The relationship between intellectual-property laws and stuff posted online is obviously still a little tenuous—and local attorney Charles Carreon stepped into a world of scorn by demanding money from a popular webcomic, The Oatmeal, on behalf of his client, place-where-you-can-post-stuff Funnyjunk.com.
Matthew Inman, the creator of The Oatmeal, has made no secret of his disdain for Funnyjunk, which has hosted a number of Inman’s creations—removing any credit and providing no attribution or income to Inman. Inman wrote a blog post criticizing FunnyJunk’s business model and asking his audience whether he should bother sending the site a cease-and-desist order for “practically (stealing) my entire website”—and then Carreon jumped in.
On behalf of Funnyjunk, Carreon sent a letter threatening a lawsuit if Inman didn’t remove “false statements” about his client, and demanding a check for $20,000. This didn’t go over well with Inman, who posted a giant list of links to FunnyJunk’s acts of copyright infringement; a drawing of a Kodiak bear “seducing” FunnyJunk’s metaphorical “mom”; and information about a fundraiser for the National Wildlife Federation and the American Cancer Society. The Oatmeal’s readers raised $20,000 for the charities in 64 minutes (and a number approaching $200,000 as of this writing), but Carreon wasn’t done, filing suit in California against the Oatmeal, the site Inman used to raise the money, and the two charities.
I generally like to cheer for Tucsonans, but in this case, I’m going to side with The Oatmeal instead of a guy suing the American Cancer Society.
The week on The Range
We covered Election Night, including the mariachis at the Ron Barber party and dashed hopes for a Grandpa Hank sighting at Jesse Kelly’s more-somber affair; wondered how much the fame of Calexico helped Barber; followed reactions to Obama’s immigration-policy move; wished the best to Jesse Kelly in his seemingly post-political life; tried to figure out exactly who was voting for Charlie Manolakis; shared Frank Antenori’s angry tweets regarding the changes to the Rio Nuevo board; and discussed the highlights of the week’s political events with Raúl Grijalva, Pete Hershberger, Trent Humphries and Jeff Rogers on Arizona Illustrated‘s Political Roundtable, with your host, Jim Nintzel.
We shared photos from Club Congress’ underwear party and previewed Kitty Katt McKinley’s upcoming Yacht Rock event; watched a video showing the construction of the Temple of Music and Art; went to the Weiner’s Circle with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog; shared a few local Kickstarter campaigns; watched Usher cover Foster the People for British radio; celebrated a very special television anniversary; ate some interesting berries; wondered why we care about mugshots; tried to assess which Fourth Avenue eatery has the best burger; rode to North Haverbrook on a monorail; suggested that you get your tickets to Beach House’s show at the Rialto; argued in the comment section of a post about Maureen Dowd; preordered a Playful Puppies Bible; added some albums to our “to-buy” list thanks to Howe Gelb; shared a new style blog from a contributor to The Range, Mike McKisson; grimaced at the layoffs at New Orleans’ Times-Picayune; headed east to Civano for some food-truck action; listened to the new Tallest Man on Earth album (he isn’t, by the way); and jammed to some summertime-themed musical gems.
Comment of the week
“There are thousands of people who live on the east side. Isn’t it amazing?”
—TucsonWeekly.com commenter “Hungry in Vail” represents those living on the other side of whatever street we’re saying defines the eastside these days (“The Food Truck Pod at Civano Nursery,” The Range, June 12).
Best of WWW
We haven’t fully rolled it out yet, but if you head to our website’s Music section, you’ll find we’re now offering music fans the opportunity to look through the shows coming to town, listen to music by the bands (even the obscure ones), and even buy tickets, thereby avoiding the embarrassment of explaining to your date why you didn’t get a pair to see his/her favorite band before the show sold out. This project is still in beta mode, and this information will eventually be further integrated into our music content, but there’s already a lot to look at and listen to. Check it out, and let us know what you think.
This article appears in Jun 21-27, 2012.
There is now plenty of proof that Matt Inman is one of a gang of people who promote the same type of ideas that inspired Jared Loughner to try and kill Gabrielle Giffords. Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, who studies hate groups and hate speech, examined Loughner’s sites and concluded that his material on grammar, in particular, likely came from the writings of far right activist David Wynn Miller. If you Google Matt Inman + grammar, you will find a similar obsession. And similar hate.
It is a very serious business to send out another call to the Tucson whackos who subscribe to what can simply be described as an “Illuminati” type philosophy to act out their hate on their enemies.
Dan Gibson has a lot of guilt on his shoulders for trying to magnetize another hate response in Tucson. He should be fired right now!
I love it for someone who cries so much about the hate of the internet they sure throw a lot of hate around it. Making obscene pictures of people is ok until it’s a fictional drawing of a bear and a fictional mom that’s where the line is drawn! Oh and all English teachers must be killers too for wanting to teach good grammar!
