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I have an idea!

What if we not only have to divulge exactly how much we donate, but how it was paid; cash, check, money order, credit card, debit card, Paypal, a joint account, proceeds from disability or SSA checks, etc., and when it was last paid. And we should also, on a yearly basis submit a personal financial statement including our most recent credit score, a copy of our last tax return and a criminal background check and drug screen, the passwords to our email and FB accounts and of course our voting record for the last 20 years before being allowed to post.

We would of course have to pay a “fee” to have all that information, including our sign up date analyzed; the proceeds of which would go to FR, but in return we would get a “FR Score” based on all the various factors. If our score was ranked high enough, that would not only give our posts priority and an automatic BTTT, but if really high, say the top 10%, that would also allow us to post a predetermined number of vanity and prayer request posts per fiscal year and the ability to arbitrarily Zot posters we don’t like for whatever reason. If OTOH our score was low, it would appear in a small and rather sad looking font. Only posters with a moderate score or higher would be allowed to post cute pictures of puppies and kittens. The posters with the very lowest scores each quarter would have their identity stolen and their bank accounts emptied with the funds transferred to Jim’s personal account. We could also make some $$ selling the info to the NSA : ),

I’m kidding of course, well sort of, maybe : ),

On a more serious note; Jim if you want to have ads; if you feel the need to do so in order to fund the operation, then go for it and let the chips fall where they may. You might lose some donors; then you might offset that by the income the ads generate. It’s your call. You shouldn’t make this decision based on emotion or by group consensus but by what makes sense from a business perspective assuming that FR is after all a business.

But personally, while I understand this is not a not for profit org and you are not obligated to do so; I’d and perhaps some others would feel a lot more comfortable donating and donating more if there was some more accountability and transparency of where and how the “donations” are being spent.

Yes, I’ve seen the posted budget (the very same one posted for years now) and no offense, but as an accounting professional, it’s rather lacking. And there’s no posting of how the actual expenditures met the budget from year to year. That I think would be helpful to bean counters like me.

For instance, extra funds were raised last quarter for equipment but now more funds this quarter are being requested for the same with no hard budget or estimate for that actual expenditure this entails, or what is actually needed. I think some folks like me would be more forthcoming with funds or additional funds if they had some real idea of where their money was going rather than some vague generalities and promises of improvements and equipment upgrades.

Of course you and others can and might tell me it’s none of my business and that I shouldn’t question, but then I would say to you and others that I have a limited amount of expendable income after meeting my personal obligations and taxes and putting aside funds for my retirement so that I’m not dependent on a government handout when I’m no longer able to work; my first priority. I’m very careful and very conservative with my money and only “donate” when I have a very high comfort level that I understand how my donation is being utilized.

Just my “two cents” for what it’s worth. I’m sending a onetime donation for this quarter, but I really can’t commit to anything more at this time until and unless I have a better understanding of where and how my donation is being spent.