DeviantART SELLS ARTISTS OUT

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE ART. For those who want to maintain your warm, fuzzy ideal of deviantART being about you the artist and your art – do not read any farther or you will be terribly disillusioned.  You have been warned!

There’s nothing I hate more than to have some disingenuous corporate, dotcom flag-bearer half my age tell me that something is good for me when I’m choking on the sweet poison they have put out to convince me how great this link feature is for ME!  DA’s mantra that it loves it’s artists and how the link/share feature is so good for ARTISTS is a truth-bending paper container of bovine residue that I can smell a mile away.  Now an old friend I had who was firmly ingrained in the type speech of “plain-speak” that a proper lady would never use, would refer to this type of person as – and I quote – “a lying sack of shit” but I would never say that because I am a classy person!  (remember – I did not say that) 

Telling me how great the new link feature at deviantART is for ME – is like telling me that arsenic is good for me.  It will put me in a coma (and maybe I’ll have all nice and flowery dreams about how great stuff is going to be and how much money I’m going to make when I wake up) and out of my misery but at least I won’t have to lie around dying of cancer! (in the end arsenic wins)  So that’s good for me, right?  Come on DA, you can do better than that!  I would rather you just have come out and said, “Hey folks, we need to beef up our revenue so we can continue to upgrade the site and we need to generate revenue by implementing a new link feature.”  I would have still wanted a disable option for the link feature.  However, at least I would have respected you.

For all of you artists out there at DA, who like me came to deviantART, expecting (I admit I can be naïve sometimes) it to really be about the art – I hate to inform you that is not the case at all.  It’s about THE MONEY.  Now before anyone attempts to give me a new haircut along with removing the scalp, for over-generalizing there well may be some staff at DA who genuinely would like it to be about the Artists and I respect that and won’t deny them that.  BUT – that is not the prevailing overall reason for operating the DA art community.

YOU the artists are DA’s cash cow and that is your only importance.  Don’t believe me?  Read on for a very short overview.

In 2007 DivX invested $3.5 million into deviantART.  Now the usual business rule is, I give you something and I get something back.  In the legal field it’s called Quid Pro Quo.  What, you say did DivX get back?  YOU the artists and increased traffic via all the hits created by viewers placing links to OUR art at deviantART, on their social networking sites.  DA gets money to expand and DivX gets increased traffic and access to artists who want to upload film. (using DivX’s video-sharing technology)  Remember folks; DA announced that artists at deviantART in the future would be able to upload film/videos but with a higher quality than YouTube.

Don’t believe me yet?  Here’s a quote and a link to the posted article: “If DivX wanted to sell art they could have spent $3.5 million on Google Adwords and bought the traffic, but they weren’t interested in selling art, they wanted access to the artists themselves. Through their investment, they will not only get access to DeviantArt’s traffic, but they’ll get the right kind of traffic visiting Stage6, content creators who are looking for venues to showcase their digital creativity.” (that’s us the artists)   AND……DivX and DA “entered into a marketing and advertising agreement”.  http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-08/divx-goes-shopping-buys-fine-art-and-search-technology/

Funny how that dovetails with the new link/share feature at DA!

Hear that artists??  The investor in deviantART is NOT interested in selling your art!!  They wanted the net traffic so that artists would upload film, thereby using DviX’s video-sharing technology!  (Stage6 has since failed)  Now to be fair DivX only holds less than a 20% share, but 3.5 mil is a lot of money folks and you’d better bet they expect a return on their investment!  It’s ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!

Artists – you’ve been sold out.  DA does NOT care about protecting your art!  Your copyright be damned – it’s all about putting these new link/share icons on YOUR page of art, to get increased traffic for DA and DviX !  Man, I really hate being lied to.  I personally think it will be a cold day in hell before we get a disable option – but I hope I’m wrong!

Gee DA – did I forget to tell ya?  I always was the nerdy kid who liked doing homework!  And lookie here – I have this big ‘ole Internet “library” which is so full of useful information!  Since you like sharing so much, I just thought I’d share that with you!

Oh…one other thing I forgot DA.  I’d just like to share this with you since we all want to harmonize and get along.  I had my own small business for 12 years.  Yep, I had Business 101 and 201 and well….you get the point.  Don’t you?

Of course I could be wrong about all of this – couldn’t I?  This is my own opinion after much reading and maybe I worded this incorrectly or just had a bad dream.  You be the judge – Google is a wonderful tool!

 **Google Stage6 and DviX – it would take far too long to explain here.**

***We just had a really strong Earthquake here!  I’m ok and no damage here, but I’m still shaking!***

I’ll post details of the quake when I get them!

