Well update

The goal, if you will remember, was to raise $3000 for build a well in Africa for people with no water by Christmas.

Now let's be honest: I'm disappointed, but I don't think less of any of you.

As of last tally, on the 22nd of December, 2006, we were at $595.

Aaron from Blood:Water mission says that's a great turnout, a great help, and I pray God bless him for his spirit. But here's the math I did:

1. Google Analytics says in the last 90 days, we have averaged 310 unique visitors per day, counting weekends. If we back out weekends, we average about 500 visitors a day.
2. Using the high number, we barely got $1 per person. For Gospel work.
3. Using the low number, we got about $2 per reader.

That's better than nothing, but, um, yeah.

$2 per reader? For people who are excited to read things like "Christmas is about the wrath of God"? $2?

Listen: rather than beat you up, it's money-where-my-mouth-is time. Beginning today, all markup from the Pawn Shop through the end of January 2007 will go to build a well at Blood:Water mission. I'll be updating the template over there in the next couple of days to remind people who fall out of bed and find it that this is what I'm doing, but to help the pot here, the t-shirt money from the next 30-ish days for Homeboys and Pyro fans and reformation police and what-have-you will go to giving people dying from thirst rather than to me.

Just to be clear, my markup on this stuff is about $3 per item. Little things like buttons and stickers are marked up less. Weekly, I'll update by publishing the current sales results, including what we have made toward the project. When CafePress sends me the check, I'll send it to them.

I'm serious, and I want you to be serious.

UPDATE: Well, it turns out, I guess, that it is cheaper to give $3 to BWM than it is to buy a $20 t-shirt and give $3 to BWM. However, the giving page at BWN has changed.

When you get there, there is a "MEMO" field. In the Memo field, type "centuri0n" so we can track the giving. Now go get it -- either with a junk shop relic or by just giving $5 to the work.

This came in this morning's mail. It's relevant to your donation to blood:water mission ...

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:25:08 - 0500

From:    "Daniel Bengston" 
To:      "Frank Turk" 
Subject: Blood:water mission donation

Frank,

Don't know if this is 
something that you want to let folks 
know, but the confirmation email I 
got from their site got put in my 
"junk" mail (hotmail), so for folks 
wanting a receipt/record, they might 
want to be aware. I don't consider 
hotmail very sensitive like my gmail 
account, so if hotmail does it, it 
might do it on other email servers 
as well. Most email systems I know 
empty junk mail after a certain 
period of time.

Keep up the great work on the blog.

Dan B.