"Daddy's drinking up our Christmas..."

In response, I sent them a $400 "demand email" for filing a false claim with me and asked them to provide proof of Reuters purported copyright. I'll keep you posted on how the fun plays out.

I got a "copyright inquiry" today from some company that watchdogs their images and sends nastygrams for "unauthorized use," demanding $400 per violation. Looks like they have a deal to split/share that with Reuters. The photo in question on my yellowstonegate.com site was MINE!

Yeah, and the Times signed a content licensing deal with Amazon AI. Maybe some of that will trickle down.

Here's one you'll love. I write for Reuters and sometimes send a photo or two of my own for them to use with my stories. A bonus from me. They don't pay extra.

Sure. It's likely to be the only money I ever see from AI. Is there a form for co-authors? If not, I'm fine if you put yourself down as sole author and send me half in the unlikely event there's ever a payout.

If you read the NY Times Travel Dispatch newsletter, be sure to check out today's edition. Two of the three stories featured are mine!

#travel #news

Vending machines in #Ebisu neighborhood of #Shibuya in #Tokyo

#travel #photography #Japan

6 Dude Ranches Where You Can Saddle Up and Unplug

Summer is winding down, but fall is still a great time for a dude ranch vacation. Here are 6 dude ranches I surveyed for the NY Times.

#duderanch #travel #photography #horses #vacation

7 State Parks That You Really Love. You Told Us So.

If you're still searching for an outdoor adventure option for Labor Day, there may be a great state park nearby that you have yet to discover. Here are 7 blockbusters to consider.

#travel #stateparks #parks #outdoors #parkchat #nature #photography #publiclands

36 Hours in Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Things to Do and See It’s all about mountain views, whether you’re hiking, cycling or enjoying a picnic in Grand Teton National Park.

Summer isn't over yet! If you're looking to spend #36Hours in #Jackson #Wyoming and #GrandTeton any time soon, here are my recommendations.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Two fantastic additions — lucky to have them both.

7 Things Travelers Should Never Do When They Encounter Wildlife As another summer of national park crowds leads to the inevitable run-ins between humans and animals—sometimes with tragic consequences—follow these expert tips on how best to proceed when you spot an...

Afar asked me for a few things NOT to do around wildlife. I sent them a list of 7, but it easily could have been 101.

#travel #wildlife #yellowstone #asheville #smokies #bears #bearwise #safety #bison #parks #parkchat #nature

I'm getting tired of people in this neighborhood letting their dogs run around off-leash. This big boy did NOT like me trying to check his collar for an owner's phone number. (No rabies tags either!) C'mon, people!

#asheville #bears #blackbears #wildlife #smokies #bearwise #wnc #travel #gsmnp

A shopkeeper in Marrakech kneeling quietly among an amazing collection fo patters, pitchers and other goods for sale.

This shopkeeper in Marrakech had the most amazing selection of platters, jewelry, pitchers—you name it. All with the patina of age and aura of hand-made authenticity. Get lost in the souks!

#travel #photography #africa #marrakech #morocco #photos #pics

I regret that I can only "like" this video once, instead of 10,000 times.

That's an awesome view of the aurora behind Heart Mountain near #Cody #Wyoming. Leon is a wonderful local photographer.

A big, fluffy, white Pyrenees dog resting her chin on a railing and looking out over the landscape.

A big, fluffy, white Pyrenees dog seen from below a second-story balcony, resting her chin on a railing and looking out over the landscape.

A big, fluffy, white Pyrenees dog resting her chin on a stump while lying on the ground and looking out over the landscape.

A big, fluffy, white Pyrenees dog resting her chin on the armrest of an open truck window and looking out over the landscape, with blue sky, white clouds and rolling hills in the far distance.

It's Sugar's job to "guard" against...anything, really. But sometimes she gets tired and her giant head gets so full of dog thoughts that it becomes too heavy and she has to prop it up.

#dogs #dogsofbluesky #pets #photography #pyrenees

5 State Parks That Feel Like National Parks

It's fun to highlight some state #parks around the U.S.

Support your #nationalparks but this summer is also a great time to check out the hidden gems in your state.

(Don't @ me because I included/missed your favorite park. There's 10,000 of them. Literally!)

#parkchat #travel #outdoors

Agree.

I'm working on a @nytimes.com piece on how #learning even a little of a foreign #language can enhance your #travel experience. If you speak or #teach a second language or if you learn new languages for trips, I want to hear from you! ruffinprevost@gmail.com

#langsky #polyglot #ESL #linguistics

What to Know About Visiting National Parks This Summer, From Acadia to Zion (Gift Article) Firings, buyouts and a lack of seasonal workers could mean jammed roads, closed campgrounds, limited hours and more. What you need to know before traveling to 10 popular parks.

Thanks to the dozens of people who talked to me and Lauren Matison for this summer outlook for the busiest #nationalparks. If you hear #park news of interest this summer, please contact me.

#parkchat #travel #nature #wildlife #photography #parks #Yellowstone #GrandTeton

Tips on How to Haggle for a Fair Price (Gift Article) Bargaining, a common practice in many countries, may seem daunting to first timers. Here are some tips to get a fair deal, and maybe even make a new friend.

Some folks are born hagglers, others have trouble mixing it up. The comments on my story about haggling are a pretty interesting read on their own.

#travel #morocco #marrakech #madrid #spain #istanbul #turkiye #haggling #fairtrade

A view of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park. Several people are posing for photos with the falls in the background.

I'm working on a #travel story for NY Times about #statepark alternatives to #nationalparks. If you are/were planning a #parks trip but have concerns about federal staffing and budget cuts, please contact me at ruffinprevost@gmail.com.

#parkchat #nature #scape #landscape #photography #stateparks

How to Visit Meow Wolf’s Weird, and Expanding, Universe (Gift Article) Millions are flocking to the art collective’s five immersive exhibitions to duck through secret doors and explore new worlds. Coming soon: Los Angeles and New York.

I wrote about Meow Wolf for the NY Times. Describing it to the uninitiated without sounding like a brain-addled cult member proved to be a more formidable challenge than I expected.

#meowwolf #art #travel #immersive #experiential

A screen capture of search results from LibGen showing @RobTerrell.com and @RuffinPrevost.com among authors whose work was used without permission to train META AI.

Amazingly, it looks like META used on old (and very silly) book @robterrell.com and I wrote to train its AI. This strikes me as decidedly bad news for their AI. (As much as I'd like to claim authorship on the second search result, that's someone else.) @TheAtlantic has details: tinyurl.com/46uj2ahd

Someone needed a study to figure this out?

Former U.S. Sen. Alan K. Simpson standing at a microphone in front of an American flag.

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters."
—Al Simpson

Alan K. Simpson, shoot-from-the-lip Wyoming statesman, dies at 93 - Yellowstone Gate Alan K. Simpson—the former U.S. senator from Wyoming known for his outspoken directness, sense of humor and passionate advocacy for cherished causes—died today at 93 in Cody, Wyo. after struggling to ...

It's the end of an era in #Cody, #Wyoming.

A huge bank of multi layered clouds that look like spaceships covering just above the horizon line

The spaceships just east of my house look like they might finally stop hovering and land.

👀👽🛸

#clouds #weather #photos #wyoming #photography

My mom used to drop me and my brother off at a run-down golf club in western NC to swim in their pool for the day. Bored, we started swimming in the ponds and realized we could feel around with our feet in the mud for balls. We sold them back to the golfers, often right after they shanked them in.