The Sword of Damocles.

Some months ago, Noel Bednaz found a site called Rip-Off Report that allows her to complain about people and businesses and get her complaints into Google's search algorithm. It's perfect for her because the complaints don't have to be true (they aren't) as no one checks them, the companies don't have to exist (it's supposed to be a place where people report companies that have swindled them), and the reports are never taken down (unless you pay them a bunch of money for 'arbitration.' ie, extortion). The whole site is a scam - perfect for Noel Bednaz.

As far as I know, Noel Bednaz has filed three "Rip-Off" reports to date. The first was against my online business, despite the fact that I don't have, and never have had, an online business. It was nothing more than an attempt to hurt my career, something she couldn't possibly do. She even went as far as to say I don't paint my paintings - I use some sort of computer program. Considering I had my first solo show in 1975, it must be one hell of a computer program to be able to run without a computer. You can read about that here.

The second was against Ben Gurecki and Underworld Productions because she was dissatisfied with an LP she bought from them (Charles Manson, of course) that came with a money back guarantee. This was after she infringed their copyright by posting the music on download sites and had received her money back. You can read about that here.

Perhaps the funniest of all, Noel Bednaz filed a Ripoff Report against Facebook. Really. She's apparently upset that they don't let her say any old thing she wants, about anything at all. She sees it as a 'violation of her First Amendment Rights,' showing she has no understanding of the First Amendment whatsoever.

Noel, the First Amendment doesn't mean you can say anything, about anything, anywhere at any time. It simply means that the government (Congress) cannot make a law stopping you from expressing yourself. Congress didn't, Facebook did - and they have every right to. They're a private company, and they can therefore set their own terms of use. You entered into an agreement to follow their rules when you signed up. To get angry when they enforce those rules displays a special kind of stupid. Very reminiscent of you getting angry at the owner of a discussion list 14 years ago because he asked you to take your off-topic discussion somewhere else. What did you call me then? A Dictator? And all because I asked that you please stop talking about cats on a freaking John Lennon Discussion list. You can read about that here.

Now, despite the fact that she knowingly filed three reports that existed entirely of lies against three different entities, and her motivation was simply to use the site to try to hurt those entities, Noel Bednaz has now had a change of heart about Rip-Off Report. Why? Because someone filed a report against her.

Her response? This blog post, in which she suddenly realizes that Rip-Off-Report is a scam (after filing three reports against others over a six month period). Apparently it never occurred to her before. As I said, a special kind of stupid. Either that, or she knew it all along, which makes her a special kind of hypocrite.

My favorite part of her blog post, though, is this:

The plain truth is, "RipOffReport.com" works like a double edged sword. There may be a handful of REAL reports on there like the ones I filed for example but the vast majority of what's featured on the site amounts to nothing but a HUGE pile of smutty bullshit.

I think I'll go with stupid and hypocrite, since she asserts that her three entirely untrue reports about others are "REAL." (they must be, she wrote it in all caps), but the entirely true report about her is false, and proves the site to be "a HUGE pile of smutty bullshit."