It’s been a while since the monkey extended his paw, but the times prompt him to do it now. The monkey – that’s me! – has lately had to spend a not-small sum on major refurb of EPautos, which some of you know about and others may have noticed… hopefully!
The reason for the serial glitches the site suffered lately was due to the site’s guts being old – and no longer compatible with various software/”update”-related things I do not pretend to comprehend.
But which the new Computer Guy does. 
This guy is the best Computer Guy I have had to date (anyone who’d like to get in touch with him for help, just contact me and I provide details) who specializes in WordPress and is someone who could build up a new EPautos, built on its own architecture – which is something I have wanted to do for years. That will be down the road a piece, but for now – the site works (I think; you tell me!) and it will soon be working more.
Among other things, I intend to launch a “page” – or whatever the term is – that will enable readers to start their own conversation threads about whatever topic they’d like to discuss. In other words, it will no longer be the case that the only way to post a comment is to post one tied to one of the site’s articles. Stay tuned.
Also: A reader (Marauder) suggested I consider adding other ways besides PayPal for people to support the monkey – EPautos.com
There is at least one other way – via the mail and thus, anonymously. Many have and do support the site this way – and it is actually a preferable way, for a variety of reasons that I need not spell out. If you’d like to support the site that way, simply mail in as follows:
EPautos, 721 Hummingbird Lane SE, Copper Hill, VA 24079. If you’d like a sticker/magnet or coaster, please include your address!
Our PayPal is: EPeters952@aol. com (or just click here).
Another way – a bit more clunky – is crypto. We do accept Bitcoin but the process is a little more involved because we (Computer Guy and I) have not been able to figure out how to put a PayPal-type “click” button on the site. But there is a Coinbase address, here – and it appears that all you do is use email (see graphic above) to send the amount you’d like to send in.
Or – assuming this works! – scan the code above!
I know well that times are tight for all of us – which is why I appreciate your support now even more than I have in the past. It’s not just the gimpy economy; the Woke Mafia is systematically working to make it hard – ideally, impossible (from their point of view) to publish anything not Woke.
My friend Lew Rockwell is their latest victim. They also went after another friend, Tom Woods. I am grateful to have friends such as I have acquired here – who enable me to continue enraging the Wokesters with the thing they cannot abide: Honest disagreement.
My thanks, again, to all of you!
-Eric
How ’bout that “monkey paw” wishes for a way to get rid of those “gosh-darned-didly-iddly-CLOVERS?” I’ll even take a board with a nail in it.
I wish I had a Monkey Paw….
Eric. Are their many folks that post as “Anonymous”? Or is it one person that posts as “Anonymous”. If the first it’s hard to keep track, perhaps A-1 -2 etc. If the later well, certainly prolific and has a lot of time to post.
Ugg Boots: Are you not entertained? Anonymous, we are legion, we do not forget, we do not forgive, expect us. Hahahaha….
Hi Ugg,
It can be anybody who doesn’t want to provide a name. We have had multiple Anonymous’s. Some were very likable and made valid points on the discussions at hand, others were just trolling. There is no way to sort them out.
Morning, Ugg!
EPautos doesn’t require people to use real or any names and so many people just post as “Anonymous.” This is okay by me, so long as they abide by the House Rules:
Be coherent.
Acknowledge facts.
Don’t race-bait.
Don’t just call names.
Wasn’t sure if this or the Rogan post was appropriate. You should have your new computer guy assign two fields to be added to each commenter. Cumulative amount “donated” and “donated” within the past 90 days. It would be edifying as to the obsequiousness shown by the donee in interactions and debates.
Yeah, I was thinking what would an “agent” do? One whose “shit was spotted by my associates” a la Scarface, with a large amount, maybe even an unlimited amount of printed money backing him do? Send enough money to buy, if not just obsequiousness in innocent banter from the donee, a freedom to espouse anything, including anti-liberty tropes. Describe it as “the reality.” It might not even be that much $. I mean, the donee could take the money and claim he was only publishing, but was inarguably still subtly or implicitly promoting, politically demoralizing things he “honestly” disagreed with. Or not. Who would know the difference?
