SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
I hope this reaches you after a safe and healthy holiday!
Where We're At:
In our last fundraising update on 2021-21-20 we stood at $1510.49 towards our goal of $3,500.00 for the second half of the year. I am happy to report that we have since collected additional net subscriptions totaling $279.72. Thank You! You Rock!
mysql> SELECT SUM(payment_gross) AS Gross, SUM(payment_net) AS Net, ts, max(spid) AS SPID FROM subscribe_payments WHERE ts >= '2021-07-01' ;
+---------+---------+---------------------+------+
| Gross | Net | ts | SPID |
+---------+---------+---------------------+------+
| 1908.06 | 1808.21 | 2021-07-01 00:41:45 | 1711 |
+---------+---------+---------------------+------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
There were a total of 81 (YAY!) subscriptions purchased in the second half of this year (click to see):
mysql> SELECT ts, payment_gross, payment_net, method, submethod, payment_type FROM subscribe_payments WHERE ts >= '2021-07-01' AND payment_gross > 0 ORDER BY ts ;
+---------------------+---------------+-------------+--------+-----------+--------------+
| ts | payment_gross | payment_net | method | submethod | payment_type |
+---------------------+---------------+-------------+--------+-----------+--------------+
| 2021-07-01 00:41:45 | 20.00 | 19.12 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-01 02:15:00 | 20.00 | 18.82 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-01 02:20:50 | 20.00 | 19.12 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-01 02:34:13 | 20.00 | 18.82 | paypal | NULL | gift |
| 2021-07-01 03:26:34 | 20.00 | 18.82 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-01 14:19:33 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-01 16:35:50 | 22.34 | 21.39 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-01 18:36:56 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-02 10:49:17 | 20.00 | 19.12 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-02 14:43:16 | 20.00 | 19.12 | paypal | NULL | gift |
| 2021-07-02 21:06:24 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-05 21:59:27 | 40.00 | 37.94 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-05 22:07:16 | 400.00 | 388.10 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-06 14:07:24 | 5.00 | 4.55 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-18 14:27:40 | 5.00 | 4.55 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-19 15:13:31 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-22 12:14:55 | 4.00 | 3.52 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-07-25 07:14:27 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-07-29 11:57:17 | 10.00 | 9.41 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-08-06 12:30:41 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-08-13 10:28:11 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-08-18 11:54:17 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-08-22 12:11:44 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-08-29 13:03:40 | 10.00 | 9.16 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-03 12:33:49 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-06 10:20:14 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-06 13:35:17 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-10 18:30:22 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-11 23:56:46 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | gift |
| 2021-09-18 10:37:19 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-22 10:12:38 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-09-29 14:37:56 | 10.00 | 9.16 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-05 00:31:51 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-10-06 10:58:25 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-14 11:33:56 | 30.00 | 28.46 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-16 09:38:51 | 13.72 | 13.02 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-10-18 11:21:58 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-21 13:29:39 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-22 12:00:55 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-24 19:27:39 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-26 19:43:45 | 40.00 | 38.11 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-29 12:01:11 | 10.00 | 9.16 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-10-30 18:22:11 | 50.00 | 47.01 | paypal | NULL | gift |
| 2021-11-06 12:28:43 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-08 15:02:34 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-09 19:14:31 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-10 06:40:55 | 50.00 | 47.76 | paypal | NULL | gift |
| 2021-11-10 11:47:46 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-12 03:08:14 | 30.00 | 28.46 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-17 01:01:32 | 12.00 | 11.35 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-11-18 12:22:21 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-21 14:54:31 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-22 12:28:08 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-27 18:53:45 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-11-29 10:45:50 | 10.00 | 9.16 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-03 15:58:30 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | gift |
| 2021-12-04 02:20:36 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-06 11:29:58 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-11 04:02:13 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-11 12:38:48 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-12 11:08:54 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-13 20:52:42 | 12.00 | 11.09 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-15 09:21:39 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-15 16:00:03 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-16 10:32:40 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-16 13:42:40 | 100.00 | 96.80 | stripe | CC | gift |
| 2021-12-18 10:16:24 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-18 10:52:56 | 5.00 | 4.34 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-20 23:21:01 | 20.00 | 18.81 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-21 02:21:21 | 40.00 | 38.11 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-21 05:25:20 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-21 17:14:58 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-12-21 21:00:59 | 50.00 | 48.25 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-12-22 10:26:01 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-22 10:45:00 | 4.00 | 3.31 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-23 05:17:16 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-12-23 18:26:06 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | gift |
| 2021-12-23 20:05:03 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | gift |
| 2021-12-25 12:02:11 | 40.00 | 38.11 | paypal | NULL | user |
| 2021-12-26 01:32:21 | 20.00 | 19.12 | stripe | CC | user |
| 2021-12-28 13:01:56 | 20.00 | 18.51 | paypal | NULL | user |
+---------------------+---------------+-------------+--------+-----------+--------------+
81 rows in set (0.00 sec)
What's Next?
The sharp-eyed among you have already recognized something: that's not nearly enough:
We need to net an additional $1691.79 to reach our goal.
WE CAN DO THIS! 😃
Just click on Subscribe and follow the instructions! (Click the "*SPOILER* for more details.)
