Joelle said before her coffee on September 25, 2007
This is a tough subject and may not make me very popular. It could set off a rash of “But what about the children!?” which I’m really not prepared for, but my morning trip to Flickr left me absolutely flabbergasted. Yes, I’m talking about this photo. And let me just say before I begin that I mean no disrespect to anyone who has had their photos stolen. I can completely understand how violated you must feel.
I’m not shocked because of the theft of children’s photos. I’m appalled, but I wouldn’t say I’m shocked. If you put your kid’s photos on the Internet for the public to see, there’s a chance they will be taken. That is just a fact of life and I feel like some parents just fell off the cyber-turnip truck. This is not new information. The world is full of pervs. PERVS! Lots of sick, deranged, twisted, miscreant pedophiles out there. This is not news.
But, I am shocked that a fairly petty tactic like this is being used in an attempt to dissuade them. I may sound like a jerk here, but I don’t agree with this at all. It comes off more like a “turf war” and less like what it’s really about — the theft of kids pictures. The tags on the original photo say, “If I see this on Orkut, I will see you in court.” Well, why not take them to court for the photos they’ve already stolen instead of baiting them?
I’ve never been on Orkut. In fact, I’d forgotten it even existed until just now and let me just be clear: I do not agree with Orkut’s members stealing people’s Flickr photos. But what I do have a problem with is the way this protest was presented. It comes off more like a rumble in West Side Story than a fight against scam artists, pervs and photo thieves.
From the original photo:
THIS NEEDS TO STOP AND ORKUT NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN!!!!
CONSIDER THIS POST A PETITION AND FEEL FREE TO SPEAK YOUR MIND ON THIS SUBJECT ...
EVEN IF YOU DON"T SPEAK YOUR MIND PLEASE MAKE A COMMENT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT ...
ORKUT USERS THINK FLICKR USERS ARE A JOKE… I THINK THEY ARE MESSING WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE… WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT????
WE NEED TO UNITE AS A COMMUNITY TO HELP PROTECT THE CHILDREN OF FLICKR…
PLEASE HELP US GIVE THESE CHILDREN A VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD!
PLEASE REPOST THIS IMAGE OR CREATE YOUR OWN THAT SAY’S “SHUT ORKUT DOWN!” BE SURE TO INCLUDE A LINK TO THIS POST ... THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT THIS THE BETTER!!!
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND FAVE THIS IMAGE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR FLICKR CHILDREN!!!
This is where they lost me. I was all good until the part about Flickr users being a joke and showing Orkut they’re “messing with the wrong people”. It’s not JUST Orkut that does this. MySpace does it, creepy mommy communities with Munchausen nutjobs do it, magazines, photographers and other websites besides Orkut do it. (I feel like I should say “Let’s do it, let’s fall in love” right here, but I’ll refrain). I just don’t see how this is effective. I was on board until it became a “Down with Okrut!” rally, you know? It’s not just Orkut.
I also take issue with the “help protect the children of Flickr” stuff. Do you feel the music swelling right here? Where’s Susan Sarandon when you need her? I have wonderful friends with gorgeous children and it absolutely makes me livid that their photos have been stolen, but (and I’m sorry to my friends with kids who want to kick me in the head right now) don’t put your photos publicly for people to view them. I know it should be a happy, shiny world full of bunnies and kittens and rainbows, where we can put adorable photos of our children on the Internet naked if we want with no repercussions, but sadly, that’s just not how it is. It’s not. Let’s use common sense.
This is the part where someone might say, “But, Woman with No Children! It doesn’t matter what your privacy settings are, they can just take a screen capture!” Well, you may be right, but how do you propose they even bring up your photo to take a screen capture if they’re not your “friend”? If your privacy settings are “friends” or “family” or both, the only way someone can take a screen capture is if they are your friend. They’re the only ones who can see it. Now, I do know that privacy doesn’t mean much because even completely private photos can be seen if you right click on the image and do “View Image” in Firefox. You can copy the link and send it to someone else and it can be seen just like it was public. But for you to be able to do that… well, you’d have to be someone’s friend/family first. See? You can’t take a screen capture if you can’t see the image. Change your privacy settings, people. Like I said, I know it should be a free and safe place to post pictures of your kids. It should, I totally agree. But it’s NOT, it’s the Internet and you knew that when you hit “post”. Let’s take responsibility.
