EPIC Project Chatter

[Napalm Pandanista]

EPIC Project Summary

The official Project Summary is found HERE


Initial posts in this thread describe the original driving force and how anger morphed into action, peace, and ice cream.

But I saw the light. Finally. lend your voice and give peace, love, power, and ice cream a chance.

Everyone who joins in gets a free ice cream cone.




Epic Project Detail:


While I initially envisioned a voice of anger - and if you are angry your voice will be accepted - but thought this expand into something special - OUR voice - more than anger, but also who we are and what are our dreams.

I'm envisioning something artsy, something crass, something with boobies and wieners snuck in, and something mindblowingly awesome. Something Misfitty, something Fark, and even something PSC-y if they are so inclined.

Options to Display our Voice:
1. ROLL. This video was created by the gang at PhotoShopContest.com a few years ago.





So it's kinda an Exquisite Corpse on steroids. Something we can do because we all have before.

2. ZOOM. We can roll along, like PSC did, or deep dive - LIKE THIS.

3. Rollercoaster of Glory!!!. A combination of Roll and Zoom.


UPDATE: The Squirrel Republic chose '3' - Roll and Zoom


We can do this more epic because not only do we have chop talent both artistic and crass, but also the music talent to keep the damn YouTube MAN off our backs.

We have the bandwidth and the space to pull this off here. I'd like to see at least 20-40 misfits working on this.

Be EPIC today.

[verchad]

I have found myslef going to fark photoshops less often anyway. Lead us in this EPIC battle NP.

[tv_news_guy]

Maybe the answer is to beat them at their own game. If we here at Misfit Squirrels were to institute maybe 3 or even 4 button voting. (That would allow for a "meh" vote)
Maybe we could keep changing the code on our site so no one anywhere else would like to help us out by creating a MS Leaderboard.
Maybe we should let non members enter contests (we could call them "Less-Heaviers". They could flood each contest with duplicates and memes.
Or maybe we could charge 5$ a head and (only after we take the money) change the rules whenever we want.

Or maybe we should go with C: Find out what this "Epic Project" is and help out any way we can.

I'd go with "C"
The correct answer kids is always "C"

[Daddy's Big Pink Man-Squirrel]

I think I am done with fark permanently. I know I have a hair-trigger temper, especially about apparent random and inequitous abuse of power, but I believe "last straw" has been reached, here.

Pointless ventation:

1. The O's seem to be chosen by somebody who has little or no idea what makes a good original. Is it out of focus? Is it tiny? Is there no discernable difference between ground and subject? It is? Well, yee haw, we have a contest!
2. "Off Topic Chatter" now seems to mean whatever some random mod can't bother to parse properly.
3. Lack of accountability means bad decisions. Every political thread notices this, but Fark seems to want to shield those who make the decisions from the fallout when those decisions suck. End result: all modmins get tarred with the same brush; dick moves are seen as policy, not anomaly; and the good posters are driven away while the population of foaming trolls explodes.
4. Fark seems to have fallen victim to its own magnificence, and now cares only for the advertisers, and not the people who write (for goddam free, unless you are a fool like me and PAY for it) the stuff that make Fark more than just a news aggregator. Who knew Drew had a secret desire to be Arianna Huffington?
5. Lack of transparency means decisions are made, posts are pulled, and people are banned with no way of actually knowing why, which makes it easy to think it's because Fark is now running with the assholes.
6. Right-wing bile seems to get a pass, but lefty anger gets pulled.
7. The absolute and complete disaster of the voting mess has been handled about as well as BP handled the Gulf spill.

[Disclaimer: I got banned for calling a homo-hater a p***y (a word so horrible I must no longer type it out) in response to a stupid, ignorant post. On a site where "bitch" is filtered but "faggot" isn't, I suppose I should have seen it coming.]

I don't get out much. My job keeps me at home most of the time, and my crippled body keeps me down most of the rest of it. I have found an appreciative audience at Fark for my verbal and visual oddnesses, and it pains me to have to contemplate dumping it because of a few tits at the top who have gotten a bit too full of themselves. But I can't keep posting at a place that makes me feel like a second class citizen.

