DP Money Bomb Update 2: Goal Met! Thank you everyone!
Update 2: DPer wafflehutguy sent this picture yesterday, and it made my day. This is his study, with three of my posters on his wall.
Update: We made it to the top tonight! Thank you to everyone who donated, and to FreeManOnLand for the last $195 to kick it over the top! I'm going to the post office to collect the checks, and to buy stamps tomorrow. I'll give you all the final tally then. I'll be sending out thank you postcards to everyone who donated, so if the address on your paypal account isn't correct, email me with your address: bull (at) bullnotbull (dot) com so I can make sure to get it to the right place.
I'm working on the site upgrade currently with the programmer. We're getting new server digs as well, donated by longtime DPer NCMarc and his hosting company FalconInternet.net, which will save us hundreds of dollars each month. Thank you Marc.
Thank you all for this wonderful community.
Michael
The Daily Paul is one of the last remaining, independent, dedicated Ron Paul sites on the internet, a remnant of the tremendous grassroots activity that spontaneously emerged around Ron Paul's 2007/08 presidential run that was so well documented in the film For Liberty. The DP is proof that the grassroots support for Ron Paul and his peaceful message of individual liberty is large, real, and not going away.
Not only does this site serve as a community meeting place, it is watched closely by the MSM. During the campaign we got mentions in the Boston Globe, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Mother Jones and others. More recently, we all remember when ABC News showed a screenshot of the Daily Paul for several seconds in one of its evening stories. And when sunny first posted that HR1207 reached 290 cosponsors, the New York Times called Dr. Paul's congressional office for confirmation! Great news, the Times reads the Daily Paul! Further, the Daily Paul has an Alexa US traffic rank of 5,918. This means that out of the tens of millions of sites on the web, the DP is the 5,889th most popular site in the US. Not bad for a site with no employees and a shoestring budget!
All of this is possible because of each one of you. Thank you all for making the Daily Paul what it is, and continuing to do so. Our merry disorganized band of activists remains a force to be reckoned with across the country. This is the power of the internet.
I realize that without a view from behind the scenes, it looks like the DP just appears out of thin air, and rakes in dough from all the ads. I wish that were true. This site requires considerable effort on the part of myself, as well as the all volunteer mod squad to keep it going. Freedom, as the saying goes, is not free.
The Daily Paul is in dire need of a software upgrade. A lot of people have been complaining about the new spam filter, which is the best I can do given the limitations of the current software. There are other problems as well, and much more that the DP could be. At the moment, my hands are fairly tied. The DP runs on Drupal 5, which puts it close to two upgrade cycles behind the curve, meaning there are many powerful features that the site is missing out on. I'm generally of the “if its not broke, don't fix it” mindset, but in this world, it is important to keep up with the times. This month's Wired cover story The Tragedy of Craigslist made a unique impact on me. Even though Craigslist remains the most popular website in a variety of categories, the tragedy, according to the story, is its failure to evolve. This is a pitfall we cannot afford to slip into if we want to continue to grow our movement and spread our message.
I am committed to keeping this the Daily Paul online and being in the strongest position possible to support our liberty candidates in the 2010 elections, as well as Ron Paul's bid in 2012. This site is good, but it could be better and making it so will cost money. I'm not a programmer, so this job is something I'm going to have to outsource, and is going to run about $7,000 to do right. That may or may not sound like a lot of money to you. Software development is not cheap, and this is not a trivial task.
Please support this project with your donations. Also feel free to chime in below with any improvements and/or new social networking features you'd like to see on the site, as well as how to make the DP self sustaining.
I've set up a chipin for this little moneybomb. If you love this site, please donate to improve it and keep it going strong. If you cannot donate, please remember to make any of your amazon purchases via this link: www.dailypaul.com/amazon The DP will benefit with no cost to you.
If you would like to make a donation by check, you can find the address on the donation page: www.dailypaul.com/donate
The Daily Paul is a community resource. I am the keeper of this resource, and do my best to serve the community and our cause. In this case, I need your help.
Thank you for your continued support.
For Liberty!
Michael Nystrom
Keeper of the Resource
www.dailypaul.com
MODERATORS....HELP!
You know I love you guys!!!!!.
But it sure will be nice to have the all new and improved Daily Paul. EVERY TIME I try to post a new topic it goes down a hole. MOST of the time, I write a quick email in the "Contact" section and it appears. Yesterday morning I wrote a Forum topic...... and after 24 hours and 2 emails...... nothing! I am not saying that my topics are anything earth shattering, (and most seem to agree since they fall off the page so fast). But it is rather FRUSTRATING to spend time writing something and never see it again.
