Now her website is back up, with my article still there!

- Leigh


----- Original Message -----
From: "Raven Alder" <raven@...>
To: <Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Anti-Plagiarism] New Member


> Hiya --
>
> * C. Leigh Nic Fhionghaile <topazowl@...> [2006-07-24
> 13:27:25 -0400]:
>>      I just tried to go to her website to check, as I have heard nothing
>> from her, and found a notice that said her domain name account was
>> suspended. So that was successful.
>>
>>      But what is to stop her from starting another up with the same
>> stuff?
>
> Unfortunately, nothing.  Basically, you have two choices.  You
> can continue to play whack-a-mole, Google for your own content, and
> complain as appropriate when that happens, or you can hire a lawyer and
> discuss your options for suing her.
>
> On the plus side, I'm glad that complaining was effective!  (It
> isn't always.)
>
> Cheers,
> Raven

Hiya --

* C. Leigh Nic Fhionghaile <topazowl@...> [2006-07-24 13:27:25 -0400]:
>      I just tried to go to her website to check, as I have heard nothing
> from her, and found a notice that said her domain name account was
> suspended. So that was successful.
>
>      But what is to stop her from starting another up with the same stuff?

	 Unfortunately, nothing.  Basically, you have two choices.  You
can continue to play whack-a-mole, Google for your own content, and
complain as appropriate when that happens, or you can hire a lawyer and
discuss your options for suing her.

	 On the plus side, I'm glad that complaining was effective!  (It
isn't always.)

Cheers,
Raven

I just tried to go to her website to check, as I have heard nothing
from her, and found a notice that said her domain name account was
suspended. So that was successful.

      But what is to stop her from starting another up with the same stuff?

- Leigh



----- Original Message -----
From: "C. Leigh Nic Fhionghaile" <topazowl@...>
To: <Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Anti-Plagiarism] New Member


>     Thank you, Raven. I have written the two addresses you provided.
>
> - Leigh
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Raven Alder" <raven@...>
> To: <Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [Anti-Plagiarism] New Member
>
>
>> abuse@...
>> hdnoc@...
>>
>> I'd try writing to those two addresses and complaining.  List
>> the URLs just like you did above, and let them know that you have tried
>> to contact the author and she has not replied.
>>
>> Good luck!
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Raven
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

Thank you, Raven. I have written the two addresses you provided.

- Leigh


----- Original Message -----
From: "Raven Alder" <raven@...>
To: <Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Anti-Plagiarism] New Member


> abuse@...
> hdnoc@...
>
> I'd try writing to those two addresses and complaining.  List
> the URLs just like you did above, and let them know that you have tried
> to contact the author and she has not replied.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Cheers,
> Raven
>

Hiya --

* C. Leigh Nic Fhionghaile <topazowl@...> [2006-07-17 20:05:54 -0400]:
>      I found out from Kym Lambert ni Dhoireann that an article I wrote, "The
Sacred Celtic Horse," has been plagerized by one Debbie Goodrich. My article,
with copyright notice, can be found here:
>
> http://home.twcny.rr.com/topazowl/celthors.htm
>
>      For comparison's sake, the lifted article, without any authorship defined
(and so one would assume it is Debbie Goodrich who wrote it), is here:
>
> http://www.deborahgoodrich.com/elfin/horse.htm
>
>      What can I do now? How do I get this woman (who calls herself an author)
to remove *my words* from her website? I'm furious!

	 If dealing with her hasn't worked, I'd try contacting the abuse
department of her ISP or hosting company.  You can find out who they are
by doing an nslookup on her domain name, like so:

whiplash:~ raven$ nslookup  www.deborahgoodrich.com
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:   www.deborahgoodrich.com
Address: 65.19.184.70

and then doing an ARIN lookup on her IP address to determine which
company owns it at http://www.arin.net/whois/.  That yields the
following information:

Search results for: 65.19.184.70
Hurricane Electric HURRICANE-4 (NET-65-19-128-0-1) 65.19.128.0 -
65.19.191.255
Host Department LLC HURRICANE-CE1412-90E (NET-65-19-184-0-1) 65.19.184.0
- 65.19.184.255
# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2006-07-17 19:10 Enter ?  for
# additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

	 When you click on the netblock, it will give you contact
information for that netblock owner, often including abuse department
information:

abuse@...
hdnoc@...

