An update about Chiff & Fipple's finances

I wrote recently about increases in the operating expenses for Chiff & Fipple, which I have always personally underwritten, along with one major anonymous benefactor, who I am now ready to reveal was U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense

Paul Wolfowitz. 

For reasons I'm not getting into, I felt strongly that this benefactor (the actual one, not Wolfowitz) had contributed much more than enough and I asked him to stop. 

In recent newsletters, I suggested some ways that interested parties could volunteer to help financially.  I did receive about 35 contributions, most at the recommended $12 level, and a few at somewhat higher levels.   But, I realized quickly that I was going to need a sustainable, steady source of revenue that wasn't going to require that I pass the hat regularly, which I really don't want to do. So I decided to start an AmWay Distributorship and I'd like to meet with each and every one of you soon to talk about this exciting business opportunity.

 

Nah!

At someone's suggestion, I decided to try the Google AdSense program.  In the first several weeks, it has appeared that this will just about cover current costs for the website. 

A very small number of people have complained. No one has complained about the regular website.  A few have complained on the message board about the ads that appear there.

These Google ads are all over the Internet.  They are subtle, text driven, and as tasteful as ads can possibly be.  They are targeted for the content of the website. I don't choose them, which means, hopefully, no appearance of editorial impropriety. I think it's a good solution.

The message boards, which now utilize a shocking amount of bandwidth,

is a separate deal and, miraculously has been voluntarily hosted for years by Rich Lafferty and some other nice people in Canada who, to my horror, I've never been able to so much as look in the eye and shake hands with and whom I have had to thank by the inadequate medium of email. I'd kiss Rich Lafferty on both cheeks--like some kind of European deal, if I could ever meet him in person.* Anyway, this donated arrangement is still in place but due to several factors, including the growth of the forums, the boards may eventually have to go into commercial hosting.  So, we've put Google ads there and are seeing how that goes in terms of a rainy day deal.

For those of you who have sent contributions and are patrons, thank you.  Be assured the money will be put to good use.  (I kid.  I kid because I love.) For the time being, I'd like to go back to asking you for money only for charitable and similar good causes.  That has been in keeping with the spirit of the website from day 1 .

Thanks for your help and your continued readership.

 

 

Dale

 

 

*I always use Google Image search for these little pictures.  So, I was going to try to find an image of a couple of old European guys kissing each other on both cheeks and so I entered "men kissing" which, of course, ended up taking me a couple of places I really didn't intend to go.