NicoleB's blog/

Szoff says:

Sad indeed, that things turned out this way. I will visit your website. Keep in touch.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

StormyinGA says:

Sad... I will miss you so much here but will find you... there. Please do not hesitate to contact me email if you must to let me know where you go and what you are doing. Such a wonderful photographer you are and there should not be a reason for anyone to lose that beauty you share with the world! My email is littlewhitedogs2 at gmail dot com. Big hugs to you Nicole.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

betitu says:

sad it turned out this way :( Will visit you to see more Kuwait pics!
"And you can dream, so dream out loud"
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Visual Impact says:

Completely understandable to leave.

During the protest, I came upon more than a photostreams I've wanted to browse, like yours, but was too occupied protesting. Ipernity it is then. I hope they can do better, it'll be hard not to.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Thueringer says:

Wie sagt man? Im Leben trifft man sich mindestens zwei mal ...
Ich hab schon mal einen Begrüßungskaffee im neuen Ipernity-Heim hingestellt.


Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

desert_dan says:

It is a shame to see you go.. The recent flickr events are sad to say the least - especially with beautiful people like you leaving. I will come and visit ipernity and your cave...
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

BillyWarhol says:

Stay Nic!!

yer better off fighting within the shit system*

;))

CNN - Users Rage Against China's "Great Flickr Firewall"


BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- Yang Zhou is no cyberdissident, but recent curbs on his Web surfing habits by China's censors have him fomenting discontent about China's "Great Firewall."

Yang's fury erupted a few days ago when he found he could not browse his friend's holiday snaps on Flickr.com, due to access restrictions by censors after images of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre were posted on the photo-sharing Web site.

"Once you've complained all you can to your friends, what more can you do? What else is there but anger and disillusionment?" Yang said after venting his anger with friends at a hot-pot restaurant in Beijing.

The blocking of Flickr is the latest casualty of China's ongoing battle to control its sprawling Internet. Wikipedia and a raft of other popular Web sites, discussion boards and blogs have already fallen victim to the country's censors.

China employs a complex system of filters and an army of tens of thousands of human monitors to survey the country's 140 million Internet users' surfing habits and surgically clip sensitive content from in front of their eyes.

Its stability-obsessed government says the surveillance machinery, commonly known as the "Great Firewall," is necessary to let Internet users enjoy a "healthy" online environment and build a "harmonious" society.

Yang just thinks it's a pain.

"I just want to look at some photos! What's wrong with that?" said the 24-year-old accountant, typical of millions of young urban-dwelling professionals who are increasingly aware of and fed up with state intrusions into their private life.

Within days of the blocking of Flickr, links to browser plug-ins and how-to explanations to subvert the filters and see Flickr photos were gleefully posted on blogs and in chat-rooms.

Many posts were preceded by tirades against the censors for "harmonising" Flickr.

One blogger posted an image of a voodoo doll, calling it the Great Firewall and inviting users to -- digitally -- stick pins in it.

Yang said restrictions on Flickr probably wouldn't motivate him to write a blog, much less push him down the road of "potentially dangerous" activism.

But he liked the idea of the Great Firewall voodoo doll.

"Have you got the link? Maybe I'll go stick a pin in it," he said.





--
Seen in your Flickr CENSORS set. (?)

--
Seen in some comments. (?)

--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship says:

Thanks everyone :)

@Billy, like said here
I'll take the pro acount down.
I don't want to give yahoo more stuff to make money with.

I rather use a free account that costs them money (bandwith, etc.) and surf with this one with no pictures (or almost none) for them to use and make again more money with ;)

And if they restrict or delete this one, it will not hurt me.
That was always my fear with the other account. Too much work and too much love in it.
Now it will go down the drain anyway.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

Stewart Leiwakabessy says:

I for one will surely miss you here!

And yes, I got myself an ipernity one too. Just to be checkin up on you there! :-)
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Barrybar says:

Nicole, we have come a long way together and I'm sorry that this episode of censorship has caused you to consider leaving. Here's how I see the situation.

Your photos have delighted, amused and amazed us. I assumed you were doing it for us ... for your satisfaction, and the satisfaction of your many fans on Flickr. You are one of the select number of Flickrites who attract a great following, because it is more than just the pictures that you take, it is about your spirit and your style and your energy and wit. We have all been thriving on that, we your fans, and you are going to allow censorship to come between us.

