<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694999739899653668</id><updated>2009-10-01T16:46:10.214-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Rants and Raves</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8694999739899653668/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>THE MzPimptress</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01668089593835983305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>2</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694999739899653668.post-9051917695954335973</id><published>2008-08-05T13:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-08-05T13:39:47.934-07:00</updated><title type='text'>So here is something Funny..........</title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="center"&gt;I received an anonymous email, and by that I mean, when I replied it came back as "No Such Account" from yahoo.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Their name was simply "&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;PimpFan&lt;/span&gt;" and a bunch of numbers.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And they must have deleted the account right after writing me.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But why go through all that trouble?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;It made me laugh a little because we have all heard about Amanda what's her name from Purple Paper Flowers accusing a digital designer from a smack blog of shooting a bullet through her door.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;While I do not think violence is funny by any means, and sure she has a picture, and claims she has a police report, although when it is checked online at the Dallas Police Department, there is no such police report, (Thing's that make you go &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;mmmmmmm&lt;/span&gt;),&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But why would she automatically assume it came from a smack blog?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Why would a soccer mom in her mini van do a drive-by?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Can you see this???&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;It's pretty funny if you picture it all in your head.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;It reminds me of the Burger King commercial when the 2 mom's&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;hired a hit man to take out the King.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Has Digital &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;Scrapbooking&lt;/span&gt; REALLY gone that far??&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Now I have experienced first hand all the social problems people can have on the net, and there are quite a few whack jobs out there. But to shoot at a door??&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And now there are claims that the "&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;IP&lt;/span&gt; address linked" came from Chicago.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I don't care how much some store owner owed me, I wouldn't drive from Chicago to Dallas to shoot in a door to make a point. Are you crazy? The way gas prices are? That is just silly.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But I don't know what is worse. Her making up this story in order to help build her case that smack blogs are bad, or Shannon ALLOWING this craziness to continue and spew from DST.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Ugh. Enough free advertisement for the DST.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Let's get back to the letter.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;So she told me that she runs in a few circles, and hears a few things between designers in a few stores, like Elemental Scraps, and there is a designer there who is pissed off that I have a freebie kit that is , as she quoted the designer, "The Same as mine", but I am giving mine away for free.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Now this made me curious. So I went to Elemental Scraps. I seen the kit.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And I started laughing to myself.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Because, while yes, we have 2 of the same animals in a "Zoo-Like" kit, the Lion and the Monkey,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;The colors are different, and &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;her's&lt;/span&gt; had a Safari theme, where mine has a "Urban" feel to it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And I guess there was a comment made by her or on her behalf in the &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"&gt;DCR&lt;/span&gt;,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;about what a designer is suppose to do when someone COPIES their kit to a "T", &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And offers it for free.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;So am I to assume that she is losing out on money because someone can just download mine for free, instead of paying her $2.00?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And what about all the other "Jungle" themed kits out there?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I probably own at least 4 different ones myself.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;All having a different color scheme, animal, or design type.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;So once again, I am a pirate, of sorts, because I have a Jungle themed kit for free.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;BIG DEAL!!!!!!!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I was never aware of her kit. Nor am I even sure who placed theirs on the web first.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I swear I have become the target in the &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"&gt;Digi&lt;/span&gt;-World.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And it cracks me up.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;She also made it clear in her letter that not EVERY designer feels like those who have loudly voiced their &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"&gt;opinion&lt;/span&gt; about me at the &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"&gt;DCR&lt;/span&gt;, in fact, many of her friends, who sell at big-named stores, download my freebies as well.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;When I knew that some designer's have in fact downloaded my kits, I assumed it was just to scan each and every item I had to offer. Not because they planned on using it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;The problem, she said, is that if they were to offer me a job as a designer at their store, which I guess as been considered, they would be shunned.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"&gt;LOL&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Did you know, that I had applied at a &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"&gt;hand full&lt;/span&gt; of stores online, showing them some random previews of kits I have made, none of which are freebies on my blog, or have been seen by the general public as of yet, No "Made By &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"&gt;Pimptress&lt;/span&gt;" on the preview, and sent from my family email address, and they ACCEPTED ME!?!?!?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Funny, huh?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Because when it comes right down to it, my designs are good.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;My name is tarnished.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But if I was to change my name, I would be ridiculed because I am trying to go under cover and&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;sneak my way into the &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"&gt;digi&lt;/span&gt; world.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And why should I do that?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I shouldn't have to since NOTHING has been proven, because they know their &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"&gt;allegations&lt;/span&gt; are&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;false. But no one stands up to them.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And when I did, I was removed.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But isn't this America?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;The DST is in fact based out of the US.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Should I not have the right to defend myself?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I guess not.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And I guess no one considered the fact that the design quality and general nature of my kits can be considered &lt;em&gt;better&lt;/em&gt; or equal to the one's you have to pay for?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;So has I have no current plans to open a store, I wonder what will happen in the coming months, as I offer full size kits for FREE along with add-&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"&gt;on's&lt;/span&gt; throughout the month.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I am sure there will be another topic started.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;How freebie designer's are ripping off designer's who sell their stuff.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And a few links will be posted, and mine will be one of them,&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;and they will discuss it, and find another way for me to be considered a pirate.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Good Lord.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8694999739899653668-9051917695954335973?l=pimptressrants.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/feeds/9051917695954335973/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8694999739899653668&amp;postID=9051917695954335973' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8694999739899653668/posts/default/9051917695954335973'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8694999739899653668/posts/default/9051917695954335973'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/2008/08/so-here-is-something-funny.html' title='So here is something Funny..........'/><author><name>THE MzPimptress</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01668089593835983305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='09887175821705265394'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8694999739899653668.post-8994465925766459373</id><published>2008-07-24T18:30:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-24T21:09:26.705-07:00</updated><title type='text'>High School News</title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="center"&gt;So, here we are, days, weeks, months after the dust settled from all the drama that seems to be circulating the Digital Scrapbooking "Community". &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Community.....That is a odd term. At least in this case. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;When I think of the word "Community" I think of friends, family, neighbors, &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;coming together for the greater good of THAT community. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But now a days it seems the smack blogs have become the drunken members of the &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Neighborhood Watch Committee.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And their loose lips have wandered unto the category of "TRUTH".&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And with the DST the not-so-new "IT" forum for this "Community", the designers there as well as the FOUNDERS, CO or Not, should watch their words a bit when yapping about people in their own community.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But I guess they wouldn't see it that way.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Because the fact remains, that there is a sense of "High School"-Ness about the DST.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;You have the "Seniors" who know EVERYTHING, right or wrong, although some are helpful, most figure that they figured out how to create without all these tutorials, you should too.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Then you have the "Juniors" who are clawing each others eye's out to get a little piece of "Seniority".&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Then there are the "Sophomores". They still remember what it's like to be freshman, but are trying to hard to climb that unforgiving ladder.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And yes, the freshman. Watched under a ginormous eye.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is she a Tagger? Is she in a Share Group?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Is She my next competition? Is She a Pirate?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Did she buy those items she is using in her kit?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Do you think she is using the CU version or did she save herself money and buy the personal use version instead? Do you think she paid for the PS or PSP she is using?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Personal question's from people who know nothing about you, huh?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Un-Thinkable? If only.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Ladies, do you remember the days when you were excited about a sale, and didn't have to know where the designer stood on privacy policies? Or Piracy?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Or whether or not she goes to church on Sunday?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Or whether or not she is an environmentalist?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Do we really NEED to run background checks on people who share the same desire as we do for digital scrapbooking????&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Well, you hear a lot of people say "I want to know where my money is going".&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Are they running for office???? Are they a public official?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;No. They are are a 30 something or older (or younger) SAHM with 2.5 kids, a dog, and over priced mortgage trying to earn a little extra cash to support her love of digital scrapbooking, or maybe a little extra cash for home, without having to leave it.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Should we care whether or not she recycles? Whether or not she goes to church? And if so which church? Does she have any un-paid fines? Does she volunteer her time to the less fortunate?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Is she a good mom according to my standards? &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Does she express herself in away I deem inappropriate?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;How about her DESIGNS???? She is not selling &lt;em&gt;HERSELF&lt;/em&gt;....just her creations.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;When you ladies who point the fingers at others and "wonder" about her life, Do you ask her?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Or do you sit behind hidden forums or an anonymous name at a smack blog and "wonder" in public?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Before you go grocery shopping at a private-owned grocery store (If you are lucky to live in town that still has those) do you run the owner's name through a police check? Make sure he is up to date on his taxes?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;When you buy your milk or eggs, do you check out the farm owners to ensure they are not mistreating their animals?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Probably not. And you would think that since all of that involves "Real Life" you would try and be a private eye in that way.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;But instead, you throw assumptions about people to anyone that will listen.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And is that right??? Should you be allowed to be so careless with someone's &lt;em&gt;PERSONAL INTERNET LIFE&lt;/em&gt;? I don't think so.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;I have witnessed first hand what that can do to you.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;My store closed that I co-owned with my friend.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;My name is and will be forever tarnished in this "community".&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;And for what? A mistake that was over in 2007?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;You would think people would live and let live. But nope.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;"It's Pimptress, and she has a funny name that is kind of adultress so let's hate her.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Let's probe deeper into her personal life and find her myspace and photobucket accounts. let's google her name and see what else it is we can find out.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;Then! let's put the vaque dots together and make up our puzzle and expose her for who we think she is. People will believe us, we're diamond/gold members."&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8694999739899653668-8994465925766459373?l=pimptressrants.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/feeds/8994465925766459373/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8694999739899653668&amp;postID=8994465925766459373' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8694999739899653668/posts/default/8994465925766459373'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/8694999739899653668/posts/default/8994465925766459373'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://pimptressrants.blogspot.com/2008/07/just-little-intro.html' title='High School News'/><author><name>THE MzPimptress</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01668089593835983305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='09887175821705265394'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>3</thr:total></entry></feed>