Disclaimer: August 2005

I've made a few changes to this weblog's basic template over the last month, some of which are more obvious than others. Two of them are relevant to my copyright situation, though, so I'll explain them here.

First, I've placed a Note of Ownership among the right-hand headings. While this note isn't quite legal text, it more or less illustrates the points that I make with each monthly disclaimer. A few international bloggers have been hit by plagiarism issues recently, you see, and a quick look through the Philippines' provisions for Intellectual Copyright Law have shown me that it really needs to be updated for the Internet era.

The thorniest issue probably involves the definition of "public accessibility" as stated by the current law: Does placing one's writings on the Internet immediately imply that they are free for the general public to use as they see fit? The obvious answer would be "no", but such a case would be arguable under current legal bounds, I think.

Second, I've applied for a Creative Commons License, as indicated by the little medallion on the lower right-hand column. While it's not an official, proper copyright per se, it at least allows for the acknowledgement of ownership of existing web-published material, in exchange for freeing it up for use across the Net. That is to say, you're welcome to use my words as long as you ask me first. I'm usually a nice guy anyway... I think.

So, in the spirit of the monthly disclaimers, I'll tell you this: Everything as written on this weblog is entirely original, as concepted and executed from the twisted mind of Sean. Exceptions exist for those items that are excerpted, quoted or referenced from other works, and the rightful authors of these pieces will always be attributed in the same article/s. The entries in this blog, literary or otherwise, are the properties of Sean. These entries are open for use by anyone with the condition that Sean's permission is requested and acquired prior to the actual use of the work. Try anything funny, gentlemen, and I'll play polo with your head. I haven't played polo before, incidentally, which means that you really don't want me knocking your cranium around with an oversized mallet.