P.O. Box for PAL donations goes live!

[Sergeant]

I have dubbed this program G.O.R.E. (you figure it out, it's not that cryptic).

So, here's how it works:


A donation is received through the postal box.
A donation is made via paypal by myself in the amount received. Any instructions that came with the payment will be included. For total donation amounts of $100 or less, the donation will be sent through paypal the day it is received. For donations totalling $101 or more, I will deposit it before sending it through paypal.
A follow on e-mail is sent to Elly and the person donating. Notifying site admin of the donation, who it is for and any other pertinent information needed to complete the donation.
The user's name, forum name, e-mail address, donation amount and date received will be tracked on a custom written program (thanks to Zodiac's husband for this!) to keep a clean record of what was received, when and by who as well as the effective dates of the donation.
With the above logged information, we will be able to send an e-mail to the user on the last month (about 2.5 weeks out) of their donation to allow time for the donation to be renewed, if desired, so their status remains unchanged.
This postal box will be used for no other purpose than receiving donations for this site and any other associate sites run by our dear admins.
Your personal information sent with donation will not be distributed, sold or given to ANYONE with the exception of passing necessary info to the admins so the donation can be completed. It will be used for no other purpose than this donation program.
Donations must be in US funds. Acceptable forms are cash (please send in a security envelop or secure packaging), personal checks or money orders. All non-cash donations (checks & money orders) MUST be made out to me so I can deposit them to my account, otherwise the donation will have to be returned.

Here is the spanking new address to use:

Sergeant Joshua Tripp
Attn: PAL Donation
P.O. Box 25162
Scott AFB, IL 62225

When you send a donation, please include:


Real Name
Forum Name
E-mail address
Instructions for disbursement (i.e. a $20 total donation, spread it out $2/month for 10 months)

Also, the mailbox costs $24 for six months. It's very cheap. I've already received word from two people who want to split the cost with me. So as of right now, it's costing each of us only $16 per YEAR. If any of you want to chip in a buck or two to that, it will be appreciated. If you do and the post box has been paid up for the year, I will deposit that amount in my paypal account. If in the future the box gets shutdown because I move or some similar situation, I will keep a log of what money has been collected and from whom it came. At that time, I will contact the people concerned and ask you what you'd like to do with it, whether it be a refund to you, a PAL donation on your behalf (if enough) or a single, flat donation to the site.

I realize some will have issued with sending someone money in the mail. I realize you have to make payments in my name and I realize it is an issue of trust and trustworthiness. I wish there was some way to reassure you all. I hold this site and it's admins in the highest regards. I will treat your donation and personal information with the utmost of care, privacy and integrity. You will be included in any correspondence to the site admin referring to your donation.

Zodiac is going to be the first to make her donation in this method and several of you have expressed interest in doing the same. I encourage you all to give it a shot. Once you see how well it works, word will spread, more will donate and we may be able to keep this site off the chopping block. We all love this site, especially the forums. This is an easy way we can help safeguard it's future.

It doesn't cost much for your support. A minimum of $1 per month is all that's required for PAL status. If you make a donation that amounts to less than that, your donation will still be valid but you will not have PAL status. That is a site directive, not mine. So please, most all of us can afford $1 per month. For a measly $12 (minimum remember) bucks you can secure PAL status for a whole YEAR and help support this site and the phenomenal people who run it and shoulder much of the financial burden.

You have my word, on the reputation I've made for myself here as an upstanding guy that your money is in good, safe hands with me. There are many people here who would vouch the same of me. My ONLY interest in this is to help this site stay afloat and prosper as long as it can. Nor I or anyone else helping me will make ANY money off this. All money will go to either Elly and crew or to pay for the mailbox, depending on your own instructions. With that, I open the floor for discussion and let the donations begin!

EDIT: Also, appreciate if an admin can sticky this somewhere and get the word to the other forums. I'm sure there are lots of people out there who would like to get in on this and donate.

[axeil]

Hey sarge, thanks for doing this again. Got the envelope addressed and I just need to get stamps and then It'll be there. Thanks again! :)

[Killfrenzy]

Well, It'll be a lil bit of a hassle getting my Canadian $$$ transfered into US funds, but I'll do what i can

mods i say sticky this thread so we can all easily see the address to send to in these dark times

[Empired]

This really is a great idea... thanks, Zodiac and Sarge. This'll make it so much easier to donate. My donation will be in the mail tomorrow.

[Sergeant]

I've PM'd Gaile and Freet requesting they sticky this thread, we'll wait that one out. For now, it's enough that it's on the front page and we'll do our best to keep it visible for all to see.

[DurfBarian]

Boy this thread is Uber-cool! If only there were some Method of keeping it in the Public eye . . .

Good work, guys.

[Sergeant]

Boy this thread is Uber-cool! If only there were some Method of keeping it in the Public eye . . .

Good work, guys.

Durf, your blatant subtlty is completely unacceptable.

