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A new way to support OffG

We at OffGuardian are very pleased to announce – due to popular demand – the introduction of our brand new and exciting Bitcoin Button! (see below)

This button will allow all you Bitcoin users to seamlessly pass on any digital change you may have clinking around in your virtual pockets!

OffG functions solely due to the contributions of our readership. Thanks to your generosity, your loyalty, your support for the messages we try to convey, we manage to keep this site running… Just.

The workload of generating content, formatting pieces, maintaining and updating the site, monitoring comments, fending off internet attacks, and generally keeping everything running smoothly could easily be the full time occupation of a small workforce, if we existed in corporate land.In reality, we have a very small core team to keep this site functioning. No one is salaried.

As we are publishing this, we’re under yet another DD0S attack that’s defeating our software and needs time and effort to resolve.

If each of our readers contributed only £1/$1 a month, Offg’s future would be more than secure. We could take on a bigger team, launch the OffG podcast we’ve been planning, and expand to reach more and more readers.

These are long term goals, but staying afloat is the day to day struggle. With your help we’ve managed to get this far. We take our commitments and responsibilities seriously, and we intend to continue doing this for as along as we can.

Thanks – always – to all of you.

The Off Guardian Team

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SUPPORT OFFGUARDIAN

If you enjoy OffG's content, please help us make our monthly fund-raising goal and keep the site alive.

For other ways to donate, including direct-transfer bank details click HERE.

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Gezzah Potts
Gezzah Potts
Mar 7, 2020 8:29 PM

And we really appreciate what you do, and the work you put into keeping this valuable and highly informative site going.
In this age of Orwellian groupthink and newspeak, it’s vital to have an alternative to the fake news of the Empire presstitutes. As I’ve told you, will send money when I can.
I wondered if we were under attack again from the pyscho’s when the browser checker thingy started popping up in the last couple of days. Cheers Offg.

Gall
Gall
Mar 8, 2020 7:52 PM
Reply to  Gezzah Potts

I second that.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 8, 2020 8:27 PM
Reply to  Gezzah Potts

Thank you very much, Gezzah!!

Gezzah Potts
Gezzah Potts
Mar 8, 2020 9:09 PM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

You’re most welcome. It’s been a brilliant weekend selling the mag (Big Issue) so wee bit more this week… 😁

harryson
harryson
Feb 26, 2023 8:17 AM
Reply to  Gezzah Potts

Thank you for educating us on this topic!

Dungroanin
Dungroanin
Mar 8, 2020 2:31 PM

Someone’s taking the …mickey.

Who exactly has a motive to perpetrate a DDOS on such a harmless site as this? Has Off-G received any demands?
Has Off-G teported the continued attacks to a Cybercrime police?
Given that sites such as Craig Murray’s seem to be immune from such attacks – what exactly is the story here? And Bitcoin??? Kindly explain the reasoning behind that slowly as I am a bit hungover today… lots of post rugger celebrations.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 8, 2020 3:13 PM
Reply to  Dungroanin

Kindly explain the reasoning behind that slowly as I am a bit hungover today… lots of post rugger celebrations.

Yeah, I can see that. May I suggest a quick Sunday stroll to clear your head, and maybe channel a bit more of that latent hostility into your game?! hehe Thanks

Dungroanin
Dungroanin
Mar 9, 2020 6:54 AM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

Just asking …

Donna Kebab
Donna Kebab
Mar 9, 2020 12:54 PM
Reply to  Dungroanin

No you weren’t, you were trying to insinuate and demean. Why?

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 9, 2020 2:19 AM
Reply to  Dungroanin

Oh FFS. Do something useful for society. Fix up one of your buy to letters or something.

Dungroanin
Dungroanin
Mar 9, 2020 6:59 AM
Reply to  Robbobbobin

Robbo, Wherever did you get the idea I have BTL’s ?

I do somethings useful for society.
Though I don’t shout about it and seek recognition.

What bee got in your bonnet to elicit that venom?

Donna Kebab
Donna Kebab
Mar 9, 2020 12:51 PM
Reply to  Dungroanin

All sites get DD0S attacks you stupid hungover clown. I recall Craig Murray being offline for days with one a year or so back. Reporting it to the cybercrime police? You really are clueless as well as nasty.

Dungroanin
Dungroanin
Mar 9, 2020 10:48 PM
Reply to  Donna Kebab

Ooh someone’s got thin skin.

