Comment from Photowhisper
This is an amazing ink! You are right, things are a lot better! I haven't decided what my era is yet! Still thinking on it! Love the colors and the symbolisms! YEA! You are in!

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 11-Aug-2012

oh i had so many..i was trying to look for something that has a influence on ouir lives and that is so many to choose from...suggesttion..you can do the famous college kids for the team usa hoocky team that defeated the russians for the 1st time in the late 90's..you remember that one..still keeps in the spirt of the olympics and the contest..just a suggestion. i came close to doing that one..thanks for the great review.

Comment from photobeat
wow, what an art you have created in here my dear friend, his face is perfectly done and the flame is excellent, well done indeed. beny ")

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

thanks benny watching the olympics the other night kinda jarred my memory of that time..thanks for the great review.,

Comment from marieann green
Very timely drawing. Great initial impact. Love the colors and sentiment.
Very nicely done and a pleassure to review

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

thanks marieann for the great review.

Comment from Skyangel02
Things are no better than they were back then Mark. When people get offended by others speaking their mind or expressing themselves in protest or whatever, the offended people tend to throw out the people who offended them and treat them like garbage. That's human nature.
Look how some even mute others on this site for speaking their minds about their art work and saying what they really think of it.
If the offended people had the power to throw out the ones who offended them they would do it in a heartbeat.
I had a warning from admin myself this week because a person complained to them about my reviews. I figured I better stay away from commenting on that persons work any more. This is why mostly people get such superficial reviews. There is always a threat of being thrown out if you offend too many high and mighty people. Free speech is not really free when it offends babies who can't handle or accept the way others express themselves.
Nothing has changed in this world and it never will. The offended will always punish the ones who offended them regardless of whether it is fair punishment or not. The offended see it as fair.
The TRUTH is always crucified by those who prefer superficiality and political correctness.

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

well sky been there done that..the only difference was that i accused of cropping in comments. Tom was so convinced that i was doing that i was barred for a day..if he knew me and my knowledge..really dont have aclue nor a desire to learn how to crop..art is my forte..i barl;ey learned how to use my scanner and it took me a year to tweek it out to where you see what your seeing now...this pic and message was about the racial unrest back in the day compared to today..really im trying to hang in there and hope i can hang onto the top 5 catatgory to use this honor for my portfolio..after this year..i just dont think ill be as aggressive next year like i have been then this year..so after this year if i piss someone off..oh well it will suck to be them because i then wont care if they kick me off..have numerous webgalleries i am a member of that i can go and play just like i did on FAR...deviantart for one is just like FAR but with more of a younger generation on that one..so i feel your pain and understand but i think of one line that scarlet ohara said on the movie "gone with the wind" ..."tomorrow is a another brand new day"..hang in there sky your talented dont let the peanut gallery get to ya...wink

reply by Skyangel02 on 10-Aug-2012

What do you mean accused of cropping in comments? You accused someone of cropping a photo when they claim they didn't?
Are you talking about cutting the size of a picture down or something else? Cropping is about cutting a picture down. Anyone can do it very easily. Chop chop with the right tools. What is there to learn about it? LOL. Do you need to learn to use a cropping tool?
Racial unrest is not just about racism but about being in an elite group. That elite group tends to look down on the others who are not in the group as if they were some kind of lesser species.
Why are you trying to "hang in there" in the top five as you put it? What honor is there in buying an expensive trophy through advertising? Haven't you realized by now that the top five on the site are merely the ones who advertise their work the most? The trophies ought to say "Best advertiser" of the year. The one who gets number one place has spent the most on advertising their work on this site and been the most profitable for the site owners. Your work is great Mark and you don't need 25 or more superficial reviews to give you a digital all time best ribbon to tell you what you already know. The all time best ribbon does not mean a thing except that you have had more than 25 reviews on your advertised work.
Those reviews are easy to buy with advertising dollars. They are not as easy to get without advertising. Heck, you don't even get a mention on the well received list if you have seven reviews in a few hours on an unadvertised work but you do get a mention on the list if you have advertised a work and got that many reviews in a few hours for it.
The race to the top of the ladder around here is just an advertising scam which makes a profit for the owners of the site. Biggest advertiser obviously wins the prize.
Just post two works a day and advertise them to the number one place and you can buy your way to number one place as easily as buying an expensive over priced forgery of an original item. The higher you advertise your work the more reviews you are guaranteed to get because people will review your work just to get the dollars so they can advertise their own. Don't advertise and you don't get noticed, unless your reviews are out of the ordinary and either need an award or need to be reported to admin as being offensive.
The "peanut gallery" at the top off the list obviously is blind to that. Two of them have muted me already. I am heading down the path of being muted by all of them. Are you one of the blind Mark? Think about it. Do you hate honest people because you think they are deliberately setting out to offend or hurt you or they are some insensitive bastards who ought to learn more "tact" (a fancy politically correct word for superficial hypocrisy) and not say what they really think?
I know this comment is dangerous and could get me banned from the site forever if you decide to report it but it is honestly what I think. Honesty is dangerous when you speak your mind knowing full well what the consequences will be. Truthful people sacrifice a lot in their quest for honesty and truth. Being despised and rejected by many is part of the sacrifice. When you understand that, you expect the rejection and are never surprised by it.
There is always pain in life but the strong get accustomed to knowing how to handle it and deal with it by embracing it instead of trying to get rid of it.
Too many people want to try to make life a bed of roses without the thorns.
I have learned to "rest" on the "pricks" without being hurt by them. ;-)
If I dissappear from this site it is because I was banned for being honest and speaking my mind, not because I choose to leave.
Hypocrites usually can't stand honesty.

Comment from LorrainePurviance
as someone who was a teenager in that era, I can appreciate your text, it was a time when there were many prejudices and bias ruled what was "appropriate" we have indeed changed, but that is because we who felt this was unfair, now are the "mature" majority

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

i was in mississippi delta when they intergrated the schools. the majority of the whites went to private school..me and a few white still went there because no more or like my dad(marine) well have to get along so your gonna go to school there boy..heck i wsnt objecting..got lotta rednecks off my butt well during school..if you remember the picture back a best selling poster in the 70's. ..glad to bring back memories..me i was sing the song (music)..got stoned and missed it..got stoned and missed it,,,,lolol..thanks for the great review,.

Comment from khristysdesigns
this is very touching and is very moving, great story of our history and a sad one at that. I think this is a wonderful tribute, for them and I hope everyone remembers what it used to be and how good it is today.

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

really i think im few who still mentioned and bitch about it..the olympic committee claims they are not political..look at the games for the last 60 years and thats all it has been..political..thanks for the great review.

Comment from Christine389
I love the fact that I do actually learn a lot on this site - not just about art and photography but all sorts of things. Great notes Mark to accompany a great piece of art. I think that the expression on his face says it all.

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

i think im gonna see if i can find these 2 guys and let them know that havent been forgotten..thanks for the great review.

Comment from david F
oh how i wish i had a six if only to show my solidarity with the sentiment of your tribute to these brave athletes , so typical of "THE SUITS" that oversee the O.I.C. this falls for me into the same catogary as Mohamed Ali giving up his heavy weight championship by refusing to be conscripted in protest to the Vietman war, this is a really moving piece of art

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

exactly i remember that too..i was glad to see he bounced back and showed he was the GREATEST FIGHTER OF ALL TIME" as he would say..float like a butterfly asnd sting like a bee..thanks bro for the great review.

Comment from jerrid
This is a beautiful picture!
Love the colors and the clear image! I can see no wrong in this picture!
Awesome job and thank you so much for sharing!

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

thanks jerrid for the great review.

Comment from blairwacha
When I first saw this, I thought, "What a great photo." Then I saw your name and knew. This was sone by the world's greatest Sharpie artist. Spectacular skin tones, once again. Great work!

 Comment Written 10-Aug-2012

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reply by the author on 10-Aug-2012

whoa..you make it sound so....good! evil grin. worlds famous..so where do i sign up to get the worlds famous check to go with that..oh thats right they told me it was in the mail...lololol. thansk for the great compliment and review.l