Please help

[Rajah Sulayman]

I know this is spammy and that there's a dedicated thread for it and I apologize profusely and wouldn't be doing this if it weren't an extreme circumstance.

The "Dream Assignment" contest ends in two and a half hours, and I'm barely hanging on by a thread. I'm currently at #20 (you have to finish in the Top 20 to be considered) but I've been bouncing around from 25 to 18 all day.

Please, if you have a second, just stop by http://www.nameyourdreamassignment.c...e-simple-joys/ and vote for my idea. I really wouldn't be doing this if I weren't desperate, but after being in the Top 20 for the entire month and then losing my spot to last-minute surges and ballot-stuffing (a few people were caught for it), I'm freaking out a little.

Thank you and again, I'm really sorry to be spamming.

[Jim Bryant]

It's all ballot stuffing by friends. Some of the good ideas aren't being voted on. I really think, that being a really good photographer with a great idea should be the main criterion than that of being one of the top 20 vote getters.

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

It's all ballot stuffing by friends. Some of the good ideas aren't being voted on. I really think, that being a really good photographer with a great idea should be the main criterion than that of being one of the top 20 vote getters.

This is my beef with most if not all internet 'contests'. Nothing like having a bunch of friends with 1,000 email addresses each.

[OeterB]

Well, I signed up just to vote for you. Not because I feel sorry for you that you're going to get shafted last minute, but because your project sounds genuinely interesting. Good luck, hope it helps, and if you're successful, I look forward to seeing the project unfold!

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

This is my beef with most if not all internet 'contests'. Nothing like having a bunch of friends with 1,000 email addresses each.

It's true! It's true! A lot of the Good ideas are not in the Top 100 are nearly impossible to find. This is unfair as many great ideas are hidden by popular votes. What would be interesting and the deciding factor would be the judges seeing the portfolios of these top vote gatherers to see if they are truly capable of handling such an assignment. I mean $50,000 dollars is quite a bit of hunk of change to hand over to someone unqualified.

[macroMe]

Saw this too late to vote but I see you made it in. Good luck, seems you are up against some stiff competition.

[Rajah Sulayman]

Whoa. I could've sworn I came back last night and posted, but I'm not seeing it.

In any case, yeah -- I made it. It was a harrowing last few hours and I had given it up for lost (I actually ended at #22 and only got in because there were three ties and they ended up picking the Top 23) until my sister called me and told me I was in.

And I do agree that a lot of these things are less about how good your idea is and more about how many people you know, which is why it's nice that they have that panel of judges to make the final selection. I honestly don't expect to win the final prize -- there are many more deserving ideas than mine -- but that's okay. All I ever wanted was to make it into the final round, and I did that.

Thank you all again for your votes. I have little doubt in my mind that it kept me in the running.

[Jim Bryant]

Good luck to ya

Originally Posted by rajah sulayman

Whoa. I could've sworn I came back last night and posted, but I'm not seeing it.

In any case, yeah -- I made it. It was a harrowing last few hours and I had given it up for lost (I actually ended at #22 and only got in because there were three ties and they ended up picking the Top 23) until my sister called me and told me I was in.

And I do agree that a lot of these things are less about how good your idea is and more about how many people you know, which is why it's nice that they have that panel of judges to make the final selection. I honestly don't expect to win the final prize -- there are many more deserving ideas than mine -- but that's okay. All I ever wanted was to make it into the final round, and I did that.

Thank you all again for your votes. I have little doubt in my mind that it kept me in the running.

[Nicole]

I'm glad you made it to the top 20. Best of luck to you! After reading the entries in the top 20 yours is actually one of my favourites because it provides a look at something positive, something that's universal, and something that doesn't try to shove a particular belief down your throat (that last part is why I found some of the other top 20's to be a bit off-putting to me).