I'm Paying You With This Picture of a Spider ...

1. CheeseDuck
   November 9th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

   Hah. I would've let him pay it with that picture.
   ... Maybe not. I'd get fired.

2. Sheldon
   November 9th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

   That made my day.
   Especially how the guy sent the picture back.
   Twice.

3. Him
   November 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm

   Maybe I can try that with my christian loan shark. Only in Arkansas!

4. HollywoodBob
   November 9th, 2008 at 2:43 pm

   Seeing as how money is created from nothing and has an arbitrary value assigned to it, this should have been pushed to the point of Jane's company taking him to court, I would have loved to seen the precedent set for paying bills with pieces of art.

5. Jim
   November 9th, 2008 at 4:32 pm

   Was anyone else reminded of the old Saturday Night Live skit where Jon Lovitz (as Pablo Picasso) keeps trying this?

6. Ali S.
   November 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

   I would buy that spider and the story if I could!

7. ted
   November 9th, 2008 at 6:15 pm

   Funny, but the guy's a dick.

8. Pudifoot
   November 9th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

   Maybe the company just doesn't like spiders. Bunnies might have been a better choice.

9. renderanything
   November 9th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

   At least it's better than the guy earlier this week who tried to pay his bar tab with chewing gum wrappers.

10. NicoNicoNico
    November 9th, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    I think I'll try that with my creditors. I told them I was disabled and couldn't work, so they told me to stop being lazy and get to work. Never answered the phone when they called again. I think I'll draw a bunny eating a clover, how does that sound? I can post pics when I'm done. I'll tell them it'll be worth millions once I make it big in web design. Yeah, that sounds good.

11. DeLuxe
    November 10th, 2008 at 8:05 am

    That's not a spider: it's a potato with a face and seven 'sort of' legs.
    A proper drawing would distinguish the cephalothorax and abdomen.
    So, the drawing is maybe rejected because it's not one of a spider?

12. JohnSTINGLING
    November 10th, 2008 at 9:40 am

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190265903424

13. Dixon
    November 10th, 2008 at 10:34 am

    Brilliant!

    It might have worked if he was the artist Gavin Turk...

    Tea Stain
    2004
    Edition of 1000, signed, numbered and dated
    Tea on Somerset paper
    14 7/8 x 11 3/16 in. (37.8 x 28.4 cm)
    Each work is unique
    £75 + VAT (unframed)

    http://www.artshole.co.uk/exhibitions/feb%2026%2004/WHITE%20CUBE%20EDI TIONS%20GAVIN%20TURK%20Tea%20Stain.htm

14. mallory
    November 10th, 2008 at 11:03 am

    This is, without a doubt, one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

15. cheechman85
    November 10th, 2008 at 11:26 am

    Saw this via digg.... AWESOME!

16. Jaxx
    November 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am

    @4
    Just say it was made with recycled electrons that were once within a bank's computer system.

17. MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT
    November 10th, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    You can tell this guy doen't have any money because of the time that he put into this, so I would like to see creditors forgive the debt, and move one.

18. Gail Pink
    November 10th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

    That was THE BEST! I wonder what the bill was for?

19. EEM
    November 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    That's so amazing

20. Crash_171
    November 10th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    THAT WAS GREAT!!

21. kapow!
    November 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pm

    this made me laugh so hard that i hurt. hilarious. "jane" is obviously impaired for letting this fine art slip through her fingers. ya blew it!

22. Hilary Farlow
    November 12th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    The exchange b/w the Company & the Spider Artist is HILARIOUS!

23. MadMolecule
    November 22nd, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    Here's what I sent to a friend when I first heard about the spider-guy:

    --------

    She says, in the e-mail from 11:03 a.m., Oct 10, 2008: "Yes it is the same drawing. I copied and pasted it from the e-mail you sent me..."

    To which he should have immediately replied:

    Excuse me? You copied it? I am appalled at your unequivocal admission that you have infringed my copyright in this drawing of a spider, and I intend to seek whatever legal or equitable remedies may be available. Title 17 of the United States Code will elaborate:

    "Section 102. Subject matter of copyright: In general

    "(a) Copyright protection subsists, in accordance with this title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following categories:[...]

    "(5) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works....."

    So U.S.C. Title 17, Section 102 (a) (5) confirms that I do, in fact own the copyright and you did not have the right to copy it. Section 504 tells us what remedies may be available:

    "504. Remedies for infringement: Damages and profits

    "(a) In General. — Except as otherwise provided by this title, an infringer of copyright is liable for either —

    "(1) the copyright owner's actual damages and any additional profits of the infringer, as provided by subsection (b); or

    "(2) statutory damages, as provided by subsection (c)."

    As my actual damages and your profits would be difficult if not impossible to accurately measure (my own emotional distress over this matter cannot be overstated), I turn to subsection (c) for what statutory damages are available:

    "(c) Statutory Damages. —

    "(1) [...]the copyright owner may elect, at any time before final judgment is rendered, to recover, instead of actual damages and profits, an award of statutory damages for all infringements involved in the action ... in a sum of not less than $750 or more than $30,000 as the court considers just."

    So it seems that by freely admitting that you copied my drawing of a spider, you have admitted your civil liability for the tort of copyright infringement, as a remedy for which I am entitled to a sum of not less than $750.

    So it now appears that your company owes me, at a minimum, $750. As I owe your company $233.95, I anticipate receipt of a check from you in the amount of $516.05.

    Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

    -------

24. John Ryskowski
    December 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am

    The Raymond Delauney Emails are similar but funnier.

    http://entertainment.aol.co.uk/the-raymond-delauney-emails/article/200 71016130509990002

25. Sarah McKensie
    January 16th, 2009 at 7:06 am

    I looked at the Raymond Delauney page and thought it was weak. I think 'John' above must be 'Raymond Delauney' trying to plug his own stuff. His stuff just seems to try to hard to be funny while David Thorne seems to be natural with his wit.

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