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
TOOT TOOT! There I honked twice for you man.
What would you call them? Friends of Liberty? Defenders of Freedom? The party of smaller government? Either you haven't been keeping up with current events or you're living in denial.
See there, you made his point for him. You just cannot stop calling people names. Pick are sick and tired of the likes of you coming around here, acting like you've got the market cornered on the RIGHT morals and values and the rest of us are wrong if we don't agree with you.
Sounds like a great idea, Alan. You're tempting me...except that if you post one set of statistics, then you have to post another set, and another and another. Then you'd have a group of people not only posting the "member since" data, but following each other around posting their entire body of work, recorded statistically. People get hung up on that stuff, you know.
Did you notice the size of this very thread where an open forum was declared and enforced? The only posts deleted needed to be deleted. It's a clue.
It is the free-flowing discussion, the differences in opinion that people express, that often turn out to be the most provocative. When you read something that you KNOW you will never agree with, it makes it that much easier to stand firm, and to explain why. When you read something that you aren't sure about, it helps to have ten POV's, all of which are the basis for forming opinions.
Not many people want to follow thread after thread reading "I agree" and "Me too" and "Go Arator Go!". Heh heh. I threw the last one in just to throw you off.
I have challenged you on several occasions to present your evidence that I am sexist. The post you cite was addressed to unsycophant, who, to the best of my knowledge, is a male. That renders your accusation not only false, but absurd. Terrority with which you're undoubtedly familiar.
TOOT TOOT! There I honked twice for you man.
The statement was in error. There was no way I could correct it without it appearing to be bragging. I took that risk. It's not like you weren't hostile to me long before I made that statement, so I haven't really lost anything, have I?
I guess I should take some consolation in the fact that you only tooted two lines. Maybe the rehab is working for you after all.
Oops! Perhaps you should invite her to submit to a physical examination. It wouldn't be necessary to prove her gender, but we are in absurd territory here. And, heck, one or both of you might enjoy it.
Yes, I feel all warm and fuzzy just reading your posts.
You talk about disrespect yet you use a derogatory spelling of women in every post. Who do you think your kidding.
Grow up.
Who says TV isn't educational?
Nuh-unh; several were deleted out of spite; I'm like that.
Toasthole stands. It is clearly a typo for Posthole and I have 2 of them.
Just so ya know....I am a woman.
One who advocates socialism is a socialist. Legislators who vote in the affirmative for policies consistent with socialism are socialists. It matters not what party they belong to, what country they live in, what religion they practice, what language they speak, or how noble their intentions. Anyone who defends and supports such legislators are socialists. Wether or not somebody agrees with me is irrelevant.
Let me use a metaphor to illustrate my point. A thug robs a bank, runs outside, and jumps into a getaway car which is driven by his friend. His friend didn't participate in the actual theft. But he is an accessory to it nonetheless. He aided in the facilitation of the theft. Therefore he is as guilty as the thug who executed the theft.
Pick are sick and tired of the likes of you coming around here, acting like you've got the market cornered on the RIGHT morals and values and the rest of us are wrong if we don't agree with you.
From my perspective of course I think people are wrong who don't agree with me. Don't you think people are wrong who don't agree with you? Why is it ok for you to think that people who disagree with you are wront but it's not ok for anyone else to?
You are wrong, by the way. People aren't sick of me coming around here, acting like I have the market cornered on the "right" morals and values and everyone else is wrong. They just resent the fact that I point out their hypocrisy and inconsistency to them. Must really chap their hides.
Spoken like a TRUE liberal.
And there you go making an suttle insinutation that we're anti-government while probably not being aware of it.
WE DO NOT AGREE THAT THE GOP ARE A BUNCH OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT SOCIALIST STATIST.....that is what CASTRO is....
Anti-government socialist statist? I didn't know what was possible.
