I've been harvested

Buy wisely, if you didn't, call this number to avoid foreclosure.

I've posted before about my writing being "harvested"--my term--for being lifted and posted on another site. Well, a few hours after yesterday's post, a comment appeared about how I could get more information on the topic of the post. Turns out the links led to two sites which consist of nothing but excerpts from other people's writings and Youtube posts and so on. Not one original word on the site but lots of ads. I commented with a request to remove my material but doubt there will be a response. I also flagged both blogs via Blogger but doubt there will be any action. I could file a complaint with Google but of course protecting one's rights takes a lot of time which right now I don't have.
It is merely a matter of principle. The principle in my mind is that I wrote it, it's mine. You don't get to take it. Even though my site was linked, the site basically uses another's work to make money. Not just mine, many people's. I don't want to contribute. Period.
In fact it has been hard to get my writing removed from previous sites. At least I get the pleasure of tilting at windmills. Probably won't get much more satisfaction than that.
By the way, lest you think I am a big spoilsport, I don't mind non-commercial use of my photos with prior permission (as in just ask nicely) and a link or other attribution. And I certainly don't mind a friend posting something to the effect of "sarala said something interesting on her blog the other day, blah, blah, blah." I just don't like blatant theft with a profit motive.
The plus side is that I did a little surfing about protection of content and one thing led to another and I found this great group called Improv Everywhere. They are sponsoring something called New Pants 2K9 which involves riding on public transportation sans pants, what else? Undies are definitely allowed, by the way. And guess what, there is a Chicago chapter (and many more, check out the site) with the main event on January 10th. No I'm not going. Too busy, chicken, shy, cold whatever. But I will smile just knowing that some brave Chicagoans are baring their legs to amuse and baffle the rest of us.

Tres Weird

Ok, this is a small thing in the big picture of things but here goes. Blogger used to have what my kids call a "glitch". This glitch was the presence of phantom comments that appeared on what Blogger called the "dashboard" but which I could not publish. I figured out how to publish all except one such comment which has been on my dashboard since, well, 12/5/06. I just assumed that this comment would be there forever, or at least as long as I, or Blogger, stays in this business. Well today, the comment appeared as a new/old comment to be moderated, a succinct comment, one word, "congratulations." That was it. I published it. I have no idea even what post it went to. No more phantom. It will seem strange not to have that one, last, lonely straggler.

Word Verification

I can't get word verification on Blogger to work right now. Is it just me or is it universal?
So if you have a blogger blog, I can't comment. Sorry.

Photoblogging

I decided to try out a free photoblog site. I like Blogger for text but it doesn't compete with some of the photo sites. I have doubts about maintaining two sites but the other will be only to post one photo a day and to use for photo memes. I think I'll post the photo here as well but use the larger format on the other site for the "official" entry. I picked the truly original name, Sarala's photoblog. Feel free to check it out although there is only one photo downloaded--it seems to be a photo a day site.
Today's photo is for Moody Monday's theme, content. The photo was taken on a warm Autumn day in Indiana.

On Blogging--Blog Advice Wanted

So I have two problems with Blogger, at least I think the problem is with Blogger. This is not a rant. Overall Blogger serves me well and the price is right.
Problem #1: I broke down and tried to add Mr. Linky--no luck. I followed the instructions to the best of my ability and no Mr. Linky. Has anyone else had this problem? Any advice?
Problem #2: Blogger eats comments. A long time ago I noticed on my dashboard that there were 3 comments noted that did not exist. In other words, Blogger told me I had 3 unpublished comments but if I clicked on Moderate Comments there were none. I decided to live with this since everything else was fine. Well, yesterday 3 increased to 4 then 5. I had thought that maybe the comments never existed but today I found that I did have e-mail notification of actual comments that Blogger wouldn't let me publish. But if I clicked publish comments on the e-mail the comments were appropriately published. Strange, to say the least. I am kind of attached to comment moderation--I haven't gotten hate mail yet but I would like to be able to get rid of same. I guess since this isn't a rant and I have no real plan to change anything, this is more of a question. Has anyone else had this problem?

