A few weeks back, I noticed a seller on an online selling venue selling PDFs of patterns that looked REALLY familiar. Since they had requested to join a team I manage, I thought I would be nice and caution her against this. Lawyers are hungry people (apparently Disney's lawyers have a particularly voracious appetite for copyright and trademark infringers! but I digress) and who wants an official letter telling them in legalese that what they're doing is stealing?
After a week or so, the patterns were still up. So...YES, I DID contact the magazine that published them. I had a brief reply thanking me and mentioning this had been passed on to their lawyers. The patterns were removed, so I assumed the magazine or its lawyers contacted the seller.
BUT, a few weeks later, BAM! The patterns were put right back up in the seller's shop.
I contacted the magazine again, via the person who replied to my first message, and got an answer today...this has been passed on (again) to their lawyers, AND the selling venue has been contacted, so there's a possibility this shop will be shut down.
I mean, honestly...what HONEST person ignores a friendly word of advice and prefers to wait to see if they're busted by the legal owner? Of course, most honest people KNOW you cannot sell scans of someone else's work legally, or even morally.
Now, 'who wants an official letter telling them in legalese that what they're doing is stealing?' The same person who admits she doesn't know *who* designed the patterns, they were in her collection and she wanted to 'share' at 'bargain' prices. I have a feeling if her shop is shut down, she is such a generous, sharing person (with other people's goods anyway) that she'll merely open up under another name.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
The pitter patter of little feet!
It took several weeks after our cat passed away in January for me to even consider getting another cat or kitten.
When I was finally ready to think about it, *someone* put their foot down: no more pets! Then, a couple weeks later, it was "no more pets before we go on vacation". Last week, *someone* decided while we were in Windsor that we would stop at the humane society on the way home. Of course, that someone was looking at dogs, our 13yo and I looked at the numerous cats and kittens. Sadly, it did not surprise me that there were SO many kittens, a lot of people don't feel it's important to spay or neuter a cat. (side note: if you have EVER had a female cat go into heat, you would NEVER consider NOT spaying a female ever, ever, ever again! The added benefit of neutering a male: if he has not yet sprayed, chances are, after the surgery, he will not spray. Cat spray is as much a desired fragrance as skunk spray. Not quite as potent, but definitely pungent.)
We humoured my husband and did look at the dogs--if we didn't have two already, I would certainly have considered one or two of them!--then suggested he look at the cats with us.
The result: we brought our 16yo back the next day to help pick one out.
After 'test driving' 4 kittens ranging from 2-9 months, three of us couldn't agree. I was easy. We took a few minutes to discuss things outside, then went back in and saw a 2 month old calico kitten, similar to the older one my husband had looked at. An assistant showed us into what I shall call the visitor's room, brought in the kitten, and we ALL agreed.
Now, technically, we are only fostering her until a week after her appointment in July to be spayed. I didn't ask what they do with people who don't show up for the appointment, but curiosity may force me to ask in July. Hopefully they chase the people down and either retrieve the animal, or force the 'foster parents' to bring the animal in for the surgery. I'm sure most people who see the result of people refusing to take responsibility for their pets wouldn't consider avoiding the appointment, though. (says Sally hopefully)
My husband picked up little Cairo the next day, and she has certainly made herself at home. One coincidence: the birthdate on her papers happens to be the same day my sister Sue (1968-2002) was born--March 17th.
A week later, Cairo still tries to play with our older cat, who seems to have forgotten what it was like being the new kid on the block and trying to make friends with a grumpy older resident...she is warming up a bit to the dogs, today I even caught her laying on her back trying to swat our part sheperd's tail as he stood in front of my husband wagging it. I imagine that must be tempting to a young kitten! And, little Cairo doesn't hiss and growl if one of the dogs gets too close, as long as they don't move too quickly.
I have discovered that Cairo likes my laptop. The computer too...but the laptop more. When it's closed, she lays on top of it. When someone is using it, she walks across it. Which can lead to some momentary confusion when your top toolbar suddenly disappears, or you can't scroll or click on anything.
I think she also likes the television, I'll know for sure if I come into the room to find the tv tuned to Animal Planet instead of Space.
When I was finally ready to think about it, *someone* put their foot down: no more pets! Then, a couple weeks later, it was "no more pets before we go on vacation". Last week, *someone* decided while we were in Windsor that we would stop at the humane society on the way home. Of course, that someone was looking at dogs, our 13yo and I looked at the numerous cats and kittens. Sadly, it did not surprise me that there were SO many kittens, a lot of people don't feel it's important to spay or neuter a cat. (side note: if you have EVER had a female cat go into heat, you would NEVER consider NOT spaying a female ever, ever, ever again! The added benefit of neutering a male: if he has not yet sprayed, chances are, after the surgery, he will not spray. Cat spray is as much a desired fragrance as skunk spray. Not quite as potent, but definitely pungent.)