RE: “It would be edifying as to the obsequiousness shown by the donee in interactions and debates.”
How so?
Please enlighten.
Would I be on the, ‘cheap ass’ column, or the, ‘broke nobody’ column?
If I sent in All my Quarters, would I get a gold star?
Man, I remember how special it felt to get a gold star back in elementary school. … I imagine that’s a bit like how ‘social credits’ are viewed by some people in China.
… What nightmarish thoughts.
What you don’t want to know may be influencing you…
I want to know everything, my Dear Anonymous.
I am unafraid.
Be The Light.
I am not the holder of the information you seek.
Who cares? Eric, has mentioned periodically who has donated and have thanked them publicly. Why must you keep looking for angles when there aren’t any? I have found Eric very welcoming to newbies and guys who have been here forever whether they donate none, a little, or a lot. I can’t speak for Eric, but gut tells me his main objective is to instill libertarian values and to expand these to as many eyes as possible.
Keeping a website in good working order is expensive. Would you prefer a subscription cost be added for each poster? This, of course, would limit the quantity of eyes and many valuable posters on here would stop contributing.
Why is your goal to start shit when there is no shit to start?
Thanks for the back-up (and kind words) RG!
Money, for me, is a means to an end. I’m not here to hawk products or get rich.I’m trying to keep this going – because that’s important to me (and I think to others). I understand that everyone’s situation is different and that some can afford to help and some cannot. Some have – and some will. I’m not worried about who did or did not.
Just as long as I can keep the wheels turning!
Your reply, while entirely predictable, raises more questions than it answers. Political salons are interesting things. Add in undisclosed monetary payments and who knows? I don’t believe that probing these matters necessarily constitutes “starting shit.”
What are those questions, Anon?
I am sure a few of us would assist you in getting the answers you seek.
Hi Anon,
I wish you’d just come out and say whatever it is you’re trying to say – rather than post these elliptical-conspiratorial suggestive (of what I don’t know, exactly) things. Just ask: I’ll be happy to answer!
The Rogan thing got me thinking. As I noted in that thread in a number of comments, it was so obvious to me that it was a deceptive performance. To be honest, RG’s and your reinforcing defenses of him were so reflexive, so based on “gut” reactions or feels, so righteously incurious about him that I was wondering WTF. It’s clear Rogan’s known as an “influencer” and others know this and clearly pay him, sponsor him to be a vector for their ideas, some of which I find more than questionable.
To a lesser extent, obviously, you are also an influencer. I know that you and your promotion or derogation of certain positions carries some weight with me and the regulars and visitors here. As such, it got me thinking about how much of this power you have can be influenced by monies donated to you. In certain ways, it’s completely harmless. In others, particularly related to doctrine and overall mental outlook, the same influence can become quite malicious, even if only via passive or implicit approval of the words of others. I imagine, and correct me if I’m wrong, a material financial relationship would have you thinking twice about rebutting that donor. Perhaps you, with your excellent writing skills can try to finesse it. In some cases recently, I am almost hoping that’s the case in a way. These nature of these disagreements are irrelevant to this issue, so I will not pursue them here.
My original comment was a musing on how blanket disclosure of these financial relationships might be useful to understand the way certain discussions and debates take shape. I understand programming realities most likely make this impossible. That being said, ultimately, no one is beyond questioning, beyond reproach. People who say things and act like that make me nervous. This is not meant to be an “attack” on her so everyone chill but why would RG act like that in such a bulldog manner, both in the Rogan thread and here? Is she just mentally invested in your infallibility or actually invested via a material financial relationship? It would actually make more sense to me if she was. This is one example and I will leave it at that.
Hi Anon,
Thanks for responding. Let’s see…
As regards Rogan: I don’t regularly watch/listen to him, so I haven’t got a full view. What I have seen/read does not cause me to consider him a shill; rather, I get the impression he’s a guy with good interviewing skills who gets interesting people to come on his show and banter. This is interesting – as well as entertaining. It causes his audience to grow and because he has a large audience, he has some heavyweight sponsors. Now – for me – the question is: Does he pretend to be “just talking” when he mentions the names of these sponsors or their products/services? I don’t know. Again – I haven’t listened to his show enough to form a complete picture. (I was very turned off by the Jew-baiting in a video purporting to expose his shilling.)
I very much dislike it when a commentator reads ad copy (as Hannity does) because it comes across as shilling. I have no issue with ads being published on a site (as here) that are just “there” and clearly separate from editorial material. I will sometimes mention (as an example) Valentine1 radar detectors, but not as plug per se. I am under no obligation to mention V1 radar detectors. I do – because I own and use the V1 (and would mention it even if Valentine1 were not an advertiser). Valentine and the other advertisers do not pay me to tout their products. They buy ad space and we leave it at that. If I personally – truly – believe a product or service is worthwhile, I have no problem so stating. After all, why not? I like it when people I trust give me a good lead. They key thing is to not abuse that trust.
As far as the rest: This site is primarily supported directly by individual readers, as they like and consider appropriate. There are no subscriptions, pay walls or expectations. It’s almost exactly like tossing a few bills or coins into the piano player’s beer stein, if you like what’s playing. I really like this because I consider it a very pure form of libertarian exchange; of value for value – as determined by the parties involved, according to their own free choice.
It also liberates me from being dependent on “sponsors” – as they are styled. I’d much rather do things my way than the other way – even if it means just paying the bills, with some left over for a bottle of the good stuff every now and then!
“Captain Eric will getcha high tonight…”Apologies to Billy Joel. Financial contributions from readers never exceed a few coins or bills in the theoretical beer stein? Ok. Maybe I was misunderstanding some things.
Anon,
It gets tiresome. You keep hinting – as I interpret your vague implications – that I am somehow the bought-and-paid-for “influencer” of someone who has paid me to shill for them. You seem to think that having ads or people who donate to keep this site up compromises what is published here. If that’s what you actually do believe, that is your right – but then, why are you here?
Hi Anon,
Eric was here 10 years before I came along and he will be here 10 years after I leave. Am I financially or emotionally invested? The answer is I am neither. The same as I am with Joe Rogan. I have never met either man, but I find both to be decent human beings.
Nothing appalls me more when I feel a good person is being alleged of wrong doing. I don’t believe that the world has a lot of quality people in it so I have no issue with speaking up if I feel if something or someone is being tarnished unfairly.
I don’t find you credible. You didn’t acquit yourself very well on the Rogan thread. Three times you didn’t answer a simple question and I’m still waiting on your takedown of the video evidence I provided.
So? I don’t need you to find me credible. Why should either of our opinions matter? You are not a friend of mine and I am not a friend of yours. Your opinion of me is irrelevant.
Comments are a give and take of information. Opinion plays a part but is not the only thing involved. You say stuff then you DK it later. Sign of a bad faith actor. Just sayin’…
Signature of a real piece of work.
Anonymous.
Anon,
Isn’t it most invaluable that you can identify the tree by the fruit it bears? Like others here, I’m not exactly sure what you’re implying, but I can see the fruit that is Eric’s writing, and it never bears any hint that he is anything more or less than a champion for liberty, and a vehicular enthusiast.
Luddite here. Don’t need no stinkin QR code. My paper check’s in the mail.
Hey, gives me an idea! I could write a check, scan and email to Eric, and he could take the picture and upload to his bank for an electronic deposit. Poyfect.
Thanks, Montana!
And: Fellow Luddite here . . . or at least, “techno” averse. But I try to make things as easy as I can for all who’d like to support the site; I figure having options is always a good thing!
I think that’s a great idea to setup a “forum” type website (where people can create their own topics). Also, you could maybe set up a second forum just for your local ~tri-county area, so locals can make an agenda and then volunteer to implement the agenda items. They can vote on the agenda items using ‘polls’ (same thing as an election), but make sure the software you use for the forum calculates the poll winners correctly because some forum software platforms do not calculate that right. BTW, feel free to ask me for any help on this, such as how to verify your users actually live locally, etc.
Just post the QR code of a your bitcoin receiving address, thats all you need
Hi Sasquatch,
I hope you’ll excuse a newbie-to-crypto’s probably dumb question: Where is this QR code to be found?
Hi Eric,
To do this, you need a personal bitcoin wallet, not one that Coinbase provides because they are an unnecessary 3rd party who ultimately controls your btc. Instead, get a personal wallet. Exodus or Electrum are two great choices. Download their wallet, create one, write down your “seed phrase” or “recovery phrase”. Then click the “Receive” tab and there’ll be your wallet address and a QR code or QR code generator button. Copy that image and paste it wherever you want.
Welcome to crypto! You’ll get the hang of it in no time.
Excellent,Michael – thank you!
I will do this today… .
Hi Eric,
I think Exodus would be a better choice because you can access dozens of cryptos. Post a DASH or BCH address and I’ll contribute through it. Because I only have a Hoogle phone number in the US, perfectly capable of receiving text messages, Paypal has decided I cannot be part of their happy family. And mail from South America? LOL.
I’ve posted a screenshot to help you navigate Exodus: https://disk.yandex.com/i/-lGftcAO5tokgA
Hi Barry,
Thanks – in advance!
I just added the scan code thing (I think) in the text of the Monkey Paw piece; please take a look and let me know whether you can see it – and also whether it works!
Hi Eric,
Just tested the QR code, and it works. Now you (in reality, your web programmer) have to find a way to make that QR code appear in your webpages. I suggest you add also an address button, so folks have the option to use either that or the QR code.
Here are some links, that you can use as pointers:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Receiving_donations_with_bitcoin
They suggest using the Electrum wallet, which from what I’ve read is very secure but only accepts bitcoins. The rest is practically the same others have already suggested: obtain an address, generate a QR code and post them on your website.
I suggest you also read the “address reuse” article, which expands what user Scott wrote yesterday ( https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2021/10/16/avoiding-a-soylent-future/#comment-789525 ). It basically boils down to security and anonymity; reusing an address reduces both. The Exodus wallet
allows you to use multiple addresses:
https://support.exodus.com/article/1480-bitcoin-faqs-learn-more-about-btc#create-new-address
Just my 2 cents!
I worked, though a little awkwardly as I gad to grab the QR code on my phone, email to myself, then copy and paste on the desktop computer. Good news is it only cost 90¢, which is cheap for BTC though it would cost 8/10,000¢ in Litecoin.
At any rate, it would have been a lot easier for me to just copy and paste bc1qn8dzqxxgyqap34ry2mpc07urjryz82wv3c5dk8
In Monero (XMR) the transaction would cost 2/1,000¢ and be completely untraceable, so no need to worry about addresses.
I immediately thought something was about to get banjaxed, perhaps comically, owing to the substance of that classic Simpsons episode. Then I quickly realized that the monkey paw opened up, if memory serves correctly, when it had a new owner…
Good thing all of that was just my tendency to waste compute cycles on idiotic ponderings.
Perhaps I will send you a request for some EP Autos stickers soon, Eric. I actually love sending old-fashioned letters. Hopefully a money order will work for you.
Thanks, BaDnOn,
Absolutely – and thanks, as always!
Hey, Eric,
I appreciate what you do here.
IMO, the discussions area at least as valuable as your articles, which “provoke ” them.
Which is not to denigrate your articles, of course. 🙂
Far from it.
Thanks for *not* putting up a paywall.
I’ve sent you a few bucks in the past, and will continue to do so in the future, finances permitting. In fact, I intend to write you a (regrettably, small) check today, FWIW. It’s tainted money, of course, being part of the proceeds of my latest share of the loot kicked back from Fed Gov taxes, a.k.a. “SS payments.”
May you live long and prosper, fellow wrongthinker. 🙂
turtle blues
a.k.a. “Corvus”
http://www.corvus-rising.net/blog/
Thanks, Turtle – for the kind words and support!
I, too, very much esteem the comments (and commenters) here; this little joint has attracted a pretty stellar array of smart people with lots of worthwhile things to say.