[dodomac]

I have a question. Say a well-to-do gentleman was to allocate an outlandish sum of money to donate to this site (for example's sake, 1,000,000). If the donation was more than enough to last the site for a good while, would Elly pocket the extra money? Do the moderators get a salary? How is this handled?

**Note: I am not a well-to-do gentleman [ not yet ]

[Dj_Otaku]

Can we like get this sticky plskthx.

Dj_Otaku

[Anyee]

I have a question. Say a well-to-do gentleman was to allocate an outlandish sum of money to donate to this site (for example's sake, 1,000,000). If the donation was more than enough to last the site for a good while, would Elly pocket the extra money? Do the moderators get a salary? How is this handled?

**Note: I am not a well-to-do gentleman [ not yet ]

Elly would most likely keep it in the D2 Paypal account, which also serves as a bank account. She would not access the money herself unless given permission to do so. I have found the admins to be above reproach when it comes to monetary matters. Please trust me when I say the slow turnaround in Palness is not due to laziness, but due to other factors beyond everyone's control.

[zodiac66]

Lets keep this at the top!

[Dredd]

Thank you, Sergeant, for providing a wonderful, community-created method for donating to this site. diabloii.net has been my home page for around three years now and I'd hate to see it vanish.

I wonder if there is anything else we as a community can do to help improve the quality and content of this site and perhaps even reduce the costs to maintain it. I can only donate a few dollars here and there, but I do have a wealth of time to give.

At any rate, one thing at a time I suppose. ;) This thread needs to be stickied!

[llad12]

Nice idea Sarge ... very commendable :thumbsup:

[Sergeant]

I have a question. Say a well-to-do gentleman was to allocate an outlandish sum of money to donate to this site (for example's sake, 1,000,000). If the donation was more than enough to last the site for a good while, would Elly pocket the extra money? Do the moderators get a salary? How is this handled?

**Note: I am not a well-to-do gentleman [ not yet ]

I'm thinking Elly would hang onto it in the D2 PayPal account. I think the Admins here have proved themselves to be trustworthy with the money put in their charge. I don't think Elly would do such a thing as take money donated to support the site and use it for personal means.

*NOTE TO ALL*

We are currently in a brief holding pattern while Gaile gets word to Elly and probably Rush. Since the call is in the hands of Elly and Rush, it's only appropriate we have their backing before going full bore. Gaile has given me her thanks and approval, as has OneMadOgre. Now we're just waiting on word from Elly and Rush. Once (and if) we have their backing, we will blow this thing wide open. For the people who have already sent money by the time they read this, don't worry, your money will be safe while we wait on word from our dear admins.

Elly has been unavailable for a short while and Gaile is working very hard at getting word to her so we don't lose the momentum that's been built up from interest in this. Be patient and keep encouraging and supporting this program and this site. If the admins see an overwhelming outpouring of support, it'd be hard for them to turn down so many who are ready and willing, eager, to help. I'm so priveleged to be doing this and if anyone has ideas to improve this process or help out in it in anyway, please let us know.

No one's mentioned the desire to do something like this in Canada, Asia or Europe for those in those areas to make similar donations easier. Thanks for all your support and keep it up, no one here wants to look for another site like this cause we all know there just isn't one with this kind of community. :xsmile5:

[Starfishied]

Heheh.. that reminds me that my contribution will be over next month. Time to refill the PAL status. :)

[Nastie_Bowie]

Sarge,

See my post (#67) in your other thread.

All of these checks and money orders will be made out to you personally. It would be teh suxxor if the IRS wants to consider this income for you. You should look into this. I am sure that proper recordkeeping is a must here for this reason. Please seek proffessional advice here.

Very commendable actions, sir!

NB :thumbsup:

~edit~ If the IRS thinks you are screwing them, they will take your money from your account without any notice and then the burden of proof is on you. Meanwhile, your mortgage or car payment check bounces, and people are pissed at you for being a "deadbeat."

Not sure, but, if the donations go over $600.00 a year, then they can look at it, I believe. Please, be careful.

[jaxmax]

No one's mentioned the desire to do something like this in Canada, Asia or Europe for those in those areas to make similar donations easier. Thanks for all your support and keep it up, no one here wants to look for another site like this cause we all know there just isn't one with this kind of community. :xsmile5:

Does this mean that it is only people in the US that can donate, or can i do it too as long as i send it to the US? (sorry if it is a stupid question but i never did this kind of thing before)

[cryist]

I have dubbed this program G.O.R.E. (you figure it out, it's not that cryptic).

