All You Ever Needed to Know About Master *Fuzzy*Points*

As the next step in the adoption process of ThomP of *fuzzy*points*of*light* , we had Social Services run a bit of a background check (we are surprisingly fussy, given the state of our own unfiltered, murky gene pools, about who we welcome into the Meme family) and, since you all encounter our beloved scamp time and time again (unfortunately sometimes in a single theme) in the weekly memes, we thought you would like to partake in the information we gleaned.
We love you, Memethomp.

Who are you and why are you doing this to us?
I am, therefore I needn’t bother any more. Up until recently I was an architect. I gave that away because of the lack of consistent design work and high levels of horrid business style activity. Now I design retail interiors and public art pieces, as well as a certain amount of graphic design… I have a team of little suited monkeys that do all the business bullsheet for me, so I just sit in front massive screen and design all the time. It really is quite cool.

I have to do quite a bit of photography as part of my job, but I couldn’t call myself a photographer in a truly professional sense. I have done a certain amount of paid work for advertising and the like, but I resist unless they want abstract or art shots. Some one else can do the boring head shots and jewellery. I enjoy photography too much to go and ruin it by doing it for money. I meme because it gives me a creative challenge to extend myself both photographically and in my capacity to make abstract links between meme topics and unrelated photos.

What did you have for breakfast?
VEGEMITE!!!! Like having steak spread on toast. But there is no meat in it. A long macchiato from my lovely machine. I find the process of making ‘proper’ coffee almost as relieving and therapeutic as the relief from the caffeine withdrawal headache itself.

Have you ever been to the bloody big rock? No? How about Vegas?Are you one of us?
No big red rock for me… How could you tell? I find graffiti strewn alleys more exciting than major tourist attractions. Especially ones in the middle of huge hot deserts. As for LV, I have never even been to the USA… I intend to visit EVERYWHERE else on earth first! I have a romantic notion that it would be quite nice to become respectfully, internationally ‘known’ and then die in obscurity. I think that Vegas may be a good location for the latter. As for being one of you, I’ll send you some spit and hair in a jar and we’ll let the scientists decide for us.

Do you know Kerrin?
I once killed one with my bear hands… I had to hide it in my shirt so the ranger didn’t punish me for killing one of his stock. It gave me a nasty rash on my chest, so I guess it ended up fair for all in the end.

What gear do or have you used? Are there any manufacturers you'd like to praise or bad mouth here?
I use the new Sony DSLR a100, a couple of lenses and a remote flash. It is a great snapper for the price (as long as you change the crappy stock lens, which I think should be best used as a door handle). I do love it dearly. Sony however, are BITCHES! They really are ass bitches from hell. But it is a very nice camera. Oh, and photoshop… But only for colours. I don’t use it for anything you couldn’t do in a darkroom.

What other hobbies do you enjoy or enjoy inflicting upon others?
Biketrials. Look it up. The nerdiest ‘extreme’ (I hate that word) sport there is. It is my only true manly pursuit

Where else can we see your photos? Do you have any side projects?
I am working on a very specifically themed photo book called “No Junk Mail” that will be available for online purchase in the coming months, and hopefully in a bookshop near you a short while after that.

What is the best photo that you missed?
A million beautiful shots in India. I got worn down by the trouble caused by taking photos very quickly. I got to the point where I could spot 5 people who would hassle me if I took a shot at any point and eventually just gave up… I did get many wonderful photos… But I missed many more than I got. It is such a shame, and hindsight is being so cruel to me about it.

Tell us your worst habit.
I am genuinely forgetful. I was going to write something else here but I forgot it. Oh, and multiple posting for single meme themes… I just can’t help myself sometimes. It isn’t my worst habit, but my most appropriate.

If you weren't doing what you do now, what else WOULD you be doing? Photographer doesn't count.
Working in and around the theatre. Travelling EVERYWHERE twice. Listening to King Crimson and leading a life of decadence…

What are you wearing?
A black T-shirt with a girl blowing her brains out with butterflies on it. http://www.threadless.com/product/114/Flowers_in_the_Attic . The Jeans I wear most days, and a pair of shoes I wish I wasn’t. My feet are actually wearing the desire to be bare. I am never truly happy with shoes on.

