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How can we Help Max? (Moderated)
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Subject: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 15 May 06 - 09:26 PM I'm with Art brooks. Perhaps it's time we focused on positive ideas to help Max. Max's State Of The Union Thread can rumble on into eternity as far as I'm concerned. I'd like to see us have a free-wheeling discussion about what we can do FINANCIALLY to not only keep Mudcat afloat, but raise the boat a little higher out of the water. I'm in the process of putting together ideas for Workshops for NOMAD in November, and I wonder if a Mudcatter's Workshop wouldn't be a lot of fun. Actually, I don't have to wonder about that... it would be. I'd be willing to promote Mudcat at the workshop and also encourage people to support it. I'd have to check it with the powers that be at NOMAD, because they desperately need their own support. I wouldn't recommend actually collecting donations at the worshop, which would be counter-productive for NOMAD. If anything, I'd encourage people to support NOMAD as well. But we could at least have a sheet to hand out, describing Mudcat and encouraging people to come on line and check us out. Hey... it's not until November. Maybe by then the State Of The Union thread will have been closed.. This is just an idea... perhaps a stupid one, and even if it is a good idea, maybe we wouldn't be allowed to do it. Maybe we could have Mudcat tables at the Festivals, selling the Mudcat CDs, and anything else we could come up with. I have a kitchen table I'd be willing to let people use... :-) If anyone who is planning to go to NOMAD is interested in being in a Mudcat workshop, let me know and I'll suggest it on my application sheet and pull a group together. or maybe this is just a dumb idea. Any other positive ideas about how we can help Max (financially) Jerry
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Big Mick Date: 15 May 06 - 09:35 PM Jerry, as I said earlier in that mess thread, we are going to do a moderated thread to talk about fundraising on a permanent basis. I am going to moderate it so that it stays strictly on topic. We can use this one if it is OK with you, but there is not going to be any thread drift allowed. And it is not a debate as to if there is going to be fundraising. This is going to happen, and I am looking for good, constructive ideas. To start it off, I am going to take the responsibility of twice yearly fundraisers. Something on the order of a pledge drive, but I am open to any good ideas. Please indicate to me if it is OK to use your thread as the moderated thread. All the best, Mick |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: jimmyt Date: 15 May 06 - 09:52 PM I will send $250 tomorrow to get it started. Lets keep up with where we are though so we can all feel like we are making some headway to getting us afloat. It is important that we have a goal in my opinion. jimmyt |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Big Mick Date: 15 May 06 - 09:57 PM Yes, Jimmy, that is an important part of this. There should be a goal for each fundraiser. As someone else said, it should include operating costs and an amount for maintenance and upgrades. Mick |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 15 May 06 - 10:04 PM It's all yours, Big Mick... pleased to hand it over to you. I was just getting so fed up with all the trashing going on in Max's thread that I couldn't stand it no more. I sure would appreciate you moderating this thread! Jerry |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Big Mick Date: 15 May 06 - 10:07 PM Thanks, Jerry. You're the best. Onward with the discussion. jimmyt, that is a very generous contribution. Thank you. Have you got any input on how we do this on a permanent basis? Incentives? Reporting? All the best, Mick |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 May 06 - 10:33 PM Mick, do please mark Jerry's opening post that this will be a moderated thread, before people misunderstand, OK? ------------------------ There has to be some fun or FRs get humdrum after the first time around. One idea for pledge drives is to avoid guilt and instead issue a challenge. A challenge not only as a total amount to be raised for that FR (fundraiser), but a challenge intrinsic to a theme for the FR itself. Like, a silly non-prize award (as Aine does for Song Challenges), named with some regard to the theme of the challenge. And let's avoid FRs at tax time... Say we did an early spring FR (before tax time) about monthly maintenance support, and a fall about for hardware (before Xmas shopping). One of the hardware "prizes" for example could be "The Burnt Motherboard Award" with the winner of that getting a photo of Max taking out a bad one or putting in a good one-- of course the photo would go in the Mudcat Photo section-- and the actual print of the photo would also be auctioned off with the winner photo-shopped in. All the "prize" photos could go into a Mudcat Calender, too, for more ongoing FR. "Max's Sexy Bits" for a calendar title. --------------------- Group challenges are fun, and members can PM like mad to sign up partners. Say it would be the spring one; a group could choose a month in which the group members have a lot of birthdays, and undertake to sponsor that month's expenses with a pledge made during the FR and to be fulfilled at the chosen month. -------------------- Hockey was a big hit here with a faithful and pretty large group of hockey-fan members. I hereby challenge hockey lovers to join me in sponsoring JUNE 2006 expenses, since that is when some damn team will get the Stanley Cup. Let's celebrate the great season it was by making a group gift in the name of the Team that wins. (Or we can be The Loser's Group unless Edmonton actually carries off the win-- I HOPE!!!