The Plagiarist
A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from a moms site, promoting a new video venture.
I looked at it and was surprised to find that the term “brag hags” was used in it several times as a label for overly competitive mommies. “Your child may call them show offs, we call them brag hags,” one of the hosts smirked.
I was surprised because, well, I had called them brag hags. I had written a column about Brag Hags last year for the Nashville Scene, and it was one of my more popular ones. To this day, people still come up to me and mention it.
I certainly don’t own the phrase “Brag Hags,” nor did I fault the site for using it, but I was pretty sure I had coined “brag hags” in that context. Curious and bored, I looked it up online last night.
And what I found made me absolutely sick to my stomach.
Just beneath the links to my column were links to another column by another writer named Leslie Dinaberg, for a piece called “Brag Hags.” I clicked on it and
OH MY SWEET OH NO WHAT IN THE NAME OF AM I SEEING THINGS?!
Leslie Dinaberg had taken my column! From the looks of it, she had cut and pasted it, then made enough changes so that it would look like her own. But she’d left entire phrases from my column intact, and the whole thing read like a warped, crappy version of my original piece. See for yourself. Here’s her version. And here’s mine.
It’s not like I’ll ever win a Pulitzer or anything but come on. “Pooped solid gold nuggets?” WHO ELSE WOULD WRITE THAT BUT ME?!
GAH.
I’ve had bloggers steal bits and pieces of my writing and post it as their own before, but this was different. Leslie Dinaberg writes for a newspaper. She also posts to the ParentClick website, so “Brag Hags” appeared on at least six different sites that I could find.
Was Leslie Dinaberg paid for my work?
I think about all the time and effort I spent on that column. I think about how the column was a humorous result of my own personal experiences with other moms.
And then I think about Leslie Dinaberg, a published author and “print journalist for 20 years,” stealing it.
And I. Get. Mad.
Plagiarism: “The use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.”
Leslie Dinaberg? You stole from the wrong girl.
>OMG! I can't believe someone would do that!
>dude. that is SO.NOT.COOL. That slimy so-called 'journalist' better WOMAN UP, apologize profusely, and pray you don't SUE HER LAZY, THIEVING ASS. Which you should anyway.
>Wow. What a horribly crappy thing for her to do! I hope you get her paycheck and then some. That's messed up, even for the world of the internet.
>I read this last night and was so p-i-s-s-t that I emailed her.Huh, no response. Maybe she's busy pooping solid gold nuggets right now at the thought of how her employer is going to feel about this.I've had others take bits and pieces from me too, and it just SUCKS.Keep us posted as to the outcomes.
>So, whatcha going to do about it? I'm hoping you think of something – like contacting the publishers she writes for first.
>Good for you for calling her out…I hope she reads this and is humiliated and I hope you contact her boss, PC, on it as well. Nuf is nuf people!
>Eh, she said "Little Wolverine" instead of "Little Jaeden." Little Jaeden is way more funny. If that's any consolation.
>OMG, that is TERRIBLE!!!!! You really need to contact her employers and let them know that she is plagiarizing. That is a HUGE no no!
>I like on her site where it says to look at her new book she wrote with her husband and a 'few other people around town'….hmmm wonder who the 'around town' people are? I would be checking into that book if I were you.I have disagreed with you on multi levels in the past. But I HATE a damn theif!
>That really sucks for you. I find myself just as outraged and it's not even my stuff. You're completely right to be mad.
>Go get her!
>It's happened to me! Sections of my book were lifted by a parenting paper in the Boston area. It's a terrible thing to do. I'm so sorry.
>I saw this last night on Twitter and I immediately emailed the folks she writes for. They ought to know what they are paying for.You're totally right that her column with all the changes was not nearly as good as yours, for whatever that might be worth to you.So sorry.
>Wow. Go get her!
>Shut. Up. I cannot believe this. Although I can. Poor Leslie had nothing of her own to brag about.It's funny. Her piece totally SOUNDS stolen – forced and inauthentic.Bitch.
>What's your plan? It would be helpful to the community if you document exactly what you do. So sorry, Lindsay. I worry about that stuff, too.
>If this is something that bothers you (because it bothers the heck out of my and I only know you through your blog – I got this strange protective thing going for you – not stalkerish, but you are just so funny and creative that it pissed me off that someone would do that…) I would talk to her publishers. They should be interested to know that someone they are paying is not doing thier job – and bonus if they like her work, they are bound to LOVE your work!!! I am sorry that this happened to you….
