DU needs your help. Your generous donations help cover these expenses...

[Skinner]

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to DU this week. We are pleased with the response we have received so far in this week's fund drive, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal.

Good websites don't grow on trees; they cost real money. We depend on the contributions of our members to cover the lion's share of our expenses. Without you, there could be no DU. Our traffic has increased about 25% since our last fund drive in November, and we expect traffic to continue to increase during this election year.

Based on our costs for the last three months, and our projected expenses in the near future, here is our expected budget:

PROJECTED MONTHLY COSTS TO RUN DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND

2,300.00 - Website Hosting, Bandwidth, and Technical support, etc.
895.00 - Rent for our One-room Office
350.00 - Credit Card Processing Fees and Other Bank Charges
200.00 - Fundraising Expenses (Letterhead, postage, bumperstickers)
550.00 - Lawyer, Accountant, Etc.
250.00 - Phone, Fax, Long Distance, Cell phones
150.00 - Computer Hardware, Software, and DSL
100.00 - Moderator Training (conference calls)
200.00 - Miscellaneous Expenses
8,200.00 - Salaries & Taxes for three Administrators

TOTAL: $13,195.00 per month

This is slightly more than we asked for three months ago, by about $200. The increases are spread around different categories, but the most significant increase is under "Lawyer" and "Technical Support" -- we had some significant technical disruption activity (DOS Attacks, etc.) in the last three months, so we've spent a lot of time and money dealing with it. I don't think it's really in our best interest to share the details, but I will say that we have had some extremely satisfying progress behind the scenes on this, and there are still some leads to follow.

I know you have a choice about where you spend your time and your money. If you spend lots of time here, I think it makes sense to kick in a few bucks to help us out. I hope that you consider DU to be a worthy cause. We could sure use the help.



Click here to donate.

Thank you for your support.

David Allen (Skinner)
DU Admin

[Zomby Woof]

1. ZombyKick

[MrPrax]

2. Kicked...

For one of the best chatboards on the Drive...

If anything, the DU crew should branch out as consultants for 'other boards'...

Hey if the 'hassles' outweight the 'bucks' toss in a couple more banners...few would complain

[wysimdnwyg]

3. kick

:kick:

[boxster]

4. Wow, talk about full disclosure....

Hehe. Kick!

[Skinner]

5. kick

kick

[Jacobin]

6. I gave and it felt good. KICK

:kick:

[spooky3]

7. Thanks, one suggestion

Since many people may contribute small amounts, multiple times, maybe you could save money by not sending paper acknowledgements and bumperstickers unless someone requests them?

[Skittles]

11. they've put this option on the paper form

I used to mail a check with. I certainly don't need DU thanking me - I'M THE ONE THANKING THEM - WITH A CHECK. :D

[spooky3]

15. thanks, I didn't see this on the web form. I'll look for it next time.

[DemoTex]

8. DU is going to get very, very busy as the campaign heats up.

DU Management gives us great tools to inform ourselves and share our opinions and experiences. The richer our knowledge base becomes, the better we can oust the Bu$h regime. Knowledge is indeed power. Let's give DU Management the tools they need to keep this site open, up-to-date, and F-A-S-T!

Mac

KICK!

[DemExpat]

9. Knowledge = DU = Power!

:kick: $$$$$$$$$$ for DU. :kick:

DemEx

[Skittles]

10. I JUST MAILED A CHECK

I'M STILL ADDICTED TO CHECKS; IT'S PATHETIC. :O

[Skinner]

12. kick (nt)

kick

[Vickers]

13. sorry dude...

...yer never gettin' my hard-earned money, money I earned because of the good fiscal policies of red-blooded, Gawd-fearin' Republican patriots.

Love,

Vickers

[Robbien]

18. Wow dude

What brought you to DU?

and a kick for the thread.

[Maeve]

19. And yet, you have a star on thar...

We promise not to tell yer kinfolks. :P

[FlaGranny]

14. A kick for you, and contrary to post #13

I'm happy to give you a little of my hard-earned money, that I've worked nonstop for over the past 45 years or so. It's so much more fun to be generous than stingy, isn't it? ;-)

[Maeve]

17. Isn't generous a synonym for liberal?

Thought so! ;-)

[OneTwentyoNine]

16. Just donated---do it!

Bush is history in November!

[maddezmom]

20. just donated

:kick:

[qanda]

21. Kick

I'll be donating soon. I love DU!

[peekaloo]

22. kick

[Eureka]

23. Aussie Dollar Kick

DU isn't just a good thing for the US, its a good thing globally

Go DU!

Eureka

[Ficus]

24. first time I've been able to

and proud I did! Thanks for providing DU to us Skinner

[Skinner]

25. You're welcome.

Thanks for helping out! :thumbsup:

[Serenity-NOW]

26. Glad to help and watch the pills move! GO PILLS n/t

[geniph]

27. another friendly passing

:kick:

[AZCat]

28. Kick!

Donated, and meant every penny of it!
Skinner&Friends- you rock!

[Phlee]

29. Yep...

Think it is time for another bandwidth payment.

:kick:

[southerngirlwriter]

30. a big fat

:kick: !!!!!

[DU GrovelBot]

31. ## Support Democratic Underground! ##

RUN C:\GROVELBOT.EXE
 
This week is our first quarter 2004 fund drive.
Please take a moment to donate to DU. Thank you
for your support.
 
- An automated message from the DU GrovelBot

Click here to donate.

[Skinner]

32. Hello, GrovelBot

:hi:

[newyawker99]

45. LOL!!

[Jacobin]

33. Kick

[sendero]

34. I'm curious....

.... how many gigs of xfer are you using per month?

[smirkymonkey]

35. I am donating Friday, when I get paid...

maybe monthly this time, but I am down to my last few $$ until then.

[Tinoire]

36. Ok. Will break out the piggy bank. DU is worth it! n/t

[aeon flux]

37. I won't be donating anymore

until they change some of these anal-istic posting rules.

Or until business picks up more at my shop. Whichever comes first.

[LatteLib]

38. Thank you for all the new upgrades

and a forum like this for liberals. I appreciate all you do and was glad to donate a little more cash to the cause.

:kick:

[La_Serpiente]

39. kick

:-) :kick:

[Sugarbleus]

40. I just did my part. Thanks, DU, for all you do :o)

[JCMach1]

41. Just donated EXTRA in addition to my monthly gift

... Keep this kicked up

:kick:

[JohnLocke]

42. Kick

[Wickerman]

43. another kick

for a worthy cause.

Thanks Admins!

:kick:

[Hippo_Tron]

44. Can I just send cash anonymously?

I'd love to contribute but I have no credit card and money order is a pain to get.

[gandalf]

46. Congratulations! Rush will be satisfied

and more than two thirds of the way are done (at least regarding the number of donations).

[TahitiNut]

47. Well, no moderator hottub in the budget again this quarter?

:shrug: Well, I guess we'll have to make do with the old one. :silly:

[gandalf]

48. You mean that donations are coming in more slowly

than during the last fund drive?

[TahitiNut]

49. No, I was merely noting that Skinner didn't include a new hottub ...

... in the quarterly budget. :silly:

[La_Serpiente]

50. kick

:kick: