Neven's "TIP JAR"

[OldLeatherneck]

Many of those members of this forum are also regular commenters and readers of Neven's Arctic Sea Ice Blog.  These members are aware that Neven has provided the blog and this forum as a free service....a true gift to humanity!!  Isn't it nice to participate in an on-line venue without being pestered with pop-up commercials and viewing multiple images of things you don't want or need?

What many of you may not know, in addition to creating and managing the blog and this forum, Neven works for a living, is raising a family and is building a new home.  How he manages to do all of this is truly amazing.

There are times, however, when the expenses associated with the technological needs of these sites becomes burdensome for one lone individual.  Being that Neven would like some financial assistance in upgrading his technology, he created a means of accepting donations via PayPal.  Being the humble soul that he is, he put a donation link on the Arctic Sea Ice Blog, with little or no fanfare.

I would hope that each of you can find a few extra euros to help fund one of the most influential climate sites on the internet.  Your show of support and appreciation may be more important that the amount you choose to donate.

Donation Link is Below:

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=REbRXspCXkS7ZqwfzHKxygUx65ZNwh6gdx62UsPBr0EA6Pzg6yCe2Sit064&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d96fc0752e9614158f04872d2f2ae25dc

[Donna]

Just wanted to say thank you for starting this tread and that I was happy to find where I could contribute.

I am so thankful for this place where I can learn and ask questions and get answers from very knowledgeable people. I've been amazed again and again by the generosity of those willing to share their expertise and opinion.

[Anne]

PayPal links time out very quickly, so this is just to remind you that you can find the tip jar on the top right of the Arctic Sea Ice blog.

[Clare]

Time to pay for another 'movie' ticket, the main feature is just about to start!
Clare

[OldLeatherneck]

Donna, Anne & Clare,

I find it interesting that the  ladies are the only commenters to this thread.

If Neven weren't so humble, he would pin this thread so that it keeps it's visibility.  With all of the new traffic during the melt season, this thread should be "Front & Center."

[ivica]

Neven could have 'blood' connection with sailors from West coast as well from Mediterranean coast hence this song as my contribution to Jar:

[Neven]

Not sailors, Ivica, seljaci (farmers) on both sides. 

OLN, thanks a lot for kicking this thread up again. I'm very grateful for the donations, but luckily my ego is also getting a lot out of this whole project (as my wife keeps reminding me).

However, it is interesting that mostly ladies comment here. Which is why I always maintain that men should be kept out of politics, and let women run the whole world and tell the men what they need to build/engineer. That'd be so awesome.

[Artful Dodger]

Well, your modesty is legend Neven. But I really believe the 'Tips Jar' should be a 'sticky' thread.

Thanks for all that you do! 

[OldLeatherneck]

Neven could have 'blood' connection with sailors from West coast as well from Mediterranean coast hence this song as my contribution to Jar:

Ivica,

Thanks for providing that wonderful Croatian folk music.  When I shared that music with my wife, she immediately wanted to know what language that was and what country it was from.  By the time she was done Googling for information, she declared, "I want to visit the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.

That may actually settle a small domestic dispute we've been having.  We're at the age where we are considering taking one more trip to Europe.  My wife, being an avid historian, and a bit of a Francophile, wants to visit France again.  I, on the other hand, spent three wonderful weeks working with the Portuguese Navy many years ago and have always wanted to go back to the Portuguese Riviera.

We may just decide to go some place we've never been before......Croatia.  Don't be surprised if you and Neven get private messages, within the next year, requesting information about travelling in Croatia, particularly the Dalmatian Coast!!

[ivica]

OldLeatherneck,

Let me add a bit more then, something for your wife and you, connecting history and navigation :-)

A Connecting Sea: Maritime Interaction in Adriatic Prehistory

The Cult of Diomedes in the Adriatic (Diomedes: Protector of navigation in the Adriatic Sea.)

[Clare]

"Donna, Anne & Clare,

I find it interesting that the  ladies are the only commenters to this thread."

Me too, OLN, maybe because we can identify with Mrs Neven being a "Arctic Sea ice' widow specially at this time of year, & want to send her a gesture of goodwill?!

Yes please can you make this a sticky thread Neven, I'm sure folk don't take offence at being 'reminded' about the tip-jar.

[Anne]

*Bump*

Another vote for making it sticky. Neven deserves another tip for the way he moderates the forum with tact and respect.

[DungeonMaster]

Hi all,

Sorry, I've been quite out of the forum these last months...

This topic looks like being sticky to me... otherwise I would have pinned it with pleasure, as I have the technical tools at hand to fight Neven's modesty.

Go on with the good job and good spirit !

[OldLeatherneck]

Neven's "Bragging" Rights!!



That says it all about how successful this forum has been in less than 6 months!!

[Neven]

Cool graph, OLN!

[Vergent]

It looks like an exponential fit, maybe Wipneus will put in the 95% confidence interval.

V

[OldLeatherneck]

It looks like an exponential fit, maybe Wipneus will put in the 95% confidence interval.

V

At the rate of increased participation in this forum we are likely to hit 2,000,000 pages views by the end of August.  If not by then, certainly the first week of September.  The recent Guardian article will probably bring some new viewers.  I'm not going to start another poll for that event.  We're tracking too man important events in the arctic and around the globe.

[Anne]

It looks like an exponential fit, maybe Wipneus will put in the 95% confidence interval.

V

At the rate of increased participation in this forum we are likely to hit 2,000,000 pages views by the end of August.  If not by then, certainly the first week of September.  The recent Guardian article will probably bring some new viewers.  I'm not going to start another poll for that event.  We're tracking too man[y] important events in the arctic and around the globe.

Which is a lot more work.
He's already had to bat away a couple more trolls.
So let's lob a few more Euros in Neven's direction to compensate for time taken away from his housebuilding. 

[ivica]

Link to Neven's ASI on Azimuth blog. (click on the graph to see that)

[Andreas T]

This link doesn't work for me, I get a message:
Sorry — your last action could not be completed
any ideas what is going wrong?

[Neven]

Andreas, this seems to be an occasional problem on PayPal's side. Right now, it's working for me.

[Clare]

Seemed to work just fine for me this morning.
So there's no excuse for others not to (quoting Anne) "lob a few euros Neven's way"!
 
Clare,
heading back out to the vege patch, it's spring down here so a busy time for sowing & planting (and weeding)

[DungeonMaster]

Hi all members and readers,

Please remember that the Tip Jar is available! Who knows, other conferences or Paris COP21 may need Neven...

TIA

Fred

[oren]

Thank you for bringing this up. Would never have found it otherwise.

[DungeonMaster]

I guess it's time for an other Up on this topic...

The Webmaster :-)

[Stephen]

OK, so Google hates you (or hates your SSL certificate in particular).

So how much do I have to donate so you can upgrade to a more widely recognised certificate?

Come on, give me a number (by PM if necessary).  I'm not joking here.

[Neven]

I have offered DungeonMaster, the gentleman who hosts this wonderful forum (and more) on his server, to pay for a certificate using some of the donated money. So far he has graciously declined the offer. Maybe it's time to ask again.

Thanks a lot, Stephen.

[Clare]

Time for another Tip in the Jar, thanks for all your effort here & with the blog, Neven.
Clare

[Neven]

Thanks, Clare! 

[Neven]

I have offered DungeonMaster, the gentleman who hosts this wonderful forum (and more) on his server, to pay for a certificate using some of the donated money. So far he has graciously declined the offer. Maybe it's time to ask again.

Thanks a lot, Stephen.

Stephen, I've asked DungeonMaster. He'll be over here as soon as he's less busy to explain the pros and cons of a security certificate.

[A-Team]

Great site! I'll put up a hundred euros IF we get a post from Mrs. Neven with her views on this whole climate change thing and its downstream effects.

[Neven]

Great site! I'll put up a hundred euros IF we get a post from Mrs. Neven with her views on this whole climate change thing and its downstream effects.

I don't think she'll take you up on that offer, A-Team. 

[A-Team]

Ok then, I tried to donate 100NΔ (New Drachmas) but it jammed up paypal royally, pretty sure it didn't go through.  http://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/Smileys/default/sad.gif

Ever consider looking for charitable foundation support? I noticed a fair number of progressive family foundations supporting Hansen and Romm so they are out there. A common thing to do is ask for 1:1 matching on what you raise from the tip jar, up to x maximum.

The non-intuitive aspect of grant writing is not asking for a large enough sum. (It is too much work to process and monitor small grants.) Here the proposal would ask to build 'professional communications capacity' meaning put staff on salary and update computer and server.

The site is well-known and respected and the timing would be perfect pre-Paris. Grant-writing itself is a potentially major time-waster unless a foundation contacts have already expressed some interest. But a slow pivot from the day job is doable.

[Neven]

Ok then, I tried to donate 100NΔ (New Drachmas) but it jammed up paypal royally, pretty sure it didn't go through.  http://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/Smileys/default/sad.gif

Well, keep trying! 

One can never have enough Drachmas. But let me know if it doesn't work.

Ever consider looking for charitable foundation support? I noticed a fair number of progressive family foundations supporting Hansen and Romm so they are out there. A common thing to do is ask for 1:1 matching on what you raise from the tip jar, up to x maximum.

The non-intuitive aspect of grant writing is not asking for a large enough sum. (It is too much work to process and monitor small grants.) Here the proposal would ask to build 'professional communications capacity' meaning put staff on salary and update computer and server.

The site is well-known and respected and the timing would be perfect pre-Paris. Grant-writing itself is a potentially major time-waster unless a foundation contacts have already expressed some interest. But a slow pivot from the day job is doable.

Individual donations are great, of course, but getting paid for what I do, would be a game changer. Except that I wouldn't know where to start, and I'm no Hansen or Romm. But I'll keep it in mind, thanks.

