And the new member site is (ta-da!) ClairesCabal.com.
If you go there as a non-member, you’re going to wonder what the fuss is about. You’ll see one page. It’ll try to give you an idea what the fuss is about. But to see more, you have to become a Cabalista.
All qualifying donors in the late fundraiser just got their invitations and free-membership coupons. Well, all but a couple. (SK, I don’t have an email address for you. Michael L, your email bounced. Anybody else didn’t get an expected invite, let me know.)
So what’s Claire’s Cabal all about?
- The main attraction is a private forum.
- The main attraction of the private forum is Silver’s Corner — the only place online to discuss money, markets, and other freedom matters with the popular commentator.
- I suppose I’m an attraction, too. I try to be there every day.
- Outside the forums, there’s a Download page where you can already get a fair number of free-to-members items, including a .pdf copy of How to Kill the Job Culture Before It Kills You, a never-before-seen movie-script of RebelFire: Out of the Gray Zone, and a slightly tongue-in-cheek printable certificate attesting that the bearer is a member in good standing of the Grand Freedom Outlaw Cabal.
- Very shortly I’ll be adding a .pdf of RebelFire.
- Joel Simon has also offered to contribute .pdf copies of his two terrific “Walt’s Gulch” books and his solar power book. These books are for sale on his website; they’re free in .pdf form to Cabal members.
- There’s also an Articles page, which so far contains a single article. But it’s one you’ve never seen before and it will eventually be joined by others. (I welcome submissions from Cabal members and others who’d like to have their articles or stories displayed before a very small but experienced and influential group.)
- You’ll also find a special offer, for Cabalistas only, to get autographed copies of the dead-tree books Hardyville Tales and RebelFire for roughly the cost of postage and envelopes to ship them.
The minimum term of membership is three months, and once you’re a member, you’ll be able take advantage of discounts on renewals. Joining is easy.
I expect to add the .pdfs of RebelFire and Joel’s Walt’s Gulch within the next two weeks, with more additions to come over time. UPDATE: Added Walt’s Gulch this morning.
Two of the forum boards — one featuring “lite” discussion and the other set up to feature buy-sell-barter offers — are available for browsing, though not posting, by guests. There’s a link on the main Cabal page.
Anything you want to know, just ask. And thank you, generous donors, not only for keeping this blog alive but for making the new site possible. I hope being there is a pleasure for you — and that over time the Cabal will attract a few hundred more savvy freedomistas.
I’m in!
Good luck Clair I hope this works and works well. If I had any spare cash and the Canadian dollar was a wee bit better I would join your merry band, but I don’t so I won’t. I’m one for never saying never so if times change who knows I just might take the plunge.
Sorry, M Ryan, but totally understood. A paid site is an audacious experiment and I know it’s not for everybody.
Clair,
In spirit of a liberty motivated community, I’d like to make it so “M Ryan” can be along as you begin this “audacious experiment”. Sayin’ ‘e be a furineer from up that way and all. Liberty hasn’t lines on ground ya can’t even see from space. All earth critters of like, should stay the course. So what if it is just a few percent. A little liberty tribe, seeds, you know…
I’m here, late to your work, by accident of finding Joel and TUAK, while researching solar and remote site construction ideas several years ago. His writing, humor, trials plus successes, kept me reading to the current date. So, I went to the beginning, and have been very rewarded for it all (not done!).
Quite recently (I’m sure you know) he flagged your new site enthusiastically. I do not know either of you but from what you have written. I knew you were out there Clair, and have learned that you and he have been fellow travelers. I have been routed to BWH on occasion over the years, but didn’t pursue far. There are too many liberty writers to know in depth, and I try to play eclectic.
If M Ryan wants to be in I’m not offering charity. Not sure I even like the word. I’m 5’11” and well feed, maybe 150 lbs. I can pull him aboard and you must mark my toll as appropriate. Naturally you can toss either of us overboard if our action(s) warrant!
Liberty is a journey, not on any map…
hi, claire.. thank you for your thank you (via snail mail). it was fun!
John, what a wonderful story and offer. And amazingly, within minutes of reading your post, I had a similar offer to cover others who might not be able to afford to give the new site a test drive. Even better, you and my email correspondent are the second and third to propose such a gift. One member is already on board thanks to someone else’s donation.
So here’s what I’ll do: Instead of the $35/three month basic fee, I’ll continue the same offer we had going during the fundraiser, but with a twist : anybody who donates $20 can buy _somebody else_ a three-month membership.
Does that seem fair? If so, I guess I’ll have to put up the PayPal button again. But strictly for this delightful purpose, please.
Definitely Fair Claire;)
What would be the subject line of the “free-membership coupon” e-mail? (I donated when you were trying to get the site off the ground.) I’m sure the coupon is around here somewhere but my virtual desk is just as messy as my reality one.
Thanks.
Ah, A.C. — Thank you for getting in touch. I sent the invitation and coupon code to your PayPal email addy and the mail may not have gotten through. (I got a message that the ‘Net was trying to deliver; guess it failed. Oh, and NOW I see your note to ignore the PP addy!) I’ll re-send right now to your A.C. addy.
Okay, then. Here’s what I’m going to do. Rather than put the donation button back up (partly because I said I wouldn’t, partly because PayPal has some funny attitudes toward that button), I’ll make a new post, right now, and put my PayPal addy in it. Anybody who wants to give a gift membership can just go to their PayPal accounts and use the options –> Send money –> Friends & family.
That way, no donation button and also no fees. Off to post …
Good morning, not to be a bother but I think that my I pad sent your invitation off to never never land it has a habit of doing that if the senders email isn’t in my address book. Thanks ahead of time.
Bill T — Damn, I was afraid of that. When you first donated, I got a bounce on the thank yous I tried to send. I held my breath this week when the invitations went out. But this time everything seemed okay.
I’m sending you a test email from an alternative address to see if we can connect that way, and if we do, I’ll rush registration info out to you.
That’s cool. Things will get sorted out eventually I know what a pain it is to start up a new site. I’m just glad you are going to still have a web presence.
Have a great day
Bill T — You’re so patient. 🙂 You should have received an email from me within the last half hour. If you didn’t, I’m beginning to suspect we’ll have to resort to smoke signals or carrier pigeons.
Have you got an alternative email addy I could try? If so, just leave a comment using that as your address. I’ll see it (nobody else will) and will try sending another message.
Try this one. It’s my super secret friends only.
Bill T — Sent emails to the new addy from two different servers, including my last-resort source that always makes it through. If you haven’t received those, we really might have to resort to smoke signals.
I see that both your addresses are with the same provider and that may be the problem.
But I’ve got one more thing to try. First please check your spam filters again and tell me if there’s nothing in there from me.