Spike the second: Hi folks

So sorry if it appears as though I have disappeared, I haven't. I am hugely busy on my return to work after the holidays and I am working until late to get vital work finished. I have drawings to finish and accounts to complete. I will get around to reviewing at some time this week. If you need a review done urgently, to get you to the recognised or all time best, please let me know and I will do that review before your cut off promotion date.

Spike
    write hand blue: Anyone know what has happened again to META~MARK he was here a week or so ago?

    I see you have given up on comedy on this site. I feel the same with my latest comp. entry. I can't stand a world without humour. I'm so pleased we have plenty over here. -
    Spike the second: Hi
    No it's that Fanstory has to sit backm as I have so much work I just cannot fit it in. The recent work is old, done some time ago for the contests. But the comedy is still there, although largely aimed at kids :).
    As for Mark I think he broke the rules again as I did see a post saying warning to all Fanstory members. I know he was taken off before for using bad language in a poem. today is my birthday, but I am working through it and all weekend to try and get on top of all I have to do. -
    Trevor Jenkins: I hope you come back all guns blazing, gonna make the effort to do the poet stuff and post on here. Come back soon Spike the second frm Cleva Treva :) -


Spike the second:

This is an extract from the Dylan Thomas poem -
A Child's Christmas in Wales

So remember if your Aunties, Uncles, Nieces, Nephew's bring you Useless Presents - It's the Thought that Counts
    adewpearl: This is one of my very favorite poems. I still have the copy I first read in high school. That year I bought more than a dozen copies of an illustrated version and gave them to everyone for gifts. :-) -
    Spike the second: Hi Brooke
    I love the fact that useful presents are jumpers, scarves, hats etc and the useless ones are toys. Ah to have Chistmases like that again. This was a TV movie done in 1987, made between the BBC Wales and Canadian TV. The way they tell the poem is through a Grandad telling his Grandson how life used to be. I found the actual fim on you tube - http://youtu.be/GrLDaAG7j_o -


Spike the second: Copyright
In the UK we are protected by copyright. If you produce your work as a word document first. The word document then produces an actual creation date in the documents properties. This is sufficient proof of the date of creation of the piece of work. But back it up onto a secondary usb drive as further proof. As an Architect my drawings are covered by the same copyright laws as writing. For literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works that is 70 years after the death of the last person that was involved in the creation of that piece of work. Literary covers poems, books, stories etc. I would think other countries carry the same laws.
    Cumbrianlass: Yes, thanks for sharing this. It's pretty much the same in Canada - we have automatic copyright, and most word processors show a creation date under 'properties'. I also save my stuff on two separate thumb drives. Nice of FS to offer the feature, though. It's an extra blanket of security. -
    Scarbrems: Aha, thanks for that. I thought you might need it to be signed. Glad you cleared that up... -
    Spike the second: No signing is for patents and you have to fill in forms for that and register them with a witness signature. As long as you can prove that you wrote your piece of work or created a drawing then you own the copyright. I know that rock guitarist Brian May of Queen had a photo downloaded from his Facebook and used by a Magazine and they tried to claim copyright. He is suing as he holds the copyright without the need to register it. if you live to 2030 the copyright lasts to 2100 in the UK. Copyright can change ownership, by agreement with the owner, and that is why you cannot copy Shakespeare even though he's been dead well over 70 years. -
    pRINCEssStar : Long live metaphorical mark, tammygail, jonathan shaw, ennahannid. Tom Ens is a pimple on the ass of judicial reason. -
    Spike the second: Can anyone tell me why Tammy and Mark were removed?
    I am on this site ever so briefly over the holiday, as I have had a wee break from family frolics and performing aunts and uncles. I hope you are all enjoying yoiur Christmas. I'll be back reviewing very soon, when I can get rid of the family. Ho ho ho -


Spike the second: Many thanks to all that have sent their congratulations and blessings to me and Mrs Spike on our 30th Wedding Anniversary. As I have said in responding to your reviews the contest is secondary in my mind and the poem was loved by my wife, who was most impressed. The reviews just made it special for us. I did say I would get less time for murder, but i would not have the fun and giggles that time with Donna has given me. Once again heart felt thanks for your wonderful messages and the super response to an old fool letting his feelings be known in his poem.

Bless you all

Spike


Spike the second: Apologies to all that have posted writing this weekend but I have a had an important job I have to do construction drawings for. I hope to do reviewing and even posting a little follow up poem myself, later this evening UK time. But please do not think I am ignoring your work.

