Talk:Greg Epstein/Archive 1

Same Greg Epstein

Is this the same Greg Epstein? If so, that image could be uploaded to Commons and be used as a replacement for the non-free image currently in use.--Rockfang (talk) 04:27, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

That sure looks like him! Too bad he didn't have his Driver's License on the end of that chain. I am thinking we could use this, but on the other hand, I have decided I'm just going to write him a letter and ask him to help us out by giving Wikipedia a photo we can use of his mug. I'm sure that he'll be okay with that. However, thanks for finding that photo. --Saukkomies ^talk 13:25, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

Yes, that's the Greg Epstein covered by this article. Ucucha 16:00, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

Cool, thanks for the second support vote. I went ahead and uploaded the photo to wikicommons and included it in the article. --Saukkomies ^talk 23:03, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

Approval to use photo received from publisher

I just received permission from Epstein's publisher that is in control of the copyright of the photo in question to use it for the Wikipedia article. Just to prevent loss of this, I'm posting this letter in full both here and in the photo's Wikicommons file's talk page. Here's the text of the correspondence, which involves three emails:

Message #1 from me to Greg Epstein's Harvard email:

Photo Request for Wikipedia article about you
Thursday, January 28, 2010 8:58 AM
From: <saukkomies@yahoo.com>
To: greg_epstein@harvard.edu
Cc: "Curt Allred" <saukkomies@yahoo.com>

Dear Mr. Epstein,

I am writing in hopes of obtaining a photograph that you would be willing to be used for an article I've written about you and The New Humanism in Wikipedia. I had heard the NPR Fresh Air broadcast of your interview, and was very impressed with what you have to say. So when I discovered afterward that there wasn't a decent Wikipedia article about you, I wrote up the best bio I could come up with, and uploaded it to Wikipedia. Here's the URL for the Wikipedia article about you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Epstein

However, there is a problem. I chose to use the photo of you that was posted to the Harvard Chaplaincy's web page (among other places), which, it turns out is violating some kind of Fair Use copyright law. So, this is resulting in a Wikipedia admin challenging the use of that photo, which means we now don't have a photograph of you to include in the Wikipedia article.

Someone DID find a photo on Flickr that appears to be you, which could be used in Wikipedia without violating copyright law, but we don't know for certain it it's actually you even though there's a big sign around the neck of the person (who looks like you) that says "Greg Epstein" on it. So we're reluctant to use it without substantiating your identity. Here's the photo on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7891827@N03/1792591863/

At any rate, it would be lovely if we could somehow get approval to use your photo. The photo we are using now is not of very good quality. Wikipedia prefers photographs to be JPEG files with millions of colors, but will also accept PNG or SVG files, too.

Please let me know if it is possible to use one of your photos, and if you do happen to have a chance to glance at the Wikipedia article about you, and have any comments, suggestions, or corrections to make, you may reply back to me directly or leave them on the article's "Talk" page, if you'd like. Thanks for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Curt Allred

Message #2 from Greg Epstein to me (which is from an automated response):

Out of Office AutoReply: Photo Request for Wikipedia article about you
Thursday, January 28, 2010 8:58 AM
From: "Epstein, Gregory Martin" <greg_epstein@harvard.edu>
To: "Curt Allred" <saukkomies@yahoo.com>

Hello, you've reached Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University.

Beginning this week through the end of the semester, I may be very slow in responding to (non-Harvard student) email due to the release of my first book, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe, on Oct. 27. Thanks so much for your patience.

For media inquiries, please contact my publicist Ben Bruton: Ben.Bruton@HARPERCOLLINS.com.

For urgent matters involving the Harvard Humanist Community, please contact our Community Organizing Fellow Sarah Chandonnet: schandonnet@harvardhumanist.org.

For information about how you can support the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, contact Maureen George: mgeorge@harvardhumanist.org.

To book me for a speaking engagement, contact Blair Nichols at the HarperCollins Speakers Bureau: Blair.Nichols@HARPERCOLLINS.com

For latest updates on the book tour and "Good Without God" campaign launch with ads on mass transit and billboards across the US, find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/gepstein.

And lastly, to purchase the book: (edit note: I removed the link to purchase the book on Amazon.com, since someone might construe it as promoting this book for sale)

Warm wishes, -- Greg M. Epstein Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University The Memorial Church, One Harvard Yard Cambridge, MA 02138 617-495-5986 http://harvardhumanist.org

Message #3 from Ben Bruton to me (in the form of a reply to my forwarding this request to him, per the instructions in the #2 letter above):

RE: Greg Epstein photo request for Wikipedia article about him
Thursday, January 28, 2010 9:32 AM
From: "Bruton, Ben" <Ben.Bruton@HARPERCOLLINS.com>
To: "'Curt Allred'" <saukkomies@yahoo.com>
Message contains attachments: 1 File (186KB) GME Portrait.JPG (edit note: this is the same photo used in the Wikipedia article, which in the original email form was visible as an attachment)

Hi Curt. The photo I have attached is his official author photo and you have our permission to use it. It is the same one you already used so I'm not sure why it is being challenged. It is his author photo for the book and we have the right to use it related to any publicity, which would include Wikipedia. Best, Ben

--Original Message-- From: Curt Allred [1]
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 9:24 AM
To: Bruton, Ben
Cc: Curt Allred
Subject: Greg Epstein photo request for Wikipedia article about him

Dear Mr. Bruton,

I received an automated reply from a letter I'd sent to Greg Epstein requesting permission to use his photo on a Wikipedia article I've written about him, and the reply gave your name as the person to contact for publicity issues. I'll just include a copy of my letter below, and would sincerely appreciate any help you could give me in this regard. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Curt Allred

(Quoted letter - #1 in this list - attached)

--Saukkomies ^talk 15:49, 28 January 2010 (UTC)