So, here's how it works:

A donation is received through the postal box.
A donation is made via paypal by myself in the amount received. Any instructions that came with the payment will be included. For total donation amounts of $100 or less, the donation will be sent through paypal the day it is received. For donations totalling $101 or more, I will deposit it before sending it through paypal.
A follow on e-mail is sent to Elly and the person donating. Notifying site admin of the donation, who it is for and any other pertinent information needed to complete the donation.
The user's name, forum name, e-mail address, donation amount and date received will be tracked on a custom written program (thanks to Zodiac's husband for this!) to keep a clean record of what was received, when and by who as well as the effective dates of the donation.
With the above logged information, we will be able to send an e-mail to the user on the last month (about 2.5 weeks out) of their donation to allow time for the donation to be renewed, if desired, so their status remains unchanged.
This postal box will be used for no other purpose than receiving donations for this site and any other associate sites run by our dear admins.
Your personal information sent with donation will not be distributed, sold or given to ANYONE with the exception of passing necessary info to the admins so the donation can be completed. It will be used for no other purpose than this donation program.
Donations must be in US funds. Acceptable forms are cash (please send in a security envelop or secure packaging), personal checks or money orders. All non-cash donations (checks & money orders) MUST be made out to me so I can deposit them to my account, otherwise the donation will have to be returned.

Here is the spanking new address to use:

Sergeant Joshua Tripp
Attn: PAL Donation
P.O. Box 25162
Scott AFB, IL 62225

When you send a donation, please include:

Real Name
Forum Name
E-mail address
Instructions for disbursement (i.e. a $20 total donation, spread it out $2/month for 10 months)

Also, the mailbox costs $24 for six months. It's very cheap. I've already received word from two people who want to split the cost with me. So as of right now, it's costing each of us only $16 per YEAR. If any of you want to chip in a buck or two to that, it will be appreciated. If you do and the post box has been paid up for the year, I will deposit that amount in my paypal account. If in the future the box gets shutdown because I move or some similar situation, I will keep a log of what money has been collected and from whom it came. At that time, I will contact the people concerned and ask you what you'd like to do with it, whether it be a refund to you, a PAL donation on your behalf (if enough) or a single, flat donation to the site.

I realize some will have issued with sending someone money in the mail. I realize you have to make payments in my name and I realize it is an issue of trust and trustworthiness. I wish there was some way to reassure you all. I hold this site and it's admins in the highest regards. I will treat your donation and personal information with the utmost of care, privacy and integrity. You will be included in any correspondence to the site admin referring to your donation.

Zodiac is going to be the first to make her donation in this method and several of you have expressed interest in doing the same. I encourage you all to give it a shot. Once you see how well it works, word will spread, more will donate and we may be able to keep this site off the chopping block. We all love this site, especially the forums. This is an easy way we can help safeguard it's future.

It doesn't cost much for your support. A minimum of $1 per month is all that's required for PAL status. If you make a donation that amounts to less than that, your donation will still be valid but you will not have PAL status. That is a site directive, not mine. So please, most all of us can afford $1 per month. For a measly $12 (minimum remember) bucks you can secure PAL status for a whole YEAR and help support this site and the phenomenal people who run it and shoulder much of the financial burden.

You have my word, on the reputation I've made for myself here as an upstanding guy that your money is in good, safe hands with me. There are many people here who would vouch the same of me. My ONLY interest in this is to help this site stay afloat and prosper as long as it can. Nor I or anyone else helping me will make ANY money off this. All money will go to either Elly and crew or to pay for the mailbox, depending on your own instructions. With that, I open the floor for discussion and let the donations begin!

EDIT: Also, appreciate if an admin can sticky this somewhere and get the word to the other forums. I'm sure there are lots of people out there who would like to get in on this and donate.
Well if it is possable to get this stickyed in all the forums you would get more responses back, considering that not all people that use the forums come to the OTF..

[AeroJonesy]

Need some ideas on how you can support dii.net?


Mow someone's lawn once a month
Shovel someone's snow
Babysit
House sit
Pet sit (don't actually sit on the pets, experience has shown that this is not good)
Beat your friends in poker and yoink their money
Learn how to pick pockets
Go into politics and just take some
Become a CEO, say you'll fire a bunch of peopel so your stock goes up a quarter of a point. Multiply that by your 4 million shares, and you're a millionaire!
Go one day without food, and spend your food money here
Go one day without smoking/drinking *gasp* and spend your sin money here ;)
Sell your children on ebay
Sell yourself on ebay
Sell yourself on the street corner
Rob a bank
Print your own money. Just make sure it's not a 3-dollar bill with Durf's face on it. I don't think you'd be able to pass that in many stores.
Go back in time to the Old West and rob the train carrying the master money printing plates
Hell, since you've got a time machine, go back to 1998 and bet someone that in 5 years the Bengals won't have a losing season. Or bet that the Cubs will make the NLCS.
Check under the couch cushions of everyone's house you go to
Look behind people's ears. Magicians always find money there.
Shop somewhere having a "the more you buy, the more you save" sale, and buy lots of stuff. Send in all the money you saved.
Eat giraffes
Grow your hair out really long, then cut it off and sell it to a wig store
Dance naked for pennies (you're not that good looking)
Play an instrument on a street corner
Sit on a street corner with a sign that says "my online personality is homless, ah screw it, why lie, my online personality wants beer"
Sell AOL CDs as futuristic coasters


That's just a small sampling of things you can do to earn money to support your favorite website. Now get out there and get busy!