I didn't mean anything, really, when I posted that we should boycott Pshops until they fix the damn voting; I was just babbling. I was surprised at the response.

Now, I don't think I am. Fark means a lot to me, and I know I mean nothing to Fark, but them shoving that fact in my face is a bit much.

I guess the moral is, make sure you are always more important to them than they are to you. That way. you get to do all the bullying and the screwing over and the "because I said so, that's why" crap.

[Napalm Pandanista]

(04-14-2012 04:46 PM)Daddys Big Pink Man-Squirrel Wrote:  4. Fark seems to have fallen victim to its own magnificence...(for goddam free, unless you are a fool like me and PAY for it)

[Disclaimer: I got banned for calling a homo-hater a p***y (a word so horrible I must no longer type it out) in response to a stupid, ignorant post. On a site where "bitch" is filtered but "faggot" isn't, I suppose I should have seen it coming.]

Two points... you can type out any word you like here - this isn't Fark. Second, you aren't paying for it, I am, for now.

I sponsor rebels - rugbyjock was my 1st sponsor. I don't have to worry about retirement - I have disposable income so I've sponsored a lot of folk - on Fark and other places. I think some of the folk I sponsored would shock you all since they either told me to fuck off there, at Mr Squirrel's place, (or here). I am far from perfect - sometimes I'm an ass and then I deserve to be told off. I like people who speak their minds even if it's shit I don't agree with. I like to be challenged because it helps me gauge just how solid are my convictions. I know it hasn't come across that way: when I'm really really sick I withdraw. That's just self-preservation. But I'm very proud of the fact that I'm still here - you can't fight the good fight if you are dead.

Some folk loved him (rugbyjock) and a lot hated him. And Fark was downright unfair to him. They took his (and my) money, but they bent their rules against him: abuse against Farkers is "not tolerated" but he got abused all the time. There is a tenet I live by - a liberty we Americans and most free people have - if you don't like something, CHANGE THE FUCKING CHANNEL!! Or in his case - DON'T CLICK THE RUGBYJOCK NSFW LINK!! It fits with liberal policy and with the free-market folk. Fark does have an Ignore list. But that's not good enough for some - they insist on calling all the shots: I don't like it, I want it gone, whahhhh. [And yes I get the irony - we want the 2-button system gone but that's different because they polled us and MANY MANY want it gone, not just 1-2. They ruined Fark PS and for what?]

I thought he was a little 1-note, but he did what HE wanted, not what others told him to do. I like free-thinkers. I don't care for trolls - folk who hate without ownership, just to get a rise out of folk. Trolls waste space. But folk who say what they want because they believe it. Too many sheeple on Earth. And that's why we have assholes dictating our lives. It's tough to speak your own mind. Yugoboy knows this. Anyone who has tried knows this.

that's why we need a Pandanista. I have literally nothing to lose. The rules that hold you back - they no longer apply to me.

I can't be a Pandanista and run a community - if you are a good leader, you are neutral. Clink might have to ban me someday. He can't ban me if I'm an Admin. I thought about this a long time: if you love something, you set it free. I love Misfit Squirrels - I brought it into the world. But I was holding it back. So I set it free. I think I can do more good for it as a regular Joe Pandanista. And if you don't agree with me you can tell me to fuck off and you don't have to feel like you have to hold back. That's a healthier environment.


I'm doing all sorts of weird shit now and you're going to learn stuff about me in the coming months. Fair warning: Don't be surprised about any reveal. Some will be meh, but some could shock folk. I don't have a facebook account but my name will be on facebook. If you go here, you'll learn of one of the weird things I'm doing. And OMG, am I getting the hate for it. LOL. But the folk doing the hating are idiots, con-artists, or both. So screw-em.

So are you ready for a revolution???