New Template

I changed my template. I liked the old one but wanted to make some minor adjustments to widths of columns and so on. The problem was I couldn't figure out how to do this and keep the rounded corners where they belonged. So I'm trying this template which has square edges. My first few efforts at modifying the template myself weren't so hot, so I'm leaving it as Blogger created it for the time being. So far, I find this template a little boring. I'd like to change the header to a design of my own, for one thing. Since this requires a bit more work and knowledge it may take me a while.
Today being yet another work day, I have to keep my responsibilities in mind. It is amazing how earning a living intrudes on one's hobbies.
Comments welcome, as ever.

Blogger miscellany

So I did my duty clogging up the blogosphere with my comments on other people's sites. I had no idea blogging came with all these obligations. Or am I just a compulsive, blog-addict?
I may create the first 12 step group for bloggers. #1 We admit that we are powerless over our blogging. #2 (I forget what the second step is--maybe something about a higher power? Any 12 steppers out there to help me out? Actually one of my proudest possessions is a copy of the "big book" given to me by a patient, but I have no clue where it is at present. Probably in a box never unpacked from my last office move.
I have two blogger problems of late. The first is that blogger thinks I have an unmoderated comment but if I click on it tells me there are no unmoderated comments. This is mildly annoying. Of course there may be any number of immoderate comments. But they should be all moderated by now. Especially since part of my blog addiction is to check for unmoderated comments whenever I am on-line.
More annoying is that I have to sign in afresh to blogger each time I want to access my dashboard from the blog itself. This started recently when I downloaded a new firewall. It turns out two firewalls are definitely worse than one (or as my secretary puts it, windows firewalls don't play well together). I discovered to my dismay that it requires much labor and uncertainty to remove my old firewall. I am afraid I will accidentally dismantle my entire computer while doing so. I also think it will take me on the order of an hour to accomplish this. Problem #2 is probably not blogger's fault. As my husband would gleefully gloat it is because I still use Windows machines and not Apples. As I've retorted only a million times, Apple doesn't support the software I use at work. Sigh.
Last, but not least, I've added a few links to my blogroll. (You know who you are). Fellow bloggers are what make this fun.

Take a Hike

Today is one of those rare days when it is a joy to walk outside in Chicago. The joke I heard somewhere about Chicago's weather is that there are two seasons, winter and construction. Today would be better categorized as Indian Summer. It is one of those days that make winter and hot and humid more acceptable.

Of course, I wasted most of the day playing with Blogger templates and trying to reload my counters. I got the map counter but not the other one. Sometimes this computer addiction just isn't worth it. At least now I know what HTML looks like. Too bad I cannot figure out where to put the widgets.

Well so as not to be a computer hypocrite, I'm going outside now. I'll take a few pictures to post. This will prove I am not powerless over my internet addiction and that the weather is as nice as I say.

Ta Ta for now.

Randomness and Skepticism

Random 1: Blogger beta really needs to let us link to Blogger sites and so forth. I cannot even comment on a site I like anymore or use the link function.
Random 2: I don't have much time to write before work this morning but I have a new project. My random surfing brought me to some skeptic blogs. And by fate or coincidence, last night I was at a professional meeting and suggested that members of my profession should put more educational information about quack medicine out into the ether (or on paper). So now I am thinking of submitting to Skeptics Circle about one of my pet peeves. I have many so I won't commit to which one at present. I have some serious family obligations this weekend so don't hold your breath. Stand by for a little controversy.
Random 3: I'm not sure what photo co-ordinates well with this theme but doesn't this cow look skeptical?

Blogger Beta

Blogger is telling us that we can now download pictures from Flickr. After too many frustrating moments I am going to try yet again. . . . If no photo appears I will leave this up as a testament to technology and beta versions of the same.

Kea photo

This is a picture of the main town on the Cyclades island of Kea. It is also my best effort at getting a photo to appear on Blogger. So it is in no particular order in time. In fact this picture was taken about 10 days ago. We were very fortunate to be hosted on Kea by an old college friend of my husband who is Greek and now owns a vacation home on the island. Kea is far less touristy than the islands of Mykonos and Santorini which is one of the attractions to folks from Athens and other parts of the Greek mainland.
The other nice thing that has happened tonight besides my learning the interface between Picasa and Blogger is that I can do this sitting outside of the farmhouse that we are staying in outside of Lucca. What a treat. I wish I could do this for the rest of the summer but next week it is back to home and work. Maybe my wireless will at least allow me to sit outside of my house in the U.S. and blog (at least until the weather gets too cold.)
Well bedtime for now. More photos to follow.