Of course, it is your choice, but you will be denying us the pleasure and the joy of interacting with you and your photos, because Yahoo is behaving like the asshole that we know it is.

I think you were far too optimistic in believing that a corporation like Yahoo would consider acknowledging your presence in Flickr or on the planet. It is the nature of things on this side of the Atlantic. The United States government apologised to the Japanese for interning them after Pearl Harbour, but how many blacks do you think are waiting for the United States government to apologise for enslaving us for 400 years.

Coincidentally, today is called Juneteenth in this country.

"Origins

On June 19, 1865, the Union General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Tex., to inform inhabitants of the Civil War's end two months earlier. Two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Granger's General Order Number 3 finally freed the last 250,000 slaves whose bondage, due to the minimal Union presence in the region, had been essentially unaffected by Lincoln's efforts. June 19th—which was quickly shortened to "Juneteenth" among celebrants—has become the African-American addendum to our national Independence Day, for, as Juneteenth jubilees remind us, the Emancipation Proclamation did not bring about emancipation, and the prevailing portrayal of Independence Day ignores the ignominious incidence of slavery entirely."

In short: Black people aren't holding our collective breaths for an apology, or any word from the government. Of course, many Black people have long ceased to think about our past, so it is not a pressing matter, a fact which must please the US government.

You should not have taken Yahoo so seriously, even though the subject of censorship is serious, that you would stop posting those wonderful photos, including the ones that make us stop and think, and at times piss off some Flickrites who get their drawers bunched up in their asses.

It is people like you who make Flickr interesting. People like yeimaya, like Beebe, like Robin Thom, like memaxmarz, like ChicagoEye, like Otherthings, to just name a few off the top of my head. You may not miss Flickr, which, honestly, I am less engaged with now than in the past, but we will certainly miss you. You may be moving to a nicer neighbourhood, but what I like about Flickr is that it is nice and also naughty.

I spoke a lot of shit before Yahoo took over. But I tend to talk less shit these days. Maybe I am maturing. Maybe if I said some of the stuff now that I said then, they would censor me as well.

Your departure will be a loss to our community. Try to put it into perspective. Censorship is an international phenomenon. As a matter of fact it cannot even be considered a phenomenon, but business as usual.

I am not suggesting you not fight for your rights, since I know it is a matter of principle, but it is quite far from a matter of life or death. Don't expend so much energy on Yahoo. It is not worth it. The nature of corporations is to be heartless.

Don't look to be respected by a corporation. We respect you, we love you, and we will miss you.

I invite you to return to us, so that we may be whole again!
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship says:

Gotya Stewart :)

I've started adding some of you already, but I tell you, it's a pain in the butt.

Have tested the import flickr pictures to Ipernity - works smoothly. I've only tried it with one shot though. Just can't delete the imported tags right now, but I'm sure, that will be fixed quick. They came up with that importer overnight ;)

-------------

Dear Patrick,
it was just the droplet that filled the barrel.
Remember the times when I could post certain things freely on this account without being afraid to post too much and get deleted without warning?
That's when it started to ruin the fun for me.

Your words bring tears to my eyes, but yet, if you want to interact and see my pictures, I've offered you some places.
I just don't want to deal with flickr / yahoo any more than I have to. And that's only to follow the ones on flickr that don't want to move.

I didn't really expect them to acknowledge my presence, but I expected a different handling from flickr staff at least. Because they are still talking about trust and respect. Nothing of that they showed us the last week.

The thing is, Barry, even with all rights reserved on the pictures, yahoo will still find a way to use them. I would love to ignore them, but I can't.

Who knows, I have that free account. And free means, that I don't care too much, if somebody thinks, it should be taken away from me.
Go ahead, I get another one.
I might get in the mood and start posting some stuff there again. Stuff that yahoo sure doesn't not want to use or whatever ;)

If I stay on this account, I will be always reminded of what I have lost.
No, it's not a Life or death question and yes, there are far more important things in Life, but I have the choice :)

Take care my friend!
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

Semmi says:

Dear Nic
At first let me thank you for being you. You brought so much fun and joy to the lifes of many and you are a "great spirit". I respect your decision and I don t want to loose you, thus I hope you stay somehow in touch. We from the former Soviet bloc lived for so long under censorship in everyday life and thought that it was free society to the West from our borders. What a bad surprise now. Irene
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship says:

Thanks, Irene - your words mean a lot to me!
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

FED UP w.flickr! See me at ipernity.com/home/marco says:

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There is a flickr alternative!!! Come to ipernity
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btw: Please join the refugee group www.flickr.com/groups/ipernity/
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Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

{Pamphile} says:

I completely support your decision to stop giving Yahoo money (for your pro account). I will be sad to see your wonderful pictures leave Flickr, but I am glad that you have found a new home, and I will be visiting you there. I am glad that you will have a regular account so you can still keep up with your contacts here.

I'm really saddened by this whole debacle.

xoxoxoxoxo
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship says:

Thanks - am very sad too :S
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

wish u were here says:

I support your decision Nic and I am sooooo sad to see you go BUT I will be over to visit you in your new little corner. Did you know you were one of my first flickr friends????
I am going to miss seeing you pop up here in my little corner of the world!!!
I too shall miss you greatly
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Barrybar says:

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship said: "
Dear Patrick,
it was just the droplet that filled the barrel."

Please don't believe that I am questioning your right to leave. The fact is that because I spend less time in Flickr, but continue to post photos that I encounter in my archives, I'm not really aware about what you endured during the censorship debacle. I don't even know what a droplet is. I simply appealed to you on selfish motives because you have been one of my closest and most enduring friends on Flickr and I didn't want to face the prospect of losing you here. Of course, I'll visit you wherever you may go. Take care, my friend.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

AmUnivers says:

I am so sad to see you go ! I haven't had much trouble with Flickr yet and am not ready to leave, but I understand you. Ipernity sounds like a great place, and it is reassuring to know that there is a real alternative to flickr.

I'll visit you there, and I hope you'll be back on flickr from time to time. I will miss you Nicole !
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

limone says:

so geht's mir auch... ich misstraue allem, was nicht auf meinem eigenen server ist und werde daher intensive arbeit lieber in meine eigenen webangebote stecken, mit denen ich jederzeit zu einem anderen provider umziehen kann. problem bei bildergalerien ist halt der traffic - und das wissen die communityprovider ganz genau.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Barrybar says:

Silly me, when you said droplet, I was thinking software, not the drop that makes the bucket overflow. I get it.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

erglantz says:

Very sad to see that you were forced to give up on flickr. I signed up for an account at your new location and as I have more time will investigate it more and may move over myself.
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

eckes (censored) says:

Wir sehen uns ja "drüben" .)
Posted 5 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Barrybar says:

Somebody in Lima, Peru couldn't wait on Yahoo to act:


Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

ipernity.com/home/nicoleb / No to censorship says:

Thanks everyone :)

And here goes the newest flickr blabla

www.ipernity.com/blog/14369/12289#comment43993
Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )

Danny B! says:

I fully respect and support your decision to leave. I know that your decision does not come easily. I hope we can stay in touch, Nicole. And I wish for you blessings, always.
Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

GJ董 says:

I cann't see,,,in China!
Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Barrybar says:

From Yahoo censorship to Pakistan, one of Bush's best friends in the illegal war:

"The Musharraf government prides itself on being a guarantor of press independence. "Today in Pakistan, there is unprecedented press freedom," insists Tariq Azim, the minister for information and broadcasting. "They can say what they like, report what they like. Except that we expect them to have a self-censorship--their own code of ethics and conduct.""

From Counterpunch A Black Day for Pakistan's Press
Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

savinca says:

You were back for such a short time. I am so sorry to see someone of your caliber and generous nature leave Flickr, but I can understand.

You will be missed!
Posted 4 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

thalestris16 says:

very sad to see you going, but very understandable. i ll miss your work and your humor, i will come to see you at ipernity.com
Posted 3 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

Ayla & cia says:

I understand your decision but it's sad to think that we won't have your pictures anymore... I hope you don't forget about us, I want to keep in touch with you, my friend!
Posted 3 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

TiBooX will NOT renew pro-account or upload photos says:

:-)

2007-06-23 flickr is STILL censored for Germans.
flickr remove ALL filters!
How shall I be admin of a group and NOT see all images ?!
Show flickr what you've PAID for !
Maybe it's YOUR content that will not show for any reason, next time.

Protest with Emails too!
Still complain at the source, complain here!
Posted 2 days ago. ( permalink | delete )

beetorstevie. says: