Posted on 11/28/2001 7:31:29 PM PST by Jim Robinson
Free Republic has had one helluva run over the last five years or so. We helped impeach one president and helped get another into office. We've been active in demonstrations and protests in nearly every city across the nation. We've participated in conventions, petition drives, activism campaigns and projects for dozens of conservative causes.
We've grown from a tiny web site with a few hundred posters and readers from the time of inception in 1996, to one with tens of thousands of participants today. Along the way we've made lots of great friends and, unfortunately, also made lots of bitter enemies.
We've grown from a small web site that I could manage myself on a part-time basis to a huge monster that has totally consumed all of my time and resources plus nearly all of John's time, plus the time and resources of many dedicated FReepers who volunteer or contribute large amounts of their own time and money.
The site is now consuming all of a 10 mbps dedicated line with two servers and we're still growing, and it consumes large amounts of money to keep all this running. In the early years, it only took a few thousand dollars per month to keep Free Republic on the air, but it is now costing over $20,000 per month to cover all expenses.
The major costs include approximately $8,000 per month for bandwidth, 3,000 for systems management and programming services, 7,000 for management, operating and administrative services, plus two or three thousand per month for miscellaneous office expenses, telephone, communications, repairs & maintenance, travel & lodging, postage, rentals, insurance, legal fees, accounting fees, etc., etc.
We anticipate a reduction in bandwidth costs next year as we renegotiate our contract (the market price for bandwidth has fallen recently), however, that will be more than offset by an expected increase in costs of our legal expenses. As most of you know, our pro bono attorney has left us and we've hired a new attorney to continue with our case, plus we have the suit against eschoir to pay for. My projections are that our regular monthly expenses for next year will be running in the neighborhood of $22,000 per month, or approximately $264,000 total for the year. This means we will need to raise approximately $66,000 per quarter.
Talking about making enemies, we've got several ex-FReepers and other detractors who are claiming on their anti-freeper web sites that I am ripping off the donors and that Free Republic is a fraud. Now, Free Republic is what it is, and it is definitely not a fraud. It is a conservative news discussion forum that encourages participation in politics and activism projects. It is not being billed as anything else. We are not selling or promising anything. And I am being up front about our operating costs. The costs of running Free Republic are what I've stated above and they are necessary to keep FR on the air. I do not have the financial wherewithal to operate this site without your help. If the majority of the FReepers feel that these costs are out of line or too much to bear or that Free Republic is no longer wanted or needed, then we will either cut it back or shut it down or do something altogether different.
I've also been criticized about not making our financials public. Well, the reason I do not want to do this is that I have been sued, both personally and as Free Republic, LLC. The people suing us want to bankrupt us and shut us down. They subpoenaed our financial records, but we refused to turn them over. The judge agreed that the plaintiffs have no right to the information, thus I have no intention of making any more of it public than I absolutely have to, until this lawsuit is resolved. You all know the amounts of money we raise if you follow the fundraising threads. It is all above board and out in the open. The totals posted by BadJoe are usually pretty close to the actual cash received and the amounts expended are pretty close to the amounts projected. No one is getting rich here and no one is being ripped off. The funds raised are being used for the purposes stated, and that is keeping this website on the air and that's it. Nothing fraudulent about it. Those who want to help fund us freely do so with nothing expected in return. Those who do not want to contribute do not have to.
There was a thread running this morning where people were making all kinds of accusations about Free Republic "hiding the truth" or whatever. These accusations are being made by Chuck Allan and others and fall along the same line with the accusations being made by some of the earlier banees or AFers including Mojo, Inspector Harry Callahan, Arator, keep U.S. Sovereign, TKEman and others. Some of these people are existing FReepers and some are banned. I am going to reinstate Mojo, Inspector Harry Callahan and Arator's accounts so they can join Chuck Allan, TKEman, K.U.S.S. and whomever else wants to get involved, and I invite them to come onto this thread and make their accusations public. As long as they do not go onto other threads and make a nuisance of themselves, I will let them have their say.
