How Much Can It Cost

[Guest jc92103]

Well the lid has been blown off this whole Hooboy donation scam!! Mike Wallace and the crew would be proud ! So will Andy Rooney be posting soon?...that's my favorite part of the show!

[Guest FirstPlace]

I own two decent size music related web sites. One receives 45,000 unique hits per month and the other about 10,000 unique hits.

 

Since only the first site mentioned could be considered commercial I will address my expenses related to it. I pay approx. $900. per month to a company that hosts the site. I intentionally sought a hosting firm that would not rape me when it came to bandwidth usage. Next, I pay for some content, this costs approx. $1,200. per month. Since I am a full on geek I actually have a staff of two people who work part time designing, creating and updating the site. The amount is hard to break out as they actually handle both of my sites. In any event I am going to figure high and say they are paid a total of $1,200. per month. These are all of my main expenses they equal $3,300. per month.

 

The site has the typical amount of paid banner placement that creates about $2,000. per month in revenue. There is also an online store that generates the majority of the income. For reasons that should be obvious I will not mention the proceeds from the store.

 

With the above in mind, how much can this site actually cost to run? HooBoy states he does most of the HTML himself and trades with others who have helped along the way. So we are basically talking what is his time worth? A valid question as we all feel that our time has value. Next he most likely pays a hosting company as well, though he could hve his own server. Checking a few records it is unclear which route he takes. He has the typical banner ads, some paid, some (like his new sponsor picture brite) generate income per click or purchase, while others (like the online casino) pay a residual each month to HooBoy of those who signed up from this site and have lost money.

 

Yet, with all these sources of income everytime I look at a page it seems he is "begging" for donations. He keeps "shouting" about how expensive it is to maintain this site. Personally, I do not go to CNN or Rolling Stone Magazine or CNET and find anyone requesting that I donate money.

 

I believe that as in any business (if one gives HooBoy the benefit of doubt that he needs money to maintain this site)the source of the income received should be paying to assist HooBoy. That means the escort, NOT the consumer (client). As without the consumer this site, as any, is simply of no use.

 

In the old days I might have bought the Advocate's pink pages to find a escort, yet the escort paid to advertise on those pages. This site does not support personals, hey HooBoy that might be a good idea though and a money maker as well, yet these days I can pick up hundreds of free Gay publications to locate escorts.

 

Yet there is one thing missing from those free Gay publications... reviews, ahhh the review. Well statistically speaking the majority of the reviews on this site are not real. So, why should I or anybody make a donation based on hundred's of unverified freelancers writing reviews, I don't think I should.

 

Yet if an escort is enjoying increased business from a review (false or valid) then that escort should pay a percentage back to HooBoy. Again not the consumer! And reading these boards many escorts have stated they have benefited financially.

 

There is no more or less balance in reporting if the funds HooBoy claims he needs comes from one group or another.

 

Just my opinion.

[Guest ChicagoCorey]

My personal belief is that you don't like a free site -- or someone asking for money on said site -- quit using the site. It's that simple. If it's free, you have no right to complain on the content or the "begging".

 

That said:

>I believe that as in any business (if one gives HooBoy the >benefit of doubt that he needs money to maintain this site)the ?>source of the income received should be paying to assist >HooBoy. That means the escort, NOT the consumer (client). As >without the consumer this site, as any, is simply of no use.

 

You're missing the whole point of the site. There are plenty of ways for escorts to advertise, but nothing out there (that I know of) that reviews them "objectively"; if an escort is paying for advertising here or for some section of the site, the whole point is lost.

 

 

-------

chicagocorey@yahoo.com

get to know me/updated frequently

http://www.geocities.com/chicagocorey

[Guest cp8036]

$3300.00 a month sounds like a lot of money. Especially considering this is not sales site.

[+ Lucky]

What would prompt FirstPlace to do all of this analysis of a business that isn't even his? There is some motivation here that I simply don't understand.

I agree. if you have a problem with this site, don't use it.

[Guest sdmuscl4hire]

As I have stated before so I state again. There are people who just like to stir the pot and see what kinda negative response they can get. Some poeple thrive off of it and need it to survive. As stated above, if you dont like the way something is being run, dont come back. If you want to be a little old women sitting in her chair bitching about everything that comes accross the screen, try the front porch like the rest of em, I am tired of hearing you yap.

 

 

Michael Johnson

[Guest FirstPlace]

>What would prompt FirstPlace to do

>all of this analysis of

>a business that isn't even

>his? There is some motivation

>here that I simply don't

>understand.

