using existing works is a pain ... what to do?

Building a Reliable Semicommons of Creative Works: Enforcement of Creative Commons Licenses and Limited Abandonment of Copyright"
by Lydia Pallas Loren
14 Gel. Mason L. Rev. 271 (2007)

"Today's controversial climate of overly broad ownership rights for creative works makes the lawful use of existing works in any manner an edgy trip into the legal maze of copyright." (pg. 271)

This article points out a fact that most people do not know or perhaps, like to ignore, until it becomes a problem. "Registration of the copyright by the creator of the original work is not required to obtain or maintain copyright protection, and even a notice of copyright, which previously was required to include the name of the copyright owner, is no longer necessary." (pg. 272) Yes, this is absolutely correct...! Every email, SMS, etc. that you write is actually protected by copyright and you are the owner. Think about how scary that is, a world where you can own so much.

browsing the web for CC liscensed content....

Carroll, Michael W., "Creative Commons and the New Intermediaries" . Michigan State Law Review, Symposium, 2005 Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=782405

You can seach the web for content with creative commons licenses by using the CC search engine:
http://search.creativecommons.org/#

or, you can do this directly by selecting the CC logo in the drop down mini menu bar of your Firefox browser:





If you dont have Firefox, you should; it is one of the best web browsers available. You can download the search engine at Mozilla's website: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

Professor Michael Carroll knows how to explain Creative Commons

Carroll, Michael W., "Creative Commons and the New Intermediaries" . Michigan State Law Review, Symposium, 2005 Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=782405

Carroll does an incredible job explaining what Creative Commons is for someone who does not have a legal background or who is not very tech savy. He provides a brief overview of the history of U.S. copyright law that leads to the conclusion that the system in this country is based on a "one size fits all" approach (A.K.A. copyright = "all rights reserved") to control of creative works. Today's society depends upon and thrives off of the internet and digital technologies. In today's world, "one size fits all" is an obsolete phenomenon with regard the control of creative work. A.K.A. the "all rights reserved" mantra of copyright is inefficient and ineffective. Creative Commons is the answer..."some rights reserved."