• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
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    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Bad Guy V.I.I.P.E.R.--THIEVES!!

Mooing Tricycle said:
...Selling an item,created from a stolen image is copyright infringement. It isnt a "small little thing" when YOU try to make profit from it. It can be brought to court. and has before.
Click to expand...
And will be again, if this nonsense continues. It is intellectual property, and it is protected. It would be very easy for me to contact a lawyer and take this to court. And make no mistake about it...it's fairly cut and dry. There isn't a whole lot of grey area to work with. I have the images and the timelines to back up every word of my claim.
 
I would like to note that I was a member of a forum (FreedomReptiles.com which has since shut down) where Chris posted the original herping picture. I also remember when he first started offering the stickers on the same forum. I am behind Chris 100% on this matter.
 
Maybe Amanda is really your twin, Chris, and you two were separated at birth. You actually share some thoughts without realizing it, and the day you designed these stickers she unwittingly thought she thought this up herself, not realizing she was picking up her twins thoughts.

BTW, I was abducted by aliens back in July, and probed repeatedly.
*puts tinfoil hat back on*

Amanda, just admit the idea and images were stolen, and apologize, and i'm sure it'll all go away. Otherwise, you only make it worse for yourself.
 
awva said:
I'm sorry I had offered that in my e-mail to him and I keep getting blasted by him so I can see he doesn't want to work something out. He came to this site before even talking to anyone in the group about this and trying to come to reason before blasting a group that is only trying to do good.
Click to expand...

Personally, I think it's always a mistake to come here with a bad-guy thread before giving the other party an opportunity to make things right. However, that doesn't change the fact that you have, so far, refused to do anything at all to fix this.

I believe your group is trying to do good...and we need MORE of that in the herping community. But, you do your own group a grave disservice by being so stubborn about admitting your wrong and attempting to make ammends.

The OP doesn't want money, he wants credit for his work, acknowledgement and an apology. None of that costs you anything except the self-inflicted pain of admitting that you first stole someone else's artwork and then that you blatantly lied about it.

If your group and its work is so important to you, you'll save what you can of its reputation by being honest from this point forward.
 
For the record, I sent emails to [email protected] bringing my case to light before I posted here, and recieved no reply. I also posted comments on the photo itself at the viiper website before coming here and got no response.

Further, the incident was brought up originally on cornsnakes.com, where I was advertising other merchandise with this graphic on it. It was made public there before here, as well...and she is a member of that forum.

SINCE this thread, and the attitude displayed by Amanda, I have also posted this situation, and a link to this thread and a copy of the email correspondence between Amanda and myself on my OWN website for all to see.
 
In fact, if it wasn't for the thread on CS - Chris would never have known that someone else was using his image and idea and selling it. It was another member on CS that brought to his attention that they had seen the stickers for sale at a reptile show in October.
Which also brings up the question - if Amanda had this idea in March and they only printed 10stickers - how are they still selling them in October? That time frame would lead me to believe that more than 10stickers were printed (unless they just didn't sell well for them).

I also have seen Chris post on a multitude of sites the original photo back when it was taken and then subsequently it being turned into the sticker. I agree that there is no way possible an EXACT idea was formulated by another person. If it was just the slogan - maybe - but the scene represented in the sticker was taken directly off of Chris' photo - there is no way possible for that to have been duplicated by someone else without stealing the idea.

Considering that Amanda is a member on CS - and Chris posted it there for sale - would lead me to believe that is where it was stolen from.

I also believe that what viiper is trying to do is a good thing for the herp community. But it is defeating the purpose when something like this happens. I don't think an apology and acknowledgement of wrongdoing is too much for Chris to ask and is definately what he deserves.
 
I sold and/or gave away 38 of these stickers between September 1, 2008, and Early November, 2008.

Some were purchased online by friends, some were purchased via my website by other people, and some were purchased at the N.A.R.B.C. in Anaheim this past September. I also gave several away to friends and internet connections, and included a few in animal shipments.

I still have 2 left of the original batch of 40 that was made in late August 2008...
 
If VIIPER's claim is that "they're only a group trying to do good", then do the right thing:

Produce the source files for the "original design" (no self-respecting graphic artist, amateur or professional, would NOT archive their work), or fess up.

I too was a member of freedomreptiles.com, and recall the original posting of the photograph.

regards,
jazz
 
For the record, Amanda, the only involvement I've ever had with VIIPER was a few forum posts. I planned on deleting them later, but my account had been suspended to the point I couldn't even reply to posts....after asking Priscilla about it, she restored some access to my account...but I still didn't have the ability to delete my account. I have since deleted most of my posts and consider my involvement with the forum finished. I have never been to a meeting or had any other involvement...nor do I plan to.

Oh, and saying you came up with thi design is utter BS and we all know it...
 
Richmond Expo

Just wanted to say that I too saw these listed as for sale at the Richmond Expo on October 26th. My apologies Chris-- I had actually totally forgotten about it until I saw the posting on CS.com and this one here.

V.I.P.E.R... just 'fess up and go back to doing good for your local herping community. The resemblance is just too uncanny to not be stolen.... :rolleyes:
 
This is a dead give away. The image used is the same. I mean the same in every way.
 
It's possible that she didn't think much about it, just liked the sticker and said "hey, we'll print some up and it'll be cool", without thinking that it would be wrong, or that anyone would mind.
It's still WRONG and stealing, and saying "Hey, I'm real sorry, I wasn't thinking." and putting up credit would be SO EASY.
Saying that you only made ten isn't apoligizing, or making it right. Saying that someone is a member of the forum doesn't give credit for the image.
You KNOW you did not possibly make that image. I would normally say "Hey, maybe they saw that sticker and forgot, and made theirs the same without realizing it was the same as yours".. but NOT that! That is the EXACT same image, and you very well know it is.
Say your sorry, put up credit where it's due, and move on.
 
I can vouch for Chris on this too, I've seen his merchandise on CS.com for some time now. Not that it isn't clear to anybody reading this who the theif is.

Tell the truth Amanda.
 
A response from Bobby Jenkins posted as a reply to the web page I created exposing this situation:
Bobby Says:

November 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm edit

Chris,

Hello. My name is Bobby Jenkins, President and Founder of VIIPER.
I have contacted our Secretary that worked with the vinyl graphics designer that had the 7 stickers made. She stated that she came up with the idea and logo; after viewing your site, it does appear EXTREMELY similar to yours. I would like to offer my deepest apology.

As I said before, we only had 7 made and they were sold to club members with no profit made or intended. We were created for the benefit of the animals we both love. By looking at your website, I can see you have a passion for herps as well. I hope we can put this incident behind us. You have my word that these will not be reproduced by our organization. Please contact me directly if you have any further questions. Many thanks . . .

Bobby Jenkins
Click to expand...

It seems that that Bobby, on behalf of the group, is willing to admit to a mistake, and apologize. This is great. It's a step in the right direction that removes V.I.I.P.E.R. as a group away from the situation.

I posted a reply to Bobby:
KingofColubrids Says:

November 24th, 2008 at 4:00 pm edit

Bobby-
I appreciate your response. I also accept your apology and the apology of your group.

It would be nice if Amanda came forward, made a comment here accepting her guilty role, and apologizing for it.

This graphic is an image I have been using and intend to keep using on many products past, present, and future. This situation has potentially sullied my OWN reputation as the creator of this digital image.

I respect your group and the work you are trying to do. We need more like-minded groups created.

However, until Amanda fesses up and takes responsibility for her actions, it will reflect badly upon you and your organization. This is a small issue until her continued lying and refusal to accept responsibility turns it into a large issue. A simple public admission of guilt and apology from the INDIVIDUAL responsible for this is all that is needed.
Click to expand...

I will keep the page on my own site open and active, for all to see, and for further commentation. It can be found HERE.
 
Hello Gents. My name is Bobby, President and Founder of VIIPER. I want to apologize for this entire incident and offer my deepest apology. I do not know where the logo or slogan came from but it looks EXACTLY like Chris'. You have my word that these will not be reproduced by our organization.
Our club has an outstanding reputation locally with the public as we conduct events for the community free of charge. I intend to maintain our solid reputation within the internet herping community as well.
Only a handfull were made and sold to members at cost. They were not available at the Richmond Show as members had bought them before then.
We are still in mourning of a beloved member that was killed by her retic just last month. If there is a time that herpers need to unite is now.
Again, I am sorry Chris and fessin' up. I hope you can accept my sincere apology.


Bobby

VIIPER
 
Bobby, I absolutely accept your apology and the apology of the group. I appreciate what your group does, and commend you for that. I do NOT intend to sully the name of your organization.

I would really ask that you urge Amanda to come forward, admit her guilt, and apology for it as an individual, both here and in response to the post I made at my website.

In my opinion, this is the only manner in which absolute resolution can be brought about. Neither you nor your group are responsibile for stealing my graphic. I appreciate the apology from yourself. But what would be more appreciated and even more respectable is for Amanda to come forward and do the same. It is her, afterall, that is guilty of wrongdoing. The only thing you did wrong was to take her word for it...
 
VIIPER2008 said:
I do not know where the logo or slogan came from but it looks EXACTLY like Chris'.
VIIPER
Click to expand...

I think Chris has posted pretty darned good evidence of where it came from. There are two people now who offer apologies even while they both manage to skirt the obvious..

I'm not too impressed with this.
 
I won't hold Bobby or VIIPER accountable. While he did skirt the admission of guilt, I do not believe he nor the group is guilty of wrongdoing. I accept his apology for his and his group's involvement.

It is Amanda that has stolen my property. SHE is the one that claimed ownership of my artwork. It is HER admission of guilt that is most important. From her I expect nothing less than a full admission of guilt and apology, both made publicly.
 
Question for Bobby.. If you guys only printed 7 stickers and sold presold them before the show, how is it that it's still listed on your website for sale? Do you have more waiting to be purchased or were you simply going to print them one at a time as ordered?
 
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