>She's a thief, plain and simple. I'm no lawyer, but shouldn't your column be covered as the intellectual property of your paper, or you yourself??Coincidentally, I just finished a post on blog etiquette, which included attribution…went back and referenced this, too.
>This is bull to the shit! -I am so sorry baby! Ib have had this happen to me! Blood boil! Kisses and keep us posted
>Holy crap! What a lazy little pissant!
>that is crazy!
>That's crazy! What a lazy journalist! Have you complained to the site that ran her column or the other sites she writes for?
>apparently nowadays you gotta FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT to bloooogggg. how silly of that gal. go get the thesaurus gfriend! sorry lindsay, but i'm glad you have enough fire in your bones to do something about it. i guess the quotation "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" doesn't really apply here…
>Rita, and everyone else, I'm about to e-mail everyone for whom she writes.I can't help but think that if she was this blatant about stealing a fairly well-known (in the mom blog community, of which she is a part) column, then there is a chance she has less-obviously stolen material in the past. That would make her a liability to any publication, right?I have had bloggers steal portions of my work in the past, and I simply e-mailed them and they took it down. Often, they took the whole blog down. But this is different. This woman is a paid "journalist." This is COMPLETELY unacceptable.Please don't leave her personal information in the comments, though. I'm sure you mean well, but I'll delete it. That's going too far.
>I was ASTONISHED when I read your column then hers. This is not community college – she's supposed to be a professional! I'll tell you one thing – I'll certainly be remembering her name and never buying/reading any of her crap again.
>Your colums are the BEST, I guess she figured she would try and take all your amazing words and try to make them hers, and she failed miserably, what a HAG she is
>I'd write her, and ask her to propose a way to remedy the situation. If she doesn't, or if her idea isn't acceptable to you, I'd write the editors of the newspaper and the websites for which she writes. If your work is subject to a copyright, those newspapers/websites have now published your work without your permission. She may well have exposed her employers to liability.
>Please keep us updated. I've heard of this happening before, but not from someone who's getting paid for it. Eek!
>I do hope you contact her and her employers – this wouldn't be tolerated at any other job, why should it be any different because it's from the web. I wish you best of luck getting it sorted out and man, do these people NOT THINK? It's the internet for godsakes – if you found it (& steal it) it will come back to haunt you. Maybe not right away, but….(Jeesh!)
>All I can say is WOW.
>Isn't it interesting that she has the following quote on her page:"Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles."-Walter CronkiteI guess her principles don't involve not stealing from other writers who are clearly more talented than she. I'm sorry this is happening to you Lindsay, I can't wait to hear what happens because I'm sure hoping it works out for you in the end.
>You know, her article is just not as good. It feels inauthentic, and cliche'd. You can tell that this isn't something that happened to her, this is just her imagination working overtime to replace as many obvious examples and analogies as possible (with the exception of the golden poop, I mean, who can top that?!). Good luck with whatever it is you have to do.
>For some reason, I can't open the link to your column right now but didn't you write a column about this also? Don't know if they are the same, but worth looking at…http://www.lesliedinaberg.com/Columns.php?choice=The+Bratty+Bunch
>wow that is over the top. i'm pretty sure you'll be contacting her and her publisher. it's the only way she'll stop. how embarrassing for her. but she deserves it! through one of your comments i saw that you twitter. why am i not surprised? i am surprised that i didn't think of following you sooner. you are a creative, insightful writer who makes me think (and laugh). shame on this person for lifting your prose. shame on her!!
>I just started reading your blog not long ago. I came to the site from one of your articles I stumbled across and fell in love with the humor and witt. Everything Leslie bitchface is not. I hope you give her hell and I want to see a very public apology from her.
>As she also has books published under science and history headings, I'd be very afraid. Once a plagiarist, always a thief.
>It's pretty damn clear she ripped it right from you – no question. What a loser bitch!
>That is unbelieveable. That woman has brass balls. Show no mercy.
>Wow, I only thought school and college kids did that type of behavior. You did a good article though….
>You need a good trademark lawyer for your clever phraseology.
>She changed it to "pooped a diamond." Wonder if she knows you're onto her.
>I'd love to tell you I'm shocked, but the same thing happened to me. I do NOT get paid for my work, but I was shocked that someone else was.
>Downright dirty and appalling is what that is.Best of luck Lindsey.
>Oh no she didn't! Unforgivable. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
>Ooo, I love drama! Keep us up on what transpires. Please. I live vicariously through this stuff.
>Tell your lawyer, watch them shred her to bits (as she rightfully deserves), and tell us all about it.
