Beer, sausage and stem cells

I’m going to Germany in the summer and thought I might get some work done while I’m there.  In between the requisite eating and drinking of course.

If anyone hears about any interesting stem cell related research coming out of Germany, please let me know or send the link to the paper!  I would love to contact researchers for a meet and greet and do a little write-up about their work.  I’ll be in and around Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich over three weeks.

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Update: Dec5-Dec11

Wow, what a crazy weekend.  I had a lot of fun at ASH 2010 and I’ll put up a post on that soon.  If any readers are contemplating a trip to Orlando, I have to warn you – the water is absolutely disgusting.  At the convention centre, at the hotel… everywhere…  I do not advocate bottled water, but I kid you not, the tap water smelled and tasted like swamp.  I am eternally grateful to live in Vancouver where the water is decent and good food is the norm rather than the exception!!

• The world this week has been fixated on the Wikileaks cable releases and the subsequent back lash from the United States government.  I think as writers, we should all be concerned when governments begin to pressure private companies to take action against a publisher of information, be it Wikileaks or your local newspaper.  Where is the backlash against the person who actually stole the information in the first place?
• Speaking of media – scientists and bloggers  have rallied together to critique and question NASA’s press release and publication on arsenic-based life, and NASA’s subsequent dismissal of the “credibility” of bloggers.
• The recent shark attacks in Egypt are now being attributed to multiple sharks.  While frightening for tourists and  residents, I can’t shake the dark feeling that some people will again use these attacks to justify hunting sharks, when in fact, illegal feeding and irresponsible “tourism” is most likely to blame.

Not a lot of good news, I’m afraid!  On my end, I will be finishing up part 2 of both the biogeography and rodent anesthesia series this week, stay tuned!  I should also have a new blog coming up on the Stem Cell Network in the next week or two.

 

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Say no to blatant, unauthorized reprinting of articles and blogs!

I have to admit, I had decided to lay off criticizing CALAS Pacific (at least for a little while) and focus on more important issues in science, ethics and research. But time and again, CALAS is practically falling all over themselves to give me writing material. And this one takes the cake.

Remember the little thing you learned in school about how copying other people’s works is bad? Well, apparently that message did not resonate with the members of the CALAS Pacific executive committee.

In their latest newsletter, they’ve cut and paste an article verbatim from Associated Free Press journalist Otto Bakano, entitled “Sniffer ‘hero rats’ saving lives in minefields and labs”. I’ll remind everyone that this newsletter is a PAID access newsletter. You must subscribe to receive it. And reprinting another person’s work in a paid access newsletter without credit, a byline or even a link to the original article and author is illegal, unethical and completely disrespectful to writers everywhere.

Here’s the original article, again.

And here’s a cut out of the newsletter. I will note that since this article is not legally theirs, I am not reprinting private material. I blanked out the name of the CALAS member who physically submitted the article. Nice that they gave her credit for googling an article but could not give credit to the author, eh?

“From different websites”?  A simple google search of the title clearly yields the name of the author of this article.  Not so hard to give a guy his due credit is it?

Writers, bloggers and social media unite! Nothing is worse than having your work and words stolen without due credit. To know that your work is populating a paid subscription while you are not receiving any compensation – insult on top of injury.

And in case anyone would like to argue that the Associated Free Press is happy to have people redistribute their work, here’s their disclaimer (2), which is found by following the “copyright” link at the end of the original work:

Copyright © 2010 AFP. AFP text, photos, graphics and logos shall not be used for commercial purposes, reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP content, or for any actions taken in consequence. AFP materials may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer except for personal non-commercial use. As a newswire service AFP does not obtain release from the subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, graphics or quoted in its text. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted material where the marks and material are included in AFP photos or content. You shall be solely responsible for obtaining any and all the necessary releases from whatever individual or entity is necessary for any of your uses of AFP material. You agree to indemnify AFP from any losses, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorney fees) it incurs as a result of any claim based on your use of its materials in violation of these terms.

Think this sucks? Let’s let the world know!

Leave a comment on my blog!
Retweet the following on Twitter: RT @AlbinoMouse Writers and bloggers deserve credit for their work! http://bit.ly/9VcG7p #CALAS

Disclaimer: (1) I am not personally associated with AFP in any way.  (2) Bolding in this text is my own edit, and not theirs.

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