[A-Team]

One can never have enough Drachmas. But let me know if it doesn't work.

They're saying now it will be a couple months. But my uncle passed away recently in Lagos. He was a vice counselor so it would be cash, mixed currencies. I am looking for a local person there to help me transfer it to my US account.

getting paid for what I do, would be a game changer. Except that I wouldn't know where to start

What sort of monthly budget would it take to sustainably compensate you plus meet office expenses? Would you need a 3 year commitment before switching?

I have unfortunately not moved on very far from "Europe on $5 a Day" so don't have a good sense of costs today. Though someone told me for ten euros now you can get a cup of coffee and stale baguette.

charitable foundation support

From a foundation's perspective, Hansen and Romm are already 'taken' so they are looking to discover the Next Big Thing. Your site is not a risky disruptive concept but instead up-and-running while still a startup in the sense of the  founder's continuing 'cash burn'. So they could still get bragging rights for taking it to the next level in global climate communication. Everyone is scrambling today to have a highly visible program component in climate change.

Individual donations are great, of course

Largish US donors who would see a tax benefit if their donation were charitable (Neven is not 501c3) should contact me about a long established IRS-approved 501c3 4973j passthru entity (no fees) that can manage this legally with proper documentation.

[Neven]

What sort of monthly budget would it take to sustainably compensate you plus meet office expenses? Would you need a 3 year commitment before switching?

To put it simply, I need to make 2500-3000 euros a month (which I'm doing through my translation work) to live comfortably. This might go down in the future, as we're living very cheaply now in our eco-energy-plus home, and we hope to save on food costs through our Victory garden once we have enough experience, possibly sell the car next year, etc.

Maybe a hybrid between the two (translating and saving the world) would be nice.  Translating doesn't pay all that well, but I've established myself and the work so far has given me a certain freedom. I don't know what it would take to give up entirely on translation work. It's also something I would need to discuss with my wife.

But I don't think I'm going to look for it actively. Like The Smiths once sang: You should never go to them, let them come to you. 

[Neven]

Well, coincidentally (or perhaps not) someone came yesterday and dropped a big bag of Drachmas in my tip jar. I don't know if it's enough to bail out Greece, but it sure changed my game for months to come.

[A-Team]

someone came yesterday and dropped a big bag of Drachmas in my tip jar

That's fantastic. I am still going to make a donation for when that runs out ... came across a sack of nouveaux francs the other day cleaning out the attic ... believe they're still accepted for paying local bills, not going to retire there as planned (SLR submersion, coral bleaching), enjoy.

[Donna]

Neven, thank you again for this forum.  I'm continually surprised and delighted to be able to stay informed by the thoughtful commentary and expert opinions of the members. And recently I've been humored by the expert handling of trolls.   

[Neven]

Thanks, Donna. I think the forum has turned into a great place, slightly chaotic (as all forums are to a degree),  but a lot of useful info and original insights can be gleaned. It has become everything I wished for, and more.

[Anne]

Lobbed something in just now as a penance for being rude to a rude person. 
The tip jar can be found on the ASIF blog under Links, as Support and Donate.

This is a great forum, part of my life.

[Neven]

Thanks, Anne. And thanks for being part of the forum. 

[OldLeatherneck]

I thought it was time for me to throw a few more Euros your way.  This Forum is such an invaluable asset as a learning platform and tool for sharing knowledge.

May I suggest that you take a few of these Euros and do something nice for your wife and daughter. We appreciate that they are sharing you with us for the betterment of the world.

[Neven]

Thanks, OLN. Coincidentally, it's my daughter's birthday tomorrow, and we're going to the Joseph Haydn Museum, take a swim at the local swimming pool (39 °C forecast for tomorrow) and then have dinner together. I'll let them know it's on you. Thanks. 

[OldLeatherneck]

Today another milestone for the Arctic Sea Ice Forum has been reached with the second successive month of 1 million+ pageviews!

Just a reminder to everyone to help keep this valuable service available by thanking our host Neven, by throwing a few Euros/Dollars/Yen/Pesos etc. his way!!

[Tor Bejnar]

I threw some his way, but they hit the wall
(But I have found other ways to help him pay his bills: with a trip to the Arctic Sea Ice Blog - ASIB, then finding "Support and Donate" under 'Links' in the right column and pulling out your a credit card. [edit: I've used my own credit card, not 'yours'  ])

[Neven]

Thanks, you two. Given current events I'm expecting at the end of this month the forum will have the most monthly page views so far.

[Clare]

Looks like we are in for a very interesting 'ride' this year. I keep thinking of Maslowski's supposed '2016 +/-3 years' quote even tho' I realise this was not quite the case.
Neven, you are going to be kept v busy here.
Must be time for me to lob another token into your tip jar.

Clare in NZ

[NevB]

This is going to be a busy year, just added something to help pay for the data that my morbid fascination with the arctic is costing.

[Neven]

Thanks a lot, NevB!