It’s time once again for our pledge drive

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Dear SM Readers,

It is time once again for us bloggers at Sepia Mutiny to extend our empty cups and ask for donations to keep this website running. Remember, every time you visit our site it costs us money. We have recently purchased a dedicated server because we plan on greatly expanding our services. Just be patient a while longer and we will start to slowly roll out new features one at a time. The master plan is top secret right now but has been codenamed Operation Sepia Utopia.

Much like NPR and PBS hold an annual pledge drive, we are asking you to donate whatever you can via our Paypal link. If you don’t want to use Paypal but rather mail in a check then contact us for a mailing address. Donations will keep our website ad-free and distraction-free. The thermometer on the sidebar will disappear once we have met our goal of a $1000 for the next year of service. If enough of you give just a few dollars we might be able to meet our goal in under a week. Thanks in advance everyone! As you can see in the pictures below, we have a lot of supporters rooting for us.

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76 thoughts on “It’s time once again for our pledge drive”

  1. Im going to sound like an idiot but can I request a mailing address?

    I am too lazy to update my paypal info (created years before I got married and switched bank accounts etc) and you guys dont even have to send me a decal to show my support!

  2. Im going to sound like an idiot but can I request a mailing address?

    You can email me for a mailing address or use the “contact form.” Thanks.

  5. ANNA wrote in another thread:

    And Neale, if you can’t figure out what American-born desis think after reading an entire WEBLOG devoted to such things, written BY and FOR ABDs, surf elsewhere.

    Is FOB money kosher enough for you guys ?

  8. Is it tax deductable (my desi girlfried made me ask this) you are kind of a non for profit spreading the good word about what’s happening in the community…I do have your MOFO’s linked to my blog…spread the word of SIPA MUTINY!!!!

  9. ANNA wrote in another thread: And Neale, if you can’t figure out what American-born desis think after reading an entire WEBLOG devoted to such things, written BY and FOR ABDs, surf elsewhere.
    Is FOB money kosher enough for you guys?

    Look, I wrote what you quoted because a certain commenter was getting on my (and a few others’) nerves by asking for what is abundantly here, as if it were something…er, foreign. It’s not.

    To wit:

    What i miss in these posts is a gripping, personal take on the ABD experience.[link]

    Some may not consider it “gripping”, but I think it’s fair to state that almost ALL of my posts are a very “personal take on the ABD experience”. I apparently inadvertently alienated people when I used the words “for ABDs” and for that I apologize; this is a space welcome to all who think what we cover is interesting. But I do think it’s accurate to say that we don’t claim to write for or represent the audience IN any other country but this one. We would be liars (and terrible bloggers) if we did.

  13. Tips? Hey Tilo, they’re not working for us, but generously allowing us to be a part of their community/space :)!

  14. Is FOB money kosher enough for you guys ?

    You will see. Once Sepia Utopia is executed even the FOBs will rejoice. In a utopia there is a place for everyone. 🙂

    do you promise to be nice to people who send you tips :-)))?

    Like how? I could ask you out on a date 😉

    Is it tax deductable (my desi girlfried made me ask this)

    Probably not. I am not certain how it works but I think you have to apply for official non-profit status and such in order to be tax exempt. Someone else might know better.

  15. I have done my small part in the hopes that you won’t keep me on the edge of my seat for months waiting for these new developments!

  16. Guys (and I use that in a gender non-specific way :))…I’m going to apologize for not contributing this time around (going through totally broke jobless crazy-finishing-diss stage right now) but promise to in the future.

    Thanks for this wonderful, wonderful site and all your fantastic work.

    Guiltily, Finkie

  17. Probably not. I am not certain how it works but I think you have to apply for official non-profit status and such in order to be tax exempt. Someone else might know better.

    I believe you have to apply for a 501(C)(3).

  18. Remember, every time you visit our site it costs us money.

    Oh my god…now I feel a twinge of guilt tugging at my heart everytime I hit the “refresh button”.

    I feel bhery bhery bad that my SM obsession costs you all money…and even though I feel like contributing, I’m broke as a mo’ fo’, I ain’t go no dough. It’s not because my Desi Ass is Cheap, it’s because I’m a starving student…

    Hey, I have an idea: why don’t you guys ALSO add my name to this post and ask for donations on my behalf?

    Much like NPR and PBS hold an annual pledge drive, we are asking you to donate whatever you can via our Paypal link both for Sepaia Mutiny, AND, most importantly, to raise money for Cheap Ass Desi.

    Then, 10% of whatever is collected on my behalf will automatically go as proceeds to SM. The rest–90%– will go to me, paisa that I’ll be using to take a cruise around the world pay off my student loans.

    Sound good?

  20. You had to do this right after a weekend.

    This semi broke guy contributed the very little that he could. I hope every penny helps …

  21. Why are you pretending that you don’t get funding directly from Islamabad and University of Chicago Divinity School?

    Don’t try and double-bluff me or put me off your scent.

    I smell you.

    You stinky cabal.

    Hail Mogambo!

  23. My contribution is small but it comes from a meager work study fund 🙂 If anyone from Sallie Mae asks, this site is essential to a well rounded medical education, mkay?

  24. Chandi:

    I am getting paid tomorrow–I’ll pay for all my hits.

    LOL.

    FYI, you have 325 hits. We’ll see how much you think each one is worth…. 😉

    Thanks a lot!

  25. FYI, you have 325 hits. We’ll see how much you think each one is worth…. 😉

    Can you really tell how many times a person visits SM? Whoa. And I thought my obsession was my own little secret…

  26. “Can you really tell how many times a person visits SM? Whoa. And I thought my obsession was my own little secret…”

    Tell me about it, after all those posts on the NSA tapping phones… but seriously guys, I try not to spend my whole day here, its just a way to quit smoking. I’m serious, really 🙂

  27. I gave this afternoon. By the way, why no ads? you can make the $1000 in a few months, now that you have marshalled this overly educated, cleanly niche-ified audience. Why not spare us the annual PBS-style guiltdrive?

  28. Web stats are just like any other statistics: inaccurate. Notice that the term used was “hits” and not “page views”. When you open a webpage, thats one “pageview”, but loading each and every picture(or other elements) on the page generates an additional “hit”. So any given day the number of “hits” depends on the pictures(or other elements) on the front page.

    In other words, your obsession is still secret.

    Allright, enough geek speak for this blog.

  29. By the way, why no ads? you can make the $1000 in a few months, now that you have marshalled this overly educated, cleanly niche-ified audience. Why not spare us the annual PBS-style guiltdrive?

    Because then you’d have to fill out demographic surveys, and look at ads.

  30. By the way, why no ads? you can make the $1000 in a few months, now that you have marshalled this overly educated, cleanly niche-ified audience. Why not spare us the annual PBS-style guiltdrive?

    Thank you so much for donating, but guilt-drive? Seriously?

    Anyway, some of us have very strong feelings about advertising on this site.

  31. Abhi: My check is in the mail ! Keep up the lively dialogue, and don’t let random trolls discourage your team of doing a great job. Love……Dad

  32. argh, currently broke…horribly guilty of visiting, ah, frequently. next year, guys next year! or just keep the paypal link up, i’d gladly donate another time!

  33. I feel bhery bhery bad that my SM obsession costs you all money…and even though I feel like contributing, I’m broke as a mo’ fo’, I ain’t go no dough. It’s not because my Desi Ass is Cheap, it’s because I’m a starving student…

    And yet, their operating costs for the next five years would be covered if there were somehow a way to charge you a dollar for every word you wri… j/k

  34. Okay, I donated. I despise Paypal as well, but I’ve learned to work with it in the full expectation that someone, somewhere will come up with something better.

    I, too, feel a little exposed knowing someone’s watching my page hits. Yet it’s somehow erotic.

  35. OK this isn’t directed to any one comment in particular but I can’t hold back. I have known what it’s like to be a starving student but how much is giving $5 for a site that we know a lot of people are addicted to really putting a dent in your pocket? It’s like stealing cable or wireless, it’s unethical in my books. If you use something pay for it especially when someone else is and it truly isn’t free and the benefits are great.

    And people are just damn cheap when it comes to stuff like this. I recently had a happy hour to raise money for the Asthma Walk in NYC. It’s something I do every year. It took some work and effort to organize a crowd of 70 in NYC and I threw in a huge gift box from Kiehls as a raffle for people that donated. There were two particular chicks that showed up, drank the discounted booze, pimped themselves and threw in $2 each. One’s a doctor the other a lawyer. Shame on you, carrying a Gucci bag and throwing in a couple of $$ so you could win something free. I took it out, took their cards out handed it to them and told him to keep it and not show up at any of my events again. I didn’t need that kind of charity.

    I can’t help but feel like some of the people here whining about how they can’t donate probably snuff away $5 on a Starbucks latte or a pack of cigs on a daily basis. Skip it one day. Jeez. OK end of rant.

  36. Amen, Jane. Believe me, I remember what it was like to be so broke that I had a whopping $20 left before I got paid again in a week…but I still gave whatever I could to causes that meant a lot to me. SM doesn’t have to be your cause, but whatever is, give it something.

    Also, sometimes just knowing your heart is in the right place is gratifying, too. Thank you, to everyone who’s given and everyone who wishes that they could.

  37. Hi Abhi, Erm, another stupid question, I guess:) I tried paying using my credit card; but, I can’t complete the “Billing Information” as the country that I live in is not mentioned there – actually, none of the countries in the Middle East are listed! Is this a mandatory field? I didn’t want to submit an incomplete form and compromise my credit card information. Please let me know. Peace

  39. Done. Ah, the satisfaction in contributing more than just a few lame comments every now and then: priceless. Thank you guys, you do a great job.

  40. With Manish gone, did you guys feel a slowdown in getting pledges? Just curious, great work you guys.

  41. With Manish gone, did you guys feel a slowdown in getting pledges?

    Actually our pace of pledges is double of what we got last year. Thanks everyone for being so generous!

  42. With Manish gone, did you guys feel a slowdown in getting pledges?

    What Abhi said, and here’s a potential “why”: now that his plethora of male and female fans are no longer dazzled daily in to a vicious swoon by his Rushdie-related, anti-exoticism wordplay, they’re actually conscious and coherent enough to manage a paypal transaction. Oddly enough, the monkeys are more productive, too…Hmmm.

  43. Thank you so much for donating, but guilt-drive? Seriously?

    I wasn’t the first one to mention guilt here. Looks like others felt it too. Not to say that guilt is unwarranted. Just uncomfortable.

  46. I just did my good deed for the month. Thank you guys…for keeping it real! And yes…Ad-free.

  48. My pledge, she is in. Thanks to all of you for helping make this site my favorite timekiller at work!

  49. JOAT, In response to comment #35. I’m raising money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society this year. I cannot begin to describe the many ways that my Indian acquaintances have shied away from donating. From, “OH! I wish you had emailed me yesterday – I just gave [insert an amount equal to my monthly salary] to [insert random organization] this morning” to, “Oh, ya – can you send me the link again? I know I’ve asked you 5 times – but my emails are getting deleted from my inbox.” This one was the most ridiculous one though: I sent Mr.FriendfromCollege an email telling him about my cause. He email’s me back saying – “I have a better cause – I’m trying to get my apartment complex to install a cricket pitch. Do you want to donate to that?” Jigga wat?

    My boyfriend cautioned me against this when I signed up to do this and the naive girl that I am – didn’t heed his advice. I feel like everyone and anyone can give $10. Drink one (or two if you don’t live in NYC) less drink(s) this weekend. How hard can that be?

    /End rant.

  50. Dunnit. A measly sum, but think of the 6.8% interest on that sum…;)

    Now, seeing that I am part shareholder, I suggest a little makeover. How about changing to the name to “Sepia Mutiny & CAD“? Nice ring to it, no?

    JOAT:

    OK this isn’t directed to any one comment in particular but I can’t hold back. I have known what it’s like to be a starving student but how much is giving $5 for a site that we know a lot of people are addicted to really putting a dent in your pocket?
    1. I donated more than $5
    2. Sure, we don’t know which comment your post is directed to!
    I can’t help but feel like some of the people here whining about how they can’t donate probably snuff away $5 on a Starbucks latte or a pack of cigs on a daily basis. Skip it one day. Jeez. OK end of rant.

    Listen JOAT, every time someone has gotten personal with you, I’ve always refrained from doing that. So, cut out the personal swipes and extend the same consideration to me, too. If you would like to make a personal attack, e-mail me.

    Anyway, back to the post: SM is Vunderfool! Seeing that it is possible to now check how many hits I am making, I still comfort myself in the knowledge that having an addition to SM and needing to have my hourly fixes is better than being a heroine or crack addict. I mean, SM is harmless, no?

    Joking aside, I think you guys are doing a great service to the global Desi community. “SM Zindabad”!!