It’s decision day–or maybe not, considering this excerpt from the Lunar outlook on the ECLIPSE readers protected page:
The Moon in Aquarius may have to struggle for our attention; with Sun conjunct Mars also in the sign of the waterbearer, the emotions may feel shunted to the side–it may be like the ego/ identity asserting itself will take center stage, and the feelings will be filtered through the intellect (Aquarius). It may make for a disconnected feeling that seems to be all ‘I am, I want.’ Sensitives may be just that; like an open wound, we may seek to assuage an unattributable sadness or hurt, but the mind makes a poor band-aid, and we could end up feeling woefully neglected in our quest to just feel better.
I’m going to spend the day meditating on whether to continue public posts at all; being ripped off is not a good feeling, especially when the perpetrators hide behind cutesy screen names, which are supposed to indicate they are One with Nature and therefore what they do is GOOD, and who become indignant, screeching about their rights, when they are asked to remove stolen material. I won’t even approach these people anymore. The internet seems to have spawned a group of users who believe that to exploit the work of others is their privilege; it’s already driven some of my colleagues to leave the scene entirely. So, I invite those who want to continue to read what I have to say to subscribe–this seems to be the only way I can control access to my work, and to earn a decent wage. I know many are on tight budgets–but after years of showing up, day after day, and delivering free content, only to have it taken by others, I’m fairly sure I’m getting off this merry-go-round. Consider that you don’t go to work for free–and neither should I. Here’s an example: say I make lovely ceramic ash trays !!! and there are samples of my ceramic creations that I give away, and we are at a fair (the internet) where everyone has a table. Say someone comes to my table and takes armloads of my samples and puts them on their table. They think my samples are pretty and believe they will draw attention to their work. When I object, they say, “But you’re giving them away, so why can’t I take them and use them to get people to come to my business? I’m not selling them–I’M TAKING YOUR WORK AND GIVING IT AWAY”–but they are selling memberships (or other things) at their table–And that’s where they miss the point–it’s my work, and copyright laws allow me (and my heirs for seventy years after my death) to decide what happens to it–not someone trying to drum up membership sales at their Magical Mystical Fairy Forum–where most of the content is ‘borrowed’ and that’s what you’re supposed to pay them to see!
So, I will spend the day thinking on it–and believe me, this is the last time I’ll address it. (I hear a massive sigh of relief! I think that was me and everyone else!) Consider that the cost of a subscription to my newsletter is equivalent to one latte a month, is less than the cost of a single pack of cigarettes, one movie ticket, or one microbrew, per month, and that the newsletter and protected page provide guidance, astrological instruction, and a wee splash of entertainment–and then you can make your decision, too.
Many thanks to those who have subscribed–watch for an EXTRA! to your email later today.

Greetings to all~I hope that everyone is safe and warm.
Julie~I so agree with you~you provide something that I cannot get anywhere and are one of two sites that I support monthly or however it is. I am on a fixed income~but I can afford to pay the small amounts that you ask. Who else would work SO hard and give SO much of themselves FOR FREE? I am so sick of thieves making it hard for the rest of us~especially you. You have every right to be angry~I join you in your consternation.
I really hope that these thieves don’t end it for all of us.
Thank you, Sandra! You’re very kind–and your wish for everyone to be safe and warm is much appreciated when a big slice of the world is under deep freeze (or violent upset)
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Julie,
I’m always happier and more productive when I’m not angry. To do the work you do to publish your work a calm space would make it easier. Take your power back, you deserve to be paid for your work!!!
Thank you so much for your support, Inger! ‘A calm space’–a very good way to put it!
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A shame people are ripping you off. Is it not possible to stop the copy and paste brigade with technology? I hope so.
Hi James–I appreciate you empathizing (sympathizing?) Unfortunately there’s no way to block them, yet–but if you come up with something you’ll be a rich man 🙂
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You go, Julie. We are all richer for your work, time to give back. And since when has copyright infringement ever been excusable? I thought we all learned these simple rules by the second grade: You don’t cheat off someone’s else’s paper and you don’t help yourself to your classmate’s cookies.
Thank you very much, Julia–and you put it very well, we should’ve learned these lessons by second grade–somehow the internet has allowed people to forget both the law and basic courtesy. Maybe if enough people object, we can change the online culture.
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Hi, and I agree with the comments of others. Mark Helprin, an amazing writer who also has written for magazines and newspapers, wrote a book entitled, Digital Barbarism, which is concerned with copyright and passing it to one’s descendents. I have not read the book yet, learned of it last week, but clearly intellectual property should be protected, especially the likes of your work,
Julie. The breakdown of cultural values and institutions is something that
we all must be concerned with. I guess it’s a common political refrain now to chant “Who Cares?” — I care, for one! Another treasured writer wrote “The Power of One” a novel of his actual life. One person makes a difference.
Thank you so much, Julie–that you care speaks strongly of your own excellent integrity and moral fiber–and your recommendations will make for good reading. Intellectual property rights are becoming a timely and prominent topic–and now that this is being addressed openly, some kind of change to the cultural weather shouldn’t be far behind.
