SAY WHAT???

"Q: I am thinking about starting a blog for profit on a shoestring budget. I know that Google’s Blogger service is free, but I wonder how using it affects my intellectual property. Would I retain full ownership of what I write on Blogger, both financially and intellectually?

Perkins Cashio, Maringouin, La.

A: Google says yes, but I don’t think it’s that clear-cut. Google gives contradictory statements about intellectual property in its terms of service for Blogger and its other services. As a result, you may not have control over how your words are altered or used.

Google’s terms of service (see tinyurl.com/csfcnam) say, “You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.”

While that sounds good, Google’s terms of service also say, “When you upload or otherwise submit content to our services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.”

So it seems Blogger can use your material any way it wants without consulting you."

Written by Steve J. Alexander of the Star Tribune, published September 10, 2013 at http://www.startribune.com/business/223198581.html

What should I do?
Copyright (c) 2013 Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved.

NEW YEAR WISHES

World Peace. Yes, but let’s be practical. My number one aspiration for 2013 is a full time job with benefits in the Twin Cities, MN area, preferably the East Metro. I want a job that I am good at and enjoy, with a nice boss and co-workers. I need enough money to pay the bills, donate to charity, and save for retirement. I continue to diligently apply for positions and seek interviews.

Second desire is a beau. It would be enjoyable to have romantic companionship. A nice man with integrity, intelligence, and wit. Single and a nonsmoker. Physical contact, mmm. He should be politically liberal-leaning, patron of the arts, tolerant of people that he disagrees with, and likes cats. I have recently joined a no-cost online dating service and will write about my adventures.

Good health is a perennial requirement. I need to lose weight but otherwise I am doing okay. Gradually, more aches and pains are expressing themselves. I don’t heal as quickly as I used to and my energy level can wane at times. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Despite all the stress of life, I have been able to maintain a fairly optimistic attitude. I hit nasty bumps but I’m getting better at returning to level emotional ground. It’s all about how I react to problems. I can only control my response.

Spiritual well being is another method of emotional grounding. I’m glad that I joined the Unitarian-Universalist faith-based group last year. They are extremely liberal and tolerant. I can be an Animist who questions the existence of Creator(s) and be welcomed as a member of the congregation. I am becoming more active and getting to know people.

I continue to yearn for a better relationship with members of my family. Unfortunately, that has been an unfulfilled wish for many years. It’s better for my mental health just to stay away from them. No matter what I say or do, they consider it wrong. I feel too vulnerable right now to deal with their drama. Sad, sad situation.

Creativity is another objective. I greatly enjoy blogging, volunteering, and coordinating the Cash Mob St Paul MN group. I’d like to explore creative writing and visual arts. It’s been a while since I’ve let my imagination run wild. I don’t expect to make money but perhaps I can craft gifts for my friends.

As always, thank you for your readership. I am most honored that you patronize this odd blog. I greatly appreciate your support and when you refer others to view my writings. The more the merrier!

Have a Fantastic 2013!
© 2013 Ima B. Musing

CREATIVELY LEADING

The National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture’s 2012 Conference is being held in the Twin Cities from September 6th – 8th. I have been selected as an official “Documenter” for the conference! I will be interviewing participants and posting the discussions on the NAMAC website: http://namac.org/2012-conference-blog I am not certain of the date of my first posting, but just watch their site for my contributions. Thus, I’ll be taking a brief hiatus from my personal blog to volunteer in this capacity.

As you know, I am both a consumer and creator of the ubiquitous “media.” I read a lot, watch a lot, and think too much. I really enjoy writing my observations and self-publishing in this online virtual world of the Blog-o-sphere. Haven’t made a dime, but that is okay. I’m just honored that people actually read my odd and arcane views.

Blogging has provided some interesting opportunities. I really enjoy promoting artists, writers, and local businesses. It’s been delightful meeting folks and making new friends. As an adult, it can be a challenge to do the precious metal thing – “make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” All positive relationships are dear to me.

As for NAMAC qualifications, I was raised in a creative family. My parents had an arts-n-crafts business and we displayed their creations at county fairs and art shows throughout southern Minnesota. I’ve always puttered with drawing, painting, and montages. As a teenager, I participated in the 4-H Arts-In show (featured at the Minnesota State Fair). I was a Studio Arts major for a while in college before I switched over to Communications. I have worked at both the Guthrie Theater and Walker Art Center.

Once I learned how to read, a challenge due to my mild dyslexia, I have been a consumer of words. My favorite distraction is to fall into a book. A good story is the best stress reliever. I love to write but spelling is a weakness so I am forever grateful to the inventor of spell-check. I was the news editor of my high school paper and dreamt of becoming a professional journalist. However, the 1980s was still a very male-dominated era and I didn’t want to have to play games to be permitted to write an article. Sadly, I switched to another major but twenty-some years later I have returned to my first avocation, writing. Middle-aged crisis, No, because I didn’t feel stressed about it and I am only 40-something. I just wanted to fulfill this yearning since my youth. I guess it was a positive impulse because I’ve been very pleased with the results.

Please check the NAMAC website for my postings. I’ll return to my personal blog as soon as I find something interesting to say… probably September 9th.

See Ya at the NAMAC Conference!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

DESPERATELY SEEKING INVESTIGATORS

Web 2.0+ is grand in many ways. I applaud citizen journalists that diligently report what is occurring in their neighborhood. It is wonderful to read stories that may have been ignored by mainstream media a few years ago. However, sometimes I wonder if all the stories are based in fact because some state opinion and hearsay. Opinion and hearsay, also known as slander, is akin to bullying. The only exception are opinion columns or video blogs. This blog is based upon my opinion, however I choose not to spread rumors.

The damage to people and institutions can be horrific because of a false rumor. Slanderous statements purporting that a politician isn’t a citizen or is a different faith than where the elected official attends services, such hokum. My silly sibling likes to send me emails that spread hatred against a specific faith. The information isn’t based in fact, just opinion or an extrapolation of one radical’s words, which is hooey. One extremist, like the idiot who wanted to burn holy books in Florida, doesn’t represent the majority of the faith, just a few fools.

I miss investigative journalists who were keen on integrity. Not too long ago the mainstream media sponsored curious people to seek out corruption and expose it to the public, like Watergate. With the decrease in funding, these investigations have ground to a halt. Greedy evil people will do their deeds unchecked because it is unlikely that a citizen journalist will have the resources to expose the corruption. A few nonprofit journalistic organizations have started but their funding is limited.

I also miss human-interest stories. Local news has become a police blotter; they mostly report crime, which is depressing and doesn’t represent what is really occurring in the community. I hate it when the “local” news eats up time with irrelevant stories that aren’t even local. Since they don’t have time to check facts, they will repeat the slanderous stories and cause harm.

Too many crime, murder and blood shows (Law & Order, CSI franchises, cops & criminals, etc) are on tv. Why don’t the media companies dedicate an hour every week to feel-good stories about real people who help their community? One hour without blood. Instead, we are lucky if they have one feel-good story on the news each week. I can’t afford cable so I watch PBS or read a book. No DVD player and my computer is dial-up so I can’t watch anything there.

Journalists, where are you???
© 2010