For almost a week, artist’s, including myself have been up in arms about new linking icons placed on the pages where their art is displayed within deviantART – without our knowledge.  There was no advance announcement or news article from the deviantART staff that I can find and this is another sore point for artists, since most of the new features being implemented, are heralded in a manner befitting blaring trumpets and fireworks.

These new icons that are paced on the artists’ pages allow any visitor to the artist’s artwork, to click a tiny icon that will place a link to the artist’s work (and often a thumbnail of the artists’ work) on their Facebook, Twitter, Digg or Reddit page – all without the artists’ permission or knowledge.  This has resulted in a firestorm of protesting by artists at deviantART and the removal of art by them as well as threats to leave deviantART.

We as artists KNOW that posting art on the Internet brings significant inherent risks and that benefit/risk of stolen art is carefully weighed by many artists before posting.  HOWEVER…we as artists work to try to maintain as much control over where our art’s visibility goes as we can – which granted isn’t a lot.  We just did not expect for deviantART to make it so easy for us to be exposed to higher risk – especially since we won’t even know where the links to our art are being posted and who has a thumbnail of our art on their page.

And please DA – don’t insult my intelligence by telling me that it won’t expose me to more risks of copyright infringement by making my art more widely available to view.  There will be no copyright notice posted on Facebook about my art – or the other places. People who view my art because of a link on Facebook, etc. will very infrequently bother to take the time to read my copyright notice on my page and bam – off my art goes into the hinterlands for heaven’s know what purpose. The point is, just don’t make it EASIER to steal my art!  (yes, I know about right-click , print screen, copy/paste URL)  Ooops…I mean to violate my copyright!  Sure, I will get more exposure but it won’t be the kind that I want or brings me money – it will fill YOUR pocket DA!

Did it slip my mind?  I forgot to tell you DA…I read about your investors.

Many of us asked for an option to disable this new linking feature and when we voiced our concerns, we were met with ridicule, condescension and in my case, a personal attack on my presumed lack of knowledge about the Internet – by deviantART staff.  As artist’s, many of us protesting this new linking feature made it clear that we did not want the feature to be taken away from those who see this as a benefit – we just wanted a  disable option, to be heard and treated in a professional manner with respect for customer concerns.  This did NOT happen!

Deviant Art’s response to those of us who oppose the imposition of the linking feature was to “spin” this debacle into how MUCH this new feature would help us and how we were hurting ourselves by not wanting it.  DeviantArt – don’t be so disingenuous and insult my intelligence!  This is all about YOUR bottom line and pleasing your investors.

Now I am not so naïve as to not know that linking nearly everything on the Internet isn’t going to happen.  It’s the wave of the future that is already here. The reality is that there is little that protects artists on the Internet because copyright law has not kept up with the times.  BUT I didn’t expect to get sold out by a presumed “art site” whose  mantra is “love for the dA community” and whose concern is not for artists copyright protection, I assure you.  (I spent considerable time working within DA on copyright issues)   Artists are up in arms and DA – you are not listening!

There is much to say on this subject and it cannot be said in one blog post.  So tune in for the next edition!

Oh…I forgot to tell you DA – I have the equivalent of a PhD in Internet research and I know so much more about you and your motivations now!  That’s what happens when you “share your life online” and everything is all linked.  Isn’t linking and “SHARING” fun?!

 Get ready for Web 2.0 folks!   Betcha didn’t think I knew about that DA!

2009-04-07 12:08:37
The eruption of Redoubt continues with varying intensity of ash and lava production from the summit crater. Visual, satellite, and seismic observations indicate that a lava dome is again forming in the summit crater. A small steam and ash plume has been visible in satellite and radar data today. It is currently extending for about 10 to 15 miles to the southeast of the volcano at an approximate height of 15,000 to 20,000 ft above sea level.

Additional significant explosive events with accompanying ash clouds, ash fall, and mudflows are possible and can occur with little or no warning. AVO will maintain 24/7 operations in order to quickly detect renewed significant explosive activity and other hazardous phenomena.

And…as if Mother Nature hadn’t completed her onslaught for Alaskans in Southcentral, she just added an earthquake to the mix!  I am on the 4th floor of a building in Anchorage, and it really shook here!  Having been out in “bush Alaska” during the 1964 great earthquake, I was ready to fly outside – except I was down a maze of halls with no way quickly out!  I didn’t like that at all!  I’m not currently where I can get any reports of damage.  I hope my glassware on top my fridge survived!!!

The earthquake was a 4.69 and centered about 16 miles NNE of Anchorage, the states’s largest city.  Here are the “official stats” on it from the Alaska Earthquake Information Center:

Preferred Hypocentral Solution:

http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Seis/recent/sub/quakes/2009097_evid99254/evid99254.html

NEVER a dull moment in the far North!!!