I tried putting in weekly contests here as an alternative and they kinda fizzled. Maybe because they were all my Os and themes?? There is nothing to stop any of us from setting up weekly or daily contests in the Squirrel Games section. And maybe we can have our own Leaderboard.

That said, I want to do this project. Are you game?

And I really do need an avatar - someone want to make me one?

[Yugoboy]

I'm totally up for some project to get me motivated again.

Big or small, I don't really care... it's why I jumped into the H2Hs...

I'm not going to totally commit to staying totally away from Fark PS contests. Occasionally an "O" is actually worthy of working on. I can commit to not doing any more travesties like my attempted Monday after Easter 'shop that tanked horribly. I don't post much there, anyway...

The biggest reason I want TF (and I get others' Drew-provided gift sponsorships for now) is for the Farkography contests. TFers get a 8-hour head start on posting, and I don't have to stay up until midnight.

[Napalm Pandanista]

(04-14-2012 08:22 PM)Yugoboy Wrote:  I'm totally up for some project to get me motivated again.

Big or small, I don't really care... it's why I jumped into the H2Hs...

I'm not going to totally commit to staying totally away from Fark PS contests. Occasionally an "O" is actually worthy of working on. I can commit to not doing any more travesties like my attempted Monday after Easter 'shop that tanked horribly. I don't post much there, anyway...

The biggest reason I want TF (and I get others' Drew-provided gift sponsorships for now) is for the Farkography contests. TFers get a 8-hour head start on posting, and I don't have to stay up until midnight.

I personally think Farkography should be a separate entity (and thought is was for a long time). For one it's not a snark enterprise.

BTW... the irony hasn't been lost on me that while sponsoring so many rebels that I was actually greasing the machine. I tried to use that pull for our community. Drew was nice to me, but not so nice to other folk who I felt really tried to help the community too. Once I slowed greasing, not so much pull. When they gave me my diagnosis, I said "Oh that's just penance." We reap what we sow.

[verchad]

   

Squirrels are ready to battle alongside the Napalm Pandanista.

A little q&d fun

[ElectronChaser]

I haven't opened up Photoshop since the tournament. Longer was the break before that. Nothing provides me with inspiration.

I look at Fark contest with a measure of disgust. What was once my motivation for learning Photoshop has become a mind numbing field of cut and paste. I hold it no ill will. At some point I decided I wanted to pursue the "artsy" aspects; I joined PSC. After a while the pressure to perform and the comments on some hard work caused me to look at source pictures with trepidation. The ideas faded away from me. Still it isn't entirely the sites or the members. Work and raising 5 year old twins leave me little time for anything anymore.

I haven't seen an idea in a source picture for as long as I can remember. Even the tournament entry was simply "fiddling" until something came to mind. How I even came up with something intelligible, much less placed in the top 3 I will never know.

I am currently hand drawing a picture for a friend. I hadn't even seriously picked up a pencil and paper in over 10 years, but I was inspired. Hopefully I will get to the point where that finds it way into Photoshop, and I can deliver on that promise. I have my doubts.

I will sign up for EPIC, and I will always support my fellow Photoshoppers; most of all, a very kind Panda who can always find words to encourage, but I can make no promises to what I can produce. I will not bash Fark at all; as much as I hate what has become of it and the midless drivel I read there. Fark started me on my journey and I will pay it my respects for that. I try to never regret what is, only to enjoy what was.

[Napalm Pandanista]

(04-15-2012 01:50 AM)ElectronChaser Wrote:  I am currently hand drawing a picture for a friend. I hadn't even seriously picked up a pencil and paper in over 10 years, but I was inspired. Hopefully I will get to the point where that finds it way into Photoshop, and I can deliver on that promise. I have my doubts.

Ooh, now that's cool. Freestyle is where it's at. Well it's where I'm at therefore it's where "it's" at. haha.

ElectronChaser Wrote:I will sign up for EPIC, and I will always support my fellow Photoshoppers; most of all, a very kind Panda who can always find words to encourage,

Seriously, that brought a tear to my eye. Most unbecoming of a Pandanista - glad no one saw it.

