FTC Blog Disclosure, Curated Content & Copyright Infringement Concerns

1. FTC Blog Disclosure (with thanks to Tim Ferriss) and Copyright Infringement It seems fitting that I use Tim’s disclosure (thanks again!) as I have oft mentioned Tim in said blogs. Here goes: This blog is not financially driven. I do it to provide (hopefully) helpful information, to build a community and learn from smart readers’ comments back. Regardless, beginning December 1, 2009, the FTC requires bloggers http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/12/01/were_bloggers____we_get_stuff_f or_free/ to disclose whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases related to recommendations. So here goes… First, the obvious: I am a tech investor and advisor, and here are some of the start-ups (https://angel.co/dr-chris-stout and http://DrChrisStout.com) I work with. Please be in touch as it’s a pain to keep everything up-to-date all over the internet. Second, the less obvious: Per the FTC rules, if I interview someone and they grab the bill for lunch, I would need to disclose this. Ditto if I use an Amazon link that gets me 8 cents instead of an Amazon link that gets me 0 cents. If someone gives me a comfy t-shirt with a logo and I wear it in a photo, same deal. Disclaimers all over the place. This would be tedious for me and even more tedious for readers. But rules is rules. To cover my ass and preserve your reading experience, please assume that, for every link and product I use, the following all hold true: Please feel free to use the text and images on this page with proper attribution (99% Tim). There is no reason why each blogger should have to reinvent the wheel. (Illustrations courtesy of Louis Gray and Jeannine Schafer)

2. Note about curated content and copyright: All photos and content herein were sampled from public, non-subscription, or non-paid websites and are thus assumed to be in the public domain. All original authorship is properly attributed and transparently sourced and any postings made by Dr. Chris Stout/GordianKnot, LLC, serves as yet another avenue to publicize the authors’ works and is noncommercial. A Life in Full or Dr. Chris Stout/GordianKnot, LLC, does not profit or gain any financial benefit thereto. Furthermore, publicly shared information is propagated in order to help and support sited authors/artists. If you believe that your work has been copied in such a manner as to represent a copyright infringement, please notify Dr. Chris Stout/GordianKnot, LLC, so that the situation can be promptly addressed. Dr. Chris Stout/GordianKnot, LLC can be reached at: Copyright Agent Dr. Chris Stout/GordianKnot, LLC DrChrisStout@gmail.com In your notification, please provide the following information: An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed A description of where on our site the material is located Your address, telephone number and email address A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your Notice is accurate and that you're the copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner. Upon receipt electron acknowledgment will be made, and if credible, immediate action will be taken to provide adequate and final remedy.