Spike


Spike the second: I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed my last two childrens poems. I am really overwhelmed and I have decided that I will concentrate on this form of poetry. Rather than the 'British' wit that I appreciate may not make sense to some of you over the pond. It's been a real eye opener for me and I cannot thank you all enough. Spike


Spike the second: Here in the UK today is National Poetry Day and all poets such as Byron, Burns, Morgan, Keats, Auden, Wordsworth, Coleridge etc are celebrated all over the British Isles. Harrow School in London for example have an exhibition of Lord Byrons work. There are websites that are associated with today and three just sites are -
www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk
www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/info/npd
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/n/nationalpoetryday.asp

There are good source of reference for budding poets and even have competitions. So check it out and I hope it helps.
    Meta~Mark: Spike thanks for the information my friend! -
    Eliza M: Great bit of information. Thankyou. -


Spike the second: Hi all
I have started a book and now decided that one or two poems actually need to be moved to their own book, because of the style of the poems. If I use the disable button does that take it out of the book and into my portfolio?
    redrider6612: You don't need to disable it. When you are in the "Books" section of your portfolio, you will see at the bottom of that book a box with a list of the chapters and next to it a "Remove from book" button. Select the chapter you want to remove and click that button. -
    Spike the second: Thank you so much for your help. I didn't even think to look in there -doh! -


Spike the second: How are points allocated for rankings?
I have noticed sometimes the points can shoot up, other times it goes up by 1 or 2 and sometimes it stays as it is!
I have found it has not made a huge amount of difference by the ratings you get and by how many poems you submit. For example 6 x 5 stars and 1 x 4 star = 2 points. I just wondered how they work that out!
    redrider6612: Personally, it just isn't worth worrying about. The rankings aren't an accurate barometer of talent. It has more to do with how often you post and how high you promote. -
    Spike the second: Thanks, no I wasn't worried just wondering how they calculated them. So you are really saying the higher the dollars spent the higher the points and ranking! -
    nor84: I think promoting highly equals a lot more reviews, and a lot more 5s and 6s. Really, most of us joined to show our writings and improve our craft, and we didn't even know there was a ranking system. Outside Fanstory, the rank means nothing. -
    Spike the second: That's the precise reason I joined and as I said the ranking doesn't worry me in the slightest. Ranking is something I happened to come across, when I saw a raised arrow. But when you see 56 points added and the none and then 2. The question of how the scoring is decided came to mind. Is there a commitee that decide or is it generated another way? -
    redrider6612: Rank is calculated strictly by the numbers--number of reviews, how many stars on each review, etc. -
    nor84: When you see a raised arrow, it can also be because someone higher in the ranks has dropped off by leaving the site. The numbers, though, are apparently generated by the site's computer. -
    Spike the second: Thanks all. I know they say curiosity killed the cat. But it only put a dent in a big chap like me! -


Spike the second: Can anyone answer the following?
If I am putting my poems into a book and one of the poems certificates runs out is it readable only by me or anyone?
Also can a story or poem be entered into a contest without a certificate?

Many thanks in advance
    Lady & Louis: Anyone can read work without certificates, but they will have to find it by going to your portfolio.

    Work can be entered into contests without certificates, yes. And a cert won't make any difference come voting time; most will have expired by then, and it's a huge waste of money to promote work twice (whether for a contest or just generally).

    Louise :) -


Spike the second: Joined a week ago and I now have 2 recognised poems that I have added as chapters to my book. Here in the UK we have a wealth of poets dating back to medieval times and occaisionally along comes a pure comedy genius and for me this mans name was Spike Milligan. He died in 2002 and was of Irish and English parentage, so they must of had a sense of humor. The words ' I told them I was ill' are placed on his gravestone. He was my influence as a child and I simply loved his nonsense and silly rhymes as any kid would. I write thinking of him and urge anyone to check out his work. There is a lot of it! You are all more lovely than love.
    Sally Carter: Welcome! Hope you enjoy it here. The Forums are a good place to ask questions. -
    Spike the second: Thanks Sally
    So far I have found it very gratifying. It's so nice to get a good response for silly and nonsense poetry and although the large amount do praise, a minutely small minority do criticise (sometimes it is difficult to see why if most like it). But I suppose it's all called taste and does help. -
    rosehill (Wendy): Wow, one week and you already found the profile comments! I think I was here two months or more before I knew it existed. I only found it because I was determined to find out how DIS-illusioned was stalking me ;) Welcome and I think I'll just jump over and see what I failed to recognize (been really busy and not much reviewing going on). -
    Spike the second: Hmm yes I was supposed to be busy today but I own my own Architectural practice so I can drop onto this when I want. It's just like playing computer games on the laptop, very easy to get carried away. -