	 I'd try writing to those two addresses and complaining.  List
the URLs just like you did above, and let them know that you have tried
to contact the author and she has not replied.

	 Good luck!

Cheers,
Raven

--
  Tell me, tell me, cryptic Sibyl, what you mean by 'wibble, wibble';
  Could it be some ancient shibboleth, for centuries unheard?
  Are these words that you have spoken to be taken to betoken
  Something else? Or are you jokin'? Are they meaningless? Absurd?"
  "Wibble, wibble!" quoth the Bird. 
--http://www.braineater.com/misc/grackle.html

All it took was a search on Calgary Celtic to turn up:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryCelticTribal/

and

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgarysPTT/

Did we ever do a post on this one?  She kicked off this whole thing,
actually, when she plagiarized a handful of the people now on this
list.  Out of the blue I googled her tonight, but only found things
from 2004.  So maybe she's gotten quiet.  She's still using the Yahoo
ID which, IIRC, she set up right after Yahoo booted her for plagiarism
(and deleted not only her communities but her e-mail accounts).  Can't
recall the name of her closed community she started under the new ID.

Only activity Google turned up under known IDs, here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celticmythologyandmagick/messagesearch?query=pucch\
otha%20


and here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celticancestors/messagesearch?query=pucchotha

Yeah, she loves ye olde cut and paste.  If you've written anything
with the word "Celtic" in it, chances are that if she hasn't stolen
from you yet, she just hasn't found you.

I'd be *stunned* if she's managed to stop stealing.  I assume she'll
turn up before long under a different name.

Heya --

Quoth kathryn price theatana (Mon, May 23, 2005 at 09:18:10PM -0000):
> Do we want to limit membership in this group to writers, editors,
> activists, and people working to stop plagiarism (including people who
> have had their work plagiarized and are trying to figure out what to
> do about it)?
>
> Or would people be ok on a more general membership?

	 I'd be okay with a more general membership -- I think outreach
is likely to help us, and more education is good!

Cheers,
Raven

"We have a cloaked network."
   -- Hossein Eslambolchi, AT&T CIO

As long as I was complaining about the lack of resources, I've added a
number of new links here. Not all of them are great but they do
provide some starting points for people to learn more about plagiarism
and how to prevent it.

--- "Michael J. Small" <eumelosdrizzle@...>
wrote:

> I'm okay if you want to change this - but since I
> don't have any published works (or anything really
> 'out there' to have plagerised) I'd have to leave
> the list if you did.

Oh dear Gods, no.  That's not what I meant at all.
You've been a contributing member of this list,
providing resources and strategy.  I'm sorry if I gave
anyone the impression that sort of participation
wasn't "enough."

I'm personally for having the list be open to all but
spammers or the horribly off-topic.

What prompted this was a couple inquiries by folks who
may be young students wanting help with projects, and
I wanted to check in with others about our focus.

I'm fine on welcoming anyone who wants to fight
plagiarism and who will stay on topic and observe list
rules.

-Kathryn

"Three flames that illumine every darkness:
Truth, Nature, Knowledge."

Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyright
©2005 Kathryn Price Theatana / Caitríona NicDhàna
for Nemed Art-Ré / Moonstone Circle & The River House.
Webgoddess for http://www.bandia.net
Co-Host of The Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

I'm for opening up the group but I feel that the
resources (besides our charming personal attention) of
the group are a little slim. I'm trying to add a few
general links to the Links section about plagiarism
and detecting it. It would be good to have stuff on
the ethics of plagiarism. I think it's a little
difficult for some people to understand why pressing
CTRL-C and CTRL-V a few times is wrong. Yes, I know WE
understand.