1arctic-home   “Anchorage Mom”

THE SEABULK ARCTIC TANKER DOCKED AT THE CHRISTY LEE PLATFORM

PHOTO COURTESY OF AVO/USGS VIA AK. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

TUES, 10:15 am AKDT 4.7.09- The oil tanker Seabulk Arctic docked at the Christy Lee platform and completed the offloading of oil Monday evening  reducing the oil at the Drift River tank farm from 6.2 million gallons of crude oil – to 2.5 millions gallons of oil.  It then left to move the oil to the refinery at Nikiski, on the other side of Cook Inlet from Redoubt. 

Cook Inlet Pipeline company has shut down the tank farm at Drift River due to the continuing threat of an eruption of the Redoubt volcano which could come with little to no warning.  Chevron’s Cook Inlet Pipeline company has also shut down 10 oil platforms in Cook Inlet since without the Drift River facility in operation, there is nowhere to store the oil.  The pipeline company has no plans to reopen Drift River tank farm until Redoubt can stabilize.  In the 1989 – 1990 eruptions of Redoubt, it took over 4 months for Redoubt to quiet down.

Meanwhile, Redoubt has been somewhat quiet, but is still sending up a plume of steam and ash at least for 10 miles southeast of the volcano to an altitude of 15,000  feet as confirmed by satellite and radar tracking.  This is according to AVO as of  9:16 am Tues. AKDT.  Small earthquakes and tremor are still occurring at the mountain, which is currently in a dome building phase. 

Flights into and out of the Anchorage Airpost are currently operating normally.  However, stability of the mountain seems nowhere close yet!  Gorgeous blue sky day today…so far but should Redoubt choose to erupt today to 40,000 – 50,000 feet…the wind direction would take any ash cloud straight over Alaska’s largest city.  OK mountain Gods…do your thing and stay quiet today!  More updates as necessary.  Have a great day/evening all!  

1arctic-home   “Anchorage Mom”

VIGOROUSLY STEAMING REDUOBT FROM MON. MORNING AVO HUT WEBCAM

SCREENSHOT OF AVO WEBICORDER RDN “EVENT” MONDAY MORNING 4.6.09

UPDATE – MON. 12:45 pm 4.6.09 – According to The Volcanism Blog:

“Plans are going ahead to remove about half the 6 million gallons of oil presently sitting in the terminal’s tanks. A tanker arrived on Sunday evening and the transfer of the oil is reportedly now under way. The entire process could take from 18 to 24 hours.”

http://volcanism.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/redoubt-oil-removal-from-volcano-threatened-terminal-under-way/

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

MON.  10:35 am AKDT 4.6.09  – Redoubt spent the night sleeping – lightly but fitfully, with continuing small earthquakes and volcanic tremor.  Clouds and ice this morning obscure the webcams at the mountain.  Between about 8 am and 9:30 am AKDT, there appeared to be some type of “event” as shown by the RDN webicorder located 3  3/4 mile from Redoubt’s summit. As of this time AVO has not issued any statement about this.  (perhaps a rock fall hit the webicorder?)  The other two webicorders do not show any out of the usual patterns.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

UPDATE 1:08 pm AKDT – I received an email from Cheryl at AVO with an explanation about the signal on the RDN webicorder:  “RDN was having telemetry problems at that time – what you see on the webicorder is not a real seismic signal, but electronic noise.”  THANKS Cheryl!!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Flights into and out of Anchorage appear to be operating normally.  Thank goodness for that…for now!   Any eruption today of Redoubt that would send an ash cloud over about 20,000 feet would result in the state’s largest city perhaps being dusted with ash, as the NWS wind trajectories take any possible ash cloud over Anchorage. 

I have seen no new information as of this time regarding the offloading of oil from the Drift River Terminal, to the oil tanker, so it is not currently known whether that is underway today.  I did check local news, and will update as I have new information.

For now…and possibly the foreseeable future, Mt. Redoubt and Mother Nature has us at their mercy and we in the shadow of the volcano remain prepared, though somewhat antsy!  Have a good day/evening all!  

1arctic-home  aka “Mom In Anchorage”

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/Redoubt/RDN_EHZ_AV.php

DRIFT RIVER TANK FARM – PHOTO BY GAME McGIMSEY AVO 3.23.09

REDOUBT STEAMING SUNDAY APRIL 5th, 2009 – PHOTO BY HEATHER BLEICK AVO/USGS

SUN. 8:45 pm AKDT 4.5.09- As of late this afternoon, according to a report in the online Anchorage Daily News, the generator at the Drift River tank farm has been repaired and an oil tanker which has been waiting south of Augustine Island (Seabulk Arctic), was moving in to start taking on the oil from the Drift River oil terminal.

