Semi-annual Golden Membership Drive

[elephantspike]

It's Late September, so It's time to rattle the cup again. Every six-months I ask you to throw 20 bucks into the kitty to help keep the board running. You do this by going to Board Features>Golden Membershop, or direct link here:

Golden Membership (https://www.alertpay.com/PayProcess.aspx?ATE9eXRpdG5hdXFfcGEmPT1RT0pkeEhMSl o2ZEFJOFNIck1sNGlQPWRpdGN1ZG9ycF9wYQE=)

That makes you a Golden Member (well, I have to do it manually now because the alertpay isn't as integrated with the phpBB software as Paypal was). Golden Members get to upload unlimited attachments to posts, have their own photo albums and blogs, and to view the thread pages without the ads between the posts.

You can use Visa or Amex, or if you start your own alertpay account, you can use Mastercard and other options. Also, if you have your own alertpay account, you can send an amount other than the $20 default set on the donate page. Please anyone who donates who isn't already a Golden Member and wishes to be one PM me and let me know what email address you alert paid from or what the name is on the card you used. That way I can manually upgrade you.

We lost one advertiser this year and gained another, but had to sacrafice some Adsense space for that campaign, so the revenue is down from Adsense.

On a personal note, I just used-up my first year of unemployment. There are extensions up to another 6 months, but I need to fill-out a form to establish a new benefit year which will probably hold-up my check for a few weeks, and wouldn't you know I am paying rent weekly now. Season here in South Florida starts in 2 months, which is when I expect to snag a hotel gig here finally.

Thanks to all those who will and who have donated.

[Brad the Impala]

Thanks Bob, for keeping the site running, and happy to make this small contribution, which is straightforward to do by credit card.

Just to "keep the board running"? Or put profit in your pocket?

[Brad the Impala]

To keep it worthwhile for Bob to spend his time on it.

You mean it's not a labor of love?

Seriously, though "to keep the board running" is not exactly truthful. It makes it appear that your donations are going to the board's actual out-of-pocket expenses (bandwidth, registration, etc.) than keeping creepy old Bob from having to find a real job.

[cdnmatt]

Seriously, though "to keep the board running" is not exactly truthful. It makes it appear that your donations are going to the board's actual out-of-pocket expenses (bandwidth, registration, etc.) than keeping creepy old Bob from having to find a real job.

Why shouldn't he try to get paid for time taken to moderate the board?

[Beachlover]

Bob... if you love moderating/managing boards... you could start offering this as a professional service for a monthly fee or shared revenue basis to other forum owners/investors.... that's if you're not already doing this.

There are thousands of highly profitable or potentially profitable (if well managed) forums owners/investors out there who would love to put their forums in the hands of a competent manager/moderator. Forums take a lot of head space to manage... better to leave all the forums to a dedicated forum manager and pay for it.

Have you sent a request to Saint Vincent De Paul? :bot: :bot:

I do hope you are not asking us to contribute towards your moderators up and coming SHOWER :rolling: :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

[jinks]

I do hope you are not asking us to contribute towards your moderators up and coming SHOWER :rolling: :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

No problems, no wages, no worries about little Ozzie prats.

I'll be in Gordonvale for Christmas, pop up and buy me a drink.

you could start offering this as a professional service for a monthly fee or shared revenue basis to other forum owners/investors....

There are thousands of highly profitable or potentially profitable (if well managed) forums owners/investors out there who would love to put their forums in the hands of a competent manager/moderator.....

A nice idea, BL, but while experience of the subject may not be required for this or any other board I would imagine that as both timeliness and consistency would be required from any moderator/manager who was being paid for the job that would, with all due respect, appear to rule this out as an option.

[Beachlover]

I wouldn't rule it out completely. Bob's running this board as his own. He might behave differently if it was been done on a professional service basis.

On the positive side, finding someone like Bob... who wouldn't charge an arm and a leg... and has most if not all the necessary functional skills needed for this beast is rare.

- Experience moderating... and managing moderators to a degree

- Technical maintenance (many stupid, fiddly things)

- Technical changes... redesigns etc.

- Attracting and communicating with advertisers

- Handling requests from advertisers and other stakeholders

- Managing the different revenue sources to get the best mix

- Has plenty of time on his hands...

Anything, which the manager isn't capable of, you need to outsource, which is costly. So have all this taken care of by one guy on a retainer/shared revenue basis is handy.

He wouldn't necessarily need to moderate either... on bigger boards, you just need the manager to manage a team of moderators (sometimes takes 30-40 mods)... recruit new mods... assign roles... manage them... deal with conflicts etc.

