And the WTFckery (Douche) Award of the Week Goes to... Judith Griggs

Lately there has been some actions of those that belong in the WTFckery douche files. Last week it was Marie Claire with their Fat Bigotry Post (which now has over 3,400 comments) and then there was Charlie Sheen as his coke induced, let me pay some escort/adult movie actress $12,000 to sleep with me at the Plaza hotel fiasco.

But today the latest WTFckery to come across bloglandia (I first read about on Dear Author) is a cooking magazine by the name of Cook's Source and the managing editor, Judith Griggs who blatantly stole another blogger's post, word for word without permission or paying the blogger for her original blog post from four years ago.

Blogger Monica Gaudio aka illadore on Live Journal, wrote the magazine basically asking, WTF has happened here?

"However, some basic Google-fu lead me to find them online and on Facebook. In fact, after looking at the Cooks Source Facebook page, I found the article with my name on it on on "Page 10" of the Cooks Source Pumpkin fest issue. (No worries, I have screencaps.) The magazine is published on paper (the website says they have between 17,000 and 28,000 readers) as well as being published on Facebook as well ... Apparently, it was just copied straight off the Godecookery webpage. As you can see from the page, it is copyrighted and it is also on a Domain name that I own.

So. I first phone the magazine then send a quick note to the "Contact Us" information page, asking them what happened and how they got my article. (I thought it could have been some sort of mix-up or that someone posted it to some sort of free article database.) Apparently, it was just copied straight off the Godecookery webpage. As you can see from the page, it is copyrighted and it is also on a Domain name that I own.

After the first couple of emails, the editor of Cooks Source asked me what I wanted -- I responded that I wanted an apology on Facebook, a printed apology in the magazine and $130 donation (which turns out to be about $0.10 per word of the original article) to be given to the Columbia School of Journalism."

The response she got from Griggs is so unbelievably full of WTF that as a blogger myself it brings forth the rage:

"Yes Monica, I have been doing this for 3 decades, having been an editor at The Voice, Housitonic Home and Connecticut Woman Magazine. I do know about copyright laws. It was "my bad" indeed, and, as the magazine is put together in long sessions, tired eyes and minds somethings forget to do these things.

But honestly Monica, the web is considered "public domain" and you should be happy we just didn't "lift" your whole article and put someone else's name on it! It happens a lot, clearly more than you are aware of, especially on college campuses, and the workplace. If you took offence and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally. Now it will work well for your portfolio. For that reason, I have a bit of a difficult time with your requests for monetary gain, albeit for such a fine (and very wealthy!) institution. We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me! I never charge young writers for advice or rewriting poorly written pieces, and have many who write for me... ALWAYS for free!"

Oh Ms. Griggs, you poor, sad possibly soon-to-be unemployed woman. If you read between the words of her statement, Grigss most like thought that Monica is some insignificant blogger who doesn't have a pot to piss in or a leg to stand on. Well, Ms. Griggs, you should be happy to know, or perhaps cringing in fear because not only has Smart Bitches done a Google Bomb on your ass, but Facebook has your number, including power hitters such as John Scalzi  and Neil Gaiman, the Neil Gaiman who has over 1.5 million followers tweeted about you on twitter. The Guardian UK also has reported this.

Congrats Judith, your WTFckery that has now gone global! Why don't you pat yourself on the back?

For shame Judith Griggs and your WTFckery. Never assume any blogger, no matter how tiny they may seem doesn't have power or won't have backup. The power of the internet and the blogs will, and have come together and tell it like it is to lend support to those who have become victims, including ones of copyright infringement just like you and Cooks Source did to Monica.

I wonder how long it will take you to come forth and say your words were taken our of context?

And yet Cooks Source is very quiet and has yet to comment.

Update: Griggs has comment on the Cooks Source Facebook site:

"Well, here I am with egg on my face! I did apologise to Monica via email, but aparently it wasnt enough for her. To all of you, thank you for your interest in Cooks Source and Again, to Monica, I am sorry -- my bad! You did find a way to get your "pound of flesh..." we used to have 110 "friends," we now have 1,870... wow!"

Take note of "apologise" and "aparently" and "wasnt" in her response (note, no apostrophe). And she's an editor. *rolls eyes*

Yup, douche...