Copyright Law

Today I want to mention a law that is very important to anyone who creates an image.  By creating this item it’s an expression of you; so therefore you have a right to this item being covered by the copyright law.

A Federal law:***Copyright of all images stated by the laws of the United States (January 1,1978 Title 17, U.S. Code and further in Section 106 of the Copyright Act) T...here is a fine for this copyright infringement per image involved and another fine per image to the person/and or business that reproduces, copies, or prepares derivative works for another person. "No images on this site are to be reproduced or copied in any way. Infringement will be prosecuted in an Alaskan court of law".

I create photos which I call art.  They are covered by law just for the mere fact I created them as an expression of myself.  All my online shops mention coverage of the copyright laws to all my products.  

A watermark ‘AS2Designs’ is on each of my photos that I put online so anyone looking knows this is copyrighted. 

I charge a price for my art.  I expect a payment for my art if you wish to display it anywhere in your home, office, school, or mode of transportation.  This also means your computer, your cell phone and any other device that is connected so that you can download a copyright item or place onto these devices.

Most folks are not aware of copyright laws.  Nor do they understand the law and how it pertains to art.  And gasp big time - many do not care about the law.

I will tell you dear readers this – the times are changing - folks who create items are tired of those stating they are not aware of the law, and especially about those who do not care about the copyright law and Artist are fighting back very strongly against those who just help themselves to our creations.

Permission is needed if you wish to put one of my photos on your blog either just for displaying or discussing the photo.  Permission is needed if you want to share it on a social network (example I’m on Facebook but you are on Myspace and want to show your friends my photo there)…written permission covers both you and the artist Do It the Right Way!  

All art must also define (acknowledge) who the artist is if displayed.  A good example would be ‘Blue Moon over Anchorage’ by AS2Designs you would list next to photo or under it so that all who look know who actually created the piece.  It’s even better to say: with permission by artist AS2Designs ‘Blue Moon over Anchorage’, that eliminates any doubt to viewers.

My advice is simple: 

Do Not download photos for your personal use as a wallpaper or anything else on your computer it’s a Super Big No No!  And do not download to use to create another piece of art!! 

Pay for the item is the correct and moral thing to do.  Remember you were raised better than to steal and be labeled a thief. 

Do it the right way instead of the wrong way so that you never have to worry about being contacted by a lawyer, charged as a criminal, and paying huge fines.

Brick Architecture

Living in Anchorage, Alaska as I do it always surprises me that the city has very few 'brick' homes and buildings.  

Having spent half of my life in St. Louis, Missouri - a city that was 80% brick buildings, I grew up thinking all cities had tons of buildings that were brick built and of many hues.

Bricks were a low cost building material in the days when St. Louis was at it's early stages of becoming the 'Gateway to the West' thanks to the explorers Lewis and Clark.  

Brick architecture has fascinated me most of my life.  Colors range from reds to dark chocolate browns and pinks to beige.

It is quite expensive to use bricks or even some common stones for building in Alaska.  They must be shipped up from one of the lower 48 continental states.  So brick buildings are few and far between in any of the cities of Alaska.  Most often when one see's a brick building, the bricks are utilized more as a decorative enhancement.

 

Bricks may be made from clay, shale, soft slate, calcium silicate, concrete, or shaped from quarried stone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick

Clay is the most common material, with modern clay bricks formed in one of three processes - soft mud, dry press, or extruded.

Normally, brick contains the following ingredients:

1. Silica (sand) - 50% to 60% by weight
2. Alumina (clay) - 20% to 30% by weight
3. Lime - 2 to 5% by weight
4. Iron oxide - 5 to 6% (not greater than 7%) by weight
5. Magnesia - less than 1% by weight

Strawman in the Wizard of Oz

Anchorage at times is the center of wind storms.  We can be buffered from the North, the West and the South winds.  

Anchorage is in a bowl along the Chugach Mountain Range.  Many folks have built homes going up the mountain which we call the "hillside"  Winds gushing there can be 70 to 100mph.  With the speeds a bit less here in town.

The last two days has been major wind storms throughout the Anchorage Bowl.  This extends 40 miles South of Anchorage reaching Girdwood and 60 miles North to the outskirts of Wasilla.

Our little house is anchored in a bit of a valley here in town; one of the few actually... most of Anchorage is pretty flat.  The winds reached a good tree slapping 55-65mph last night.  It was a bumpy night with many strange bangs and clangs against the outside walls.  There were a few blasts that I thought this tiny house might go sailing through the air just like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz.

With my fingers crossed all night for no power outage (which the temperature with wind chill -20) that would not be making for a toasty sleepy night.  We do own a generator although in the 4 years of owning it - it has never been powered up.  

I do believe a test and practice run of using the generator is in order...due to the severe wind storms this winter making my little old heart a tad nervous if I had to sleep again with such vivid dreams of a movie from decades ago.

All night my dreams seem to follow the characters in the Wizard of Oz.  The Tinman slamming into the side of our house, the Strawman tumbling over and over in the snow.  My fearless Patches the Cowardly Lion.  I the wicked witch of the East riding out the storm on my trusty broom.  And my guy the Wizard...telling all "Follow the yellow brick road!"

After this mornings quick check to see if any damage to our house and those on either side of me; I was happy to see just branches tossed throughout the yard and Mountain Ashe Berries littering the side yard.  My trees withstood the storm. Seems most of the litter that blew around; has been blown far south. I may find my trash can lids a few miles down the road tomorrow.

I wanted to tap my heels three times and say "There's no place like home".  There is no place like Home!

The snow did drift about one foot south over our sidewalk.  And added a layering effect on the other side.

Winter Arrives

In my small world the first snow over two inches is a major event!  Means winter has arrived.  Make my world complete.  I'm totally a winter person.  I enjoy the brisk air, the color of white on mother natures creations.

Although driving in snow is not something I like...after 20 years in Anchorage, Alaska one gets use to slipping, sliding, and driving more defensively. 

Anchorage has two military bases.  So that means new drivers to winter driving.  I'm always amazed that when I ask a military person "where are you from" and get a response "Alabama, Georgia, Texas" my mind flashes to why would our military send southern folks who don't get snow to a state that is snow half the year.  And those raised in snowy states are sent to those southern hot as heck states.  Boggles my Fishlips for sure!

As my custom each year - May I present 'First Snow':