeleteEmail 1:
As the post that is the subject of the post "An Idea From an Atheist" came directly from the Rayractors blog, please follow terms of use listed at the bottom of the page or else remove this post. "The king rejoices when his people are truthful and fair." Proverbs 16:13
"Any post or comment represents solely the viewpoints of the original poster. If you would like to use them or reference them on your own site (this means you, Ray), you must provide a link back to "http://raytractors.blogspot.com," (if you are able) and preferably the link should point to the actual blog post that you are referencing."
Thank you,
MacGyverJr - Moderator, Raytractors Blog
Email 2:
I see you have update the post, but still refuse to provide a reference to the original comment. Under your own rules "All cartoons are copyrighted and may not be reproduced for any reason without written permission." If you would like people to take you at all seriously, please show others the common courtesy to return the favor and follow the restrictions placed on the content of a post that you shamelessly steal provididng no reference.
[E]very published work (be it on paper or digital media) automatically gets copyright protection, whether expressed with a notice or not. http://www.dailyblogtips.com/copyright-law-12-dos-and-donts/
You're not a thief are you? "... A thief must certainly make restitution" Exodus 22:2
The reason I thought he might quote "fair use" is because he's done similar things before:
ReplyDeleteRay Comfort said...
...
Matthew...haven't you heard of the fair use law? We use it all the time for our TV and radio program (thank God for America):
...
February 7, 2008 12:07 AM
Ray Comfort said...
Ryan...it is awesome. Just yesterday we captured it (removed the bad word, and edited a gospel message into it. We can legally do this under the "Fair use" law). We will release it through You Tube, an email blast, and this blog in a week or so.
February 26, 2008 5:50 AM
I don't mind so much that he used it, as that he didn't cite where he got it. Whenever I've posted a comment from his blog, people know where it came from. But I'm sure he likes the added publicity; it'll help add to that 120K per year.
ReplyDeleteI have caught Comfort before on this sort of thing - I can't remember which one, but one of his '101 Things blah...blah...blah' is made up from cut and pastes from other, much older list books.
ReplyDeleteComfort appears to randomly rips from older books and paste them together as new tomes. The thing is, the story I caught him on was one that he claimed to be absolutely true - it wasn't.
Still - he is in good company, look at the bible...
Fair use would regulate if he is free to use it or not and is guided by the following issues:
ReplyDelete1. What is the character of the use?
2. What is the nature of the work to be used?
3. How much of the work will you use?
4. What effect would this use have on the market for the original or for permissions if the use were widespread?
That said, it doesn't really apply here because no one is denying him the ability to use the post as he sees fit, it is more likely Plagiarism law which, though he isn't expressly using it as his own, he is not providing the appropriate citations and source. (See Here)
Even then though, I'm not really concerned about him posting it, he can quote us til the cows come home. I just want to see him for once actually acknowledge the source of his material.
Do I think it will happen? No, it seems to be universal that Evangelical religious leaders only concern themselves with these types of things when it directly applies to them on the receiving end. See Hovind and the YouTube False DMCA claims on Wikipedia under Kent Hovind
Here's another slightly relevant post from Ray:
ReplyDeletecaptain howdy...I would be happy to credit people who give their real names (even their first real name). Some of the names of professing atheists (how can I say it without sounding offensive?) are stupid. Others are mocking (Rev. BigDumbChimp), and others, like “Clostridium,” are filthy (it is the name of bacteria in excrement). He did add “ophile” to it, just before I banned him from the blog. Different publishers are putting the blog in book form, and I don't want those who ask legitimate questions to sound as though they are circus clowns, or worse.
Posted by Ray Comfort on 5/24/2008 06:52:00 AM
Ray worrying about others sounding like circus clowns is funny. When Terry Burton says Ray has a college degree, he probably means clown college.
ReplyDeleteComfort's offer is tempting, since I will be getting the "best seat in the house". I wonder if he'll designate a few Christians to feed me grapes?
ReplyDelete@Jill
ReplyDeleteI remember that! He posted that a couple of weeks before banning Clos. But I was the 1st (of the raytractors) that I know of to be threatened to be banned. Not because I was offensive, but because I used a picture of Richard Dean Anderson as my avatar and went by the name MacGyverJr. I drew his Attention? because I was posting a bunch of errors on a bible errors post back in April. Thanks for reminding me of it :), Great times
"Ray Comfort said...