I am proud to read your remarks lucky. I feel that being a good business person means you should always be aware of all edges. I would not have expected any other response than the ones received. Yet, I know people are reading this and saying wait... this makes sense. This guys FirstPlace has a good point. And then there are people like you. Not a problem I can deal with both. Have a nice evening

[Guest WetDream]

Why would First Place do this? Well, under the "Canada-Reloation Question" thread he describes himself as a "businessman" looking for information on moving to Canada. Under "Escort Agency A Business Question" an escort service from San Diego accuses First Place of nabbing one of their escorts, setting up a web page for him, encouraging him to work freelance and writting a review for him under a different name. Hmmm...

[Guest pickwick]

> Under "Escort Agency A

>Business Question" an escort service

>from San Diego accuses First

>Place of nabbing one of

>their escorts, setting up a

>web page for him, encouraging

>him to work freelance and

>writting a review for him

>under a different name.

>Hmmm...

 

Hmmm . . . what? What's your point?

 

I agree that it's crass to complain because the owner of a free website solicits donations while keeping the site free to all visitors. Anything else?

[Guest WetDream]

Well, it is all supposition. But maybe this businessman is looking to start up a new business. I also noticed in another thread in the "Deli" that he seems to be taunting Man-to-Man in SD (the same agency that alledges inappropriate client behavior) on the number of escorts that have left the service. Maybe First Place is just pissed at this agency. Maybe he is just a cheapskate -- in addition to being crass.

[+ deej]

>I am tired of hearing you yap

 

Michael, thank you!

 

We should invent some new award. Call it the "Daddies" maybe, and award it for a really great and deserved bitchslap.

 

I think you've just earned the first one! ;-)

[Traveller]

My guess is the cost is 5 quin-billion dollars. If I'm right, can I have the Amana radar range oven? I already have a life-size blow-up doll of Carol Merrill (boy, she can take it up the ass for hours), and my kitten (Miss Peepers) keeps getting wet in the rain and needs to get dry quickly so she doesn't catch a cold.

 

Later.

[Guest sdmuscl4hire]

Awww you are too kind : )

[Guest FirstPlace]

>Why would First Place do this?

> Well, under the "Canada-Reloation

>Question" thread he describes himself

>as a "businessman" looking for

>information on moving to Canada.

> Under "Escort Agency A

>Business Question" an escort service

>from San Diego accuses First

>Place of nabbing one of

>their escorts, setting up a

>web page for him, encouraging

>him to work freelance and

>writting a review for him

>under a different name.

>Hmmm...

AND you are trying to say what here? Yes, I am relocating to Canada, though it will take some time. Poeple on this board were of help in pointing me the right way.

 

 

Yes I am a businessman and always looking for make money though my two music related web sites are doing ok at the moment, thank you for your concern.

 

I an't even set up a web page for my own sites how could I ever set up a page for someone else?

 

I have that much power to get someone to do something as you suggest, though never happened, wow... I do appreciate the compliment. Yet if I have so much power why cann't I post your Social Security number or street address here WetDream?

 

I do not write reviews, I take I do not give, remember I am a cold hearted businessman.

[Guest CZ]

For what it's worth, bear in mind that when BillyBoy did his big expose on Hooboy & how he operates--allegations made long before FirstPlace came on the scene--one of his main points was that Hoo's constant poormouthing was pretty much a crock. (I don't remember all the specifics, but they jibed more or less with First Place's own shrewd speculations. Maybe that famous thread can still be looked up on the archive.)

 

I'd say that FP is probably right is guessing that many might agree with his original post, but I expect they'll keep it to themselves--some out of a natural reluctance to criticize their host (as they rightly or wrongly consider Hoo to be), and others out of boredom in having to defend themselves from the massed voices of the Hooboy Chorale. (It's they BTW, not FirstPlace, who sound like yappy old women to me.)

 

To those who claim that Hoo is above & beyond criticism because he offers us a free site, I suggest they consider that altruism is hardly the only possible motive for such seeming generosity. As I've pointed out before, few (if any) of H's most devoted fans would pony up for membership if this were to become a pay-site, and no one knows that better than he.

 

Finally, I have to confess a twinge of guilt that the woebegone cartoon beggar is there for all to see the moment they access the reviews. As I recall, it didn't appear until right after I complained about Hooboy's tin-cup importunings a few months ago, and I suspect it has since brought in far more in the way of contributions than "Hooboy's Whiny Story" ever did.