Everything has a reason...

I grabbed a photo of a Castle from  the internet and got this email:

It has come to my attention that you have made an unauthorized use of my copyrighted work, a photo entitled Castelul Hunanzilor, which will from hereon be referred to as the Work.

I have reserved all rights in the Work, first published in 2004, [and have registered copyright therein].

Your work, http://eduardomiranda-plog.blogspot.com/ , is using, without authorization, my Work. - for photo infringement

As you failed to receive permission to use the Work within Castelul Hunanziolor and did not receive permission to make or distribute copies, [including electronic copies,] you have infringed my rights under 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq. and could be liable for statutory damages as high as $150,000 as set forth in Section 504(c)(2).

Such an Artist, uh? This is what I call a copyrighted mind ! Well, I have to thank this person. His/her attitude made me search for another illustration of a castle - but not any castle. I deliberately searched for the same castle, and guess what? I ended up finding a better work, from an artist who is more interested in spread the art than trying to make a profit by threatening people. Check it out!

Yes, the Internet is a vast world... wide... web. Some people should just stay away from it.

Aesop's fable

Tells Aesop in his fables that one day his master - Xanthus - asked him to go to the market and buy the best that he could find to serve as a meal for some guests. Aesop went out and bought a bunch of hog's tongues. Asked why tongues, Aesop justified:

Is there anything better than the tongue? It is the bond of life, reason, and through what the cities are built and policed. Thanks to it people are not only educated, persuaded and convinced in the assemblies, but also fulfill the first of all duties, which is to praise God.

Xanthus, willing to embarrass Aesop, asked him to go back the day after and buy the worst he could find. The next day Aesop brought hog's tongues again. Without understanding anything, Xanthus asked for an explanation:

The tongue is the mother of all questions, the origin of all cases, the source of discord and war. On one hand if it is the organ of truth, is also another error, and worse yet, slander and infamy, because if at some point it praises the gods, on the other is used for blasphemy and impiety.

Where ones read tongue, read word. The word - especially the written word - is a powerful instrument. And it must be used properly and with discretion. Because of these and others I always say: Do not imbecilize yourself! Avoid the temptation of abbreviations and simplified spelling (of words sic). MSN, Twitter, Facebook, email... they all are tools that came to aid communication, not to deteriorate languages.

Call out this manifesto, whatever the language you write!