Our designs are stolen all the time. Yes, it pisses me off and yes, I go off about it. I totally respect that this mom is hoppin’ mad. I would be, too. Sure, I’ll blog about it, but then I address the person doing the stealing and I don’t rally a whole damn community behind me to attack another community.
Now, some people are professional photographers and I do feel their pain. They’re in a tough situation as they need to show their wares publicly in order to get business. I love Robyn and I know she’s had to go through some major stuff to protect her images. But, in doing so, she fought to copyright her photos, she handled the matter in a legal and ethical fashion. She didn’t send a squadron of Flickr users to egg Orkut’s house.
I feel like I need to reiterate that I’m not defending these sickos who are stealing people’s photos of their children (or anything for that matter). Not at ALL. But can we be reasonable adults for a minute? What’s going to be the outcome of this? Why not start a proper petition, have your attorney draft a letter to the head of Orkut, solicit your local government, go to your local news (doesn’t everyone have a “troubleshooter” or some consumer watchdog type reporter in their town?), and focus on directing attention to the issue of your photos being stolen and the sickos stealing them and not just one of the communities that happens to display your stolen photos. I do agree that it should be addressed with Orkut, but I don’t know that this is the most effective way.
The way it’s positioned, I feel like the sign the girl is holding should read “Flickr RULES! Orkut DROOLS!” for all the point it’s really getting across.
Joelle said in the early morning on September 21, 2007
We’re planning on attending SXSW Interactive in 2008 together which will be the first time Kathy and I have attended something at the same time and the first time I’ve seen her in over a year. I think it’ll be only the 4th time we’ve ever been in the same vicinity, actually. Not only are we hoping to participate on a panel but we’re planning to hopefully have a Blogging with Moxie book signing at the SXSW Bookstore as well which will be both fun and probably the basis of some good comedy. Susannah Gardner of Hop Studios submitted our proposed panel this year for Blogging Tool Death Match where a group of us will “throw down” and battle it out over the best and the worst of blogging platforms.
Blogging Tool Death Match!
Every blog project starts with the same question: Which blog platform is the right one to use? Answering this question correctly can make or break the final product. Get the nitty-gritty on each platform from experts who will defend their software choice against all challengers. Will it come to blows?
Obviously, we’ll be defending Expression Engine and I will totally take it outside if I have to. 
If the panel is chosen, one of us will go up against our fine colleagues including the lovely Lisa Sabin Wilson (WordPress - she did write the book afterall), Peter Flaschner (covering MT and we all know how I feel about that), and Paul Chaney for TypePad. Susie Gardner will be moderating the panel in case it comes to name calling and hair pulling.
It hasn’t been chosen yet, voting ends TODAY, September 21st at 11:59 pm so we need your help to vote us into the mix this year! Go! Now! Please?? This is going to be a great panel, even if it doesn’t get violent… but with this bunch, who knows? Please go vote if you haven’t already. You’ll need to quickly register and place your vote (5 stars!!!) for the Blogging Tool Death Match panel. Search for “death match” if you lose your way. While you’re there vote for any other panels you think would make a great addition to the conference. Even if you’re not attending, you can still sign-up and vote for us. Do a girl a favor, won’t you? 
Also, while I’m begging shamelessly, if you’ve not already sponsored me for AIDS Walk 2007, I would appreciate any penny you can give to help this cause. I’m up to $330 $380 $405 (through some very kind donations — thank you!) and have been holding there for about a week. I’ve only got until next Sunday to meet (or hopefully exceed) my goal of $500. Please help support AIDS and HIV support and services. Thank you!
Joelle said in the early morning on September 20, 2007
Have you seen this new marketing push by Domino’s Pizza? Oreo Dessert Pizza. Dessert Pizza. Now, I realize that dessert pizza isn’t all that new. But seriously, people are paying for that? And eating it? And liking it?
I cannot believe this is a draw for people. You can make it at home in five easy steps.