[Sp4rtacus]

when it gets warmer out im going to start improvising with one of my friends in front of this small pizza place down the street from me, ill see what i can scrounge meanwhile.

[TheDarkSide]

Ok Ive made a pay - pal account and started the verification process and donated today - twice - but who do i email my information to ? I didnt see Elle in the members list . Did I over look it or does she go by a moderator name that I dont know ? ANy help here would be appreciated .

[Sergeant]

Elly is an admin so she won't show up in the member list. Send an e-mail to elly@diabloii.net. You could make doubly sure by also PM'ing her. Her username is Elly. Elly is a site admin and this is essentially her site. She handles the pal status and donations.

Remember, it's elly with a y, not elle with an e. When your donation is accepted, you'll see it was sent to Eleanor Davis. That's Elly.

[SaroDarksbane]

Do the moderators get a salary?
I wish. =p

Seriously though, we don't need a salary. We have way too much fun editing other people's post and banning spammers. Ooh, another one! *BAN* :jig:

In any case, I hope this snailmail method goes through. I want to donate but I dislike PayPal. >.<

[MixedVariety]

Nice work, starting with Anyee and following up with the actions by Sergeant and Zodiac. And anyone else who has helped.
I do hope Elly throws everyone a big party if this is successful.

[zodiac66]

Nice work, starting with Anyee and following up with the actions by Sergeant and Zodiac. And anyone else who has helped.
I do hope Elly throws everyone a big party if this is successful.

At the very least, I would hope all the OTF ladies would get the pleasure to see a congo line full of scantily clad OTF males. I certainly think that would be an appropriate party :xirish:

[MixedVariety]

At the very least, I would hope all the OTF ladies would get the pleasure to see a congo line full of scantily clad OTF males. I certainly think that would be an appropriate party :xirish:
I'll play if it will help attract more ladies to our site. But I wonder how many OTF ladies there are? Seems the supply is dwindling over time.

[Rigel Kent]

Whew! I've been waiting for something like this! As every debt-saddled college survivor can tell you, credit cards are more trouble than they're worth, and Paypal's not much better.

Before I closed it, my Paypal account was frozen for investigation not once but twice. I was unable to pay for my eBay purchases, and had to do the money order thing for several weeks each time. Each time, my account was eventually unfrozen when they finally figured out, duh-huh, duh-huh, I wasn't actually involved in what they were investigating.

Then I personally watched my two best friends' Paypal accounts get password-swiped and their savings accounts drained dry through it. Paypal took almost a month to put the requested hold on their account and did not cooperate with their bank's investigation. At that point, I was awful glad I got out when I did.

Besides, when I visited diabloii.net/paypal to see what it had to say, I couldn't read the page. The monocolor background seemed to have been taken over by a full size Carl's Jr. ad for the low carb six dollar burger. Life size Flash animated image and text too! Yummy for tummy, but ouchie for eyes.

Groaning and horror stories aside, though, I'm pulling out a donation and licking a stamp. That's what it's all about! Uh, maybe see about taking the hamburger off the donation page though?

[Nword]

At the very least, I would hope all the OTF ladies would get the pleasure to see a congo line full of scantily clad OTF males. I certainly think that would be an appropriate party :xirish:

No congo for me, I'm only 16 and too skinny :D

But I could help with the vocals ;)

I will send money once I get some more money in my hands... :)

[SomeCanadianGuy]

Big, buff military man does it perfectly.

Damn you Sarge... Looks like I'm gonna have to pony up the dough now, aren't I? :p

Quick question from an out-of-towner:

If I try sending a sizeable lump of money across the border into the States, are there going to be any extra fees that'll be charged to me or someone? Like if you order stuff off of ebay, and have it sent to Canada from the States, you have to pay the GST once it gets here. Is there anything like that I'd have to worry about?

[Canadia142]

Well if it is possable to get this stickyed in all the forums you would get more responses back, considering that not all people that use the forums come to the OTF..


Never again quote as much as you did to just type two lines. Either erase it, shorten it very much or use quick reply.


Sarge good idea.

[toader]

10 CHARACTER BUMBAGE (http://www.alcofielen.com/pics/forumpics/threadsSUCK/spam/spamsign.jpg)

[cryist]

nice link toad, rofl. a bump for me..:drink: and a drink on me..

[zodiac66]

Big, Ugly, Mama says to keep this at the top Please

[Sergeant]

Quick question from an out-of-towner:

If I try sending a sizeable lump of money across the border into the States, are there going to be any extra fees that'll be charged to me or someone? Like if you order stuff off of ebay, and have it sent to Canada from the States, you have to pay the GST once it gets here. Is there anything like that I'd have to worry about?

Well, how much exactly are we talking here? Amount aside, you're not buying anything. There's no commersce or business transactions going on. It's a donation to a non-profit site from one private citizen to another. Honestly, if it's non-cash, like a money order or someting; put it in a security envelope (the kind you can't see inside of) and send it off. No one will know what's in there anyhow.