Like I said above, if it is time for Free Republic to go away so be it. Those who want to keep it going speak up. Those who want it to go away, tell us why. But if those who want it to be gone lose out in the debate, then I'd say they should just go away themselves, or, in the very least, shut up and quit whining about it.
Thanks,
Jim
You know, I think you've hit on something there.. I think an auction to ban certain people would bring in big bux...I can think of several people (you know who you are) that I would pay big money to have banned. VBG
Just strolling through the old neighborhood for kicks.
Thought I would say hello. I enjoyed the great Libertarian debates with you, Don Morgan, OWK and the others.
Time for me to go. Not my place to hang out anymore.
Bzzz! Incorrect. A mutual agreement was signed by all parties involved, and the court ALLOWED the parties to work out their differences.
Thanks for playing!
Why did it cost $7,300.00 for corporate and non-profit filing fees for three corporations? This kind of work is done all the time for a few hundred dollars per corporation.
Were the Free Republic Institute or Free Republic Network involved in those corporate filings?
Howlin, that post by Sam was critical of me for announcing to the forum (shortly after recieving word from our mutual friend) that the Howlin posting to Reunion was a fake!
He regarded the fake Howlin to be real and wanted her thread summarily yanked on that basis.
I believed it to be fake (ie I believed you though our mutual friend) and was inclined to let it stand as hilarious parody.
Those who believed it was really you (such as Sam Spade) disagreed and wanted it pulled (for the sheer pleasure of censoring a Guilder). Get it?
In any case, all issues and controversies were resolved by the end of that afternoon but for one: the forum remained divided as to whether HOWLINFR was fake or real. But, HOWLINFR was banished and her attacks deleted. It did not happen two days later as you implied.
I know. I know. I'm still a low-down dirty rotten liar. (sigh)
If you use lawyers and get personalized papers, this is not a bad deal. The few hundred dollars gets you boilerplate docs, and in certain situations, this can cost you dearly.
So you say he is, H. disagrees, others have their say, and everybody's happy. Or not. In any case, facts are certainly not involved.
And the bleat stuff is bull.
The Free Republic Network is not incorporated yet. Jim has nothing to do with the Free Republic Network.
Have you ever claimed that FRN was a 501(C) organization? Is it?
The Free Republic Network will be 501(c) corporation. What subdesignation, we're not certain at this point. Jim has nothing to do with the Free Republic Network.
By the way, did I mention that Jim has nothing to do with the Free Republic Network?
All that is gold does not glitter,
not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
deep roots are not touched by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
the crownless again shall be king"
Bzzzt. Judge is overruled. Eschoir is enjoined from posting on this forum under any alias whatsoever. That is the relief sought under the suit.
Pick up your consolation prize on your way out.
Be that as it may. Jim Robinson is very generous to let you (and Me) stay on this forum.
Keep up the good work!
We need FreeRepublic.
Eaker
PS: Texas Loves FreeRepublic!!!
"'Tis an old saying, the Devil lurks behind the cross. All is not gold that glitters."
I believe William Blake also used a similar line, but substituted "glisters" for "glistens."
One big difference:
Z2 is not soliciting money. Jim Robinson is. If you don't see the difference then there is not much more to say.
Really? Did you notice the time on his post?
From: Sam Spade (OBHACKENBUSH) Jun-3 6:18 pm
To: Arator (5 of 43)
558.5 in reply to 558.1
And did you notice the time on yours?
From: Arator Jun-3 4:51 pm
To: ALL (1 of 43)
My initial instincts were that HOWLINFR was a parody of the worst aspects of Guilder-think. But, after going through and carefully excising her personal attacks, I am now no longer certain. There was an intensity of passion in her posts which would be difficult to fake. So, I offer the question up to the forum as a whole. Do you think HOWLINFR was the REAL Howlin or a Guilder parody? I look forward to hearing opinions, arguments, and evidences on this question from all concerned. So, let the debate continue!
Now, how could Sam have been critical of you for announcing to the forum (shortly after recieving word from our mutual friend) that the Howlin posting to Reunion was a fake -- when you hadn't done that at all?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.