Marc was right, Charles needs a strong pimp hand.
Or we could let him speak his mind due to that whole annoying “first amendment thing” that you seem to be forgetting.
If someone harrasses you talk to the police and they will assist you. And if this suit was dropped it would be forgotten in no time. Falwell.com and glennbeckrapedandmurdedagirlin1990.com seem to have faded. charles-carreon.com exists because this situation creates an enviroment ripe for satire. That enviroment disapears when the suit does. People will slowly decide the affair is not worthy of lulz.
First of all, the SPLC has not, in any way, linked Matt Inman to Jarrad Longer. That link was made by someone with a vested interest on shining a negative light on Inman.
Secondly, if you google Matt Inman + Grammer, you will find some absurdest and silly grammar cartoons about common errors in the English language. If that makes him nuts, your 7th grade English teacher was also nuts (albeit less crude and absurdest).
Thirdly, there is no message to Tuscon “wackos” in the original article. Dan Gibson accurately reported the actions of the parties involved and simply stated that he thinks Inman is correct.
Mr. Gibson does not advocate hate or incite violence. Compared to the crude & violent language & imagery found on Mrs. Carreon’s websites (the Nader Library’s bulletin board, or the Mondo Bizarro art found at her American-Buddha page, for instance ) Mr. Gibson’s language is mild indeed.
Tara, Tara. We’re just playing with you at this point. Do us a favor, though, don’t look under the bed until the 4th.
What’s really great is that the Inmans’ website purports to be inspired by Ralph Nader. I’ve never heard of Ralph Nader crusading against the first amendment.
If by “the Inman’s” website, you mean the Carreon’s, then yes. Also, Tara has been kicked off the Nader Facebook page, and has a pretty shaky relationship with the Nader folks (by shaky I mean, they asked her to stop over-posting and she went a bit whacko on them)
I imagine your husband will be a little more wary the next time he tries to functionally extort somebody on the Internet.
I’m still just a bit surprised that the Carreons aren’t familiar with the Streisand Effect.
To read her post above, Tara really sounds like something is not firing on all cylinders. There’s some kind of delusional paranoia acting there from the sounds of things. Her attempt to compare Inman to Loughner, in a community that was so profoundly affected by Loughner’s actions, is remarkably offensive, insensitive, and selfish. She wants to make Inman sound scary, but she’s the one who comes across as a dangerous lunatic. Maybe her husband just keeps kicking Inman’s hornet’s nest so he’ll have a reason to get out of the house and away from her.
Hearing the latest round of tro rebuttals and the suit by satirical Charles, I retract my previous statement. I was still kinda hoping that Carreon would back down and see reason. Now that I fully understand just how far he has gone to harass people I see every thing that happens to him in the courtroom as his own reward. Had he backed down and admitted his hubris this would have gone away like I said. The internet has a short attentions span. Unless you are a colossal asshat. Then you will be remembered forever. Ask Jack Thompson.
I refuse to believe that the Carreons are real. Their “name,” for example, is an obvious anagram. (“Ore Narc!”)
This “couple” and their absurd feud with the brilliant Matt Inman (the Internet’s, funniest, most tireless advocate of correct spelling) is just another vile libel on Southern Arizona. Obviously.
Charles Carreon dismissed the lawsuit, so now there’s just the matter of Satirical Charles’ suit against Carreon to try to silence him too.
That should have been “just the matter of Satirical Charles’ suit against Carreon to try to stop Carreon from silencing him too”
I’m a 9/11 truther and it’s obvious even to me that Tara Carreon is either a nut or a flake in the bowl of conspiracy granola.
“There is now plenty of proof that Matt Inman is one of a gang of people who promote the same type of ideas that inspired Jared Loughner to try and kill Gabrielle Giffords. Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, who studies hate groups and hate speech, examined Loughner’s sites and concluded that his material on grammar, in particular, likely came from the writings of far right activist David Wynn Miller. If you Google Matt Inman + grammar, you will find a similar obsession. And similar hate.
It is a very serious business to send out another call to the Tucson whackos who subscribe to what can simply be described as an “Illuminati” type philosophy to act out their hate on their enemies.
Dan Gibson has a lot of guilt on his shoulders for trying to magnetize another hate response in Tucson. He should be fired right now!”
Posted by Tara Carreon on 07/01/2012 at 1:51 PM 0 likes, 259 dislikes
Not a SINGLE person liked what you have to say… Not a SINGLE PERSON LIKES YOU OR YOUR BEHAVIOR.
Ugh, and now the Carreons are crying rape. Combined with the blatantly sexists cartoons Tara makes as a form of “satire” I am disgusted by thier hatred of women through symbolic violence.
The Carreons were not “raped by society.” They are nothing more than rotten children who recieved a spanking for misbehaving. Society has the ability to chastise its members. Due to the internet, the whole world can chastise bad behavior.
Diminishing the plight of actual rape victims is pathetic.