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I had the same thing happen when I sent jokes to Newyorker magazine, only to find them on their cover. They stole ideas, drawings and both. I imagined them sitting around a table with my drawings in the middle, anybody want to use these? I complained but still sent them material and they stole some more. They once sent me a note saying that although they appreciated getting them they were not interested and besides my drawings were ‘far to crude.’ I sent my Uncle, (who used to be a NY book publisher) and a friend who’s a cartoonist, evidence of plagerism and they were shocked but knew there was nothing they could do.
I’m sorry to hear this, Lucy. Every creative person is vulnerable–your story only points that out all too clearly.
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there must be something that’s undetectable on the copy side, but shows up on the paste, say all the periods turn into happyfaces. anyway I think the NYmag jokes went way down hill when they didn’t have me to rip-off, (that was about 7 years ago) …..don’t quit Julie
Yes, I noticed a detectable slide in quality about then 😉 I’ve decided that for public consumption I’ll post something I’m calling ‘the essence’ for each day–and that’s it–you and the other subscribers can see the full reports on the protected page, in the newsletter, and in the EXTRA bulletins–I’m at peace
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It’s hard for me to grasp that someone would even WANT to take what they know they are not the author of — do you have the ‘borrowed feathers’-saying in English? — they may look pretty, but at least the people wearing them know they haven’t created a thing?!? It’s so without honor (I know — stellium in Leo talking, but I really don’t understand the wish to steal what you know you have no claim to…?!)
As a poet beginning to send my work to periodicals, I have felt a tinge of worry this might happen (something in me must be quite confident of what I do??) — and at the same time one has to ask; when does inspiration stop and stealing start? In your case Julie, it is of course abundantly clear, with Lucy, and what I do, it is harder to draw a line or, anyway, prove anything…;-(
I think it’s a good idea to show a little of your work publicly, so that newcomers can see what they’re missing — and you get more paying subscribers…!
Love the newsletter format! Articles on Sappho/Amor (How about Eros, do you not use this at all anymore?) and Solar Arcs read, and the more permanent forecast is very informative and nice to be able to return to, knowing it ‘stays where it is’!!;-)
So glad you do ‘that thing you do’…
Pernille
And so, once again, there’s a reason I don’t comment often — it always gets longer than I imagined…?!?
We must have something similar to ‘borrowed feathers,’ I just can’t think of it!
You’re very kind in your assessment of my work, Pernille, and I appreciate it–but of course it’s important that ALL intellectual and creative property rights be respected–and of course, drawing inspiration is quite another thing to copying something outright: one is the way Art works, and one is a crime. The problem, though, doesn’t lie with other artists, because their innate impulse is to create something of their own, it lies with people who are looking only to patch together their own Frankenstein, from which they’ll get all the (attention, $$, credit, etc) they can.
So glad you like the new format!! It should deliver a lot more material, and more frequent publication makes for more of a chance to comment on current issues.
Thank you, Pernille!
jd
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What can you expect when there are huge international agencies selling essay-writing to college students. Nobody even has to get their own College or University degree any more – you can buy someone else’s work and pass it off as your own! And these agencies are quite legal.
Never ever send anyone original material or a proposal without copying and dating the submission as proof that it is your work and proof of date sent. there are copyright lawyers who specialise in this area; they cost money of course.
As for Julie’s problem I don’t know what the answer is. There is a thing called Copyscape to which people can subscribe, but it’s geared more towards protecting employers of writers I think, to make sure they are not just lifting stuff off the web; I’ve never checked it out. At least photographers can watermark their digital work
Hello Jasmine, perhaps you notice the Copyscape emblem at right? It allows me to find the copied work in the first place. Getting others to comply with removal, or just not steal in the first place, is the problem–and at this point, internet regulation is such that even using lawyers is a waste of time and money, as server location, host country, compliance or lack of it with internationally established copyright complicates things greatly. If the work were in hard copy, it would be another story.
And you ask, what can you expect? I expect my fellow human beings to show some integrity, that’s what I expect.
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Best wishes and lots of money in Metal Hare year ! Living in Warsaw, Poland I cannot suscribe any of your newsletters but I understand your concerns. Ciao, Mag
Thanks very much, Magura. The newsletter goes to your email and I accept payment only through PayPal, so subscription is possible, if you like in future.
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Am uber curious as to the birth chart of yourself and/or that of your website showing theft, etc.
PeaceBEE /(*_*)\
I’m sure you are. I’ll say this: the forming Jupiter/ Pluto square contacts my natal chart in a way that would unmistakably indicate the danger of this.
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Julie, there is a technological answer to this issue because I have run into it when trying to right click on something to add it to my favorites. A message will pop up saying something about the material being protected under copyright. I have also run across situations where a right click just doesn’t take for some reason. Dig and you WILL find a way to protect yourself and regain your freedom to post as you will. May the Blessings Be.
Hi Maggie, I’m sure there are ways, likely with a private web site; WordPress, however, doesn’t appear to have anything like this enabled. I’m fairly satisfied with what I’ve worked out, so for now this is how it will stay. Thanks for pointing out that there are tech answers available–sometimes I forget there are other ways to set things up 🙂
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