Just some thoughts.

Paul

--- Kym ní Dhoireann <uathach9@...> wrote:
> You know, it might be a really good thing to include
> people who want to
> learn about what it is all about. It might be the
> best way to spread the
> concern. So I vote for opening it up.
> slàn,
> Kym
>
> On Mon, 23 May 2005 21:18:10 -0000 "Kathryn Price
> Theatana"
> <kathryn_theatana@...> writes:
> > This is one of those routine posts needed to keep
> the YahooGroup in
> > existence.  Though we're not working on this
> actively right now, I
> > know we should have this resource available for
> when shit happens.
> > As
> > it, no doubt, will. :-)
> >
> > A question:
> >
> > Do we want to limit membership in this group to
> writers, editors,
> > activists, and people working to stop plagiarism
> (including people
> > who
> > have had their work plagiarized and are trying to
> figure out what
> > to
> > do about it)?
> >
> > Or would people be ok on a more general
> membership?
> >
> > We have had a few inquiries now of people wanting
> to join in order
> > to
> > "learn more about plagiarism".  As co-moderator,
> I've often not
> > known
> > how to respond to these inquiries.
> >
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > -Kathryn
>
> "Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a
> good horse, a swift
> hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
> Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
> Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
> WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
> Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
> http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203


Paul Pigman
Satire for Hire, LLC
(insults for free)

Email: paul_pigman@...
Blog: demiorator.blogspot.com
Home page: www.bandia.net

You know, it might be a really good thing to include people who want to
learn about what it is all about. It might be the best way to spread the
concern. So I vote for opening it up.
slàn,
Kym

On Mon, 23 May 2005 21:18:10 -0000 "Kathryn Price Theatana"
<kathryn_theatana@...> writes:
> This is one of those routine posts needed to keep the YahooGroup in
> existence.  Though we're not working on this actively right now, I
> know we should have this resource available for when shit happens.
> As
> it, no doubt, will. :-)
>
> A question:
>
> Do we want to limit membership in this group to writers, editors,
> activists, and people working to stop plagiarism (including people
> who
> have had their work plagiarized and are trying to figure out what
> to
> do about it)?
>
> Or would people be ok on a more general membership?
>
> We have had a few inquiries now of people wanting to join in order
> to
> "learn more about plagiarism".  As co-moderator, I've often not
> known
> how to respond to these inquiries.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> -Kathryn
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


"Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a good horse, a swift
hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

I'm okay with a more open membership. I believe it'll help raise
awareness to author, editor, publisher and activist concerns.

On May 23, 2005, at 2:18 PM, Kathryn Price Theatana wrote:

> This is one of those routine posts needed to keep the YahooGroup in
> existence.  Though we're not working on this actively right now, I
> know we should have this resource available for when shit happens.  As
> it, no doubt, will. :-)
>
> A question:
>
> Do we want to limit membership in this group to writers, editors,
> activists, and people working to stop plagiarism (including people who
> have had their work plagiarized and are trying to figure out what to
> do about it)?
>
> Or would people be ok on a more general membership?
>
> We have had a few inquiries now of people wanting to join in order to
> "learn more about plagiarism".  As co-moderator, I've often not known
> how to respond to these inquiries.
>
> Thoughts?
>
Erynn
Poet-terrorist for a better society
Articulating the unspeakable since 1961: http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas

This is one of those routine posts needed to keep the YahooGroup in
existence.  Though we're not working on this actively right now, I
know we should have this resource available for when shit happens.  As
it, no doubt, will. :-)

A question:

Do we want to limit membership in this group to writers, editors,
activists, and people working to stop plagiarism (including people who
have had their work plagiarized and are trying to figure out what to
do about it)?

Or would people be ok on a more general membership?