Select whether it's a subscription for yourself or a Gift to someone else. For a Gift sub you can provide your name to tell the recipient who the subscription is from or blank it out if you want to remain anonymous. Then choose a duration (30, 180, or 365 days). Important! You can accept the minimum amount offered (4.00, 12.00, or 20.00) OR type another (larger) amount into the field. Then click the "[Continue]" button.
NB: All transactions are processed remotely — SoylentNews sets up the transaction but does not actually participate directly. Also, if you have an Ad Blocker such as No Script or uBlock Origin installed, you may need to allow an exception for "soylentnews.org", "stripe.com", and "stripe.network" for the transaction to be entered and accepted.
You're on the Home Stretch! Click a button: PayPal (1) "[PayPal Buy Now], (2) "[PayPal Subscribe]", or (3) "[Pay with Card or BitCoin]" (Actually only "Card" is accepted at this time).
You are then taken to a form on their payment processor's site where you provide the payment information and confirm the transaction.
That's it! The payment processor then informs SoylentNews of the transaction amount and their processing fee.
Should you have a question or problem, please feel free to reach out for help on IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and/or leave a message here in the comments.
These funds pay for hosting our servers, incorporation fees, taxes, and a CPA. All income goes to paying for the site. Period. Staff is all-volunteer. Nobody here has ever been paid anything for working on SoylentNews!
--martyb
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 28 2021, @11:38PM (11 children)
IOW, same as many other small hobby sites.
Section 230 protection is the same whether you're incorporated or not. So the only benefit to incorporating is being able to issue tax receipts. Hardly worth it for the donor of a $20 subscription to claim.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @03:10AM (9 children)
A poor version of Slashdot with no redeeming features?
SoylentNews current is offering us something very different compared to Slashdot, Facebook, Twitter, etc. An all-volunteer organization. Hell Wikipedia/Mozilla/Tor Project are less volunteer than they are.
I'm not at all in a position to donate this year (having a 0 figure income and living with family,) but any of you who truly believe should consider what techie purchase you could wait a little longer on and kick back a few dollars here for a community that is pretty damn special. The whole site runs on less than the cost of a decent used car every year, which in this day and age is pretty impressive.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @05:49AM
Has anyone invited MacKensie Scott to subscribe?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @12:42PM (1 child)
I've donated a little, but what I'd really like are figures on how many distinct active users we have. Do we advertise anywhere, can we get new blood? Most of us have been around for nearly 20 years, from the Green Site, if not longer. And the community is definitely shrinking.
I don't mind being Ars Technica with a better comment system, but maybe we could get some of the younger crowd over here? People in their 30s who know of SN or the Green Site are rare enough, and forget people younger than that. (I don't want to outlive all of you--who will I have to talk to... )
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @04:44PM
Search for "Generational Knowledge" on AltaVista.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @01:02PM (5 children)
It IS a poor version of what slashdot used to be. And from the shortfall in donations, looks like the decision to cut the non-necessary crap (the registration as a charity, the CpA, etc) may be inevitable.
So best to plan for it in advance. All the site NEEDS to keep running is domain name registration and server rental. The majority of the costs are due to maintaining charitable status. Get rid of that,, and subscriptions alone can carry the site along.
Plenty of small hobby sites exist this way. And this is very much a small, and diminishing, site.
Look at the demographics. Buck feta is mostly for aging farts and right-wing trolls who never worked in the tech field and now sit at home shitposting.
I'm sure I'm not the only one watching the slow dumpster fire wondering how long … because that's pretty much the only reason to check in - to see if runaway, khallow, and fusty have managed to kill it yet.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @02:32PM
Hey, we're not kuro5hin yet.
It took me years to stop typing it absent-mindedly.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @04:24PM
Wow, you've really built these people up in your mind into something way more evil than the libertarian boomers they are.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 29 2021, @04:43PM
Would your lack of certainty [*] about who else might be "watching the slow dumpster fire" indicate that you're the only one complaining? Perhaps even the person spamming this discussion with multiple accounts?
* It's odd how insisting one is "sure" demonstrates that one is not.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday December 30 2021, @04:34PM
We can't accept donations without declaring our accounts. And your solution is...? Let me guess, you are volunteering to join the staff and manage our accounts. That's right, isn't it? Thank you, that is a very generous offer.
I am not interested in knowing who people are or where they live. My interest starts and stops at our servers.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday December 30 2021, @05:08PM
So the main reason for the unpopularity of the site are the personal attacks by 3 named individuals and your belief that many here are 'ageing farts and right-wing trolls'?
And your response is to make more personal attacks, and for good measure lets include those whose politics might differ from yours or happen to be older than yourself? You could have gotten that message across without naming anybody or making your political views a valid criticism of others. Are you suggesting that people who are older than you are not entitled to express an opinion? What age bracket would you say is acceptable? - careful, make sure it includes your own age, you are hardly a youthful person yourself.
But now you really have sunk down to their level. You are no better than those you are blaming, are you? Actually, by making your comment you are one of those contributing to the unpopularity of this site.
If you don't like this site why are you still here making such comments? Some would say that is trolling. In fact - I have.
I am not interested in knowing who people are or where they live. My interest starts and stops at our servers.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 29 2021, @05:42PM
Since when is SN an IRS recognized charity that can issue tax receipts?
Being a PBC provides the volunteers with isolation from whatever other non-230 issue can befall an organization, like civil suits or mcasadevall claiming ownership.