-- so it could also be called The Mudcat Grovelers (Edmonton is Peace's Team). I believe the hockey thread's original challenge was that those whose teams lose must publicly extol the virtues of the winning team. It's only right that it cost us, like a sick/twisted pool. -------------------------- Another thing that helps raise funds is to let people know what their money buys-- "Your ten bucks keeps the Mudcat purring (or swimming) for XX minutes/hours." Or "Your ten bucks keeps the Mudcat Modem connected to YOU for XX minutes/hours/days." -------------------------- My last offer for now is that if Hardi and I are still in this house for October, we can host a FR Brainsotrming meeting pre- or post-Getaway. Some pretty swift people have stopped here, and it would be a fun schmooze. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: katlaughing Date: 15 May 06 - 10:36 PM GREAT ideas, Susan!! |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: GUEST,Wesley S Date: 15 May 06 - 10:37 PM Yes - a goal should be set. We need to ask what we want to accomplish here. Is the idea to just pay for the operating expenses ? Or planning toward improvments and expansion ? It's easier to meet a goal once you know what it is. We need to know what the bare bones cost of running this place is - and then ask Max for a "wish list" on what improvments are needed. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: GUEST,Mary Katherine Date: 15 May 06 - 10:41 PM Is there also a way that Max could let us know what "parts" he needs, in case one or more of the tech types among us might be able to supply him directly? If he says "Boy, those darn frazzbots keep burning out," someone else might jump in and say, "I've got a whole box of shiny new frazzbots that I bought for a system I no longer use, shall I send them in?" Or perhaps someone on the list has an "in" to buy frazzbots at a third of the price that Max usually has to pay? |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Ron Davies Date: 15 May 06 - 10:42 PM Last night I contributed by Visa, having heard how to do so from Amos and Becky. It's surprisingly easy--just call up Dick Greenhaus and give him the Visa info. I recommend it to anybody in the US (probably has to be in the US to use the 800 number.) I also put this info on the original State of the Union thread. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: katlaughing Date: 15 May 06 - 10:44 PM Here's what Max posted about expenses in the other thread: Rough numbers, but The Mudcat costs about $375 per month to run. Broadband with upload speed is the biggest monthly expense. The google ads provide an average of $150 per month. Contributions and Auction average about $50 per month, and t-shirt/badges is a trickle. I got the cost down this year by consolidating servers to reduce electricity, but did have to purchase a new Server and DSL router to handle the load. Most years, we're close enough to breaking even that it doesn't matter to me. We've never made more than we spent. If I moved the google ads to the top, I could probably do much better, but I've always wanted to avoid making ads overt. If it pays the bills though, maybe I should. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Big Mick Date: 15 May 06 - 10:44 PM The offer is appreciated, Susan, but I would like to keep all discussion right here in the thread. Our community is world wide and I would like to be as inclusive as possible. Great ideas. I want to make sure that we have goals related to real expenses. One of the keys to fundraising is to make sure there is accountability. Mick |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 May 06 - 10:46 PM Actually we need two Wes.....One for the short term, read: NOW!!!.....ANd we need another for a running monthly/yearly contribution. We had something like that going at one point but as they often do, it got lost over time. Some kept up their contributions while others did not. No real fault here with anyone.....You just let it go by a time or two and then you forget. So I'd suggest a two part approach here. Anyone with a few available bucks right now and those who can COMMIT to something on a monthly basis that we can actually count on. I think we would probably need to run one of the "Pledge Drives" every 6 months or so.....First to remind those of us who have fallen short and also to get more folks involved. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: open mike Date: 15 May 06 - 11:00 PM are there needs BESIDES financial (energy, expertise, etc.) which will help lighten the load here? SUCH AS THE TIME-CONSUMIONG TASKS THE CLONES DO, FOR EXAMPLE. There must be many tasks here that need attending to. We also have patches, badges, c.d.'s and shirts to market. Perhaps some of us have services that can be donated either to the website or to be auctioned? |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? From: Azizi Date: 15 May 06 - 11:07 PM Would it be helpful if there was a goal set and some visual symbol with indicators of contributions received to meet that goal? Though I wasn't a "Deaniac", I'm thinking of his baseball bat and seeing the indicator move up sometimes with internal challanges from various individuals or the moderators. I recall that Wesley Clark had some fundraising image too, and though I was a "Clarkie" and not a Deaniac, for some reason I can't remember what fundraising symbol Clark used. If I might continue with what I remember from my introduction to online forums via that political "community", I recall that many members of the Clark and the Dean campaigns announced their pledges online. And I also remember there was competition built in between the two sites {who could raise the most fastest}. I'm not sure how that could be translated to Mudcat, but I'm including it here because I'm in reminisence mode knowing that what I'm posting may or may not be relevant to our situations. I remember there was so much energy associated with those fund raising campaigns. Alot of people wrote in their pledges and challenged other members to up their pledges in an auction kinda way {"I'm in for 50. Who can match me? then someone else would write: "I'm in and I raise you 60" or something like that}. I remember that most people announced the amounts of their pledges, though that didn't have to occur for the visual indicator to register the increase in donations. And while that was exciting, it was also disturbing and sad when you didn't have the money to give. There was a feeling that you had to give even if you couldn't afford it. I hope that doesn't happen here at Mudcat. And I don't believe that anyone was penalized if he or she didn't give money, the people who did give and give alot {at different times or alot at one time} were publicly praised. Those political websites closed because their leaders lost primaries and dropped out of the democratic campaign. If those online communities were long lived, then it seems to me that the way they were going, they would have become tiered systems where those who gave the most would be publicly praised and given priviledges neyond those that the non-givers {or givers of smaller amounts would receive}. I really really hope that Mudcat doesn't go this route. Though in some posts that I've read since Max started that "State of the Union" thread, it seems that we [or at least some of us] are already going down the path of publicly praising those who have pledged "generous" amounts to Mudcat. Which doesn't mean that we shouldn't give. I know that I need to give and will, though-like some others here I'm struggling financially. But because of the reasons that I've noted, and also because it is my personal belief that you shouldn't announce your good deeds as that is patting yourself on the back, I won't be participating in any public oneupmanship. I hope this journey down memory lane helps. I don't see it as thread drift though who would have thought this thread would mention political leaders?! |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Bert Date: 15 May 06 - 11:31 PM How about making a couple of DVDs from the Mudcat Radio Shows. A selection of some of our guests might do it. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: JedMarum Date: 15 May 06 - 11:37 PM Mudcat really does have a reputation among the professional folk/celtic musicians I meet in my travels. There are few who haven't heard of it, used its resources, or even posted a thread - whether they do so anonomously or not. If regular Mudcatters, who maintain websites of their own, for the band or have Myspace accounts were encourgaed to highlight links to Mudcat, and post a little explanation about it on their website - we would devlop a continuous "feed" of new users and regulars. I will go off and figure out how to highlight my links to Mudcat. I am certain that I have generated some new users to Mudcat - though I know most will shy away from the more shrill discussions. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: JedMarum Date: 15 May 06 - 11:55 PM I posted this to my Myspace blog a few weeks ago. It is the kind of thing that can help bring in new folks, folks have an ineterst in music ... if we have 20 or more mudcatters doing this sort of thing, it can only help. I presume new folks will also help develop funds, as these various funding schemes take off. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Azizi Date: 16 May 06 - 12:05 AM If a decision is made to feature a visual for a Mudcat fundraising campaign, I hereby propose the banjo [standing upright]. I'm serious. I think it would work well as a fund raising symbol for Mudcat. Whatdoya think about this idea? |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 May 06 - 12:24 AM I can't send much at any given time, but I try to keep a trickle of cash going Mudcat's way. I do have one suggestion that would help those who do donate: send a thank you note. It can be a polite form, but it would be nice to receive an acknowledgement from Max or whoever his appointed note-writer is. I can always find out if a payment got there, but if you're looking for a small way to let those who do donate know they're appreciated (and noticed), a thank you note is the way to do it. Don't put any symbol next to my name (suggested in the other thread) but don't forget me, either! SRS (one small cog in the wheel. . .) |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: katlaughing Date: 16 May 06 - 12:32 AM Amen to that, SRS! I volunteer to help with Thank you notes. They are much appreciated and need to be a common occurence whenever anyone contributes whatever amount. I also agree with not wanting this to become an exclusionary thing, from those who can give a lot and those who send in small amounts when they can. Jed brings up a good point. I've had links to the Mudcat on all of my sites for several years, now. Not sure I've brought in too many people that way, but if we all did it, those who have websites, it's got to have an effect. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 16 May 06 - 12:55 AM They are useful too in that when money for something from a Mudcat Auction is sent from another country, even just a brief email saying "payment - basic details of amount and date - received" would be helpful in making sure that posted money orders, etc have not gone astray. If people don't include an email address, then send none, of course... :-) |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: open mike Date: 16 May 06 - 01:12 AM we DO have a banjo as our symbol if you go to the opening home page you will see it there. you can also get shirts with our banjo symbol on them Or you can get an Embroidered Mudcat Patches from Dick at CAMSCO - $5 each plus $1 to ship up to 3 of them. contact: PM at dick greenhaus or dick@digitrad.org or dick@camsco.com. Camsco Music 145 Hickory Coner Road East Windsor, New Jersey 06520 800-548-FOLK (3655) or 609-371-1707 PLUS these folks have goods and services available thru the mudcat market and they promise to donate a percentage to the 'cat |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Azizi Date: 16 May 06 - 01:26 AM Yeah, open mike, I know about that banjo symbol with the fish in the middle. I was talking about a large upright banjo [maybe a bass instrument would be better but imo that doesn't fit as well with folk music]...Anyway increasingly more sections of the banjo gets colored in [usually I've seen the symbols get red like a thermometer] when specified amounts of donations are received. It's just a thought-whether we do this or not it's fine with me. I'm more concerned about not dissing people who don't/can't give. And as I said I'm not fond of publicly listing or praising people who do give and/or publicly noting the amount they give. I'm concerned about ensuring the confidentiality of the givers and the amounts that they give-especially if the givers don't publicize it themselves. I like the idea of sending [form] thank you notes to persons who donate as a means of verifying and acknowledging that donation. But I don't like that task being handled by "clones". |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Rasener Date: 16 May 06 - 01:50 AM I have now included a link to mudcat on my website Market Rasen Folk Club |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Richard Bridge Date: 16 May 06 - 03:00 AM I think it might be an idea to publicise the total contributions received per relevant period - in this case since the opening of the state ofthe union thread. This could repeat monthly (with a cumulative total). Target might be to raise $400 month as I suspect Max understimated his costs, and seeing the number of people who have said they have sent money (some saying how much) I expect we would show a good surplus from that time, but there would then be swings and roundabouts in subsequent months. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Clinton Hammond Date: 16 May 06 - 03:32 AM " if there is going to be fundraising" IF Mudcat is HALF as popular as the 'party line' states, there is no good reason why it isn't self sustaining... Any other plan is nothing more than a stop-gap effort (not that such things don't have merrit, but in the long term they are NOT a solution) |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Haruo Date: 16 May 06 - 04:10 AM FWIW, as I said in the other thread, I am sending $50 and will try to remember to send a bit more from time to time. (I'm sending a check, I'm still not comfortable with plastic let alone virtual plastic.) Haruo |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: GUEST,Check IP....a Member :( Date: 16 May 06 - 04:28 AM I was just about to post some input re: Ideas, but I think I will simply use PMs as a means to communicate about this topic. Remarks like "But I don't like that task being handled by "clones"." are just out of order. What the F*** is that supposed to mean! Where is the thinking behind that particular remark. Sorry Peeps. For a while there I, again, was hopeful that cerebal contributions to this thread would be kept positive but....... For what it is worth, It might be a good idea to just leave the Mudcat logo as is. Will PM you Big Mick and if any ideas are worthwhile in my PM maybe you could pass them on. Thanks. I am out of this Thread too. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Don(Wyziwyg)T Date: 16 May 06 - 04:48 AM I suspect that, if we polled the people attending folk festivals, we would find that the majority have no idea that Mudcat exists. How about getting one of our more artistic members to produce a Mudcat flyer which gives detail of the Cat, and its aims and objectives. We could then download and print it off in say A5, to be handed out at the many festivals and clubs we all visit. This would be a good way, without expense to Max, to bring in new members who would by definition be here for the music, not the BS. Don T. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: sian, west wales Date: 16 May 06 - 04:56 AM I'm with Azizi on the issue of saying who gives what. I set up a standing order to Friends of Mudcat UK some time ago and I'll give as long as I'm in employment. My work is cyclical so I know now that I may go through patches when I won't be able to give. I am always reluctant to mention this in threads because it is my business, between me, FoM and Mudcat Central. I'd like to keep it this way. I did mention in the other thread (which I shall not bother with now: thanks Jerry & Big Mick) that I thought an International Mudcat Day, possibly in the Spring, would be a good idea. I'm not sure about doing it twice a year as things tend to get tight in the Autumn - school expenses for some, Christmas, et al. So perhaps a date in Spring, with the spirit of Secret Santa, with Mudcat Central as the sole Santee, would be an idea. Regional clusters of Catters could, of course, organize more localized events at times of the year which suited them. And speaking of Secret Santa, we could, instead of spending $/£15 (or whatever the suggested limit is) on presents, we prospective Santees could suggest $/£ 10 on present and £/$ 5 to the Cat. And, as mentioned previously, a Guide to Giving at the top of EVERY page? Yes? How nice to have a thread with such focus. Well done, lads. sian |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: karen k Date: 16 May 06 - 04:59 AM Mick, I'll help any way I can. Just let me know. I'll try to think of some ideas. I love Bert's idea of a dvd or cd of some of the Mudcat radio shows. Good one, Bert. karen |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 16 May 06 - 05:43 AM If some DVDs could be organised, I would be very interested. Region "0", please... :-) |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: sian, west wales Date: 16 May 06 - 05:55 AM I'm sure that someone from Friends of Mudcat UK will call in here so, for the record, I'd be perfectly happy for some of the funds to be used to print up leaflets for distribution at festivals/clubs - including N American ones (maybe we don't NEED to drum up more UK traffic?) But, having said that, is increasing the traffic really a priority? Presumably more users will put more stress on the system, when we REALLY want to do is secure what we have, with development as a second-stage ambition? siân |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: John MacKenzie Date: 16 May 06 - 06:06 AM Moves are afoot to revive the UK FoM, and someone will keep you all posted with the progress. In the meantime if there are any UK Catters who want to send and don't have a PayPall account, they can still do it through Camsco as I did my Getaway fees. Just E Mail Dick for details.PM OR dick@camsco.com) Giok |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: GUEST Date: 16 May 06 - 06:28 AM Regular input from Max as to the financial state of the union would help. I've made contributions a few times before in response to some crisis or other, but I haven't kept it up on a regular basis. My fault of course, but human nature seems to require some kind of structure. It wouldn't have to a regular begging thread from Max. Perhaps it could be a separate section that you could click on (like Mudcat auction) and find out where we are financially. Also, much as it pains me to agree with my loquacious compatriot, Clinton has a point about Mudcat being self supporting that should be investigated. I'm no Internet expert, so I don't know the answer, but if more money could be raised through Internet advertising, I don't think we should be trying to achieve a state of folkie non-capitalist purity. Finally, it would be nice to get some acknowledgment for contributions, even if they aren't tax deductible. Edmund |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Wolfgang Date: 16 May 06 - 06:46 AM I shall give 100.- $ via Camsco. That's about what I would give yearly for this resource to stay online. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Jeri Date: 16 May 06 - 06:54 AM I like the idea of sending [form] thank you notes to persons who donate as a means of verifying and acknowledging that donation. But I don't like that task being handled by "clones". I'm a clone and I agree with Azizi - we shouldn't be handling sending thank-you notes to people. I think the people who want or expect them are few, and the admin weenies such as myself are here to do other, more technical things. I, personally, wouldn't care for a thank-you note. Max used to have an auto-generated message, and that's fine with me. I don't know that Max needs people to have a big fundraising thingie once in a while, like we typically have. I think he might like to hope for a more steady flow. Perhaps a small monthly amount from a lot of people. This year is going to be tough for me, money-wise, so I'll try to dig up some auction items. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: My guru always said Date: 16 May 06 - 07:16 AM Ready & willing to assist with UK FoM as previously mentioned to Micca. Thank you notes - yes, definitely please! Having previously organised a couple of MudRaffles in aid of MudCat at UK Mudgathers & sent the money on to Bill Sables, it would have been nice to hear that the donations had been received. But I realise that Bill has limited time & am just glad that he's been able to help with the money transference! |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: GUEST,catysPHiddle@work Date: 16 May 06 - 07:23 AM I'm ready and willing to help with FoM too. Perhaps some of the London or UK catters could get their heads together and work out some fundraising methods or events etc.... Khatt |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Midchuck Date: 16 May 06 - 07:45 AM Now here's my plan... Kendall and I will arrive at Old Songs nekkid. For each $50 contribution to the 'Cat one of us will put on one article of clothing; starting with shoes and socks. Peter. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Susan of DT Date: 16 May 06 - 07:45 AM Jerry - NOMAD conflicts with the Getaway this year, so it is not the ideal time for a Mudcat workshop. You can certainly still do it, just expect fewer mudcaters than usually come to NOMAD. The CAMSCO 800 number DOES work in Canada. We (Dick/me/CAMSCO) have mudcat Tee shirts (navy or red, small to 3X) and mudcat patches. Bill Sables has them in the UK. CAMSCO has a booth at Old Songs, Getaway, NOMAD (not this year), NEFFA. If you want a particular shirt, let us know ahead of time so we can bring it with us (bringing all colors/sizes is bulky). Or don't wait - we will mail it. We usually have patches with us. We also go to Mystic and Whitby. Let us know if you want us to bring something fo ryou. At some point we can do another one of those crazy orders for many colors, if there is sufficient interest. It is a real nuisance tracking everyone's preferences and minimum order size, but we can do it again sometime. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 16 May 06 - 08:04 AM I'm sure you're right, Susan of DT. I do agree with WYSIWYG(Don) and Sian that many people don't know about Mudcat. But, maybe we need to get our house in order, both in spirit and finances before we try to get a lot of new people coming in. I'd like to see this place shine, so we can really show it off to newbies. Maybe next year.. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: jacqui.c Date: 16 May 06 - 08:16 AM I am not a clone and would be quite happy to do acknowledgements of funds received for Mudcat. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: artbrooks Date: 16 May 06 - 08:31 AM I'm on the "yes-thank yous" side. I checked my PayPal records and it seems that I've sent $125 over the past year, but none of it has been acknowledged. But I want a gold-embossed certificate, suitable for framing, signed by the inimitable Max himself! No, seriously, a PM is more than adequate, but with all the scams on the Internet it would be nice to know that it gets there. I don't think its possible in PayPal, but can Dick/Camsco set up a monthly credit card debit? Personally, I've always found that payments I don't have to actually think about work better for me. I'll see if the hostess of our monthly songcircle will agree to a MudCan. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: JedMarum Date: 16 May 06 - 08:34 AM Find a Folk Festival or few who will champion Mudcat. They will have a Mudcat workshop, during the weekend - allow a Mudcat booth to be set up, and have any performer who is familiar with the website speak up from on-stage. The purpose is to tell everyone at the festival about the resource, how to find it, how to use it - AND to solicite donations for the Mudcat operating budget. These festivals should be chosen wisely and placed around the Mudcat world. |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: Paco Rabanne Date: 16 May 06 - 08:40 AM How much does mudcat cost to run per annum? |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: GUEST Date: 16 May 06 - 08:59 AM How about changing the context of what the money is going for to legitimize it? Sending Max money is not something I am willing to do anymore (no acknowledgement, no financial accounting, no more donations from me). Donating to a fund that will be accountable to the users to upgrade and maintain the DT & the music archive I might be able to get on board with, depending upon who sets it up, how it is run, and who is in charge of the money. I'm not willing to send what little of my money there is to a cyberspace black hole, no matter how useful/entertaining it might be. Those of you working on the Mickey Rooney fundraiser angle might think that through a little more. New people may not be willing to raise money for Max, considering what the product is. And then there is the xenophobia this forum suffers from, the idiotic non-controversy with the member/guest log-in, the nasty way newcomers get treated with suspicion and called names like 'troll'. It might be essential to those addicted to this place to send Max money so he won't pull your plug, but this site simply will not draw money from outside the current forum membership the way it is being run now (reliability problems, outdated technology, and a forum for adults with the social skills of four year olds). |
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Subject: RE: How can we Help Max? (Moderated) From: MMario Date: 16 May 06 - 09:05 AM Per annum - using Max's estimate (which is probably low and includes JUST the day to day running expenses, not maintainence or upgrades) - would by $375 x 12 = $4500. upgrades could very very easily take an equal amount. I would suggest trying for an annual income of $9000 exclusive of the internet ads; those would form a cushion and emergency funds. I use PayPal to donate - in part because I get a notification when Max receives the money. |
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