We have had a few inquiries now of people wanting to join in order to
"learn more about plagiarism".  As co-moderator, I've often not known
how to respond to these inquiries.

Thoughts?

-Kathryn

Yeah, it seems like a handy tool, so I'm hoping it's all good. And that I
can eventually justify the cost. It beats having to do ones own Google
searches all the time.  ~;)

And the guy who I found had a good chunk of my Imbolc article up emailed
me back saying he'd remove it and asking if a link was okay (a link is
always okay, as far as I'm concerned).

beannachdan,
Kym

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 16:18:53 -0000 "Michael" <eumelosdrizzle@...>
writes:
>
>
> I hadn't no, it looks pretty good. :)
>
>
"Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a good horse, a swift
hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

I hadn't no, it looks pretty good. :)

--- In Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com, Kym ní Dhoireann
<uathach9@j...> wrote:
> As I've been busy and distracted, I suppose you all could have had
a big
> long conversation about this recently without me noticing but has
anyone
> seen http://www.copyscape.com/ and if so has anyone signed up? I
did
> their free sample search, and found yet another page that copied my
> Imbolc article, this time without putting my name on it.
>
> I'm not sure I can justify the cost at this point, $10 a month
might not
> seem like a lot, but on my income and current expenses, it would be
> noticable. And I'm not always sure I'd want to have reports sent
> everyweek (please keep in mind, I should be sleeping and I've been
up for
> over an hour, I'm burned out from work and writing to some moron
who not
> only took my now outdated text and didn't even bother to put my
name and
> then put his own copyright for 2005on my 1996 text was not how I
really
> should be spending the morning I'm actually celebrating Imbolc
on...but I
> found this and was compelled and I couldn't let it go, so....)
while I'm
> so overwhelmed. I'd love to hear from anyone who is using this,
how well
> you think this works and all.
>
> And if you DID already talk about it, just slap me upside the head
and
> point me to the archives.
>
> slàn,
> Kym the exhausted
>
> "Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a good horse, a
swift
> hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
> Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
> Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
> WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
> Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
> http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

As I've been busy and distracted, I suppose you all could have had a big
long conversation about this recently without me noticing but has anyone
seen http://www.copyscape.com/ and if so has anyone signed up? I did
their free sample search, and found yet another page that copied my
Imbolc article, this time without putting my name on it.

I'm not sure I can justify the cost at this point, $10 a month might not
seem like a lot, but on my income and current expenses, it would be
noticable. And I'm not always sure I'd want to have reports sent
everyweek (please keep in mind, I should be sleeping and I've been up for
over an hour, I'm burned out from work and writing to some moron who not
only took my now outdated text and didn't even bother to put my name and
then put his own copyright for 2005on my 1996 text was not how I really
should be spending the morning I'm actually celebrating Imbolc on...but I
found this and was compelled and I couldn't let it go, so....) while I'm
so overwhelmed. I'd love to hear from anyone who is using this, how well
you think this works and all.

And if you DID already talk about it, just slap me upside the head and
point me to the archives.

slàn,
Kym the exhausted

"Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a good horse, a swift
hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

I'm sure someone else will chime in but something
we've found works is a slight extension of the
technique you're using but plugging in a whole key
sentence or two into Google. This is useful if you get
too many hits even for a phrase. I forget the limit on
Google but I think it's at least 100-200 characters.

--- earrach1 <earrach@...> wrote:
> Hello all!
>
> I'm new to this list and I was wondering if anyone
> has any good
> tricks for searching the web for unauthorized use of
> one's web-texts.
>
> I'm assuming that one way would be to take key
> phrases from each
> work and cut'n paste it into a Google search. When
> I've done that I
> have at least come up with a confirmation of Google
> being able to
> find the text on my own website.
>
> Are there any better/slicker ways of doing this?
>
> - Earrach
>
> Sassafras Grove, ADF
> Pittsburgh PA
> www.sassafrasgrove.org


=====
Paul Pigman
Satire for Hire, LLC
(insults for free)

Email: paul_pigman@...
Blog: demiorator.blogspot.com
Home page: www.bandia.com

I think searching for 'key phrases' in google works well.  Also I
know university profs sometimes use some sort of program that scans
the net for that sort of stuff -- could just be strategic google
searches.

In Anti-Plagiarism@yahoogroups.com, "earrach1" <earrach@e...> wrote:
>
> Hello all!
>
> I'm new to this list and I was wondering if anyone has any good
> tricks for searching the web for unauthorized use of one's web-
texts.
>
> I'm assuming that one way would be to take key phrases from each
> work and cut'n paste it into a Google search. When I've done that
I
> have at least come up with a confirmation of Google being able to
> find the text on my own website.
>
> Are there any better/slicker ways of doing this?
>
> - Earrach
>
> Sassafras Grove, ADF
> Pittsburgh PA
> www.sassafrasgrove.org

Hello all!

I'm new to this list and I was wondering if anyone has any good
tricks for searching the web for unauthorized use of one's web-texts.

I'm assuming that one way would be to take key phrases from each
work and cut'n paste it into a Google search. When I've done that I
have at least come up with a confirmation of Google being able to
find the text on my own website.

Are there any better/slicker ways of doing this?

- Earrach

Sassafras Grove, ADF
Pittsburgh PA
www.sassafrasgrove.org

I attended a lecture on the basics of intellectual property for work
yesterday (thurs).  It was informative, and dispelled a few
missconceptions -- oldy ones I didn't share... :P

I did ask what kinds of things people (in Canada and
inerternationally) can do to protect their copyright on written
materials.  He suggested cleary marking things with the (optional)
copyright symbol, Name of Author, (date of publication) at the end
of each work published on the Internet to make it clear who the
author is.  Also, to make it even clearer you can have a disclaimer
asking that anyone seeking to reproduce this work shold contact the
author (and give some means of contacting said author - like a
generic email or something).  He said that (as we all knew)
copyrights are inherent, but the best way to prove it is by having a
witness two attest to the fact that it is your copyright.  You can
file for a copyright through an intellectual property office (like
his - Canadian Intellectual Property Office) or BETTER (for the
courts) the equivalent in whatever country the person who violated
your copyright resides in.  So if someone in the USA stole my work
without my permission I'd fiel for a us copyright while sueing him
in court (or at least threatening to do so) to bolster my defence in
court.  It places the burden of proof on the accused to prove their
innocence that way (more or less) since you have your copyright in
hand.

Just thought I'd share.

Mike

We have to post here periodically (at least once every 90 days) or
Yahoo will delete the group.

I am still dismayed at the amount of plagiarism on the web.  But,
like most people, I tend to only get active about it when something
of mine, or of a friend's, has been stolen.

So, I'm sure at some point we'll be more active on here again.
Sadly, I don't think all plagiarism is going to miraculously stop
and make this group irrelevant.

Till the inevitable ;-)

-Kathryn

Ugh....killing some time I checked out an old group member's WV listing.
He had a second website on his listing and I check it out.  *blink*  He
has reposted the website a friend of mine had, that she removed
completely some time ago, including an article of mine I had given HER
permission to use.

The man is reknown for being passive-aggressive...which means he might
take it all right down.  Then get a new Geocities site and repost it.
But I bet we don't get a response from him.

Anyone have any idea if Geocities actually bothers to enforce their TOS?
The used to not...I had another former group member mirror, yet make the
"appropriate changes" to our group's site and nothing was done (finally
his neglect of it got it booted).  But Yahoo! does seem to be better so
maybe now they do deal with it?

Just so everyone knows, I no longer run a group and have no intentions of
ever doing so again....this is what I get for it.