"MacGyver Jr"
You are infringing copyright law with the unlawful use of Richard Dean Anderson's picture and the MacGyver name. Please change it or I will have to ban you from this blog. Thanks."
Ray Comfort said...
ReplyDeleteRyan...it is awesome. Just yesterday we captured it (removed the bad word, and edited a gospel message into it. We can legally do this under the "Fair use" law)
This was the video from ER, wasn't it? The 're-purposing' he did there was totally outside accepted 'fair use' policy.
He really is a hack - not a word his own...
at MacGyver Jr
ReplyDelete"Ray Comfort said...
"MacGyver Jr"
You are infringing copyright law with the unlawful use of Richard Dean Anderson's picture and the MacGyver name. Please change it or I will have to ban you from this blog. Thanks."
LOL
How does he know you're not MacGyver's kid? :-) At least you didn't call yourself "Christ Follower"...
You better be careful, the best seat in the house might be a Judas Cradle.
ReplyDeletePicture
SIMPLY AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteI'd ask if Ray had any scruples, but he probably took them from his neighbour.
Also, Mac, I like the current picture.
I'll suggest that the fair use notice is never going to be read if it stays at the bottom of the page. Perhaps we could either move it to the top or reconfigure this site to multiple pages.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone pointed out at Ray's site that when he says he's "writing" a book, he really means that he's cut and pasting a a book?
This has nothing to do with copyright. Other than the DMCA which is quickly becoming outdated and useless, copyright has little meaning on the web.
ReplyDeleteWhat Ray did was plagiarize by not giving his source. As one author to another (I was an English major in college), Ray should be ashamed of himself.
You NEVER quote another person without giving them proper credit especially in the context of a hypertextual medium!
There's no excuse; he should know better.
Since they edited it again (to add Richard's Picture) I sent another email. I have nothing better to do today (that I'm not already doing) so I'll send this every time they modify it without citing us.
ReplyDeleteEmail 3:
For a group that see themselves as the moral high ground or at least a source of what that high ground is, I find it amusing that you continue to act in a churlish and depraved manner such as this.
"Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not." Proverbs 29:24
I also think it funny that they have not approved any comments yet.
Yeah, I noticed they haven't approved any comments yet, and I haven't even been sending batches of five Great Post, Ray comments yet.
ReplyDeleteRufus, you're not banned!
ReplyDeleteAfter a day's worth of comments, only one got through:
Rufus said...
Ray:
If you're going to lift a comment from The Raytractors, at least have the nerve to cite where you got it from.
September 24, 2008 1:36 AM
Well done! ;-) You are the lucky bastard to have made it through the censors.
Nice job Rufus, w00t w00t
ReplyDeleteIt just seems weird that my comment is the only one that made it through. I kinda feel like I have a bullseye on my back now.
ReplyDeleteI just refreshed the page. Your comment is gone now.
ReplyDeleteI posted the following comment. Since it's phrased as a response to esly carrero, maybe it'll get through...
ReplyDelete***********************************
esly carrero said
"Who is this guy anyways???"
As they say in wikipedia: [citation needed]
His blogger username is Mjarsulic. He posts fairly frequently on the Raytractors blog, which you can get to from the profile of many who frequent on this site, including me.
The post in question, which has been edited slightly by Ray (one bullet point is missing), is entitled "Transformed!!!", and is timestamped at 5:04 PM, 23rd of the 9th, 2008.
Several other posters on that blog have informed Ray of the fact that not citing sources when the quote is taken directly and in full may be an infringment of plagiarism laws. They respectfully request that he provide a URL or at least the details of the poster.
I actually agree with Mjarsulic: this is an excellent idea. If I lived in America, I'd go with him to see Ray in person. However, I would prefer to remain under the radar and simply watch: though I enjoy debating science and pseudoscience on the net, in person I prefer to avoid direct confrontation.
***********************************
And it's saved here as evidence for all to see...
I haven't tracked it down yet, but I posted something to Ray's Blog yesterday requesting proper attributions - and I haven't seen it appear yet.
ReplyDelete