The Real Hall of Shame

Dear "Bali Food Recipes and World Most Famous Recipes",

Not only is your grammar awful, your sense of morals and ethics is also amiss. You misunderstand the purpose of RSS feeds. It is not a source of free content for you to mine and publish on your web site. It is not content on which you can place ads to monetize your pathetic web site. It is for the convenience of my readers, so that they can read my posts in their favorite RSS reader, and be alerted of new posts on my food blog.

I left you this comment on July 14 on a plaigiarized post and it is still under moderation.

July 14th, 2007 19:13

Please desist from reproducing my posts in entirety as you do not have my permission to do so. The images on my blog have my copyright. Please remove all my images from your web site, too.

This is my first notice to you and it applies to all the posts and images you have copied verbatim from my blog.


You have the nerve to publish this on the thing that you call your web site
Note: Any comments are permitted only because the site owner is letting you post, and any comments will be removed for any reason at the absolute discretion of the site owner.


Since you did not respond nor publish my comment, I had no choice but to make a complaint with Google AdSense to report a violation. I also left you this comment a short while ago, informing you of the same - hoping that this time, it will get through to you, regardless of whatever it is that you are smoking.
July 18th, 2007 05:55

I left you a comment asking you to take down posts and images that you have copied from my food blog, Indian Food Rocks. Unfortunately you did not seem to care as my content continues to be copied.

I have reported your site to Google for abuse and violations with respect to AdSense as what you are doing violates the AdSense Terms of Service.

You still have time to take down copied content. I will be reporting this to your web host next.


Mine is not the only blog you have had the audacity to copy without permission. My friend Ashwini was shocked to find an online Mumbai magazine copying her gorgeous images. But you seem to be at it, too. You are scraping the sites of several well-known food blogs, including Orangette and Cooking With Amy.

Shame on you, Bali Recipes.

Take my content off your pathetic web site immediately.

A hat tip to Bee and Sweet Pel for the heads up.

Update (July 19, 2007): I got an email from Bali Recipes earlier this morning telling me that they have taken my content off their site and that they thought I would not mind since they linked back to my site.

I believe that recipes are for sharing and that there can be no copyright on a recipe per se. However, my stories and my pictures are my own and are not available for copying without my permission.

They took off Ashwini's posts, too. And now, when I try to access their site, I am shown a message that says that their account has been suspended.

Bali Recipes wanted me to take down this post as they have complied with my wishes. However, there are plenty of others out there that will make the same mistake - some because they are clueless about copyrights, others because they want to make a quick buck. The only way to get the message across is by writing about it over and over and over again which is why I will not take down this post.

30 comments:

Kitt said...

Well that stinks! I hope Google listens, at least. My RSS feed hadn't updated with this post yet, and I was just about to comment on your Overdose post saying I need a fix!

FH said...

Man!! This plagiarism is getting out of hand!! They just can't leave bloggers and blogs alone!! Hope they get the message.I saw Ashwini's photo too.How dare they!

bee said...

this person is lacking in creativity, but sure does have a lot of nerve.

bee said...

roflmao!!! the RSS feed actually picked up this post and put it on there.

http://balirecipes.com/2007/07/the-real-hall-of-shame

Shammi said...

bwahahahaha... cant believe balirecipes actually published this post too! Talk about REALLY stupid!!

Mrs. K said...

haha! after reading the post, I was about to respond with disgust. But after seeing the link bee posted, I think I will just laugh it away.

Suganya said...

And this post has a popularity of 47% and Aswini's 100%.

Indian Food Rocks said...

Kitt, I thought I would first report the violation using their standard form. I am also going to report it via another channel that is available to me.

As for the seafood, I couldn't get enough of the 'fresh from the sea' flavor! Man, was it good! McDonald's has a McLobster in Nova Scotia and some parts of Maine. But yikes, why would you eat that when you have fresh lobster available?!


Asha, it's free content for them and they think it's theirs for the taking. Most of them just want to make a quick buck from ads. It's rather tiresome!

Bee, the whole thing is automated because this very post has appeared on their pathetic web site. I don't think anyone is reading the comments either.

Shyam and RP, I was hoping this would happen. Can there be any more proof of what they are doing? I have some choice words for that web site but right now, I'm laughing so much that my sides are aching!

Ashwini said...

Oh gawwwwd...Manisha. This is getting out of hand. I feel so helpless. I have written so many stinkers my hands are aching and my mind is full of choice abuses but I havent got a SINGLE RESPONSE.
To think I actually took 6-8 photos of dabeli since I wasnt happy with my first attempt, used a Saturday morning to get a good shot, edited it to my liking just so Mumbai Mirror could publish it as their own!!!!! @$@#%#$
At least your experience brought a smile to my face - the RSS feed picking up even their own humiliation is ridiculous beyond words ;-) Remember the blogger before this who retained a link to your blog?!!!! I am seeing a new level of morons here

Shilpa said...

This is so sad :(.

Cynthia said...

These things really get me P-Oed!

bee said...

this is getting more and more hilarious.

http://balirecipes.com/2007/07/and-now-its-the-mumbai-mirror

musical said...

Ah! thats just crazy!

Anita said...

There were many of my posts there too: pictures, even comments, everything! I got to know because i had these pingbacks to my other embedded links! From your posts too!!

Madhuli said...

This is really bad...but I had a good laugh when the 'The Real Hall of Shame' post and the 'Mumbai Mirror' post have appeared there too!I think we need to organise another antiplagiarism drive

Nirmala said...

Its 100% true! This is the real hall of shame...but I could not stop laughing at their stupidity!