And now I need to go searching to make sure this troll doesn't have some
of my ritual material up on yet another site.

grrrrr

Kym

"Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate],  a good horse, a swift
hound." (I miss my swiftest hound!)
Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/
Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/
WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/
Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=5203

--- Kym ní Dhoireann <uathach9@...> wrote:
> This situation does mean that some of the stuff that
> I am working on now
> will indeed be better protected because it will be
> for a larger project.

Our battles with the plagiarists have led me to feel
the same way - very hesitant to post stuff online that
hasn't already been published in hardcopy.  At this
point I'm assuming that anything of any merit that I
post online will wind up being stolen in some form or
another.

Kym, write me offlist about what you're working on for
the "larger project"

-k

=====
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Three flames
that illuminate every darkness:
Truth, Nature, Knowledge."

Unless otherwise noted, all content is
copyright ©2004 Kathryn Price Theatana
(Caitríona NicDhàna)
for Nemed Art-Ré / Moonstone Circle
and The River House
personal mail: kathryn@...
lists: kathryn_theatana@...
webgoddess for http://www.bandia.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

It's just kind of frustrating, though...that technically the copyright is
automatic, but when it comes down to legal action it doesn't seem to do
much good.  *sigh*   I will also look into the ideas that Raven mentioned
for the future too.

This situation does mean that some of the stuff that I am working on now
will indeed be better protected because it will be for a larger project.


But not sure about this situation....I am waiting to hear back from one
of the others who had part of hir Pictish article posted there too (the
other's url no longer works) to see if we can pool some ideas and/or
resources.  We'll see.

thanks,
Kym

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 17:01:11 -0000 "Michael Small"
<eumelosdrizzle@...> writes:
>
> Well if it makes you feel any better, copyrights are the only things
>
> you don't technically HAVE to apply for... they belong to you by
> default so if it ever came down to it, someone would have to try to
>
> prove you wrong.  Having an officially registered copyright just
> makes that extremely unlikely.
>
> I think the 'mailing to yourself' thing can work (thats what I
> always used to think it was done)... but apparently its only
> slightly better than just having your default copyright by virtue of
>
> being the writer.
>
> I hope you have some luck with all of this...


~~I trust horses as far as they can throw people, likewise I trust people
as far as they can throw horses~~

Dùn Sgàthan http://www.cyberpict.net/  ---Scottish Reconstructionism,
homesteading, hounds, horse, writings, tattoos, ....
Caithream!  http://uathach.tripod.com/ ---Pagan women warriors
WWSD? http://www.livejournal.com/users/cyberpict/ ---my LiveJournal

Heya --

Quoth Michael Small (Sun, Aug 15, 2004 at 05:01:11PM -0000):
> I think the 'mailing to yourself' thing can work (thats what I
> always used to think it was done)... but apparently its only
> slightly better than just having your default copyright by virtue of
> being the writer.

	 One thing that might help some -- not so much with work already
in existence, but with new work -- get third-party validation of the
work and the dates of its creation.  For the low-tech solution... when
you're done it, take it to a notary and have them notarize the work and
a page saying that you're the author, and sign that statement in front
of them.  A bit of a PITA, but usually quite low cost and should hold
some weight in court.

	 For the high tech version -- mail whatever you want stamped and
notarized to clear@... -- it's a free service that
will reply to your message with the original message you send it, a
timestamp, and a digital signature over the whole thing.  It's like a
notary for the Internet.  The courtroom validity of digital signatures
and their legal ramifications is still being thrashed out in various
jurisdictions, but... it can't *hurt*, and may very well help.

	 The other thing I would suggest is to post some sort of legal
licensing statement or copyright notice on every page that has your
writing on it.  I do (mine's under the GPL, which I think is not what
most people on this list would want, but you can substitute text that is
more to your liking).  For my site, I use an HTML footer that gets
automatically appended to every page.  I vary it for one directory (my
personal trip writeups about my life may not be copied, linked to, or
distributed, while all other content on the site is free to anyone so
long as credit is given).

	 Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Raven