More Copyright Idiocy

It's been said, as long as they are remembered, a loved one never dies. Photos are a way to remember.

In the 90's my father sent me a photocopy he made of a faded newspaper clipping, with four people pictured: himself and three of his brothers. It was a story about the brothers' contribution during WWII. My father and two uncles were shown in their service uniforms and the fourth uncle wore a suit. These were professional sitting portraits. I remember the same photos of two of my uncles in my grandma's house. Maybe that's where the newspaper got its pictures from. There was a paragraph about each brother describing what branch he served in, his rank and where he was stationed. I estimate the news story's date to be mid to late 1944.

These uncles were my angels, and this faded clip is all I have left of them. It's all I have to show my granddaughters and son who these angels of my life were. They are all connected.

I asked my local CVS photo department if they could restore these old photos. That is a service CVS advertises, but no-- not for my pics. News photos are protected by copyright law, explained the CVS clerk, they can't reproduce these old newspaper photos. It doesn't matter if the newspaper got these photos of my father and uncles from their mother and/or sisters in the first place, which is likely.

The truth about copyright? Your work is automatically copyrighted as soon as you publish it with your name attached to it. That's why I say all writing on this blog is copyrighted. Copyright common law. And if somebody reads it and cares to share it, no problem. Just let them know who wrote this. More about copyright: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain#When_does_copyright_expire.3F

Another truth about copyright. They'll try one day, but right now they can't copyright my dead relatives. They're my blood and I'll copy their photos and share them to honor their memories. They were good people. Unknown--not rich, not famous--but good people.

There are all kinds of laws to protect the rights of companies and corporations to share (or not share) information, records, music, books and other creative works. For profit. But when Citizen Nobody wants access to his or her records, information, or wants to download a song or a video for the pure enjoyment of it, that's a whole 'nother thing.

They want us to pay them for our information. And if we listen to free music and watch movies or TV for free, we are criminals?