Is Skinner a criminal?

[HappyCynic]

Is Skinner a criminal?
Before you reflexively answer, hear me out. On a certain site-that-shall-remain-unnamed, the following statements were made:

Hey, you want us to get an all new system with all new software and add a few more pricey techs, system programmers and database administrators to keep it all working 100% of the time 24/7/365? Well, start coughing up the big bucks.
It’s going to take tens of thousands of donations and many with at least three zeros each after the comma to accomplish the task. And that would be EVERY month like clock work to make the payroll. Once you take on a big load of expensive overhead, there’s no going back.

DU already has a much more advanced system than this unnamed site. Not only that, but we got the following:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=233335&mesg_id=233335
So, I think it's safe to say that the "big load of expensive overhead" is already in place and "there’s no going back".
If keeping DU running requires roughly the amount of money mentioned, it's probably safe to assume that the costs are in the hundreds of thousands each month (well over a million per year!). I don't know about you but I doubt the occasional fund raiser and the ads pull in that much money, especially with the current state of the economy.

So, where's the extra money coming from? I don't know of too many things that could pull in that kind of money on a regular basis while allowing enough time to manage the current site and the creation of the new one. Not many of the ways are legal...

So, how do you think Skinner is hauling in the "tens of thousands of donations", "many with at least three zeros each after the comma", "EVERY month like clock work"?

[greendog]

1. RimJob has an expensive drug habit and Skinner is his supplier.

[Iggo]

2. Technically, it's only illegal in 49 states and the District Of Columbia.

And that's all's I'm sayin', know'm say'n?

[eyepaddle]

3. You have Cleek's "pie filter" don't you.

Do you rmemeber Darrel?

[MilesColtrane]

4. This country? You gotta make the money first.

Then when you getta money, you getta power.

Then when you getta power, you starta progressive website.

[kayakjohnny]

5. I think he sells our old threads on ebay.

People pay for that crap, ya know.

And he's got 10 year's worth.

That's job security.

[many a good man]

13. Wrapped in dirty diapers

Skinner's a Saint, much as it kills me to say it.

[krispos42]

6. Don't tell the admins, but...

...I know their dirty dark secret.


Whenever somebody gets "tombstoned", they really get tombstoned! And the Admins sell their organs on the black market to wealthy individuals in Europe and America.




Far too often, a few days after a troll gets the granite cookie, this happens in the dead of night:


This was taken from a "cheating husband cam" one evening. It's the last frame before things get unspeakably ugly.




If I don't post again, you can guess what happened! :scared:

[rurallib]

7. I think he has a seriously great printer set up in his basement

that's all I am saying.

[wysimdnwyg]

8. Rob is...

Definitely a dingbat

[HappyCynic]

12. How did I forget?

How did I forget to include "Robb is a dingbat" as an option?!?

[Renew Deal]

9. Skinner is in the funeral business

He sells tombstones.

[bluesbassman]

10. No, Skinner and crew just actually know what they're doing.

The bigger question is where do all the contributions to "that other site" go? A doublewide in Fresno can't cost that damn much. :rofl:

[Kaleva]

11. Another unnamed site says Skinner is a paid Repub operative.

[Forkboy]

14. He stole my innocence.

:(