Why can't you beeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaave youself?
Because I don’t want to… Being naughty is how I stumbled upon (read: was tripped over and given a spanking by) your kind selves. This in itself is an incentive to be naughtier still!

Ahhhh. We love you, Memethomp. Same time next week for your spanking?

Edit: Master Fuzzy kindly furnished us with some links to some of his best photos. Click below and go shower him in affectionate comments.

Green Tiles
Red2
Archihall
The German
Wikkiwall
Red Shoes
Bubblewrap
Tree

Pxite is Fix(ite)

More good news for you meme fans- Pxite is back, restored to its former Saturday glory (well, except that it was Sunday...but possibly Saturday in your part of the world...we don't know anymore. Those experiments NASA has been doing with us in the centrifugal force machine have us all confused). Now, we LOVE Pxite and missed it the way we missed McDonalds for a week after that BSE scare, so go enter and show your support before it disappears again to be replaced by Saturday Banana, the photo challenge for lovers of all things banana-ish.

Elsewhere in the meme world...
we have to congratulate Frozen Moments on yet another SeeItSunday win and the interests of a bit of variety, would like to nominate a worthy runner-up for the 'work' theme. To this end, our applause go jointly to is12.net and Photoschau. We couldn't make up our minds. I'm blaming NASA again.

Macroday is Back(roday!)

We, the Memes, were again out for a Sunday drive with Bindi and Bobcat rolling around in the rumble seat when suddenly in unison we screamed to the chaffeaur "STOP ARVIN! MACRODAY IS is not DARK AND BOARDED UP!"

We circled around and sure enough, it was not dark and boarded up, just like we said.

It turns out after an email exchange, much to our chagrin, that delightfully irritable Mr Carlo Ferroni is indeed staying put in the neighborhood. He secured some financing after the 5th race at the track to pay off some other gambling debts, bought back his wife and children and dog and auto and home and decided to once again, torment us on Sundays.

So we had to put away our MacroSunday signs and leased back the domain to a male enhancement drug supply firm operating out of a one TeehwannaMayheeko (is that Welsh?) as the chap said on the mobile. You we are stupid gits for being so daft!

All offers for the Photo Meme Hall of Shame are now off the table also as Mr Ferroni's pulling himself out of the market sent our appraiser running for the back lot and now we have nothing to measure the value against. "Oh Bother", said Pooh. Were we 3.5 Macrodays? .025?

One thing for certain we were certainly worth more than a half drank case of Foster's so you can forget THAT, ThomP! You are a stupid git for being so daft!

Off Topic: Note to the person who has tripled our traffic by constantly landing on our site by googling "Kerrin Terrier": We are certain we are the number one site for that because it's "CAIRN TERRIER"!

Are you also getting these, Kerrin? Do they make you sad?

THEY ARE STUPID GITS FOR BEING SO DAFT!

SeeingItAgainSunday

Dear SeeItSunday participants and voters,

We here at the Photo Meme Hall of Shame will be brief as rarely is our want. We wish to take nothing away from the winner of Space and Clouds but would like to point out to you that they are the same participant and worthy entries, though they be, we would like to choose the Unofficial SeeItSunday Second Place Winners (a juried position)

They are as follows:

Clouds: Eterisk

Space: Neverhappen.com

For more on SeeItSunday voting click here: A Call To Arms

Memeshame, out.

Greg Tee of Moody Monday

Mr Greg Tee is the first Meme Moderator to take notice of the the Photo Meme Hall of Shame, or the first to foolishly mention it on his site and we've been glued to his hip ever since. The chances are good that the Moody Monday mention was your first exposure to us and you have never been the same since.

So who is this ground breaking individual you ask? So who is he who rides the first wave you inquire? So did we. Here was the first reply we got: "Piss off! I'm far too busy to answer your stupid questions and I'm sorry I took notice of you in the first place now stop bothering me but if you like you MAY submit a series of questions on a punch card and I will punch out the matching letter for you and your masses. NOW OFF WITH YOU!"

Below is the punch card we got back in the poste.

1. Who is Mr Greg T? Is he…
(a) A techie who likes taking photos?
(b) A photographer who spends way too much time on the internet?
(c) The Bob Geldof of the photomeme world?
(d) Henry, the mild-mannered janitor?

A. For sure! I am a manager of the engineering department at a Dutch Business to Business ISP during the day who sometimes has the time to take a photo or two.

2. In which of the following moods are you most likely to be of a Monday morning?
(a) Happy-go-lucky?
(b) Hung-over?
(c) Murderous?
(d) Relieved?

C. Murderous!

3. You're having a dinner party. With whom are you playing footsie under the table?
(a) Memeshame?
(b) the cat?
(c) Condoleeza Rice?
(d) You're afraid to look?

A. Memeshame for sure! Although I'm still waiting for those photographs she promised to send me. (Mr Tee was given the chance to change his mind once he learned that Memeshame is the male half of the duo but he declined to do so and Memeshame was thusly quite touched. - the eds.)

4. What's the best thing about running a photomeme?
(a) It's all about the power…. THE UNDENIABLE POWERRRR! mwha ha ha ha ha?
(b) It's all about giving photobloggers a place to show off what they got?
(c) It's all about being asked to give an interview on Hall of Shame?
(d) It's all about the little people?

A and D. I love to have all that power over the little people ;-) No serious, the whole idea was to have a photomeme for and by "the people"


5. We will give you a plane ticket to go and take photos to your heart's content in one of the following places (possibly only one-way; depends what we can get for memeshame's kidney). Which appeals to you most?
(a) Europe ?
(b) Africa ?
(c) Antartica?
(d) Utah ?

B. Kruger and Cape Town... (planning on it already)

6. If your photo-taking habit was to be replaced by another, would it be…
(a) the ponies?
(b) nail-chewing?
(c) gym-membership?
(d) a nun's?

E. Taking up knitting together with memeshame. (or mememonitor, who knows?)

7. Having seen this interview on Hall of Shame, your new-found fans are surely going to want to send you presents from all around the world. Which would you prefer?
(a) cash or gift vouchers?
(b) Underwear?
(c) local speciality sweeties?
(d) them never to contact you again?

B. Only if it's worn for more the 2 days in a row.

8. Who was your favourite James Bond?
(a) George Lazenby?
(b) Roger Moore?
(c) Sean Connery?
(d) Any of the new crappy ones?

B. I would have to go with Roger.

9. What, in your opinion, makes the best subject for a photo?
(a) A cute baby animal?
(b) A flower?
(c) Scenery?
(d) People?

I think D is usually the hardest to get right, so that for me makes it the best if its done right.

and finally…

10. What are you wearing?
(a) Your cowboy outfit?
(b) Comfy casual?
(c) Dinner suit?
(d) Less than us?

Usually B, my suit days (I used to be a consultant (shame shame) are over ;-)

'Not The Way It's Supposed To Be'

There we were, shortly after 10am on Friday, at the poolside, enjoying an ice-cold glass of camel's milk, when the alarm sounded. Memeshame's first reaction was to call Jong-Il and make sure he hadn't pushed any of the buttons we'd told him to leave alone while we were gone airing out the holiday home in Dubai. All was fine with Kimmy, it transpired, but then what was all the racket? Just then, Alfred came by with the message that Gmail was having trouble with our e-mail account, such was the volume of mails gushing into our inbox. Well, Hall of Shame business takes priority and Michael Jackson will just have to bring a few air-fresheners with him when he borrows the villa next time (I do wish he would leave that monkey at home...but then he says the same about me when we visit Neverland); we pulled on a very few items of clothing and raced home.

The strain on our Gmail account was lessened a little when I managed to delete a few colourful missives from some non-Hall-related sources (memeshame's been subscribing again) but still the inbox was packed to the gills with mail after mail from irate, amused or simply confused Photo Friday participants....and one man is to blame.
Remember this? Ooooooh, yeah. Dream Awakener is at it again. Our previous shaming of Mr Woodward seems to have merely encouraged his devious activities but, as before, our trusty army of Shamers was on stand-by and nabbed the screenshots we needed for yet another tap on his shoulder. Notice we said 'screenshots'- that's because this time the entry that secured him the number one spot on the submissions list went from this...

to this...

to this....

before being changed yet again back to the termite mound on the (we think ironic) suggestion of commenter torekimi. But Mr Woodward didn't hold all of his commenters remarks in such high regard; at least two comments expressing disappointment in a lack of fair-play were given the blog equivalent of concrete boots and a quick shove off the pier.

Gaze at the smiling face of the U2- and Cornelius Plating Jr-loving Mr Woodward. We completely understand when one's mission in life (his: "awakening people to renovate their world in Los Angeles and beyond", ours: getting Bindi to the bathroom before she vomits in the hallway) makes one temporarily forget the concepts of integrity and not beating Rich Legg (Although a noble goal and sometimes we'd like to Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan Mr Legg ourselves) to the number one spot. And we are sure that this friend to mankind WILL NOT DO IT AGAIN.

Whither Macroday?

We the Memes were out for a Sunday drive with Bindi and Bobcat rolling around in the rumble seat when suddenly in unison we screamed to the chaffeaur "STOP ARVIN! MACRODAY IS DARK AND BOARDED UP!" We circled around and sure enough, it was dark and boarded up, just like we said.

We later found out that IT IS FOR SALE!!!!

Carlo Ferroni is off to bigger and better things not involving YOU on a Sunday.

And he wants to take some cash with him.

We here at the Photo Meme Hall of Shame (Which is showing phenomenal growth and further potential) can't say that we blame him. In fact, the Photo Meme Hall of Shame (Which doesn't take a lot of time and brings TONS of satisfaction for you and your loved ones. And it's located near great schools) lends our full support to Mr Ferroni at this time and we STRONGLY IN THE STRONGEST TERMS POSSIBLE HEREBY SAY UNTO THEE that you better not be planning some Sunday Photo Meme called, like, Macro Sunday or something BECAUSE WE WILL SEE THROUGH YOU and SHAME YOU at the Photo Meme Hall of Shame (Which, did we mention, is showing phenomenal growth and it currently severely undervalued and preparing an IPO as soon as we file papers with the investment overseering organizations in various countries with the most stable currencies?)

This is...WeeklyShot

There is, in the photoblogging community as in the Jungle, a simple law under which we all must live: Survival of the Fittest.

Brandon Stone (yes, THAT Brandon Stone, of Photoblogs.org and the Family Stone) has created a little side project called WeeklyShots. It's by invitation only and for good reason.

We mention WeeklyShot here in our little forum as a prime example of what photomemes, SHOULD BE, which is: Self-policing.

At this time we should probably note that we here at the Photo Meme Hall of Shame never invade photoblogs like ants and try to carry off unworthy photos back to our colony to serve up to our Queen and feed to our pupae.

Nay, we only critique images served up to us on a platter as though we were sitting once more by the pool at the Hotel Castillo Venice in Monaco (Which has very good service but gets surpringly cool after dark, even in the high season). But I digress...

We never ever ever critique the content or artistic merits of an image, nor a photographer's matrilineage. "Because you are fair and kind" you ask? "Because you are to us like the good shepherd to the lamb who has lost its way?" No, to these.

Because we could never outdo WeeklyShot.

WeeklyShot is not juried, or voted on, or simply exhibited, it is a cold, ruthless, viscious dog-eat-dog, Lord of the Flies, type challenge where every member is encouraged, nay, DEMANDED to participate, comment and berate other photographers into improving their art.

And what happens? Photographers get lean and mean and serious and post relevent and beautiful images or they lie in wait for the next time.

