Upcoming Changes to TREATING YOURSELF

[Marco Renda]

Do to the rising costs of running the website and magazine I have decided to make some changes, some of which I know a few members will be upset about.

For the last 5 1/2 years both I and my parents have been financing the site and this can't continue.

It's just that I have borrowed alot of money from my parents to keep everything up and running. I can't continue to rely on them as they are retired and need to be able to enjoy their later years and not have to worry about financing me and TY.

We will have 2 banners running 1 at the top of each page and 1 at the bottom of each page we will also be adding 10 buttons, 5 per side on all pages of the website and forum.

Effective Jan.1/08 we will no longer have contests for products running on the website as we need our print ads to be paid for and not in exchange for products to be used as prizes. Seed contests may still remain as I haven't had a chance to really look at those.

Our MISSION here at Treating Yourself remains the same and that is to help EDUCATE the uninformed and to teach sick people on how to grow their own medical marijuana so that they DON'T have to rely on the BLACK MARKET.

We will NO LONGER be giving away FREE banner ads.

We are hoping to have our own server by Jan.1/08 which will make your browsing of TY much faster.

I hope that everyone understands why these changes have to be made.

Please feel free to post your comments

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[pixie35]

This sounds like a wonderful idea and will ensure that the site will be able to continue without the added stress of costing money. I hope that people will be able to understand.
Pixie

[Mamahawk6]

Marco, You must do what needs to be done for all. I send sincere thanks for Your hard work in keeping this site up and running!

[clinton]

Times change. You have to do what you must do to keep TY online.

clinton

[onus]

My only concern is with anonymity. When a reader clicks on a Google ad, there is no question that it is recorded, because that's how Google makes their money. But does Google share that info with others, such as the US govt? They're notorious for giving up info to the govt. Matching up an IP address with a user is trivial work in most cases.

onus

[onus]

February 09, 2006

Google Copies Your Hard Drive - Government Smiles in Anticipation

Consumers Should Not Use New Google Desktop

San Francisco - Google today announced a new "feature" of its Google Desktop software that greatly increases the risk to consumer privacy. If a consumer chooses to use it, the new "Search Across Computers" feature will store copies of the user's Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets and other text-based documents on Google's own servers, to enable searching from any one of the user's computers. EFF urges consumers not to use this feature, because it will make their personal data more vulnerable to subpoenas from the government and possibly private litigants, while providing a convenient one-stop-shop for hackers who've obtained a user's Google password.

"Coming on the heels of serious consumer concern about government snooping into Google's search logs, it's shocking that Google expects its users to now trust it with the contents of their personal computers," said EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. "If you use the Search Across Computers feature and don't configure Google Desktop very carefully—and most people won't—Google will have copies of your tax returns, love letters, business records, financial and medical files, and whatever other text-based documents the Desktop software can index. The government could then demand these personal files with only a subpoena rather than the search warrant it would need to seize the same things from your home or business, and in many cases you wouldn't even be notified in time to challenge it. Other litigants—your spouse, your business partners or rivals, whoever—could also try to cut out the middleman (you) and subpoena Google for your files."

The privacy problem arises because the Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986, or ECPA, gives only limited privacy protection to emails and other files that are stored with online service providers—much less privacy than the legal protections for the same information when it's on your computer at home. And even that lower level of legal protection could disappear if Google uses your data for marketing purposes. Google says it is not yet scanning the files it copies from your hard drive in order to serve targeted advertising, but it hasn't ruled out the possibility, and Google's current privacy policy appears to allow it.

"This Google product highlights a key privacy problem in the digital age," said Cindy Cohn, EFF's Legal Director. "Many Internet innovations involve storing personal files on a service provider's computer, but under outdated laws, consumers who want to use these new technologies have to surrender their privacy rights. If Google wants consumers to trust it to store copies of personal computer files, emails, search histories and chat logs, and still 'not be evil,' it should stand with EFF and demand that Congress update the privacy laws to better reflect life in the wired world."

For more on Google's data collection:
http://news.com.com/FAQ+When+Google+is+not+your+friend/2100-1025_3-6034666.html?tag=nl http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/01/21/google_subpoena_roils_the_web http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/01/20/EDGEPGPHA61.DTL http://news.com.com/%20Bill+would+force+Web+sites+to+delete+personal+i nfo/2100-1028_3-6036951.html

Contact:

Kevin Bankston
Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation
bankston@eff.org

[Marco Renda]

My only concern is with anonymity. When a reader clicks on a Google ad, there is no question that it is recorded, because that's how Google makes their money. But does Google share that info with others, such as the US govt? They're notorious for giving up info to the govt. Matching up an IP address with a user is trivial work in most cases.

onus

Google ads are going to be REMOVED! We will only accept banner and button advertisements from reputable company's. Our policy will be the same as it is for the magazine and that includes NO PORN and NO FAKE BUD advertisements. We reserve the right to deny ads.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[Capt. Zigzag]

Bout time

-

[neutrino99]

I really don't see how this could be a problem for anyone. Membership is still free and it is totally amazing that you were able to offer such fabulous prizes and offerings to the members here for as long as you did. The information and people that are here and all the links are invaluable resources to all of us in the MJ community.

Most sponsors should have no problem paying for and supporting a reputable site with members that are all keenly interested in their products. I for one have found many new places to shop that I would not have known about if it were not for Treating Yourself...both the mag and the site.

Of course the prizes will be missed but I, for one, am very blessed for the prizes I had been able to obtain to this point. Seeds are still incredibly valuable and if you are able to keep those then we should also be grateful for all we have had and all we may still recieve.

I truly know of no other place to come and meet good people, to find compassion and understanding, to hear controversial thoughts expressed, to freely share the wealth of information that various growers and breeders can provide, where we can live vicariously through others when we cannot attend events and where friendships can be bred.

Good luck with the changes being met with positivity Marco. I will always be on the side of neccesity. Thank you for your hard work and keeping this available to us.

[clinton]

I have never entered a contest at TY. The reason TY is such a great place (and why I am here) is the mission statement. No porn, no fake buds, no trolling, no flaming, free speach. It is these things that lifts TY above all the rest.

Thanks Marco for your sacrifices for the medical community.

clinton

[Otter]

Do what you have to do Marco. Bartering for advertisment can be good but it also can really hurt cash flow to keep things afloat. I have owned 2 shops in the past and everyone wanted to barter for ads, I really don't think it paid off for me !! You still need cash to pay the bills !

[Marco Renda]

Magazine distribution is being taken over by my distributor. I have sent them a list of who gets what and for how long. Boxes will still be sent out to compassion clubs and other online communitys for them to distribute to their medical members. But the only folks who will continue to recieve a FREE COPY will be those who contribute articles to the magazine and our sponsors / advertisers.

Definition of Advertiser: One who is taking out ad space in our print publication and or taking a banner / button ad

Definition of Sponsor: One who is not only doing all of the above but is also supporting the FREE PDF download of each issue.

For the members that can't afford a subscription you can always download each issue for FREE thanks to our SPONSORS. So far issue #8 has been downloaded over 500 times. I know we may lose some sales due to the FREE DOWNLOAD but most folks that I have spoken with still want the HARD COPY. It's cheaper to go and buy the magazine than it is for someone to download and print the free PDF copy.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[SSoG]

this does not effects contests and prizes on the forum does it ?
i ask because i just sent prizes to be given away on the forum and just sent a bunch more as well.

[Buffalo Bill]

I quit entering contests a long time ago. They were fun and very helpful for some, but lets face it, our TY family has never been about contests. We are all about putting the passion back into compassion! The way it SHOULD be.........

[Marco Renda]

this does not effects contests and prizes on the forum does it ?
i ask because i just sent prizes to be given away on the forum and just sent a bunch more as well.

There will be NO CONTEST for product prizes effective Jan.1/08
I'm not sure if we will continue the seed contests in 2008.

There may be contests in the chat room during Grow Chat or Caregiver Chat

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[SSoG]

ok, i guess in this case, i am going to have to give away my pipes as chat prizes,, i am assuming this includes me,, even though i am not promoting or selling any product through TY or otherwise ?
but like i said, i can give away my prizes as chat prizes no problems. Peace &1 ssog

[PharmaPharmer]

Sounds like solid business practices to me. I hope those who have a problem with ads realize the economics of the situation!

Have you considered a bundled premium service subscription? Perhaps for a fee the user gets TY magazine, no banner ads and SSL or a <name>@treatingyourself.com address.

[clinton]

Sounds like solid business practices to me. I hope those who have a problem with ads realize the economics of the situation!

Have you considered a bundled premium service subscription? Perhaps for a fee the user gets TY magazine, no banner ads and SSL or a <name>@treatingyourself.com address.
I would support such an offer.

clinton

[Michelle K Rainey]

TY will be the leading alternative health magazine in the world and the forums are a compliment to that! Marco your dedication to all of us should be honored by our commitment to continue to spread the message of TY's soulfulness. Jeff and I stand beside you!
xoMichy

[bubner]

-i'll buy an extra copy of the mag an leave it in a hospital lobby.

[Nardwarz]

And I'll stand right beside you too...but up front a bit. I heard about your gassy escapes from the rear. :D

Your going in the right direction Marco. TY is still TY. It's the people in it that make it work.

[Hammer]

wow Marco.. thanks for having a vision and keeping it, to help others, and spread the love.. unfortunately love dont pay bills...

Thanks for keeping things going..

Peace bro (Love, Peace, and Good Vibes)

[reddiet]

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do Marco.
Belonging to TY is STILL, and ALWAYS WILL, be the best deal on the planet. How can I put a price on my LIFE. I credit TY with saving my life.

REDDIET

[cannarchist]

I know where you are coming from Marco...I have the type of personality that I would give everything away for free if I could, like you...I wish I could support more financially, but I will do everything I can to help promote TY

[cannarchist]

I will be featuring my features, in TY, in my new display at THC this week.

[saeon-tsion]

Google ads are going to be REMOVED! We will only accept banner and button advertisements from reputable company's. Our policy will be the same as it is for the magazine and that includes NO PORN and NO FAKE BUD advertisements. We reserve the right to deny ads.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

I think you should keep the Google ads; they pay very well, and are among the best types of ads available. Right now you're only using their link spot....you should be also running their standard-sized ad spots (468x60, 728x90, 300x250, 160x600, etc) IMHO.

I'm all for this. In fact I would have suggested it sooner!

I would be happy to help you with the transition and with advertising-related matters; I have over 15 years experience at it, both on- and off-line (print etc) and I can think of countless ways in which you might be able to streamline things :-)

Don't listen to the whiners: I think your decisions make good sense.

I still hope that it will be possible for TY to get useful MMJ items to those who can benefit from them.....but perhaps rather than just giving them away in contests, find ways -- like writing articles for the Magazine, doing work to help out TY, yourself or the cause, etc -- for them to earn their item(s)!

In any case I'm very much looking forward to submitting my Issue #10 articles and to enjoying the many benefits of being a part of this community!

[Marco Renda]

For the month of August TY earned $70 from the GOOGLE ads and that doesn't even put a dent into what is needed on a monthly basis.

We evaluated the whole senerio and believe that BANNERS and BUTTONS will generate more income than the GOOGLE ads.

Folks will notice more pages being added to the main site in the next couple of weeks.

At this time I would like to thank everyone for their input. It's good to know that the majority of the community understands and supports my decision.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[lee]

Getting your own server will definately be worth it, it has made a positive difference for us for sure! Then you could offer website hosting to members.

I like Pharmapharmer's idea that you bundle premium services together for a fee, I would certianly pay for that. Do you have a paypal link here?

[saeon-tsion]

For the month of August TY earned $70 from the GOOGLE ads and that doesn't even put a dent into what is needed on a monthly basis.

We evaluated the whole senerio and believe that BANNERS and BUTTONS will generate more income than the GOOGLE ads.

Folks will notice more pages being added to the main site in the next couple of weeks.

At this time I would like to thank everyone for their input. It's good to know that the majority of the community understands and supports my decision.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

Keep in mind, you've just gotten started and the way AdSense works, you tend to make more money over time. Especially if you start to learn how to deploy it wisely across your whole site (not just the forum and a couple of other pages, but every page being designed around optimal use of Google's dozens of different ad spot-types)!

I can guarantee that if you start using at least the basic standard ad types that fit into a forum (468x60, 728x90, 300x250....not just in the header & footer, but also between posts!), and also others that will fit into your other pages (160x600, 180x150, etc).

Right now you're just using one of their small text link spots. A full-sized banner instead would bring in a LOT more money.

Also, once the community begins to understand that with Google you only get money when they actually click on ads.....I guarantee you'll make more revenue.

You haven't given it enough time, IMHO.....and you need someone experienced to help you optimize your usage & placement of Google's ads.

My suggestion would be to keep them in your arsenal for at least a few more months, and let me help you make greater use of them....eventually, you can also add in other types of ad networks (though most aside from Google are very picky and may not want to be associated with a "drug site" -- though having been accepted by Google is a great start!) to further diversify your revenue streams & options for making the most for each space.

$70 for your first month, running ONLY a single link spot that matches the color of the page so unobtrusively like that.....isn't really so bad for a forum of this size!

I bet you could easily get that closer to $500/month within a month or two if you added in even just a few of the standard ad-type codes to the forum & all your other pages.

Google also offers opportunities to make money by referring new publishers to their network with "make money on your web site with AdSense" buttons and also offer a couple of bucks every time someone downloads a copy of Mozilla FireFox using a "Get FireFox" button attached to your AdSense account.

Also, I'd strongly suggest changing the color codes in your existing link spot: give it a decent neutral (but non-transparent/white as it is now) background color to set it apart from the white space it is in....and change the text color to something with more contrast & brightness. Just my two cents as a professional advertising executive on both ends of the industry for over 15 years.....

AdSense is a tremendous revenue opportunity, and being accepted into their network is not a small thing! I would definitely not give up on seeing what the full revenue potential of TY is with them....you haven't even scratched the surface yet, IMHO.

A simple change would be to add a 728x90 banner space above the text link, change the text link's colors, and leave them together in the header where the text link is now.....add a 300x250 spot between the first and second posts in the standard thread-view template and in a similar place in the standard forum-overview template.....and a 468x60 banner plus a 160x600 in the forum's footer. Also, add these spots to your other pages as you can. The 300x250 is great to wrap text content/pictures around, and the 160x600 makes a great spot to put in a table to the right or left of the main content table. Obviously the horizontal banners do well in the header & footer, either with text links attached below them, or with the text links placed somewhere in with the content.

I am always available to help you with this in any way you might see fit to ask for; it's what I do and I'd be happy to give you a few minutes to help you make more revenue which can help you be more self-sufficient, able to make the most of TY's infinite potential.

Anyone who whines about such standard, low-bandwidth-using, streamlined Google ads is a fool & a selfish jackass, IMHO. Don't worry about people like that; you deserve to make a decent income from your work and you absolutely have the right not to go into irreversible, immensely stressful debt just to spread your message of compassion and enlightenment!

[saeon-tsion]

I really like the idea of TY offering hosting for health/patient/advocacy/(M)MJ-related web sites, if that becomes a reasonable possibility.

Knowing that the hosting is safe, reliable and MJ-friendly will be a big plus for potential users of the service, it can be very reliable & trouble free for Marco & Team TY (you probably wouldn't need more than a consultant-sysadmin on call for unexpected problems, a full- or even part-time technical geek would NOT be needed) and could make a BIG difference in people having the resources to speak out about MMJ/patient advocacy!

Also, it would be a huge opportunity for Marco to put his ads into an even greater network of related sites, growing the depth & reach of the audience. Plus virtually no work or out of pocket investment on Marco's part.....just some extra software and/or a second server to handle that stuff independently of the main TY web site/forum hardware so any problems on one won't affect the other.

This will be well worth the expense (getting some dedicated server(s)), Marco. And it will give you a lot of opportunities to grow your existing web property into something even bigger -- such as the example above of a sort of "MyTY/MyMMJSpace" service.

One other thing that I've been thinking a LOT about TreatingYourself being able to do with more resources & bandwidth (this stuff could even be hosted somewhere other than the main TY servers so that we could get started right away and it would be independent of the main servers).....is rich-media broadcasting: 'Net "radio" stations via streaming MP3 broadcasting/podcasts/QuickTime Streaming Server, and also a "Pot TV" type of service with streaming/downloadable video!

This stuff requires a lot of bandwidth and a fair amount of fancy hardware/software/widgets, but is very doable and there's plenty of off-the-shelf software for doing it so with a little help from the more technically savvy members of the community.....Marco et al. ought not to have to spend much time making the technical end come together.

Imagine: audio and video content, ready to stream or download at super-fast speeds, 24/7 pot/mmj-related "webcams" and "stations," Michelle could even make this new site the primary home of her videos if she wanted, with distribution to Pot.tv & YouTube also of course, but with special features & easy searching through a totally (M)MJ-specific audio/video site.

I know this is all quite ambitious and that Marco certainly has plenty of other things on his plate right now. But if the community can start working on our end of these things, help put solutions together for Marco & Team TY to use, make suggestions and iron out the various questions/issues/choices necessary to make it all happen....this is all very possible!

And with all the audio/video advertising that is coming out from the big ad networks (plus many savvy private individual/direct-advertisers too!).....this is a HUGE opportunity for Marco/TY to greatly expand the revenues they can bring in from the ad networks.

Frankly, Marco, in my 15+ years experience, one of the biggest things that helped keep my sanity and keep me from quitting the industry is the advent of major ad networks like Google/Doubleclick, Yahoo, Valueclick, Adconion, Tribal Fusion, et cetera. They make it so easy to access major advertisers from all around the world without ever having to deal directly with the clients. They make it so easy to leverage your web traffic for revenue to help cover your costs etc.....

I used to deal directly with advertisers all the time and it was so much work! It consumed almost all my time, making it hard to keep up with actually writing/running my sites!

I think that in the M/MJ world, direct advertising (and of course in print especially) is the bulk of what you'll be doing.....but giving advertisers the option of working with you through the ad networks is also a big boon if you can learn to adapt to its different requirements and benefits.

For one thing, ad networks pay a lot less per page view/click, but they can fill every single spot/page view you give them. This requires running a lot more ads, but is a lot more reliable, steady, and you always get a check in the mail every month like clockwork.....no needing to harass your advertisers to pay you on time!

[Kerry O'Grady]

For the members that can't afford a subscription you can always download each issue for FREE thanks to our SPONSORS. So far issue #8 has been downloaded over 500 times. I know we may lose some sales due to the FREE DOWNLOAD but most folks that I have spoken with still want the HARD COPY. It's cheaper to go and buy the magazine than it is for someone to download and print the free PDF copy.

Take Care and Peace
Marco


One way around the problem of possible lost sales would be to have the PDF download 1 1/2 months after the hard copy comes out.

[Mz. Nice]

I'm all for anything that keeps this site open, available and running for me to access. It is an invaluable resource for me of information and people.

No matter when the mag is available for download I really agree that many will still want the issue to be able to touch or autograph or collect. Only those that couldnt afford it and have the computer time will be looking at it this way. The printing cost of such an amazing colour publication would dissuade anyone from acutally printing it out.

Thanks again for having the site and the mag and I am behind any neccessary changes. :)
Blaze

[saeon-tsion]

Also, every download of the PDF copy is as good for the advertisers as a purchase of the issue on the newstands/book stores!

Make sure that you count the download numbers in your magazine distribution figures, Marco.

Also, there are a number of improvements I might be able to help you and/or Michelle make to the advertiser materials & forms.....things which might help you bring in more business, and streamline the process for people who want to sponsor the Mag.

If you ask me, the web site/forums could have considerably more ad space on them. Also, the magazine currently has a fairly strong content-to-ad-space ratio -- you could easily increase the proportion of ad space and drop your ad rates, allowing you to bring in the same or more revenue with each issue but improve the value proposition for advertisers -- which will make them more likely to start in the first place, and also much more likely to be loyal and continue to run ads for long periods of time.

Just my $0.02 USD.... :-)

[saeon-tsion]

Here's a little industry insider tip that I have never shared with anyone who didn't work for me:

What really matters to advertisers is Return on Investment (ROI)....all other considerations are secondary. Like anything else, profit margins are all-important.

What I used to do, when I ran the type of web site that catered to direct advertisers (I now work exclusively through ad networks like Google, Valueclick, Tribal Fusion, Adconion, et cetera; this saves me from having to do the customer service work and harass clients every month to pay their invoices as promised -- ad networks pay on time every month without fail or need to be reminded).....was to GUARANTEE that every advertiser would see a reasonable Return on their Investment -- or I would continue to run their ad until they did, even if that exceeded the amount of ad views/clicks/whatever that they originally paid for.

This was a big selling point for a lot of my sponsors.....they knew that there was no downside, no chance of losing money. Even if it wasn't always easy to quantify when the sponsor was satisfied with their ROI, but they knew that if it seemed to them that they hadn't turned a profit on the ad campaign, that they had the option of requesting additional space/time/views to be provided in order to ensure that the shortfall was resolved.

I didn't very often have to actually give sponsors extra ad space....just knowing that the guarantee was there was usually enough; they knew that I wouldn't leave them in the lurch -- and it also helps the sponsor to know that I am planning everything in my advertising opportunities to ensure my sponsors' success -- after all, I have made myself responsible for that success!

[Marco Renda]

If you take a look at our ad rates you will see that they are in line with all the other publications that are out there as a matter of fact our rates are still less than theirs for PRINT ADS.

Our online ads are in line with industry standards based on 1000 page impressions but if they pay by the month than by page impressions they get a much better deal, I believe at the present time they are saving 33% and as our site grows that % will go up as our page impressions increases

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[Cannabishop]

Sounds like solid business practices to me. I hope those who have a problem with ads realize the economics of the situation!

Have you considered a bundled premium service subscription? Perhaps for a fee the user gets TY magazine, no banner ads and SSL or a <name>@treatingyourself.com address.

I am totally prepared to pay a premium membership fee. I think this is a spectacular idea!!!!!!!!!

[bodhisattva]

I too would go for a premium membership..the thought of a treating yourself e-mail address sounds wonderful...
On a side note, due to the Thansgiving holiday in Canada, I will not be able to continue my pursuit of TY magazine until Tuesday, but I am not giving up...There is a head shop nearby and if they don't carry it now, I will be doing my duty to have them carry it even though I have now subscribed..

[bodhisattva]

But of course, a premium membership would also require a lot more work...maybe time for a volunteer hunt?

[Pain Pal]

Personally I would like to send a big thank you to Marco and his parents who have suported this site and mag from the start.From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the Renda famely for everything that they have done to keep this all going.
Peace and Love
John & Pickles