[elephantspike]

Thanks for pointing-out that moderating the comments is only one small part of what it takes to build and maintain an independent community website, Beachlover. Thanks also to those who have kicked-in so far.

So what will you do with the money in excess of your "expenses" and your "salary" (which is how much, by the way)?

[elephantspike]

Well, the total gross intake has been rising steadily each year. it's up to around $5,000 USD this year. I use all the surplus money to throw wild parties every night with Jacuzzis filled with Dom Perignon and mounds of free cocaine. :occasion9: :headbang: :alc:

No wonder your apartment looks like the home of a transient serial killer.

[Brad the Impala]

Bunny, you're not planning to contribute, you've been banned several times under different handles, you insult the owner on his own site, and now you want him to account to you!! :violent1:

Bunny, you're not planning to contribute, you've been banned several times under different handles, you insult the owner on his own site, and now you want him to account to you!! :violent1:

No, I'm only here for the laughs.

[Brad the Impala]

Bump :sharm: :sharm:

[elephantspike]

If anyone was thinking of throwing-in $20 now would be a good time to do it. I'm going to need it to cover the hosting fee this month. It's due a week from today and My account is a few dollars short.

Thanks.

[bao-bao]

Done. Thanks for the reminder. I hadn't kicked in for far too long.

[krobbie]

I'm late also ElephantSpike. But I hope better late than never. Next time will be a bit more "on time" with my membership.

Cheers and keep up the very good work. The site seems top be running well.

krobbie[attachment=0:27sq8xax]K_Orch_Bridge_LR.jpg[/attachment:27sq8xax]

[elephantspike]

Thanks, guys! :thumbleft:

For those of us who live in Thailand, are there any events where members might be able to attend and make the contributions in person? Or possibly even holding a membership drive party?

I am appreciative for the freedom you guys have given me on the board, and I would like to kick in a little more than the $20, as I am sure there are many others who would be interested in doing so as well. If you are able to line up an event like that, I would be more than happy to arrange a driver to take home the guests that were too intoxicated to get home safely on their own free of charge.

Having other friends that have forums as well, I know the hosting alone, costs upwards of $2,500USD a year. So your really not asking for all that much, and for those that think Spikes lining his pockets, I have been a member here for some time, and he has NEVER approached me once, and demanded money for advertisement. I think he does what he does for the love of the board, so maybe I will see what I can do to help sponsor this forum as well.

[Brad the Impala]

I think he does what he does for the love of the board, so maybe I will see what I can do to help sponsor this forum as well.

How about paying for your advertising?

[cdnmatt]

Having other friends that have forums as well, I know the hosting alone, costs upwards of $2,500USD a year.

Some boards can cost that much, especially ones with memberships into the hundreds of thousands, but not this one. SGT probably costs $100/year to maintain, including domain registration. The rest is administrative costs (ie. Spike and Jinks time put in), which is more than fair.

Having said that, if there was another fund raising drive, I'd happily kick in a bit more too.

[Surfcrest]

SGT probably costs $100/year to maintain, including domain registration.

Probably?

How about paying for your advertising?

Looks like he has a proper website now so just needs to design an ad or two to link to it.

[quote="Mr.DreamTransport":3afc7tfq] I think he does what he does for the love of the board, so maybe I will see what I can do to help sponsor this forum as well.

How about paying for your advertising?[/quote:3afc7tfq]

Are you blind? Did you even read what I had posted, or did you miss the part where I talked about making a sizeable donation, or even sponsoring the board. In case you can't read between the lines, that means paying for advertising. Its alright though, sometimes I buy magazines to only look at the pictures too, then comment on the articles with friends :rolling:

[Brad the Impala]

Previously you mentioned putting in "a little more than $20", now it's become a sizeable donation. Good for you, but still no actual contribution yet, despite six months of advertising. Hence my comment.

[cdnmatt]

SGT probably costs $100/year to maintain, including domain registration.

Probably?

Well, I quite obviously don't get the invoices for SGT, so yes, probably. Or would you prefer I presented with you a formal cost analysis?

And at what age does common sense fade, and you become more of an arm chair lawyer, who decides it's a priority in life to pick apart posts like this in the most absurd of manners?

[Beachlover]

And at what age does common sense fade, and you become more of an arm chair lawyer, who decides it's a priority in life to pick apart posts like this in the most absurd of manners?

That would have to be an age Gone Fishing reached sometime ago.

[joba]

Something wrong with the creditcard site - when I tried to enter the cc number - the first number always disappeared. Looks like a technical glitch. I'll be back to try again.....great site. Needs more updates on the bar scene and a little spice - for motovation to get back even sooner.

for motovation to get back even sooner.

You didn't book the next trip the day after returning? Guess it's just me.