Daaaaamn! His hand is HUGE! ;)

he's got boxing knuckles.

Callalillie, your note about "annoying spam" and "leechers" is a bit much. You're on the Internet. Yes, you tell your friends and family about your blog. But most everyone knows is that eventually search engines crawl all content so people you don't know who don't care about you will come across your site and leech and say things you might find shocking. Even leech childhood pictures.

You're on the Internet. Wake up! Would you post and say the same things on the front of your building? Probably not. Then why say it to the whole planet at a level of intamacy that just makes no sense for a public blog.

Oh, and congrats to whoever had the baby. But it's irresponsible to publically post such pictures online.

Captain Obvious, the above note was meant to be a disclaimer for one week, then will be taken down.

It is not a shock to me that images might be used inappropriately. That does not, however, mean that I cannot express my annoyance at it.

As you have every right to assert your annoyance. Perhaps next time you will leave a real email address.

Revised comment:

CO, I actually think you have a really good point. I should be more careful. Appologies for the crankiness above.

Corie, you have every right to be cranky. Some of us actually remember was a bit more civil back in the day and nasty leechers and spammers simply did not exist. But regardless, congrats to whoever had the baby.

And regarding image leeching, you should look into the techniques to prevent it mentioned here:
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/hotlinking/

The ".htaccess" method is very effective and in the long run will save you on bandwidth costs. It's bad enough when people leech. Its worse when you end up having to pay for it.

Thanks :) D's mommy and daddy are very proud.

I actually have hotlinking turned off via my server-- that was actually what I was saying, with snarky commentary, in the notice. My point was less stealing images(anyone could r-click and save an image,then upload it to their own site) and more the bandwidth issue. Also ethics. But we all knows that differenct circles have different ethics on the net.

Dear captain obvious,

It seems that we can't conduct free speech on the internet and maintain a certain level of morality. You attack callalillie for wanting to establish a level of ethical conduct in her domain. If your logic is followed, then no one should be able to say anything in public that expresses a particular opinion simply because it is in the public domain.

Or perhaps you don't have a problem with her posting her personal pictures and opinions. Perhaps you have a problem with her complaining when those personal opinions and pictures are *stolen* from her website. Again, based upon this logic, if one says something in public and gets punched in the face for saying it, it seems your response would be "well, you know, that's what happens if you say something in public."

Logic like this is what leads to public complicity to fascism, i.e., germans didn't open their mouths because they knew what would happen to them if they spoke against genocide, and they therefore allowed horrible atrocities to take place in the name of the preservation of the state and the eradication of any humanist ethics.

Just because people are on the internet, and not talking "live," doesn't give pornographers and nihilists the right to co-opt and manipulate other people's property and opinions. Instead of criticizing someone for taking a stand and expressing an opinion against spammers and leechers, why don't you help fight the good fight for free speech and public decency. The two did once go hand in hand in this country. No, you would rather roll over and let the leeches win so that you can justify your reactionary stance by sarcastically admonishing someone for demanding a certain level of decency.

Why is it irresponsible to post pictures of a beautiful baby online? Should we all just hide in our houses because "bad people are out there?"

By the way corie, nice website!!! Great photography!!!

"Logic like this is what leads to public complicity to fascism..."

Facism? Good lord! What I said was simple. You're online. You can say what you wish. But also, people in online blogs tend to forget the whole world can read what they are saying.

Also, I have no idea where this comes from...
"No, you would rather roll over and let the leeches win..."

What? All I said is that people should be more aware that online speech can be read by anyone anywhere. And that's it. As far as "let the leeches win" goes, please reread my post where I specifically gave Corie instructions and advice on how to fight leechers online. I do not want them to win at all. But there are better ways to fight them than simply saying "You leechers should stop!" Thankfully Corie realizes this as well and has used the technology at her disposal to stop these thugs.

Greg, before you run around calling people facists and apologists for people who would misuse the Internet, please learn how read.

And also, please get it through your head that unlike any other communal space before it, the Internet allows for even the post private/personal of websites/converstations to be viewed worldwide. She or anyone can post any pictures or content they want, but if you don't "put a lock on the door" so to say, you should not be shocked by things being passed around.

Don't censor yourself. But also don't be surprised if someone you never met comes up to your site and says and does things. Welcome to the Internet. It's great and it's frustrating. And it's openness makes it great AND frustrating.