1. Buy bag of Oreos.
2. Smash with hammer.
3. Dump onto round plate.
4. Eat pitifully in private while crying over re-runs of 7th Heaven
5. Check your insulin levels.
WHY DOES THIS PRODUCT EVEN EXIST? Who thought of this? Who? Imagine… you and your family have just gorged yourself on 2 large all-meat pizzas, a 2-liter of soda, some hot wings, breadsticks (and let’s not forget the dipping sauces!) and now you want to top it off with an Oreo Dessert Pizza? You may as well eat Crisco right out of the jar! Or hell, just walk around with an IV drip of partially hydrogenated oil. Just cut to the chase.
I take issue with Domino’s for other reasons, mostly political and social, but while the commercial was really funny ("It’ll fill in, give it time..."), the product is just sad. Where is the food in our food? Doesn’t anyone make food anymore? I can’t believe this is a selling point. Your crappy pizza isn’t enough to get people to order from you, you have to add insult to injury by adding a completely unimaginative, bottom-of-the-barrel attempt at “dessert”.
Don’t get me wrong. I like an Oreo once in a while. It’s an American institution! But a whole pizza? On top of everything else? And really… can you call that dessert? Creme brulee is dessert, people. Tiramisu is dessert. Even a plain bowl of vanilla ice cream is dessert. Oreo Pizza is just crap. I don’t care how good you think it is. Eat the creme brulee! At least it has real ingredients in it you can pronounce.
And again, I’m no saint. I love occasional crap (hello, lattes!) just like anyone and I’m on my own mission to live a long life. We are the fattest country in the world and 70% of that is because of the food choices people make. I’m sick to death of people blaming the fast food restaurants for America’s health problems. It’s on you, dude. If you don’t order it, if you don’t demand it, if you don’t consume it… they won’t make it. It’s supply and demand, just like you learned in 12th grade Economics. It’s like everyone is in some kind of numbed, flavorless stupor where they’ve forgotten what delicious, fresh, and complex foods can taste like.
Congratulations, America. This is what we’ve been reduced to… smashed cookies on a plate. Bon appetit.
Joelle said at some point on September 19, 2007
In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a Big Thinker. Or, at least, I consider myself a Big Thinker. I tend to get big ideas, even great ideas fairly often. This would be ideal if only I had the time, money and resources to execute them all. I also like to think outside the box, to use a tired cliche, which I guess explains what I do for a living. I’ve always been kind of a Jane of All Trades… good at a lot of different things, but not necessarily truly great at any one thing in particular. Not like say… a musical prodigy or a chess phenom. I’m secure with this… nay, I prefer it. It allows me a lot of flexibility and avenues to explore in my career. Fortunately, I’ve met someone who thinks similarly. Most of the time this is awesome, until we get into a tangent brainstorming session and talk ourselves completely out of one idea and into something else entirely.
Lately, I’ve been watching Ace of Cakes, a reality series on the Food Network about Charm City Cakes in Maryland. I have no idea why I started watching it other than it’s creative and I like cake. But now, I’m hooked. I do like to bake, but that’s not really where the draw is. This show speaks to me on an “Oooo, goodie! Project!” sort of level. The cakes aren’t just cakes. It’s a cake with a theme or movement or mechanics or spinning lights. The cakes are total works of art and their whole schtick is to take everything to the next level of unexpected with an incredible eye for detail. This… this is my porn.
Thinking back on my childhood, it’s really no wonder I’m like this. For school projects, I could never just write a book report. That would have been lame. If it was a scary book, I’d create an entire haunted house stage set out of refrigerator boxes, dimming the lights and recruiting classmates to use flashlights around the room, creating spooky lighting. Cue Dad with the bucket of dry ice and the fog machine and now, I was ready to read my book report.
Once my childhood best friend, Michael, and I totally redesigned his bedroom to look like the inside of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, complete with working “fireflies in a jar”, stars on the ceiling and crates built in the garage. I even came over and recorded the lazy banjo music with frogsand crickets on my keyboard for him. It all kicked on at the flip of his light switch and looked a lot like this.
Hey, I wasn’t allowed to date, what’s a girl to do?
Joelle said around dinner time on September 18, 2007
There were two like this missing their little front legs at the Weiner Dog Nationals.
Moxie Design Studios™