>You know. . .Am I the only one who was taught to be completely paranoid of plagiarism in high school? It was drilled into our heads that if we even vaguely sounded as if we may possibly have copied another person's writing that we would be expelled and possibly murdered in our sleep. Apparently, some people have yet to learn this lesson.My question is how is this woman being paid for her writing? it stinks!
>What can you do about it? No, seriously, I'm not being coy or glib. I want to know what you can do! Been totally curious about that for awhile–I caught someone copying me who denies it and I didn't know what to do.
>I don't even have words for that. That's horrible. I hope you get her. She's a mom and should know better.
>Hmmm… didn't you write on this topic as well? http://www.lesliedinaberg.com/Columns.php?choice=Can+we+talk+about+textingOk, your blog is basically the only one I read and it's a slow day at work today…. 🙂
>And this one… http://www.lesliedinaberg.com/Columns.php?choice=Kindergarten+redshirtsOk, I'm going to stop now.
>What a lowlife, uninspired beeyotch. FWIW, your version was very funny and hers was meh. Unfortunately, I think she changed just enough stuff to technically adhere to the letter of the law with regards to plagiarism. And you can't plagiarize someone's ideas, so I don't know that there's any legal recourse. But after you contact her employer it'll probably be a cold day in hell before she gets another job anywhere in journalism. At least let's hope so.
>Wow. That's bold.
>Wow. I may be a lurker but that is ridiculous that she thought she thought she could get away with this. She is part of this world online because of her job (I am too) and she just black listed herself from (hopefully) any respectable paper. And I agree that the texting story sounds really familiar.
>Oh Gigi, I think she copied more than enough phrases word for word for it to be plagiarism. They're peppered throughout the entire piece. So are entire scenarios.
>LOL. I went to her site and this was the quote that popped up.."The man is most original who can adapt from the greatest number of sources."-Thomas Carlyle
>I'll just add my "OMG, that is so slimy, bitchy, and pathetic… So what are you going to do next? I hope it involves a lawyer." to the numerous other comments that have said the same.I wonder who else she's stealing from?
>Lindsay, are you screen shotting her columns? Seems like every time someone is discovered, they immediately take down their site so you can't prove anything. How maddening!!
>WOOOOOOOOOOW. She is so busted.
>WOW! I don't even like stealing someone's idea for my blog (and I only have 4 readers!).That is just horrible.And from reading some of your comments, I can't believe it has happened to other people! Why write if it isn't your own words?
>That takes some cojones to rip off your stuff. Anyone who's read you at all would know you wouldn't take that lying down, and you shouldn't. And her article is not as good as yours, either. I mean really, "according to one expert"? Does this "expert" have a name? What exactly is this person an "expert" of? Unattributed quotes are a sign of very, very sloppy work.I hope you get this resolved.
>Well, I'm no authority, so let's hope you're right!BTW, Lins, do you read Cjane? Someone was lifting whole posts from her blog awhile back. I wonder what she ever did about it and how it all ended up. Do you know? Apparently blog theft is the new white collar crime around these-here internet parts!
>Lindsay, I would like to see more of them side-by-side, like Redshirts. As you find them, will you put them here together?
>oh hell to the no!! i can not beleive that she would steal your work….and get paid for it…..and not even give you credit for writing it. get her Linds!!!
>Here is the biggest piece of irony EVER on this Leslie woman's site right now – the quote at the top of the page:Other people's words keep me alive.-Anne SextonYes, Leslie, but when other people have WRITTEN those words, they are not yours to take. Go get her, Lindsay!
>Your column was much better than her re-do.
>It's funny I was just reading about the same thing from c jane over at http://blog.cjanerun.com. Only in that instance she took several posts and they were WORD FOR WORD. Unbelievable that people would do that. I guess they think cyberspace is big enough that they would never get caught. Good luck!
>Yeah, her red shirt column came first, though. So she's actually kosher on that one. What a bummer, though. Sorry you've had this happen – I would be so pissed.
>That is so unprofessional. I hope she gets fired.
