Freaky Forage of the Month...

I noticed these underneath a tree in front of our house a few years ago, and couldn't resist picking up a couple for the sheer weirdness of them! Then I saw they had some kind of nut inside, which I googled and found was a Turkish Hazelnut.

After a lot of effort with the nutcrackers (and some strategic turning to find it's weak spot) the very thick shell eventually cracked, revealing a lovely small fresh crunchy nut.

I foraged a fair few that year, then the following Autumn waited excitedly for them to start growing again. However, nothing appeared. Nor the next year. It seams they only bear nuts every few years, as they have once again grown in abundance this year.
I am now in a battle with a local squirrel to see who can stash the most away.

My Image Copied on Shutterstock, iStock, Thinkstock, Fotolia and probably more!

My milk splash vector has been at the top of searches for 2 or 3 years, but another contributor - 'Maria Ferencova' on Shutterstock, 'VladoOndo' on iStock - has completely copied my vector gradient mesh, possibly even just downloaded mine, then distorted it and moved a few droplets around!

My original vector:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-100118498/stock-vector-cows-sheeps-goats-soya-rice-oat-or-coconut-milk-splash-vector-illustration-on-blue-background.html?src=n2_281VA-HSkrc1catBt3A-2-30

Complete rip-off:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-180344336/stock-vector-cows-sheeps-milk-splash-background.html?src=sxpvkCN0RLNQ7iausw3oiQ-1-46

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-219783742/stock-vector-milk-splash-on-blue-background.html?src=GT88XMwsXD-3uiU9vA9MDQ-1-0

...plus loads of variations of it.
http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-1275082p1.html

http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/vladoondo/facets=%7b%2225%22%3a%226%22%7d#1c0f9136

Also has the same images on iStock,
http://www.istockphoto.com/vector/milk-splash-ilustration-37219420?st=3a943fc

...plus Thinkstock, Fotolia and who knows how many more, all making money on the back of MY original hard work. I am absolutely outraged that Shutterstock are allowing these to continue to be sold. They did suspend all her images temporarily, then put most back online again.

If this is the way things are heading then I can see no point bothering creating images any more only to be ripped off, taking sales of MY images away.

Interestingly there was a new law yesterday regarding copyright:

http://www.greetingstoday.co.uk/news/recent_news/10_years_jail_threat_for_copying.aspx

...so I shall be pursuing this legally. Anyone have any experience of this? or any advice more than welcome!