Any updates on when the new system will be up and running???????
_________
A Man's Country Is Not A Certain Area Of Land,
Of Mountains, Rivers, And Woods,
But It Is A Principle......
And Patriotism Is Loyalty To That Principle .
- George William Curtis
Gotta Get Mine Framed
I have a couple, still in the tube for safety. They are worthy of framing and display.
Someday this site will be some historian's or anthropologist's treasure trove.
IMissLiberty
Thanks for the postcard
Thanks for the postcard Michael. You have neat handwriting. I will cherish the card of Dr. Paul.
Google Wave
Google Wave might be a great thing to integrate into a new Daily Paul. Watch the video.
Good thinking
IMO this is a very excellent idea. The #1 feature I'd like to see added to the DP is the ability to embed photos, documents, and videos in forum posts. Google Wave is another level altogether and would allow each piece of embedded media to be analyzed in detail by the community. This would be a total game changer and would energize the DP even more.
However, in its current state of development I don't believe Google Wave is quite ready for the blogosphere. The primary issue being there's currently no hierarchical governance model to restrict content updates. With Wave any user can change any post at any time without any audit trail. Check out this article:
http://www.theregister.co...
This would quickly degenerate into total chaos and infighting. In a corporate environment the hierarchy is organizational, i.e. an employee wouldn't mess with his bosses Wave posts. Haha, here at the DP we have no such command and control structure. I'd be interested to hear Michael's take on this.
Absent the ability to control content updates, this is something we should keep an eye one. If and when they added permission based user provisioning, then the blogosphere will never be the same. If it costs extra to integrate this onto the DP, then I say slap the Chip In back up and I'll make a very fat donation. Good thinking Jon.
not quite
There's a history of who edits what in playback, so everything everyone does will be visible & signed.
Everyone is also shown who changed what upon new visits.
Though in general, I agree, some kind of "read-only" option is wise.
I was more thinking the way the blog updated with wave would be great here. And real-time communication. Etc.
Playback
Yes, that is an audit trail. But them not (currently) offering a management tool which would allow a webmaster to classify users as read-only only means the ability to see who changed your DP posting (and to the nonsense you never intended) would be doubly inflammatory. The Daily Paul wouldn't last a week of that. Still, IMO Wave has incredible potential. Thanks for posting about it.
shorter vid if 1h20m is too long...
found here.
Bump for Jon's idea
I agree
Also.. I see the Amazon,com link at the top right under the guildlines... THANK YOU!!!!
Amazon link
I'm glad this thread re-appeared, I was looking for the amazon link earlier. I have a bunch of books and materials to buy and want to put it through DP. Besides this post, where is the link on the website? I probably overlooked it somewhere, but, Michael, can you maybe put it near the top of the page? Maybe more will use it if reminded.
Agree too
I buy stuff from Amazon all the time. I'd click through on a link from the DP if it was easy to find.
I second Aphrodite13's suggestion RE: Amazon link
It would save time. It took me 10 pages of searching to find this AFT to apologise for the returned check.
I'm sure we all have amazon purchases
I've already spent a few hundred this year, with another 200 or so coming up quick for homeschool supplies...easy link please?????
I agree.
It's a great idea. Especially with the holidays approaching. :)
Sorry
I'll put something up soon. But it is very easy to remember:
www.dailypaul.com/amazon
!
I checked my mail box today and there was your check
I was very sad to see the envelope with my DAILY PAUL in hearts, which I sent a check to, "Daily Paul", (at the address PO box you posted) returned, with BIG BLACK fiber tip marks crossing over my art. The emotion in the marker is obvious and offensive.
I did not fill out a complete return address. That did not stop my postal person from knowing where the envelope came from. I told you I was well known as the Ron Paul wacko. That reminded me They had no problem returning the check with an incomplete address, but they can't deliver it to the correct address? What am I missing?.
What is the correct address? It's not P.O. Box 1306 Arlington MA 02476 (the black marks over that look like a tiger scratched it. shudder.
Thanks Michael. I apologise.
I just picked up the envelope and noticed it had been opened and re-sealed with tape. I made the mistake of making the check out to DP. Sorry about that. I'll get a new check to you in the mail tomorrow.