They do not post for the sake of posting. It is hard enough to escape with limbs intact with a lovely image which you have taken, nursed, wrapped in swaddling clothes, cradled in your arms and carried to altar that is WeeklyShot only to leave with it bleeding and screaming as they run back determined, next time, to post the perfect image.

And they are the better for it. Psychologically? God, no. They are a twitching jumpy mess and rarely ever fully recover. But Photographically, immeasurably so. (Or they quit and sell their gear and never look at another image which isn't hand drawn again so averse are they to photography, but that is where the Survival of the Fittest comes in.)

If one comes out at the top of a WeeklyShots Challenge they truly have won something and are among the best at what they are doing.

So we salute Brandon Stone and the participants of WeeklyShot and encourage all of you, to make yourselves and your Photomemes more relevant and mean something and improve the higher art and yourselves in the process. Be more participatory, critical (self and otherwise) it hurts a little in the beginning but you'll be the prouder of yourself and your endeavors and of the others around you in no time.

Until then, we will remain your Good Shepherds. God bless.

Love,

Your noisy upstairs neighbours,

The Right Honourable Memes Monitor and Shame, Esq (now 'et al')

The Sacking of Photo Friday

Shamer in Chief, S, pushed a hastily scribbled note under our door the other day while on his paper round. 'Check out Photo Friday's "accidental" ', it said, 'Never has a photo meme been so violated!'. With an urgency usually only associated with grabbing the remote control and turning up the volume when Condoleeza comes on the tele, memeshame clicked through the tabs on his new Internet Explorer 7 ('BikiniBabes... BeijingInvest... KofiAnnan.com... BluegrassWorld... AdvancedCarpentry... where the hell is it?... Ah, here we are... Photo Friday') and we poured over the entries in disbelief. Memeshame reckons he feels dirty and I've not been able to get him out of the bathroom since (although that might be something else entirely). We've had a full postbag recently from Shamees denouncing their former submission-related behaviour and thanking us for our cruel-to-be-kind methods in showing them the error of their ways. So self-satisfied were we that we were thinking of booking ourselves a weekend in Vegas (the ever-yummy David Copperfield for me, something called Aussie Angles for memeshame- he tells me it's something to do with his carpentry course, dovetails or something) but we can see now that we can't spare the time. You're all spiraling out of control. Our despair was too overwhelming to go much beyond the first 50 or so entries to Photo Friday but here are a few of the entries that have prompted the crisis. Bear in mind that the theme was 'accidental'

http://dfunkd.com/detour/2005/09/28/reach-for-the-stars/
http://www.c2photo.com/2006/10/cindys_song.html
http://www.solar-flare.us/index.php?showimage=58
http://foggyspace.com/photo/index.php?showimage=344
http://gottabuzz.typepad.com/coffee/2006/10/accidental.html
http://aerufe.blogspot.com/2006/10/photo-friday-accidental.html
http://www.stillwatersphotography.ca/images/moose-in-log-cut_oct2006.jpg
http://www.opendiary.com/entryview.asp?authorcode=D678873&entry=10005&mode=
http://www.glasslens.com/gallery2/v/Dave/g1/people/shelly_sm.jpg.html
http://www.3amfromkyoto.com/index.php/2006/10/11/the_punting_party
http://www.fabiomarza.it/pixelpost1-5rc1-1/index.php?showimage=64
http://junae.lansu.net/images/index.php?showimage=22
http://ryancordell.com/2006/10/runaway-train.html
http://shotoftheday.wojtekgil.com/index.php?showimage=310
http://www.gez.hu/157.html
http://www.eterisk.org/archives/1620_1552137716/156628
http://www.8pmdaily.com/index.php?showimage=65
http://melange1.blogspot.com/2006/10/accidental-sunset-or-accident-going.html
http://fotolog.joostburger.nl/pixelpost/index.php?showimage=17
http://rustylopez.typepad.com/imagoarticulus/2006/06/clevelan_sage.html

Working out who should appear on the Named and Shamed list on the right is a task too depressing for us to undertake alone. Mail us with your nominations for the least appropriate ten.