As reported by the Anchorage Daily News…

“What happens if Redoubt erupts while the tanker is at the terminal, loading up on oil?  According to Marti Early of  the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation”: 

“My understanding is that we have the Alaska Volcano Observatory constantly monitoring the status of the volcano and we have approximately three hours notice, or lead time to disconnect the tanker”.

The Drift River tank farm is about 20 miles from the steaming volcano and it can take up to 3 hours for any flash flooding from the volcano to reach the tank farm, where there is a safe haven.  Members of the group working to arrange, monitor and pump the oil from the tank farm are, the Coast Guard, the Alaska State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Chevron’s Cook Inlet Pipeline Company, as well as a National Weather Service official to monitor volcanic activity.  Alaska Volcano Observatory will be providing updated information from their recording stations at the mountain.

Meanwhile, Redoubt is still sending up a plume of steam and gas with possibly very small amounts of ash.  The mountain continues to have small earthquakes and intermittent tremor.  Flights at the Anchorage Airport are operating on a mostly normal basis with the exception of a delayed Delta flight from Salt Lake and a U.S. Airways flight from Phoenix which was diverted.

I will try to update briefly once more this evening and first thing very early in the morning.  Then I will be offline all day until late afternoon AKDT. Have a good night/day all! 

1arctic-home  aka  “Alaska Mom”

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/recent_images.php

http://www.adn.com/volcano/story/749408.html

Up to now, I have not been able to locate any current information regarding the status of the Drift River oil terminal, and the location of the oil tanker, Seabulk Arctic, which was anchored off Augustine Island last evening.  The webcam shows mostly clear weather at the mountain.  Further updates will be posted as they come in. Never a dull moment in the shadow of an active volcano!

1arctic-home   aka “Mom In Alaska”

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

According the the Anchorage Daily News online, flood waters generated by the eruption damaged a power generator, necessary to pump oil from the tank farm to the tanker.  The repairs will take at least until Monday which will be the earliest possible start of the oil offloading.  Meanwhile the tanker is anchored near Augustine Island, site of the inactive volcano, Mt. Augustine and south of Redoubt.

A very noticable amount of ash fell in Homer, Clam Gulch, Seldovia, Nikiski and other nearby areas of the western Kenai Peninsula. The ash fall was said to be about a quarter of an inch or so.  The is the second time in two weeks that the residents there have had to deal with ash fall.  The largest population area to the north around Anchorage and the Mat. Su valley escaped the ash this time around.  Flights for the most part were fairly normal today – which begs the question – why?  Cloud and wind direction?

Meanwhile two oil spill response barges are headed from Seldovia to the Nikiski area to be closer to the Drift River oil terminal, in case of a spill.  Volcanos are notorious – for not being predictable and the risk of an oil spill still exists.  We are all crossing our fingers and hoping Mother Nature rests for awhile – long enough to get the oil transferred and keep all the crew and officials safe!

Tonight as of 11:56 pm AKDT Redoubt is somewhat quiet with no ash production, but small repeating earthquakes have begun again.  Another…restless night!  Night all.

1arctic-home

http://www.adn.com/volcano/story/748134.html

MAP COURTESY OF AVO

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1:15 PM AKDT SAT APR 4.2009

AKZ121-050400-

…BLOWING ASH POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR PARTS OF THE
WESTERN KENAI PENINSULA SOUTH OF NINILCHIK…

THIS MORNING’S ERUPTION OF REDOUBT VOLCANO AT 600 AM AKDT RESULTED IN
ASH FALLING OVER THE WESTERN KENAI PENINSULA SOUTH OF NINILCHIK.  IN
ADDITION…NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 20 TO 25 MPH IN GUSTS
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON…AND ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL EARLY THIS
EVENING…BEFORE EVENTUALLY SUBSIDING.  THIS IS RESULTING IN AREAS OF
BLOWING ASH…ESPECIALLY AROUND THE KACHEMAK BAY AREA. 

PEOPLE ARE URGED TO LIMIT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WHILE THE ASH IS BEING
BLOWN AIRBORNE BY THE WIND…AS THERE IS LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
ASH FALLING FROM THE SKY AND ASH BEING BLOWN AROUND NEAR THE SURFACE
BY THE WIND.      

THIS STATEMENT WILL ONLY BE UPDATED IF CONDITIONS CHANGE.

1arctic-home

http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/volcano.php

The tanker that had arrived at the area today to begin pumping oil from the tanks at Drift River facility had to move south and is currently near Mt. Augustine.  The Drift River facility must be checked before the plans to pump oil from the tanks can resume. 

Further updates as they become available.

1arctichome

http://www.adn.com/volcano/story/748134.html