I just had to laugh. The fundraising thermometer (on the right sidebar, or scroll down for you on mobile) has been sitting at $6,988 for the last week, and while that’s a glorious sum when my great hope was to raise $5,500, it apparently gave one existing (and very generous) donor an itch between her shoulder blades. So she kicked in another $12, made it an even $7,000 — and order is restored to the universe.
Which reminded me, it’s time for an …
Update on the new site build
While it’s all still happening behind the scenes, a lot’s going on. Here’s a recap:
- There will be not one site, but two. Details below.
- Per several requests (and just plain good sense), I bought an SSL certificate for the private site. So you’ll be able to use HTTPS there.
- In about a week I estimate we’ll be looking for a dozen or so beta testers.
- Depending on what the beta testers have to say, the private site will probably go live before mid-September.
- Finally, once everything else is running happily, I’ll return to editing the home page of the present site and turn it into something useful
What’s with having two sites, then?
You remember me talking about a private, membership area. Well, it just seemed “cleaner” not to incorporate a private area into an otherwise open-to-all site. It seemed wrong to remind everyday visitors that there’s some little “club” out there. Well, there will be a little club (and we’ll see how that goes). But it doesn’t belong here.
Clairewolfe.com will always remain a free, open-to-all site primarily supported by my Amazon links. I intend never to have another fundraiser. This site’s two major features will be the blog and the home page, which might be used as a portal, a place to host quizzes, a news update … remains to be seen.
The private site, whose URL will be unveiled when we’re about to go live, will be for paid members only. But don’t forget: everybody who donated (or donates) more than $20 to the current fundraiser gets an invitation to join (minimum term three months). That site’s main attraction will be a full-featured, but small and intimate discussion forum. There will also be free downloads for all members and occasional articles that won’t appear elsewhere.
We’ll soon be looking for beta testers among donors who qualify for membership.
The final fundraiser
Yep, as I said above, I hope never to have another fundraiser. When the current one ends on August 31, it’s done. It’s gone. The PayPal button disappears and if all goes well, it’ll never come back.
Of course I can’t foresee the future. In event of legal troubles, natural disaster, or poor health, I might be pressed to ask your help again someday. But I don’t want to and in the ordinary course of life and business, I won’t. You have already gone above and beyond for me — and you’ve done it twice. In the future, I want ClaireWolfe.com to support itself without sacrifice from you. The Amazon links aren’t doing that yet, but they’re going great guns since the move (you wonderful Amazon customers), and I’m going to count on them to grow.
Gods forbid Amazon ever nerfs or cancels the Associates program. If it happens, we’ll deal with it. But for now, you can consider the ongoing effort to be The Last Fundraiser.
As to the new site, it will either support itself through paid memberships (plus eventual store sales and Amazon links) — or it won’t. If it doesn’t support itself, I’ll assume the concept is flawed and come up with Plan B.
So, that’s that. Should you still want to donate to the fundraiser, I’ll hardly turn you away. 🙂 I’m waiting for a few promised snail donations in any case. I am happy — wildly happy! — with the results of the fundraiser even if not another dime arrives.
As I’ve mentioned, most of the funds will go toward foundation work (and foundation prep work) on my house, aka Ye Olde Wreck. But before that, a share of the money is going to build the new sites.
I have to confess, building two sites that contain a lot more than a free WordPress installation is a bigger endeavor than I pictured. As He Who Fakes It Well can testify, the chaos and Learning Experiences of this business have hurt my brain and I have in turn driven HWFIW to Canadian whiskey. Bit pricey, too, because everything’s got to be done absolutely right. Two hosting plans ($95 each for two years). A WordPress theme “pro” upgrade and multi-site license ($89). SSL certificate and the dedicated IP address required for it ($145 ouch). Webmastering/tech work (hundreds so far unknown but worth every penny to have HWFIW onboard to handle things that are over my head).
And it wouldn’t have been possible at all without all you who donated. I’m grateful. And that’s one more reason why I want to do everything possible to ensure that this is really, truly The Last Fundraiser.
Sounds good, Claire. Looking forward to the two websites. (Also pix of the new, improved foundation.) And thanks be to somebody for erasing the $6988. I was wanting to see 7000 myself.
Re: “eventual store sales” – like a floppy black hat? 🙂 (BTW, what happened to the rifle you were going to auction off?)