>Hey, folks…Lindsay posted about this last night on Facebook, and it pissed me off for her. In fact, I was SO pissed I went straight to another blog I occasionally read because I remembered that Shannon has an anti-plagiarism mechanism on hers.For all who have blogs, and who earn a living from them, maybe Copyscape.com is the prescribed ammunition against losers like Leslie. This is so late-to-the-party I'm not sure if anyone will take comfort in it, nor do I claim to be an expert in anti-plagiarism laws or defense; but seeing this icon on a blog sure would be a deterrent to me if I were of the mind to lift some descriptive phrases from someone else's hard work.I signed a pledge known as the Honor Code at Vanderbilt when I was a freshman. It stated that I would never knowingly plagiarize or cheat on any assignment or examination. If I were caught doing so, I would be expelled from the university. Full stop.There are at least two instances that come to mind of students who were ejected from Vanderbilt because of blatant plagiarism while I was enrolled there. I hope Leslie is reading through comments posted here, because she'll thus understand she has some serious karma coming to her that will bite her on the butt bigtime.I don't want to be so tacky as to post another Mommyblogger's website address on Lindsay's site. If you are curious about Copyscape and think the Momblogger who uses it might answer an email of yours (I can't imagine why she wouldn't respond) regarding her experience with it, email me at:cmh09@att.net, and I'll send you the website info. That way, I don't look like a schmuck for posting the website on Lindsay's site, and Lindsay isn't bothered with inquiries about it here.I'm just still pissed off that an adult who claims to be published has the steel radial chutzpah in 2009 to plagiarize, and she chose to snake Lindsay's work. Leslie needs to grow the fuck up and get some talent of her own.
>any word?
>Any updates? Has this Leslie bimbo contacted you at all?
>Nope. Nada. Rien. But she's out there. She's probably having lunch with Cathy Anderson right now.
>Wow – that gal is sportin' a huge set of brass balls. Impressive. Or. Not so much. Have fun taking her down a few notches. As a so-called writer, she should be utterly ashamed of herself.
>cathy anderson – LOL
>Wow! Just… no words. I hope you get justice. This sucks!
>What I don't get is how they don't think the person they stole the material isn't going to stumble on it? Especially if it's as you say in the same circle as you.Craptacular!!
>Go, Linsay, go. I can't wait to hear the rest of this story…..
>I emailed her also. Let us know if she contacts you!
>I'm so sorry that happened to you. You're not the first and you won't be the last — it's a sad state of writerhood when one of us has to steal from another. Had she merely cited you, and given her own take on the subject, it could have been so good for everyone.
>I am sure she is on Facebook. Perhaps we should all friend request her.
>You gotta' take that thieving *itch out back!How did she think that would not come back to bite her in the ass??PLEASE POST a follow up!
>This is better than the time you wrote about some country and western artist gal using the toilet.The New York Times Manual On Style is something she is likely ingnorant about.What can you expect from someone who claims to have a journalism degree from UCLA?
>Mir, you're right about the redshirting article as between Lindsay and Leslie. But I bet the NYT would be very interested to know that this chick wrote an article that sounds a LOT like theirs, down to phrases like the "graying" of kindergarteners, without any attribution whatsoever. Anyone reading Leslie's article would think that she came up with this idea, did all the research, and wrote all the copy. (Unlike Lindsay, who linked the NYT article, then provided her own commentary on that article.)
>A FABULOUS Australian show called 'Media Watch' investigated this:http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2547783.htmAn almost exact replica of your situation!!
>Double post: I would suggest you do what this show did and highlight the copied phrases, and send it to her editor as a % example – I feel that it is a powerful way to prove plagiarism!
>Turn her into her editor! This is definitely against basic journalistic standards and she should be fired. Granted, it was on her blog and not the journal for which she normally writes but it's still plagarism. It makes all of her other work questionnable and they should spend LOTS of $$$ to fact check her for other violations of copyright!
>As a library technician, I can only say that I am horribly disgusted that this should happen to you Lindsay. You should contact a lawyer specializing in copyright. Take her to court and sue her for stealing your intellectual property.I did a quick search on Google and found the following Attorneys that practice copyright law in the Nashville area.www.adamsandreese.comwww.corneliuscollins.comwww.iplawgroup.comwww.loeb.comwww.lassiterlaw.comPlease Lindsay. Don't let this woman get away with this. Contact a lawyer and take her to court.
>That's HORRIBLE!!! I hope you can contact her employers and get "her" work taken down. That's totally unacceptable.
>And you know what else?? Yours was so much better written. And damn funny.
>Good for you for calling her out on it. I would be interested to see if you get a response.
>On first reading of your column and hers, I didn't think they were so similar. However, I think that's because hers is not as well written.On second reading, I caught some of the copied phrases. Yeah, it seems unlikely to be coincidence…
>I emailed her also, to show my support for you, Lindsay. What she did was really wrong. And now Karma is going to hopefully bite her…hard.
>"This is not community college – she's supposed to be a professional!"Hey, no fair! In community college, you get a big fat F for behavior like this. At least in MY class you do.
>She got an email from me after I read your entry. I teach middle schooler's every day about plagarism.It is downright stealing. Hope she gets her due.
