plagiarism

Language note: ask any sophomore

A Chicago-based restaurant chain has apologized for asking Hawaiians to stop using two Hawaiian words…kind of.

Over the weekend a furore broke out when it came to light that the Aloha Poke Co. had sent cease and desist letters to several small businesses operating as some variation of “Aloha Poke,” which it owns the trademark for. Many of these businesses are run by native Hawaiians. Aloha Poke Co. is not.

[. . .]

In response, the company took to Facebook to share a deep apology that the issue had “been so triggering” and to defend itself against what it called misinformation spread on social media. The post said the company had not tried to own the words “aloha” or “poke” and had not told Hawaiian businesses they could not use the words “aloha” or “poke.” Instead, they’d merely enforced their trademark which protects the use of the phrase “Aloha Poke” in connection with food service.

The Aloha Poke Co. founder, Zach Friedlander, who no longer works at the company, also posted on Facebook, saying he was “deeply saddened by the reaction that some have taken regarding this situation.” He went on to say the reaction was a “witch hunt” based on “false news”.

— Hallie Detrick, “Aloha Poke Co Is Really Sorry It Told Native Hawaiians They Couldn’t Use ‘Aloha Poke.'” http://fortune.com/2018/07/31/aloha-poke-cease-and-desist/

About the red letters:

With his business and political activities under investigation as of August 2018, President Trump is tweeting several times a day about what he calls, with perhaps trademarkable capital initials, “the Witch Hunt” and “Fake News.” The difference between Mr. Trump’s “Fake News” and Mr. Friedlander’s “false news” may seem trivial, but in the classroom it matters. When you ask a sophomore why, the sophomore will explain that when you change “Fake” to “false,” that makes it not really plagiarism.

Sort of the way standing a plastic hula girl in the snow outside your restaurant door fills Chicago with aloha.

Right, Dennis?

Professor Foucault asks an Indonesian computer, “What is an author?”

At Amazon.com in 2011, somebody named M. C. Hewins wrote of her college composition text, The Little Seagull Handbook:

“This was required for a writing class I took this quarter, but has proved useful in several other classes as well. The handbook is very well organized with no fluff or nonsense. Most college writing focuses on MLA style, which this book covers in excellent detail, but occasionally you will be asked to write in a different and unfamiliar style and at that time, this book will come to the rescue. I was able to write a history paper in Chicago style with the help of the Little Seagull.

“Additionally the book has an online website for reference and further details, with complete sample papers in all the styles, that you can explore in depth. I used the website resource on multiple occasions this last quarter and my papers benefited from the attention to detail on style.

“Finally, the greatest benefit of the Little Seagull Handbook is that it is in fact, little. It is small, compact and light as a feather, which is a godsend to all of us students who are already carrying around too much weight in our backpacks. Its light enough that I don’t mind bringing it around ‘just in case’ I need it, although I would prefer a kindle edition to reduce the weight even more. Highly recommended!”

Thereupon, this site

http://encyclopediaspdfebooks.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-little-seagull-handbook.html

engaged itself in a process of what I suppose Foucault might have called plagiotraduction. In a similar spirit before the cyber era, Emily Dickinson produced several copies of an all-purpose social text in three major variant forms which begin, respectively, “Going to him! happy letter!,” “Going to her! happy letter!,” and “Going to them! happy letter!”

Such a beau geste privileges expressivity over mere words. It reduces language to an ancilla, humbly-dumbly serving the primary necessities of emotion and commerce. In tribute to the beau geste, then, let us affix a Zamenhof stamp,

kiss the page, and read from the blog:

This was appropriate for a autograph chic I took this quarter, but has accepted advantageous in several added classes as well. The handbook is actual able-bodied organized with no boner or nonsense. Most academy autograph focuses on MLA style, which this book covers in accomplished detail, but occasionally you will be asked to address in a altered and alien appearance and at that time, this book will appear to the rescue. I was able to address a history cardboard in Chicago appearance with the advice of the Little Seagull.

Additionally the book has an online website for advertence and added details, with complete sample affidavit in all the styles, that you can analyze in depth. I acclimated the website ability on assorted occasions this endure division and my affidavit benefited from the absorption to detail on style.

Finally, the greatest account of the Little Seagull Handbook is that it is in fact, little. It is small, bunched and ablaze as a feather, which is a advantage to all of us acceptance who are already accustomed about too abundant weight in our backpacks. Its ablaze abundant that I don’t apperception bringing it about ‘just in case’ I charge it, although I would adopt a blaze copy to abate the weight even more. Highly recommended!

Vicisti, Galilaee

Announcing the election of 22 new cardinals last week, the Vatican issued a media release whose biographical information turned out to have been plagiarized from Wikipedia.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2012/01/09/vatican_plagarizes_wikipedia_for_cardinal_bios.html

According to this article, “Vatican spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi told the Guardian that the bios were labeled unofficial and were lifted from Wikipedia in the interest of timeliness.”

It’s time to throw in the towel on plagiarism, fellow academics. Morally, our corner-cutting students are in the very best company – and not just for their preferred source of downloads but for their preferred excuse too.