jukngene

I agree it's not political, but when it starts to become people feeling that others are making personal attacks, then the name-calling starts, and then the tank becomes empty, So to avoid that, either close it or move it...

And Dave, my opinion is pretty much equal to yours. As long as you participate in this site, then it's your turn to buy a round. Why should those of us who choose to pay what equals to less than a dinner out, support the rest? I doubt that advertising pays all the bills, so if everyone stops paying, then the site eventually disappears. This kind of reminds me of a guy I used to work with, who, when we were out tipping a few at happy hour, when it was time to buy a round, always seemed to be still sipping on a half-full glass, so, or course, someone else would buy. He also would show up 15 minutes after everyone else, and had the nerve to ask the barkeep for a glass, then help himself to our pitcher. Once again, he always found some convenient excuse to not be around when the pitcher ran out.

You asked for it, now you got it! BTW, I still consider all the guests to be my friend!

Lainey

Hmm I've done some here. Please no


It is only $20.00, but do I want to spend it to renew membership? I don't know. I don't get what I used to from this site overall. The enthusiasm has waned to say the very least.

I would hate to see this site go by the wayside due to too many non contributing members, as I do feel many of you are my internet friends and I don't want to lose touch.

Though this is a for profit site, maybe for the sake or harmony, we might think of it like a charitable contritubion. Each person contributes or not, depending on their own choices/reasons and we don't judge those who do/don't contribute.

Zippy

I love a good discussion and this is one of those, thank you Lainey!
We all have our reasons for what we do. We hold what is important and act on it. For those that want to be guests, f@#$ #$#. JUST KIDDING! But I do hope to see all of you at Spring Fling, 'cause I still like you all, well then there's Jerry.

skunkworks

Judging from visitor statistics I’m guessing that this site hosts around 40,000 visits with 120,000 page views each day or 1,200.000 visits with 4,800,000 page views each month. From what I have recently researched the best guess estimates amount to $50,000-$80,000 a month in potential advertising revenue which does not include sponsorship or membership fees.


Overhead costs are unknown, but I would suspect $12,000-$15.000/mo as a high water mark.


gary

Lainey

Stars or no stars we'll be at the Fling. Wish they would hide my total posts and not my stars.

dlq04

Lainey, If a person is saying I don't enjoy this site like I used to so I'm going to stop hanging out here. No problem. I understand that and respect that.

But if a person hangs out here every day like most on this thread do to make conversation, post pictures, track upcoming events, and all the other sharing then a small donation to keep it going doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Otherwise its like the people who go into McDonalds every day, buy one coffee, take up space for the entire day to talk to friends and expect McDonalds to put up with it.

Gene, we must have the same friend and didn't know it. We had one that worked with us exactly like that. Everyone in the group would talk about it and just look at one another when he would duck out of buying a round.

PS Lainey, I will be looking up to see if the stars come out.

Lainey

Good analogy.
McD's now has signs up advising they want you to get out after 20 minutes. I ignore those, but I do buy lunch, not just a coffee/soda.

CitadelBlue

Guest here as well .......

dean

No, I brought up the subject of the financial burden I'm under because of my health and my resulting lack of income.
For the sole purpose of pointing out the distinction, here's a health card for you. My pulmonary function test I was given this past October showed that my lungs only had 52% of normal ability to rid my body of Carbon dioxide. My PFT of two weeks ago shows that ability has fallen to 20% of normal. That's playing the health card. My point being I have far more important concerns than the financial plight of the owners of this website.

I hope for the sake of those who frequent this forum that my card is the winning one.

As for paying dues, there simply is no benefit in it for me over being a guest - no Gallery or any other useful features in return for my money that I can discern. Frankly, I have little time for this forum these days, and most of the heart of the place is gone anyway.

boltonblue

as Jon Stewart would say , " yes go on..."