Why was I so pissed off by your letter, Mr. Pike? For you to say, that any kind of writing is “freely available” is disingenuous. You are no fool, and are playing the ignorant and naive African paper that “does not know better”. You show little concern for what I see as an act of theft masquerading as an innocent “error” - as you put it. For, nowhere have I said that my work is free, and no law or practice I know of, assumes that just because somebody’s work is available for reading on the internet, it is available for stealing for the purpose of profit, without consulting the writer, the newspaper that first published it, without even indicating where it was first published.

I watched a TV show online last year in which a woman went to Los Angeles and got a makeover. She was hesitant and wanted to “look natural”. They glued new lashes to her eyes, then highlighted them gently to “bring out” her cheekbones; then various scourings and balancings and panel beatings were performed and she emerged looking windswept and free and organic. It took a whole day.

You have heard that in some places this sort of skill, built upon from the local pasts of people, from skills from other places, is taught in schools and community centres. Because it is a human thing to do.