>That's actually really pathetic. She could have easily used your (great) term, linked to your article, told you how great the term was, and then told actual authentic stories about how this is so true for her, too. But,no. yea, she changed the words, but her article is an identical outline with "replacement" terms. And, the worst part…her blog and writing is big ole dud!
>I think Leslie Dinaberg has gotten quite a lot of e-mails today! Thanks, y'all. You rock.
>All I can say is GET HER!
>Why is it that I am finding more people "lifting" sayings or chunks of coined phrases? I actually had a friends saying/witty nickname for a group and was passed off as their own…surprisingly it was a mommyblogger and it made me really think "What else has she copped off others?". Cutting and pasting a half-assed version of a complete post is just ABSURD! Don't they have any journalistic conscious??? Wow is there no SHAME? Do we have to copyright blogs now, in order to protect those without any WIT or CLEVERNESS from this word thievery! BUGGERS!
>I am so sorry. That is horrible. This seems to be some kind of epidemic. Happening to you and to Megan. Do people really think they can get away with this??
>I'm sorry, that totally sucks. What is wrong with people? Also, her website is ugly.
>There are plenty of lesser-talents out there who will plagiarize, unless and/or until caught and called on it. You need to write to her publication, provide the proof, and nail her butt to the wall, Lindsay. More respectable publishers will take action on plagiarizers.
>And I added my thoughts to Leslie's email as well. I doubt she'll send you a public apology, but it'd be a small step in the right direction if she did.
>You should check the copyright laws because I'm pretty sure other people can't use whole sentences and paragraphs that you've already written. Titles, it would seem, are up for grabs, as I found out when another author used my title last year, even though my agent informed his publisher that my book was already out there. Grrr!
>You know what's funny (interesting, not funny haha) about this. I don't have a blog or anything, but I find myself talking about suburban turmoil posts all the time. And I'll say "there's this lady lindsay's blog that I read and she had a story about _________". I find myself saying it all the time and I think the people around me (especially my husband) must think that I all I do is sit and read this blog! So I remember once, for a split second in the back of my head I was tempted to say "one time I read this story about _______" or act like I heard whatever it was from somewhere else…but you know what? I realized that would be WRONG so I didn't do it! So I continue to talk about Lindsay and the fact that the stuff comes from HER BLOG! I guess that's having a conscious. And accepting that people are going to think you have no life since all you do is talk about someone else's :-). That's better than lying that it's your life!
>I am shocked that she still hasn't taken down her post! I hope you write a follow-up on this and let us know what happens.
>Still no response?!?
>That's horrible! Your minions are ready to leap to your defense. I, too, have written Leslie an email as well as sending one to the her editor. If there is any other way we can help, just say the word…
>She is on staff at the Daily Sound in Santa Barbara, California. Check out http://www.thedailysound.com/southcoasting you all need to leave your comments there so her publisher will get the point.
>Rachael, I like, "Also, her website is ugly."It is really ugly!
>Lindsay, nice comment on her PMS story! LOL
>I actually didn't leave any comments on the newspaper's site. That was someone impersonating me, which may have been well intentioned, but it's also weird.
>WOW!!! NOT.COOL. Rip her a new one! We've got your back.
>WOW!!! NOT.COOL. Rip her a new one! We've got your back.
>"I actually didn't leave any comments on the newspaper's site. That was someone impersonating me, which may have been well intentioned, but it's also weird."WOW. That's almost as insulting as the plagiarism. Yeeesh. Keep us posted!!
>OMG!! I would be so pissed. Have you confronted her yet? Keep us posted on what you're doing about it.Good for you for not letting her get away with it!
>I just read her "PMS" column and sent her an email saying "Perhaps it means "PARDON MY STEALING" 🙂
>My high school son has to submit all of the papers he writes to http://www.turnitin.com to verify to the teacher that he did not plagarize. With the internet, it's so easy to copy and paste, and there's no way teachers these days can be sure. My son doesn't think it's a big deal, but sadly, plagarizing has become so commonplace .
>Have you seen this news story?http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090611/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_card_photo_pragueApparently a family's Christmas photo wound up in an advertisement in PRAGUE. Maybe not technically plagiarism, but definitely screwy.
>Oops. Link should be:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090611/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_card_photo_prague(Paste it back together, I guess!) 🙂
>That's crap and she should know better. In fact, I'm betting she DOES know better or why else would she take the time to slightly change things. It is one thing for a blogger to perhaps mistakenly post something thinking it's their own…I could see this happening if you read a lot of blogs and forget you'd read it somewhere. This writer needs to be busted and fired if you asked me. Are you going to do something? I hope so! Go girl!