Pelicano said...

It's like they go ahead with a business deal that was never made or agreed upon (ie:a copy of others' blog posts coupled with their ads). I would never have known about this Manisha, had not a pingback been sent to my commentary because of a hyperlink to my site you had included in the post.

Totally amusing that this post is on there now- obviously this is being done automaticly!

Argus Lou said...

Hi, Manisha. I'm sorry to hear of your tangle with unscrupulous folk who take your stuff wholesale. Hope they get what's coming to them.

We keep these blogs out of love and interest, so I can imagine how hurt, outraged and angry you feel.

By the way, I got here through Cynthia's latest blog post. I've gone and made BOTH lime and lemon pickles roughly based on your recipes. ('Roughly' coz I can't get asafoetida powder and meti & fenugreek seeds.)

Gini said...

Haha..I was getting trackbacks from your posts and I see why. I tell you, no respect!!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Ashwini, they took off our posts and then the site went down! Victory? I don't know cos I am not sure they got the issue!

Shilpa and Cynthia, most of it stems from ignorance and lack of respect for others' work.

Bee, the site is down so someone probably complained to their host or they just did not pay their hosting bill. As of writing this, it appears that they have moved to another web host as their DNS setting have changed and their domain is now parked elsewhere.

Musical and Anita, I think they felt that we would be flattered, maybe?! I don't know!

Madhuli, I think creating awareness is the key. How you handle it also helps a great deal.

Nirmala and Sia, it was funny while it lasted. Let's hope they learned their lesson and that they find a valid business model to follow.

Pel, there are more benefits to linking to other blogs than they tell you about. ;-)

Rahin, unfortunately yes. The entry barrier on the Internet is very low and since there are tools readily available, it is not rocket science to set up a web site or start an Internet based business. Whether it will succeed is a separate issue. :-D

Argus, welcome to IFR! I hopped over to your blog and loved how Cynthia met Raju. What a tale! (People, people! wait! I am not done yet...sigh...they're all gone to Argus' blog to find out more...)

No asafetida or methi seeds? Where are you located? There must be an Indian grocer somewhere nearby? But do tell me what you used instead. I am always interested in new twists!


Gini, yup! No respect!

Argus Lou said...

Dear Manisha, thanks for putting in a good word for my lil' blog. :-)
I made lemon pickle with sugar, salt, chilli powder, aniseed and mustard seed, and lime pickle with turmeric, salt, sugar, aniseed and mustard seed. Smaller amounts in little jars that used to contain olive in brine (of course, cleaned and dried thoroughly) -- just in case I'm not successful. ;-P

And then, suddenly, the clouds blocked the sun for the rest of the day. :-( Thank the cosmos, today the sun is shining strongly at least half the time.

Is it true that if there isn't enough salt, the pickle will not be preserved? I put in 6 teaspoons of salt for 1 1/2 lemons.

(I live in Switzerland but am from Malaysia. In the old days, my mum and sis made pickled kumquat and limes with salt. If you have a sore throat, it's a good cure when you mix warm water with one crushed preserved kumquat/lime and drink/eat it.)

Indian Food Rocks said...

Argus, fruit is pickled with only salt in many cultures. Pritya has left a comment about one such pickle her grandma used to make.

My understanding is that pickled foods need salt for preserving and curing. Canning and freezing foods is a different ball-game altogether. How much salt is needed? That is something that would need research on my part. (Pel, where are you?!) I would imagine that it would vary depending on the food and the expected life of the food once pickled. For under 2 lemons, I would imagine you have plenty of salt!

I've never had pickled kumquat! It must be yum!

I found this list of Indian grocery stores in Switzerland for you. You could post on that forum to ask for more info and for stores in your area. The other thing to do is to visit an Indian restaurant in your area and ask them where they buy their supplies. Here's a list of Indian restaurants in Switzerland. If they are far from you, call them. That's what I did when I lived in the boonies in upstate NY.

Argus Lou said...

Dear Manisha, thanks so much for all your help. I've registered with English Forum (Switzerland) - so I can be an active member soon, thanks to you. Didn't even know it existed.

Pickled kumquat is indeed delicious as it has a sweetish thin rind. China exports it as a sticky sweet pickle for a snack.

You are very kind. I enjoyed Pritya's story very much. Thanks for drawing my attention to it. :)

Sharmi said...

I had posted my comment, and it vanished!! did you talk to them? have they removed the post now?

Kitt said...

OK, enough dwelling! More food! Please?

Anita said...

Kitt, I see a kindred spirit in you! More food? Some food, please?

Indian Food Rocks said...

Argus, I'm happy to be of some help!

I will look for some pickled kumquat the next time I am at the Asian market. Thanks!


Sharmi, none of my comments ever came out of moderation but they did contact me. I updated the post with more info. The post is gone and so is the site! I have no clue what happened or how. I just hope they have learned something from this and will not rip off other people's content again.

Kitt and Anita, this is the best I can do, given the heat, the amount of work and the steady flow of visitors. Happy now?! :-D

Anjali Koli said...

Manisha just stay put! You did the good thing. Thieves Bali guys are.

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Indian Food Rocks said...

Anjali, their site has disappeared in the ether. I am not entirely sure that the message got through to them!

Sushilsingh, your comment is typical of a drive-by comment spammer. I am not interested in your "best and free" portal. I have my own blog to publish whatever I need to and retain my copyright. Please find other ways to promote your Internet property without posting such comments on my blog and others' blogs. Please also note that comments of this nature from you and your friends will be deleted without an explanation.