ElectronChaser Wrote:I will not bash Fark at all; as much as I hate what has become of it and the midless drivel I read there. Fark started me on my journey and I will pay it my respects for that. I try to never regret what is, only to enjoy what was.

Exactly the position a father - role model - with children should take. Which is why I want this to be a little bit of everything to everyone. An opportunity to scream out frustration or dig deep into your soul for shimmering beauty. A range of emotions, of feelings, of styles - this is what we are. We are the Dreamers and our dreams and nightmares cover every inch of the spectrum.

And why I must lead this. Because I'm the only one who can afford to burn the bridges behind me, if it comes to that.

I won't ask anyone to do anything that makes them uncomfortable.

Guaranteed.

[dsclink]

Fark ain't all bad. Some changes have sucked. Like the ensmalling from 700px wide down to 640px. Most got used to it. The 2 vote thing wasn't some evil conspiracy to piss off regular photoshop contest contributors. It was actually an attempt to make voting better for us in response to requests from some regular contributors. Yep, many had complained that voting wasn't fair because some 'shops were skillfully done but not funny, while others were very funny but not so carefully crafted. Some thought this created 'elite' photoshoppers that hogged all the votes. Now that it's been split, and pretty universally declared suckified, I'm guessing they'll try getting it back to one vote or maybe try something else. No matter what they do someone will hate it.

Some things they've changed are good for us. I hadn't thought much about the gifting of TF they let us do until just recently when I was going to sponsor someone. Instead of having to pay, I had 3 months I could gift out free. Drew didn't have to do that. Also, "O"s may seem bad, but they were worse a few years ago. Especially size wise. Drew actually visited the Photoshop forum to say he didn't know that size mattered and that they'd pay more attention to it. They did. Not all "O"s are great, but they are better. One solution if you find the quality lacking is to submit more good ones.

As far as the rest of the site, I check the headlines daily as my primary source for news. I do read some of the comments, but they tend to be very predictable. Almost everything turns to partisan political spewing by people that have no intention of opening their minds to any possibilities other than their own preconceived notions of how the world works. Needless to say I don't visit Fark for the threads outside of photoshop stuff.

One thing I have noticed over the years. Photoshop contributors tend to start out timidly, grow enthusiastic, improve their skills, then outgrow Fark contests. Always they blame "the way things have become" when it usually stems from within themselves. Yes, there were some great choppers in the past, but there are some great ones now (including DBPMS). Go back and really look at some of the contests from 5, 6, 7 years ago. You'll find almost the same spread of quality and crap as you do now. Our memories tend to get selective.

Maybe I shouldn't be commenting. I've hardly contributed any 'shops recently. But I still lurk and I still hope to pick up the pace again. Yes, I preferred the one vote system and it helped me work on improving quality, but it isn't the only reason I contributed.

Oh, and I'd be glad to participate in this project...whatever it is going to be.

[Choc-Ful-A]

What dsclnk said, sr'sly well put IMO.

[tv_news_guy]

Just a quickie here in response to Chocs missive above. For me it specifically is the two button voting. In the real world something is either better than the competition (all things funny and artistic combined) or not. When I first came here I did so to grow my pshop skills not to replace my sense of humor. I did well on Fark with the humor type entries but was most proud when I scored highly on a combination of the two. Hell, some of my early entries were awful. Jaggedy lines...blurry etc. Life is a progression. But I don't think we should have to choose between funny and artistic.
While I am not half the artist of most of youse...I'm learning and having some fun at the same time. For me thats a winning combination.
I still love Fark and like Choc it is my alternative news source...but Pshop wise they have really dropped the ball.

[LightGiver]

I Group Collaborations

And all the eloquent comments above.

I can't not do this

Count me in

[LightGiver]

What ever this is it's going to be Breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring, impressive; formidable, fearsome, dreaded; informal mind-boggling, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, excellent, and marvelous!

I'm talking about Eternal Comradeships.
Collaborations are great. We have a strong leader!
/carry on