Pat, you have a terrifyingly long memory. I still have that rifle. Way back when I chickened out because I wasn’t sure I could to a great job decorating it. A raffle is probably illegal, anyhow. But IF I ever do get back to painting it, it might put it out for sale somewhere.
Probably no floppy hats in the store, though. 🙂
Depends on your state. Typically, you’ve got to be a registered nonprofit to do a raffle. Contests (with an entry fee) are another matter in some places. And there’s always auction.
I was wondering about that rifle the other day. +1 for the auction idea.
If you need a beta tester for the “protruding forehead man-ape” demographic, I will be around for another week or so.
I just hate round numbers. So I made it not round. Love the new blog.
🙂 Well, now it’s one of those not-round but still very pleasingly balanced numbers. Thank you, MtK!
AG — You are a fine example of the man-ape demographic. It may be slightly over a week before we’re ready, but I’ll put you on the list.
I am going to choose a few people for their different ages, experience, skills, and viewpoints. But if anybody else wants to volunteer, that’s fine, too, as long as the volunteers are all donors at or above the $20 level. Only going for a dozen or so, though.
It is a good number, gives us an opportunity to aspire to further additions, now that we have broken through the $7K ceiling.
Claire, I’ll be a beta tester if you need my demographic.
So, Claire? As I read this, if we want to contribute to your continuing peace of mind and fiscal solvency (not to mention the beetle exodus or genocide), then we have only until the end of August to toss a few more coins into the iconic hat, maybe few of which you can hide away against a rainy day. Is this correct? I am curious.
You are a beautiful guiding light of ethics, humor, clear-mindedness, common sense, freedom and Human Rights. Your insights and observations are always of value. Thank you.
Dear feralfae — While you surround your query with terms I blush at, you’re correct. The fundraiser will end August 31, and if all goes as planned (knock wood, find my lucky rabbit’s foot), I will never have another.
Say I to the beautiful light of feralfae.
Hi Claire, and while I’m thankful to hear about your successful almost-launch, and the private site, some of us are closer to your own financial status than others. (Since ‘retirement’ from corporate engineering, and moving off-off-off-grid, while doing Bible teaching on-line as an avocation, but not for compensation, I’m learning what self-sufficiency means in THAT environment! Being Scripturally and morally opposed to 501c3 status, “employment,” and all the other Bondage-to-the-Almighty-State that goes with it means no donations via the web for me — unless someone truly knows far more about the non-registered ‘how-to’ in a non-State way than I do.)
So – there are some of us who won’t be able to participate. But blessings, regardless.
Oh, Mark — Thank you and believe me, I do understand that. I know only a minority of blog readers (even devoted ones) will ever donate for whatever reason and I’m wildly grateful for what I’ve received. It is more than I hoped for. This is why ClaireWolfe.com will always remain a free, and I hope interesting and active site for anybody.
The private site … yeah, it feels a little strange to set up a place that charges for access. It’s an experiment, one urged on me by a friend who moves in more prosperous circles. Still, it will begin with 60 or 70 potential members just based on donations to date. And we’re keeping membership fees, on average (depending on how long a person signs up for), below $10 a month. So we will see how that goes. That site’s success will depend in large part on what its members make of it.
But never do I expect or desire more than anyone is freely able to do. I’m already beyond blessed.
I just kicked in another 20 to cover Mr. Call.
What a terrific thing to do, Fred. You’ve given me a huge smile.
And Mark, you’re now on the list to receive an invitation to join the private site.
Thanks, Claire. I’ll continue to read, of course, and understand the economic realities. And thanks, Fred, for the thoughtful “double-blessing” (even though that wasn’t my point in writing. But it’s nice to be invited. 😉 )
I guess I might as well lay out what I WAS suggesting to a liberty-oriented group (and perhaps Claire might want to explore the concept a bit more at some future date; it’s not like she hasn’t written on related topics at some length over time) —
there are an increasing number of us who don’t want to “feed the beast”, and choose not to participate in on-line systems that involve a “property record number” (call it an SSN, tax ID, whatever) that binds one “by agreement” to a “jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and laws,” etc, etc. Thus, it APPEARS that some ministries (like mine) that choose NOT to serve “another master” are also pretty much “outside the system” when it comes to every “web donation” or paypal, etc, scheme I’m aware of.
