...as Hanukkah Harry (and his clones) stand by. On Moische! On Herschel! On Schlomo!

Many of you are aware that I've been involved in hosting online web, mail and list services -- first specifically for queer/LGBT, HIV, and BDSM communities as the QueerNet Project since 1991, and since 2001, to wider audiences of interest and access need under the auspices of Online Policy Group. We are in need of support as much or more than at any other time in our near-17-year existence; the notice I sent out to our direct clients and to the subscribers to lists I host can be found below.



Please read, and help if you can possibly do so. And if you don't mind, please link to it and pass it on.



(Comments screened so you can reach me privately if you need to.)



*****



Another year has nearly passed, and once again, we seize this opportunity to look back at what we've accomplished this year, and where we've fallen short... and to ask you and your friends and organizations to help us continue providing services. for another year, and to improve them.



Online Policy Group and its hosting services, including the QueerNet Project, are supported entirely by donations. As Internet users have become accustomed to commercial messages and content restrictions, it's become more difficult for us to fund our activities entirely by donation. We sought the assistance of foundations this year, but were unable to find public donations that were willing to fund infrastructure that supports multiple communities and projects -- they are looking to fund direct delivery organizations and projects, in more narrowly-defined areas.



And so, this year, for the first time since we started non-profit donation-supported services in the mid-1990s, we have raised significantly less money than we've spent, and have had to keep the organization supplying services using significant donations from the OPG board itself, over and above our usual contributions. And this is despite the fact that we have cut our operating costs back from approximately $40k to under $12k a year, while keeping hosting services in operation.



Further, we have not replaced our servers in longer than their typical service lifecycle, and we've suffered outages as a direct result. Typical production servers are kept in use for three years; our newer system is approaching the five-year mark, and the older one is approaching eight years. Hardware and software errors resulting from this extended upgrade cycle are responsible for the vast majority of downtime suffered this year. Server replacement would cost us an additional $5k or so; we could then rehabilitate the existing systems at minimal cost, which would also provide us with standby capacity to reduce downtime even further.



If we can raise $15k to $18k, here's what we can do in 2008:

- Pay our monthly service bills

- Upgrade our servers and provide standby capability

- Update the OPG website and restore online support request capability

- Upgrade our list/community services with newer, easier-to-use software



And if we cannot, here's what we can do in 2008:

- At some point, turn the lights out.



If you're interested in our continuing to provide email, list and website hosting services to yourself, your community, and other communities in need of access -- or, as we say, One Internet with Equal Access for All -- here's how you can help: with a donation by check, money order, credit card (or other payment via PayPal), vested stock, or usable equipment.



For details about stock and equipment donation, see http://www.onlinepolicy.org/donate/



To donate by check or money order, please make your item payable to Online Policy Group and mail it to:



Online Policy Group

5212 19th Ave NE

Seattle WA 98105



(Some checks received this year have gone unprocessed and returned, due to lack of accounting support. It is now possible for us to handle deposits properly. But if it is at all possible, please make donations via PayPal, as documented below -- this requires significantly less processing for us, and ultimately, costs us less for typical donations, even once the service fee is withheld.)



You can make a one-time payment via PayPal to donate@onlinepolicy.org. But if you can afford to, our operation works best when we can determine an ongoing stream of income -- so we wecome your signing up at http://www.onlinepolicy.org/donate/ for a monthly contribution.



Online Policy Group is a registered non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the US tax code, and as a result, contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the IRS. (And if your employer offers donation matching, or your organization raises funds for non-profits, please consider supplementing your donation with these sources.)



None of our staff is paid (with the exception of some accounting assistance), so nearly every dollar you give goes to keeping us up and providing services. Please help keep us on the air -- and turning up the volume -- for another year.



Thank you.

Roger B.A. Klorese

President, Online Policy Group

Founder, QueerNet Project

At the New Corporate Masters' user conference closing night party:



Cheap Trick live.

If we were to happen to be in NYC on Saturday, November 3, and could see one play or musical, what would you recommend?

We're sitting waiting for the light to change, and it's already yellow in the crossing direction, when a guy comes barreling across the street in front of us...



..wearing a "Choose Life" t-shirt.

Returning from brunch today -- thanks, uppityfaggot for the HotDishy goodness:



DisilluionMint Gum -- the flavor doesn't last very long at all.

You Are 92% NYC

Congratulations, you are truly a New Yorker. You've seen it all, and you're more than a little cynical.

Writer: "Do you want to meet Chewbacca?"

Actor: "Yeah, that's the real Chewbacca."

Actress: "I know Chewbacca's mother."

Actor: "No, you don't, you know Jar Jar Binks' mother."