PM me if you don't want to post the details of your donation here.

[Raft Boy]

I have dubbed this program G.O.R.E. (you figure it out, it's not that cryptic).
Go Outside, Rank Excuses? :scratch:

Nice job, Sarge, zodiac, and Anyee. You reminded me to donate some more.

-Rafty

[Jonas]

Definately going out to
Buy some stamps, bUy an envelope, and send Money to that P.O. box.

Really!

[MixedVariety]

By the way, stupid question perhaps or maybe I missed reading a post, but:

Do any mods at all know you are doing this great thing? Elly, Gaile, Freet? Anyone? Will there suddenly be a deluge of money and information that threatens to overwhelm Elly when she gets back to checking out Palhood entries?

[Sergeant]

ALL of the admins are aware of our intentions. Problem is I've been in communication with Rush who was in communication with Elly.

The long and short of it is this: They do not feel a PO box is a good idea. So, for those who have sent money to it already, please let me know via PM if you have and what you would like me to do with the check, whether it be rip it up or return it to you.

I apologize for this everyone. I had so hoped this idea would get the approval of all the admins and we'd be in business. However, from their perspective, a PO box is just too risky and they have the integrity and responsibility to protect this site and they feel it's an unnecessary risk.

So please be clear:

DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY TO THE PO BOX. The po box donations won't be accepted anymore. I will deal with those who have sent on an individual basis and will close the box immediately. I'm so sorry friends, it's a bummer for me as well.

[MixedVariety]

I'm sorry to hear about that, Serge. It was a good idea, though I can understand the possibly legal intricacies of the mods having to deal with it if something went wrong. Still, too bad about it. I commend your efforts, and Zodiac's.
Nice try. Perhaps the admins and helpers will still come up with something. There are so many people willing to donate but faced with so much difficulty it is nigh impossible.

[Clacker]

ok,I have briefly read over the thread. I want to donate some money to this site (about 15 $). And you want me to send you my money and you can tell them that i sent it? If so i have another question on the next Thing I post.

[SomeCanadianGuy]

And so I guess my original query becomes pointless...

Boy I Understand the Many possible Problems of having a P.O. Box, but if it's more money they want, it's one of the best ways to increase accessibility to donating.

[LunarSolaris]

Wow, I just read the post and the change... bummer. I thought it was a great idea, but at the same time, I can understand where the admins would be coming from with regards to risk. Basically, if anything were to go wrong with money (for whatever reason) - the site ultimately would be targeted... at least, that's my take on it from a risk analysis standpoint.

Still though, I have to imagine that there is a way to get people who cannot donate via paypal some method for donation.

Are the admins planning on setting up a P.O. box then? I'll hope so. Either way, I'll help out in any way that I can.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Let's brainstorm folks, there must be a way to create an accountable way to send donations with zero risk to the senders or the admins...

Perhaps this has been discussed before, but is there a reason the site can't create a PO box if there are those of us that are willing to shell out the funds to keep it up? I'd be willing to donate a year's worth for a PO Box if the admins could get it to work, and I'm sure that there are others that would too.

Can you use those pre-paid credit cards like the VISA Bux or whatever? If so, could people overseas buy those cards and use them to create a paypal account?

What exactly is the problem here, so that we can try to work it out?

[cleanupguy]

Your post inspired me to donate to this site. I've always wanted to donate to this great site, but my lazy butt just hasn't done it. I was thinking to myself that there is someone who is not really affiliated with the site other than through being a visitor is doing something to keep this great site open. So, I got off my lazy butt and donated through paypal.

Everyone at Dii.net:

Keep up the good job. You guys are awesome the way you have kept this awesome site up without getting paid.

[Sergeant]

Let's brainstorm folks, there must be a way to create an accountable way to send donations with zero risk to the senders or the admins...

Perhaps this has been discussed before, but is there a reason the site can't create a PO box if there are those of us that are willing to shell out the funds to keep it up? I'd be willing to donate a year's worth for a PO Box if the admins could get it to work, and I'm sure that there are others that would too.

Can you use those pre-paid credit cards like the VISA Bux or whatever? If so, could people overseas buy those cards and use them to create a paypal account?

What exactly is the problem here, so that we can try to work it out?

Pierrot and others, based on my pm's with all the mods save only Elly, here's the gist of it. They all love the idea, some more than others. The problem they are running into is accountability.

Basically they are saying if I (or another user, presumably) runs this sort of program, any one of us could take the money and vanish from the forums one day and the site would be legally obligated to provide a PAL status for donations that haven't even been received.

However, in my program, the donation is MADE to the site. They get the money before they have to lift a finger. I guess I don't understand why this isn't acceptable. There is ZERO risk to the site. Someone sends me the money, I make the donation on their behalf and the admins update the user's status. The only risk is to the person sending me the money. The site has no legal responsibility for someone sending me money, how can they? I'm not a site admin, an employee or even a business associate. I'm Joe Blow fan who comes here on my own accord and who has volunteered to do something to help out if I can.

