Paying For Internet `Entertainment Information'

Recently, one of my favorite internet sites, Reddit.com, `asked' its users for voluntary `donations' - of any level - to help the site meet costs and the expectations of its readership. This request was made despite being owned by a major company and supposedly having 280 million page views each month. And, because the Reddit.com `community' was/is quite strong - thousands of users have already sent in donations to help the site survive and grow. This happened in a matter of days and happened recently.

Then today, while surfing sites to provide the kind of links I look for to post on Barf Stew - I came across this link on Leslie's Debris Field about Cryptomundo - perhaps the internets NUMBER ONE site for `current' and historical Cryptozoology information and entertainment. http://www.cryptomundo.com/bigfoot-report/cryptomundo-the-end/ - and at the link - the website owner (the one who is sent the bill for hosting and the one paying writers for content) tells how his advertising revenue is about 300.00 per month and his cost to run just the servers is 309.00 (this includes UFO Mystic too) and that every month with other costs he is losing about 500 bucks monthly. Money that is coming out of his pocket - while it is HE who is providing the service so many enjoy - many of these users on a near daily basis almost. 

The webmaster indicates that unless the users pony up some funds - that by the end of the month - Cryptomundo may not exist any longer. And, who can blame him? Hobby's are one thing -- losing money endlessly for them is another. Let alone the TIME the webmaster puts into that effort (just like all webmasters - EVEN Barf Stew) - that HE is paying for - as opposed to being paid like other `workers'.

As an information point - Barf Stew pulled in all of 4.46 cents in June in ad revenue in over 7,000 page views. - Additionally, Barf Stew has probably earned about 5.00 worth of Amazon revenue this year total or about a buck a month. Affiliate `sales' in the new normal of the Great Recession have largely went to 0 dollars a month (they used to be a few bucks a month on each of my blogs). And, that's it.

Now, I'm not complaining (yet) as I do this because I want to (and blogspot is `free' except for the work hours running the site) bring these links along with my point of view to the public. I think most bloggers think they have something of value to offer the public.

BUT, perhaps it is time for the users - especially, and perhaps only, the near daily users of websites, - to realize that `paying' for their own entertainment - reading entertainment - internet surfing entertainment - does have value to them too. And, the time is coming to, as they say, `Step Up To The Plate'.

Indeed, it is time for surfers to realize that `those annoying ads' are actually pretargeted at them - based on the content they are reading - often relevant to the subject matter - and ARE THE WAY A SURFER PAYS BACK THE WEBMASTER - by checking some ads out. OR, by BUYING something off of the webmasters website - rather than at Walmart.

But, perhaps most importantly, most websites now have a `donation button' that directly allows `web surfers' to securely put money directly into the webmasters hand - via paypal. Securely and Directly. At any level they want - from a buck to enough for a gallon of gas or a lunch to extreme amounts like 100 bucks. A way to say - thank you, good work. A way to say - I like to spend time on this site - it entertains my mind and time.

And, heavy users of websites - the ones that `cost' the most in bandwidth - the ones MOST entertained - as time goes on - will find their favorites in FREE entertainment gone - unless they step up to the plate and stop being gluttons of free entertainment. Step up to the plate and put their mouths and wallets where their actions and EYES go for entertainment. To stop being --- A BUM.

Now, I hardly expect - nor would I myself - donate - to a site that I only occasionally used - or even used with some frequency. BUT, the day has arrived on the internet for HEAVY USERS of the entertainment of certain websites to step up and the time is NOW for heavy users of Cryptomundo. The donation button on Cryptomundo can be found in the right sidebar near the top of the page - it's easy to find. And, if each read you've ever done on the Cryptomundo was worth, let's say, 2 cents to you - how much do you owe? Yeah, that buck would be appreciated. Is the Cryptozoology community anything like the intelligent Reddit community?

Or, if you think I deserve more than 5 bucks a month to bring Barf Stew to you - and if you yourself have gotten some entertainment from BS over the last 6 months (and expect to in the future) --> Then, click MY donation button on the sidebar and donate a buck or two. Take the leap, free entertainment isn't really free - it's time - right now.

I double dare you.