We humoured my husband and did look at the dogs--if we didn't have two already, I would certainly have considered one or two of them!--then suggested he look at the cats with us.
The result: we brought our 16yo back the next day to help pick one out.
After 'test driving' 4 kittens ranging from 2-9 months, three of us couldn't agree. I was easy. We took a few minutes to discuss things outside, then went back in and saw a 2 month old calico kitten, similar to the older one my husband had looked at. An assistant showed us into what I shall call the visitor's room, brought in the kitten, and we ALL agreed.
Now, technically, we are only fostering her until a week after her appointment in July to be spayed. I didn't ask what they do with people who don't show up for the appointment, but curiosity may force me to ask in July. Hopefully they chase the people down and either retrieve the animal, or force the 'foster parents' to bring the animal in for the surgery. I'm sure most people who see the result of people refusing to take responsibility for their pets wouldn't consider avoiding the appointment, though. (says Sally hopefully)
My husband picked up little Cairo the next day, and she has certainly made herself at home. One coincidence: the birthdate on her papers happens to be the same day my sister Sue (1968-2002) was born--March 17th.
A week later, Cairo still tries to play with our older cat, who seems to have forgotten what it was like being the new kid on the block and trying to make friends with a grumpy older resident...she is warming up a bit to the dogs, today I even caught her laying on her back trying to swat our part sheperd's tail as he stood in front of my husband wagging it. I imagine that must be tempting to a young kitten! And, little Cairo doesn't hiss and growl if one of the dogs gets too close, as long as they don't move too quickly.
I have discovered that Cairo likes my laptop. The computer too...but the laptop more. When it's closed, she lays on top of it. When someone is using it, she walks across it. Which can lead to some momentary confusion when your top toolbar suddenly disappears, or you can't scroll or click on anything.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
I think I was called a liar this morning
But I did laugh. After I was safely in the back room out of earshot of customers.
I was putting some more reduced items on our produce reduced rack as an older couple were walking away. The man said to his wife "Hey, she has bags of mushrooms." So, they turned back. The woman picked up a bag from my cart and turned it over in her hands.
Her: "How much?"
Me: "They would be $4.40 a kilogram...that's about $1.99 a pound."
Her: "THAT'S not half price!"
Me: "Actually, the regular price is $8.80 a kilogram, or $3.99 a pound."
She looked at me with what looked like a mixture of disgust and anger on her face.
Her: "IT IS **NOT**!"
She put the bag down and walked off. I walked off too, after I finished at the reduced rack, and laughed as I told a fellow employee about my encounter. His response? "They're $8.80 a kilogram? Since when?" (Okay, so he hasn't been paying much attention to the mushroom price over the last few months either!)
Uh...I may not always remember what on earth day it is, and I may sometimes fib a little about my age (but when pressed, I do reveal my true age), but I've been bagging up reduced mushrooms several times a week, and they HAVE been $8.80 kg/$3.99 lb for weeks now.
It makes me wonder if she's someone who shops with total disregard for how much produce really is...until there's a 50% off sticker slapped on, THEN they're aware of the price.
Honestly, I did feel a bit sorry for her, I think I burst the bubble of denial over high prices she'd been living in.
I was putting some more reduced items on our produce reduced rack as an older couple were walking away. The man said to his wife "Hey, she has bags of mushrooms." So, they turned back. The woman picked up a bag from my cart and turned it over in her hands.
Her: "How much?"
Me: "They would be $4.40 a kilogram...that's about $1.99 a pound."
Her: "THAT'S not half price!"
Me: "Actually, the regular price is $8.80 a kilogram, or $3.99 a pound."
She looked at me with what looked like a mixture of disgust and anger on her face.
Her: "IT IS **NOT**!"
She put the bag down and walked off. I walked off too, after I finished at the reduced rack, and laughed as I told a fellow employee about my encounter. His response? "They're $8.80 a kilogram? Since when?" (Okay, so he hasn't been paying much attention to the mushroom price over the last few months either!)
Uh...I may not always remember what on earth day it is, and I may sometimes fib a little about my age (but when pressed, I do reveal my true age), but I've been bagging up reduced mushrooms several times a week, and they HAVE been $8.80 kg/$3.99 lb for weeks now.
It makes me wonder if she's someone who shops with total disregard for how much produce really is...until there's a 50% off sticker slapped on, THEN they're aware of the price.
Honestly, I did feel a bit sorry for her, I think I burst the bubble of denial over high prices she'd been living in.
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