Does ANYONE see any risk or legal ramifications to the site in this system? Cause I sure don't. They don't pay for the postal box, they don't have to deal with the checks or the users. All they have to do is receive the money from paypal (which they do now and will do in their automated system) and update the user's status. I just don't get it. Their obligations would be no different than they are now.

Eveyone here knows I am not an admin or a mod. It's easy to see I am just a user like everyone else. Most anyone who's been at the OTF for at least the last two years knows who I am.

Most people who know me I would venture to say would trust me, even some of the people who don't particularily like me would say there's no reason to believe I would take someone's money and run. I may be disagreeable sometimes but I never compromise on my beliefs and my honor.

I mean, I just don't understand the reluctance. For their end, the process is no different than it is now. They've taken donations from people in the past on behalf of other users, how is this different?

I mean, hypothetically, if we went ahead anyhow, would they refuse the money from paypal if it was coming from me for another user?

Does anyone else see something wrong with any of this? Don't get me wrong. I have mountains of respect for these people. They've been slaving at these sites for seven years and paying out of pocket for the most part, several thousand a month I think. So I can see cause for concern if this was something that involved a risk on their part. However, they don't have to do anything different than they are already doing.

I guess I'm a whole bunch confused. Is it possible we're getting our lines crossed and they are misunderstanding how this works or what?

[cleanupguy]

I know that this is off topic, but when do you get the pal status after donation?

[Pierrot le Fou]

Having a semi-official program probably wouldn't sit well with the admins, as they'd be essentially tacitly approving of the program by having it advertised here while they could have no control over whether or not it would be okay. Also, if you did it, then other people could just as easily, and some of them are doubtlessly less scrupulous than you are.

I trust you with my cash, but some other members may do the same and create a false reputation for themselves to get a bunch of unearned cash from trusting members.

It's one of those sad times where folks just can't be trusted on the whole...

Perhaps if you put in your sig that you offer people help with paypal donations, they may allow that? Then it'd be totally voluntary and not associated with the site in any official or semi-official capacity. You should ask before doing that however...

Perhaps you could ask the admins if you could make a PO Box and have all the mail forwarded to one of them, so that you would in no way be able to touch the money, and they wouldn't have to reveal a mailing address? Though that may pose the same problems...

[Sergeant]

Having a semi-official program probably wouldn't sit well with the admins, as they'd be essentially tacitly approving of the program by having it advertised here while they could have no control over whether or not it would be okay. Also, if you did it, then other people could just as easily, and some of them are doubtlessly less scrupulous than you are.

I trust you with my cash, but some other members may do the same and create a false reputation for themselves to get a bunch of unearned cash from trusting members.

It's one of those sad times where folks just can't be trusted on the whole...

Perhaps if you put in your sig that you offer people help with paypal donations, they may allow that? Then it'd be totally voluntary and not associated with the site in any official or semi-official capacity. You should ask before doing that however...

Perhaps you could ask the admins if you could make a PO Box and have all the mail forwarded to one of them, so that you would in no way be able to touch the money, and they wouldn't have to reveal a mailing address? Though that may pose the same problems...

Pierrot, the ONLY thing I can think of that makes any sense is what you said. That by saying I have their ok to do it, it implies their support of it. Then if I screwed a lot of people (or if someone came up with a similar plan and defrauded them) the site would come under a lot of criticism. I can see that and can under stand that. But, it wouldn't be all that hard to refuse donations from someone else. I mean, I could be the sole postal donations point.

That way, non-paypal donations are coming from ONE place and they know the person who's receiving them and then paying the site VIA PAYPAL, their preferred method.

See, they don't want to deal with checks or mail in donations because it creates another system they have to spend time on when they are already insaneley busy. I wouldn't want to do it either if I was them. But with my method, they never have to deal with or touch the money. I handle that hassle for them and send it to the site electronically.

They don't even have to advertise it here. I could promote it in my sig, like you said. I could promote it in my blog, on my website and in chat. It would all be the word of mouth and person to person advertisement. The site wouldn't have to give any verbal or written support of any kind. I don't want recognition from them anyway, I just want to help. All they have to do to show their support is accept the money, something that shouldn't be that hard for websites in financially hard times.

See, if the people donating trust me with their money, why shouldn't the site trust the money that's coming from me. I mean, they DO get it before they have to grant PAL status. They don't have to go out on a limb and give someone PAL status based on my or anyone else's word. They have the money in hand to justify the PAL status.

[ZeppelinAngel]

speaking of sergeants, one called me again today, damn army really wants me bad, they like to bribe it seems

[Raft Boy]

Dang, it's a shame that this isn't going to work. It would have been a great way for young members and those without credit cards to donate.