So whats the estimated time
So whats the estimated time of arrival?
About one month.
About one month.
...Thanks Michael...
...for all your efforts and for simply asking for folks to donate whatever they can...
...without throwing predetermined donation amounts in our faces...
...Freedom really does work...!!!
...I wish you success and happiness...
!!!...DAILY PAUL FOREVER...!!!
Michael, I tried to
Michael,
I tried to contribute a hundred bucks but Paypal wouldn't accept my zip code. I live in Japan and my zip is obviously different, but even though I chose "Japan" as my country of origin it kept refusing my zip so I gave up!!!
(Paypal sucks anyway because they spy on you and turn your info over to the IRS so you should avoid them at all costs anyway.)
Regard,
Bigsurjune
It took long enough...
...all you freeloading bums.
Just kidding!!!
Rock on, Daily Paul.
Great news!
Great news!
Great Wall of Wafflehutguy
I LOVE IT!!! It's awesome. How about walking into someone's home for the first time and seeing THAT! LOL Right on Wafflehutguy!!!
My calader remains as magical as ever and I LOVE it. Thank you.
Mr Nystrom is the artist exrtordinaire....
Ron Paul 2012!
Thank you Michael.
When I said my office looks like yours, that really isn't true
because my office is messy, and my posters aren't framed, they are just tacked up with push pins! You have inspired me to frame them---and maybe clean my office? (I'm not sure about that one!)
My Office looks like that---
The Ron Paul 2009 Calendar, two Seattle Freedom Celebration posters, I Support Daily Paul small poster on the walls. The top of my computer desk is adorned with Three Ron Paul Jones Soda Revolution Cola flanking a picture of my daughter and I and RON PAUL taken at the C4L Delegate Reception in Minneapolis last year!
I have a Hope For America mousepad, and a Ron Paul cup for pens and pencils that has the quote "It does not take a majority to prevail---but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams.
Yes, it is magical and heartwarming and I met Michael at the Reception! (plus a LOT of Patriots)
( Not to brag, or anything! ) :-)
If there's ever a RP Library, you may need to be contacted
So far, I'd say you're the biggest fan when it comes to art... but we need a picture. And I'm curious... what's your screnesaver?
My screnesaver is a picture of my rEVOLution banner when it was up on the x of Hwy 20 and hwy 1, for 4 and a half months.
Right now my background is a picture of 3 granddaughters--
but for months I had the July 12, 2008 Revolution March picture as my Wallpaper. I didn't go to the Revolution March, but I was so inspired by it.
One of my sons and his wife were with the "banner brigade" in the Bellingham Washington area. It was the first time they had ever been active in politics, and they had a blast! I live in a very rural area, but another of my sons and grandkids and friends (me too) painted 4 X 8 signs and had them up on every highway entering our county.
We all have so many precious memories of this REVOLution, don't we? Under the thread about the First Daily Paul Peace Award, so many people spoke of how they were inspired to become better people because of Ron Paul---and I think that is true of almost all of us. We won't forget this---ever!
I agree E. Oregon 4 Ron
Yeah, your stories makes me think of my stories, and sharing stories gives that warm all over feeling. I suggested to MN some time ago that he should do a cook book. I think the money bomb, and QSs work are great, and there's room for more.. like a cookbook, where people write a page about the rEVOlution and give a recipe.. add pictures, and pictures of people as we saw3 them on YouTube... The massive meetups.. we ruled that rip off corporation.. anyways..
It would be hard to pick a best story, but I think that would be a good project. It's hard because as much as I think people want to give freely for something like that, corporations have ripped us off so much, it's like you can't blame people for fearing to be ripped off, even for a recipe.. you don't want to lose that magic... but then, if you don't take a risk, how do you keep it alive with new memories? Election 2012?
There was a recipe thread awhile back---
and I actually copied and pasted and printed some of them to use. (But where did I put them?) That recipe thread would be a good place to start, if it could be located.
Question
Would it be possible to make it so that it's easy to embed pictures in posts? I bet a lot of people have really good photos of relevant stuff.
Update
Hi Friends,
I just got back from the post office. There were six checks for a total of $205. Thank you to Elaine, Dan & Linda, Barb, Nancy, Dolores, & Robin.
That brings the total to $7,368 from 189 donors.
I am sending out thank you postcards. I saw someone say to save the money, but I'd really like to express my appreciation. I already bought this big stack of custom Daily Paul postcards, so that cost is already sunk. Post cards are .28 to send. I bought 200 stamps, for $56.