Perhaps you could explain something to me so I can better understanding where you're coming from. Castro/Cuba - warrantless government surveillance, secret trials, no due process, and indefinite detention of suspects. What do you call that? Bush/US - warrantless government surveillance, secret trials, no due process, and indefinite detention of suspects. What do you call that? Is there a difference? Is it ok for Bush and Ashcroft to do these things because they're all-around nicer guys? Is it ok for them to do these things because they wear suits and ties and Castro wears fatigues? Is it because Castro just looks meaner?
Do you think that all these new police powers won't remain in effect once Bush leaves office? They'll still be here the next time Democrats are in control and they'll continue to add more.
If Bill Clinton signed these sweeping new police powers into law you'd be calling him a traitor and a commie. You know it and I know it. But, Bush and the Republicans are in control. For some reason they get a pass. Explain that to me.
...we do agree with you that there are WAY too many weak republicans, way too many poll reading moderates, way to many professional politicians...but unlike you, we do not take the childish tact of calling EVERYONE socialist who do not come into our little tent...
Somebody once told me I should grow thicker skin. I would suggest improving those debating skills of yours so you can effectively make the case that the people you support really do support freedom, limited government, and the people who believe otherwise are mistaken.
You have this false definition of "principle" that somehow defines patriot as one who would vote third party EVEN if doing so elects an anti-gun, big government, anti-liberty DEMOCRAT.....We, on the other hand, know that change for the good DOES NOT come be giving victory to the enemy.
No, YOU have a false definition of principle.
And, no, we don't define a patriot as somebody who votes third party. But, rather somebody who does not compromise one's principles for convenience, expediency, or personal satisfaction.
...if doing so elects an anti-gun, big government, anti-liberty ..DEMOCRAT.....We, on the other hand, know that change for the good DOES NOT come be giving victory to the enemy.
If this weren't so sad it would be funny. You defeat an anti-gun, big government, anti-liberty Democrat by electing an anti-gun, big government, anti-liberty Republican.
Let me ask you something. Do you ever check to see how your leglislators are voting? Do you know of any Internet resources where you can check?
Do you ever call or write your Congressman to register your dissatisfaction when he votes for gun-control, or votes to increase funding for some pork project, or votes to strip you of your freedoms?
Or do you simply elect a Republican and assume that because he's a Republican that he must be voting in a manner consistent with your own values? Do you just keep voting the same person back into office election after election hoping that maybe somebody they'll really reign in government like they've been promising to all along?
I want to know where you stand. You already know where I stand.
Sounds like a great idea, Alan. You're tempting me...except that if you post one set of statistics, then you have to post another set, and another and another. Then you'd have a group of people not only posting the "member since" data, but following each other around posting their entire body of work, recorded statistically. People get hung up on that stuff, you know.
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Your example of the 'member since' stats has proved your domino theory to be wrong. - That hasn't happened.
-- Remember? - JR removed them at one point, citing a reason much like yours . - There was a big thread on restoring that info. JR restored it, & imo, it hasn't been abused much since.
If everyone here started with a clean slate, & clear rules were posted about how disclosures would be made on violations of the posting guidelines, & complaints filed [for or against], --
--- IMO, peer pressure alone would serve to eliminate much of the need for moderator action.
No such thing as too much information about an unknown poster, before you reply.
Now I WAS going to beep you to a related "Cleanup on Isle of Man(n)" thread, but since you refuse to see things completely my way.....
I'm taking my balls (nudge-nudge) and going home.
Granted nobody goes for the "member since" stuff like they used to....and even though I am beginning to agree with you up to a point....I still believe that a LOT of the issues could be resolved if anonymods were given permanent unique anonyID's. Something as simple as #1, #2, #3, eh? As I understand it, our beloved mods all use the same ID. It's shades of dangling purplishly.
I'm not sure I see the point in keeping all kinds of statistics on anyone. At all. Much less making them available. If I got arrested for running naked through the forum, I wouldn't neccessarily want you to know about it. I wouldn't want anyone keeping statistics on how many times I did it. I wouldn't want every participant at Free Republic to be able to access my vital statistics. I absolutely wouldn't want to know about anyone else's bare-naked statistics. (Well, maybe.)
I'll consider your POV more, though. Btw: There's also no such thing as too much information about an unknown moderator, before you reply.
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