The only suggestion that I can come up with is to have current Pals with PAYPAL accounts to donate for others. I believe you've done that before, haven't you Sarge? I mean, what's to stop people from PM'ing a Pal, and setting up an arrangement similar to this? Send a check to the Pal, Pal donates for that person, and the site gets the funds that way. While not 'official', maybe that could be added to the Support Dii.net page?

I don't know. That's just off the top of my head. Maybe something else will come up in the next few days.

-Rafty

[zodiac66]

Dang, it's a shame that this isn't going to work. It would have been a great way for young members and those without credit cards to donate.

The only suggestion that I can come up with is to have current Pals with PAYPAL accounts to donate for others. I believe you've done that before, haven't you Sarge? I mean, what's to stop people from PM'ing a Pal, and setting up an arrangement similar to this? Send a check to the Pal, Pal donates for that person, and the site gets the funds that way. While not 'official', maybe that could be added to the Support Dii.net page?

I don't know. That's just off the top of my head. Maybe something else will come up in the next few days.

-Rafty

That would be my only way of donating. PayPal scares me.

[Sergeant]

Dang, it's a shame that this isn't going to work. It would have been a great way for young members and those without credit cards to donate.

The only suggestion that I can come up with is to have current Pals with PAYPAL accounts to donate for others. I believe you've done that before, haven't you Sarge? I mean, what's to stop people from PM'ing a Pal, and setting up an arrangement similar to this? Send a check to the Pal, Pal donates for that person, and the site gets the funds that way. While not 'official', maybe that could be added to the Support Dii.net page?

I don't know. That's just off the top of my head. Maybe something else will come up in the next few days.

-Rafty

Yes, I have done it before and no, the admins have never had a problem with it. They've never refused the money. So I'm wondering why this is different. Since it is not official and I've never asked them to endorse it or advertise it. I just asked them if it was ok with them. I'm not asking for a page advertising and explaining it, I'm not asking for recognition of anykind.

The site does not have to endorse it or recognize it, all they have to do is accept the donations and update member status, kinda like what they've been doing all along.

I don't want it mentioned by the admins on this site. By mentioning it, that is the same as endorsing it. For their protection, if it ever were to go sour, they would face criticism and possibly even legal obligations. I don't want that. I want them to be able to receive donations without assuming any risk, that's why I designed it the way I did. It's a system that requires nothing additional of them and no endorsement or risk. The risk is all mine and the person mailing me their money.

See, originally I hadn't even thought to ask them because I didn't see a need to. I wasn't asking anything of them and they didn't have to change how they did anything. THEIR SYSTEM DOESN'T CHANGE. That's why I don't get it. I asked them out of courtesy, as this is their site and a couple people thought it prudent. Well, I know this is their site and wouldn't do something that obligated them without getting their permission. Thing is, this doesn't obligate them in any way beyond what they already do.

I'm not saying I will do this in direct defiance of them but, I will donate on behalf of anyone who wants to donate but can't or refuses to use paypal. You all can read this thread. I will simply stop talking about it. In the future, enough people know about it to know who to ask or who to send others to.

This became a problem when we tried to make a big deal out of it. I should have just kept it low key and I bet none of this hubub would've happened. They would've gotten donations from me on behalf of others and no one would've been the wiser.

It blew out of proportion when it took on the look of an official system, especially since I opened a po box specifically for it. The ONLY reason I opened a PO box was to make others feel comfortable about it. I know it can be a lot to ask someone to send me money to my home address. A po box helps disassociate sending money to a po box FOR the donations as opposed to sending money to me to make the donation for them.

It was simply a comfort feature for the person donating. I have no problem people sending donations directly to me, I just thought a po box would be more acceptable in general.

So, while I respect their responsibility to protect themselves and this site, I won't refuse to make a donation for someone who sends me money. As long as they continue the PAL program it's apparent they still need our support so as long as they do, I will continue to donate and donate on behalf of others.

When they start refusing donations that do not come through their automated system, then I will stop accepting them to me. Until then, so long as they are taking the money I send them, why should they care who it's for? It's made through channels appropriate by them as it's their system. People have done it numerous times in the past so I really don't see this as any different.

I love this site and I will support it in any capacity I can, I will not obligate this site or it's admins to do anything beyond what they already have in place and do.

[Rigel Kent]

Hmmm.

The site owners don't assume any risk at all under the P.O. Box plan. Other people do, though. The owners must want to protect all forum members' interests.

This just means the middleman has to be extra careful in their stead! Perhaps accept only money orders for everybody's protection? Perhaps outline a process for addressing problems? (No forum account name attached, or non-depositable funds?) The grocery store down the block from me issues money orders for roughly the cost of the stamp plus envelope, so I imagine it's not a big deal.

Even if the whole thing blows up, we'll at least be able to provide the site owners with a little statistical data. Armed with data from this P.O. Box program, they'd be in a good position to consider changes to the official donation policy. (i.e., is the N potential snailmail dollars worth the extra paper, accounting, and trips to the bank?)

[1SG Bowie]

It seems that I am late to post this but, because it may be useful in the future so I will post it anyway.