When I first started this site, after asking his permission, I scanned one of Dr. Paul's early books, "Freedom Under Siege" into .pdf format for everyone to be able to read. It was out of print at the time. I had a used copy that I bought on Amazon. As a thank you, Dr. Paul sent me a signed copy of the book! The feeling was and is indescribable.
So, all I'm sending out are thank you postcards. But I did design them and have them printed specifically to say thank you to the DP community. I'm going to hand address them. Maybe it is not necessary. But other people have written to tell me that they've got the postcard on their fridge, which is very meaningful to me. It is a reminder of what we're doing here and that small gestures matter.
The only way that we're going to live in the world we want to live in is to create it ourselves. In my world, it is important for me to express my gratitude for that which is meaningful, and that you all support this site, and my efforts to keep it going is very, very meaningful.
So keep your eyes peeled for the postcards, and if your address isn't correct, send it to me at: bull (at) bull not bull (dot) com.
Michael
Hey Michael
I donated 100.00, and shared a story a few pages back. I don't know if you caught it.
I think I bypassed paypal, and used my debit card, as I try to avoid using them whenever possible. They take like 3% of what you get, as well as a monthly.
No thank you card necessary here, just keep up the great work.
★★★★★★
http://www.documentarywir...
http://freedocumentaries....
Perhaps I'm too late......
But on the "Recent Blog Posts", could there be a flashing "new" sign when someone responds. I think they are normally just WONDERFUL topics, but they get forgotten down there and the way to get more people reading them is to peak their interest at new responses. Just a thought.
Thanks again for all you do.... and how nice to have such an enthusiastic sign that you are appreciated.... getting to the goal line in half the time!
_________________________________________________
"Not armies, not nations, have advanced the race; but here and there, in the course of ages, an individual has stood up and cast his shadow over the world."
TGIF people! Great job!
http://www.youtube.com/wa...
I'm gonna smile all weekend!
"Not armies, not nations, have advanced the race; but here and there, in the course of ages, an individual has stood up and cast his shadow over the world."
What a wonderful way to start the day!
Congratulations Michael and DPers! I would be curious to know how many people donated.
I also wonder how many people sent their checks in envelopes scribbled with, "I LOVE DAILY PAUL!"? I'm sure I was not alone.
;)))
The Chip-In graphic tells you (at least now it does)
At this time the Chip-In is stating 183 contributors.
I saw that rosenfeldp, Thank you
Since I sent a check, I know there is 184, and I'm cirious how many others sent checks, and for us to be included in the overall count.
Thank you
YAY!
~
http://randforsenate.blog...
A Way for Trey Grayson searchers to find Rand Paul
http://www.treygraysonfor...
Trey Grayson For US Senate 2010 in Kentucky. See also http://www.jointreygrayso... Spread these links around
Awesome! Good job everyone.
Awesome!
Good job everyone. I'm excited to see the upcoming changes.
VIRTUAL HUG FOR me 2!!
no need to thank.....
THANKS TO YOU!!
May I recommend
not to send any postcards and save some money, Michael? I'll take a virtual hug (and virtual beer from legalizeliberty). Use that money for various Daily Paul-related expenses. This money bomb was long time overdue anyway and you have been carrying the financial burden all this time.
I agree.
It isn't necessary to send anything out to the donors. I am sure everyone feels the same way. It is US who appreciate all YOU do.
We all know
how much you appreciate it, Michael. I agree with ZP. Save that money for other expenses.
Regardless of what the financial systems and our government are trying to get us to do with our money, it is ok to save.
Keep up the good work.
Liberty
I Agree!
Bump
Thanks patriot
your comment improved my mood...here is a cyber hug flowing your way*))
________________________________________
"Long live eccentricity!
It is the willingness to do things differently
that allows the human race to progress."
-- Isabel Parlett
Michael, just send us ALL a special cyber-hug,
and use the money you would have spent on stamps----please??
Cyber-hugs are good!
I think we should also set a time a few days ahead, and at that time raise a glass to toast the Daily Paul and Liberty. We can all have a cyber-toast together.
AWesome!
Remember folks, as with any change, there will be an adjustment period. I know some people get all bent out of shape when things don't work exactly like they are used to. Michael is upgrading the site to make it better. Let's remember to cut some slack as we all work through our growing pains.
I can't wait to see the new DP!!