I got a good blog related email this week and one not so good. The good one was from a Juneau Douglas High School student who asked if he could use one of my photos for his science project. Part of their rules requires that they get permission to use photos and give credit for photos they use on their posters. He didn't know I was in Juneau and I surprised him when I showed up to see his project.
Here he is explaining his project where he tested crushed cow parsnip in water as a way to naturally kill mosquito larvae. I'll do a longer post on the science fair later.
The other communication wasn't nearly as pleasant. It was a letter from a San Diego attorney alleging that I had libeled his client and that he was giving me a week to remove the offending post. While I didn't think there was anything wrong with the post - you regulars know that I'm pretty careful about what I say - I have engaged an attorney. I can say that the letter caused me to poke around a bit and things get more and more interesting. I'll put up more soon. The offending post is this one.
You only stated facts, Sir Steve. We'd love to see another high quality film festival, and I know you will report on it if this one does anything.
ReplyDeleteReading about locations. . . does the attorney have a similar suite?
Bogus folks don't like being called on their bogosity, do they? Let's hope that a stiffly worded letter from your attorney will convince the bogus "festival" disorganizer's attorney that it will cost him big time to sue you.
ReplyDeleteSomething tells me the "attorney" from that website is a fake too. DZ
ReplyDeleteLet me just say a few things in response to the comments. I ask all commenters on this topic to voice their opinions carefully and to not make characterizations of people that you cannot substantiate.
ReplyDelete1. The attorney does appear to be an attorney.
2. It may well be that the organization complies with all the conditions that they set out in their website regarding what they do with films and awards. In that sense they may well not do anything illegal.
3. Bigger questions arise about whether how they operate is consistent with film makers' expectations of how traditional film festivals work and how application monies are used, how films are showcased, etc.
As we say in Hungary (usually oder people): enyje-bejnye. What about the American liberalism and zero censorship? :P I read it through (not very precisely I admit) but it was digestable to me and I won't be the symbol of liberalism. :D
ReplyDeleteI'm not a lawyer, but I'm having great difficulty finding anything libelous in what you wrote. Pretty fact-based. I wonder if this San Diego attorney also sent a letter to filmmaking.net.
ReplyDeleteI notice the putative film festival has a Twitter feed with one tweet dated 8/14/09 & a Facebook page last updated 7/8/09.
ReplyDeleteMel, yes, he also sent them one too.
ReplyDelete