My own “come out of her” bent is to encourage people to understand that “honest weights and measures” means the same thing both Scripturally and economically — “silver” is money, paper is fiat.
So, as what I expect to see happen, happens — there will be an opportunity for at least discussion about alternatives that avoid “Mark of the Beast” – or – Call-it-What-You-Will issues on-line…
It is rare, and a pleasure, to meet believers who issue a public refutation of the revenuers and reject submission unto the state run church. They (you) are the only Christian orgs to whom I give my financial support. The ‘money’ is my Masters; I simply point it at things.
Mark, totally agreed that all of the above needs discussion.
Couple of points/questions:
Assuming you mean gold- and silver-based payment systems (including on the web), how much do you recall of egold and its eventual fate?
As to PayPal, they don’t have my SSN. Never have. They periodically tell me my “profile is incomplete” because of the lack, but they’ve never made an issue of it. Wonder if others might care to chime in on that, also. Granted, though, that PayPal isn’t real money in either the biblical or the constitutional sense.
Indeed it’s tough (and getting tougher) to function without SSN’s behind most transactions. But most freedomistas will happily take payment in precious metals in person or via snail. (Yes, would that there were more doing that. But in addition to government fiat, there’s also Gresham’s Law.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law
You’re always welcome to join us in the ‘on-line’ fellowship, Fred, (and others here, too!) for Sabbath. (Scripture, as Written…as opposed to what we may have “heard it said”, if He were only as smart as the pope, priests, presidents, and pundits who know what He SHOULD’ve said…)
They’re live on shoutcheap, and Paltalk in the “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa” room, with teachings archived at Way To Zion, here (and previous years via a similar convention):
http://www.waytozion.org/teachings/mark_call/2016.htm
Likewise, Hebrew Nation Radio shows (hebrewnationonline.com) and markniwot.com. Thanks, and blessings.
And those are great points, Claire. I didn’t realize you could (now, especially) even set up “some things” without Big Bro’s Blessings. (Paypal, almost every on-line payment or donation system I’ve investigated NOW requires “tax ID number” even to be set up. I’ve yet to see any way that people can readily, remotely, donate to a non-corporate ministry, for example, except silver/gold or cash. And that’s “difficult by design”.)
Perhaps, like many credit cards, there’s still some ‘grandfathering’ (for now) of those who had ’em before.
As for egold, et al (and perhaps bitcoin and similar blockchain technologies, too) there was a time I was quite hopeful that one or another of them might have been the Golden Solution. Unless someone can correct me, though, the last I knew of egold was that it had succumbed, and been locked down by the PTB.
Part of the problem is (I’m an engineer by training/background, and ‘knowledgeable’ about cryptography, etc, but by no means a ‘hacker’) that it’s pretty easy for me to “play Big Brother” and see how I’d close “loopholes” that allow the peons to escape the coming (probably “gold-backed” – ha ) web-enabled, ID-and-biometric-based, “One World Currency”. (I’ve watched how even a PO Box now requires a “physical address”, for example, where the goon squad can break down the door and shot the dog at 3 AM.)
If Paypal et al still allow a bit of freedom for those that already have access, great – but I do expect the plan’s in place to close such loopholes, too.
So I suspect we’ll need to establish some clever options in advance.
PS> When I read you expression “eventual fate” re: egold – I realize I haven’t heard much about it for a long time. Perhaps you’ve heard something I don’t know…
“Perhaps, like many credit cards, there’s still some ‘grandfathering’ (for now) of those who had ’em before.”
I suspect this is the case with my PayPal account. I’d love to hear whether others who joined later than I were able to avoid the SSN issue.
“the last I knew of egold was that it had succumbed, and been locked down by the PTB.”
Exactly right. They were letting people who could prove their identity take their money out. But those of us who used egold’s privacy options were out of luck.
And it’s true, everything gets locked down tighter year after year. I’m surprised PayPal hasn’t forced me to give an SSN or get out already.
Still … harder times to come may make more honest forms of transaction popular again …
Which is why I’m doing what I’m doing…Which is trying to get people to understand that we have to be in the same vicinity to be able to barter,trade, use gold,silver,copper for a means of exchange… Which is why I advocate for moving to areas that are of a conservative bent already that are sustainable, sufficient, and secure…If more people woke up to that fact we might be able to show others what real Liberty looks like and at the very least have a place that would survive the coming crash…