If such a document as this were to be used it would only require that it be copied to word and the personal information filled in. It could then be posted again or another version could be made to send in with any money and signed.

In the past the moderators of this site have placed other posts at the top of a page that allowed donations of game items without it being part of an official service. This was done in part for the express reason of allowing people who post at this site the satisfaction of helping others but, it in no way benefited any operators of this site. Because some of these items had a monetary value this could be considered as precedence for allowing persons to donate for their own self satisfaction.

Being unfamiliar with internet law I was not sure if the site name is the officially registered name or not. This is just a draft but perhaps something like this will be helpful.





I (state full name) do herein proclaim to all publicly that I agree with and will abide by all of the following statements.

I (state full name) do hereby voluntarily send the amount of (state amount here) to Sergeant Joshua Tripp {AKA: Sergeant} in the hope that he will donate such funds to (state official registered name of organization here) on my behalf. I furthermore stipulate that I do this without any expectations that this will in fact be the case.

I also request without any expectations that it will in fact be done that, Sergeant Joshua Tripp ask the administrators of said site to grant me Pal Status for (place amount of time here) based upon any donation that Sergeant Joshua Tripp may make in my name.

I (state full name) do fully realize that undertaking such an action as sending currency in this manner caries severe risks such as but not limited to; failure of money to be delivered at any point along the way, failure of Sergeant Joshua Tripp to honor my request as to what I would like him to do with the money that I have given to him or, mistake in book/record keeping.

I (state full name) do also agree that I will not hold (state official registered name of organization here) or, any administrators, moderators or, other persons associated in anyway with this origination or the web-site that it sponsors legally libel or accountable in anyway whatsoever for this action that I undertake of my own free will.

[I will have to ask one of the Professors of Law where I work on how to formulate the wording of an electronic signature.]

[Sergeant]

It seems that I am late to post this but, because it may be useful in the future so I will post it anyway.

If such a document as this were to be used it would only require that it be copied to word and the personal information filled in. It could then be posted again or another version could be made to send in with any money and signed.

In the past the moderators of this site have placed other posts at the top of a page that allowed donations of game items without it being part of an official service. This was done in part for the express reason of allowing people who post at this site the satisfaction of helping others but, it in no way benefited any operators of this site. Because some of these items had a monetary value this could be considered as precedence for allowing persons to donate for their own self satisfaction.

Being unfamiliar with internet law I was not sure if the site name is the officially registered name or not. This is just a draft but perhaps something like this will be helpful.


I (state full name) do herein proclaim to all publicly that I agree with and will abide by all of the following statements.

I (state full name) do hereby voluntarily send the amount of (state amount here) to Sergeant Joshua Tripp {AKA: Sergeant} in the hope that he will donate such funds to (state official registered name of organization here) on my behalf. I furthermore stipulate that I do this without any expectations that this will in fact be the case.

I also request without any expectations that it will in fact be done that, Sergeant Joshua Tripp ask the administrators of said site to grant me Pal Status for (place amount of time here) based upon any donation that Sergeant Joshua Tripp may make in my name.

I (state full name) do fully realize that undertaking such an action as sending currency in this manner caries severe risks such as but not limited to; failure of money to be delivered at any point along the way, failure of Sergeant Joshua Tripp to honor my request as to what I would like him to do with the money that I have given to him or, mistake in book/record keeping.

I (state full name) do also agree that I will not hold (state official registered name of organization here) or, any administrators, moderators or, other persons associated in anyway with this origination or the web-site that it sponsors legally libel or accountable in anyway whatsoever for this action that I undertake of my own free will.

[I will have to ask one of the Professors of Law where I work on how to formulate the wording of an electronic signature.]

Here's your original idea, edited to how I would word it. I made minimal changes:

I (state full name) do herein proclaim to all publicly that I agree with and will abide by all of the following statements.

I (state full name) do hereby voluntarily send the amount of (state amount here) to Joshua Tripp {AKA: Sergeant} and request that he donate such funds to (state official registered name of organization here) on my behalf. I furthermore stipulate that I do this without any expectations that this will in fact be the case.

I also request without any expectations that it will in fact be done that, Joshua Tripp ask the administrators of said site to grant me PAL Status for (place amount of time here) based upon any donation that Joshua Tripp may make in my name.

I (state full name) do fully realize that undertaking such an action as sending currency in this manner caries severe risks such as but not limited to; failure of money to be delivered at any point along the way, failure of Joshua Tripp to honor my request as to what I would like him to do with the money I have given to him or, mistake in book/record keeping.

I (state full name) do also agree that I will not hold (state official registered name of organization here) or, any administrators, moderators or, other persons associated in anyway with this origination or website(s) that it sponsors legally libel or accountable in anyway whatsoever for this action that I undertake of my own free will.

[Yavanna]

I think the mods would agree with me that this thread needs to be visible.

[Chief JB]

This is me saying thanks for doing this. This is also me blasting this post back to the front so that others can see it.