“Clown..clueless..nasty”

Why do sites get DDoS attacks, Ms Kebab?

What is the motive ?

Why can’t it be reported as a crime?

This is a regular event at Off-G you don’t think it is curious – well that is your prerogative.

Kind of you to intervene but you haven’t actually answered any of my queries have you?

CB Estonia
CB Estonia
Mar 8, 2020 2:16 AM

From wikipedia
Journalists, economists, investors, and the central bank of Estonia have voiced concerns that bitcoin is a Ponzi scheme.

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 8, 2020 3:23 AM
Reply to  CB Estonia

Bitcoin is a ‘work’ based (sic) virtual currency, with–in its original form–a strictly limited issuannce cap, i.e. in its original form it is irremediably rooted in a ‘commodity standard’ (e.g. the ‘gold standard’) capitalist model (in Bitcoin’s case, primarily the cost of electricity and secondarily the cost of the means of production (computer processing time). If you think that the ‘value’ of a currency unit should increase as its commodity base diminishes, as a Bitcoin’s value in Bitcoin’s original form does, then it is not a ponzi scheme, although ‘ordinary’ ponzi schemes can be set up within it, as they can within a ‘real’ currency. However, (1) in its original form Bitcoin in itself is far (far, far) more destructive of the environment than all except the actual commodity-extraction processes of a ‘real’ currency (and more destructive than even most of those) and (2) within capitalism everything is a ponzi scheme because capitalism itself is an ex post facto proxy for Mr Ponzi (whom the saying “old money is the best money” considerably predates).

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 8, 2020 12:04 PM
Reply to  CB Estonia

We discussed introducing a bartering system, and doing away with all forms of currency exchange. The problem was finding a PO Box that’d accept goats and chickens, and we’d have to pass on the cost of shipping to our readers, which would feel a tad hypocritical… As much as it pains us, I think we’re stuck in this system. And if the Saker can do bitcoin, so can we 😉

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 9, 2020 3:29 AM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

“As much as it pains us, I think we’re stuck in this system.”

I was not criticizing Off-Guardian’s use of any practical/fungible/reasonably present-and-future legal (thus reasonably unimpeachable) way of spreading the out-of-pocket costs of its existence. Unfortunately there are no really, on-all-fronts uncompromised and general-public usable virtual currencies operating at the moment. Of those that are available Bitcoin is the most ubiquitous thus likely the best-yielding. So my response was really addressed to CB Estonia’s reference to ponzi schemes per se. Thanks for all your self-funded efforts to date, and best wishes for some real signs of retrospective compensation of the living costs sort in the reasonably near future.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 9, 2020 12:27 PM
Reply to  Robbobbobin

Thanks for your message, Robbobbobin, and I didn’t read your comment as critical in any way at all, more that you were adding some useful and very interesting context to CB’s post. Once again, thanks for your well-wishes and all the best to you too.

A2

Loverat
Loverat
Mar 7, 2020 6:39 PM

Patreon is a good easy way to contribute too. I recall looking on Craig Murray’s site and he was saying a tiny percentage of readers contribute. Why is that?

When I was learning about the issues featured here and elsewhere, I didn’t contribute. But in my view, if you can and believe in the work of Off G people should be contributing.

The issues discussed here are directly relevant to whether we, our children and grand children have any future.

Consider all this part of a new, niche project. The truth. Think how proud you will feel when the narratives here prevail over MSM. They will in the end, so it is a good return on your capital imo.

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 8, 2020 2:27 AM
Reply to  Loverat

“I recall looking on Craig Murray’s site and he was saying a tiny percentage of readers contribute. Why is that?”

Beause most people don’t ‘contribute’ to anything. In an ‘advanced’ capitalist society, never have, never will.

Rhys Jaggar
Rhys Jaggar
Mar 8, 2020 12:10 PM
Reply to  Loverat

Mr Murray’s system is a regular debit scheme, it does not have provision for one-off donations.

Many of his readers have told him that monthly debits during economic uncertainty makes them uncomfortable, but for logistical reasons, Mr Murray sticks with his model.

Dungroanin
Dungroanin
Mar 8, 2020 2:33 PM
Reply to  Rhys Jaggar

Rhys he published a Natwest account number to raise funds to cover costs for the Assange hearing – a lot easier for anyone happy to send from their personal account – i was.

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 9, 2020 3:52 AM
Reply to  Dungroanin

“[Craig Murray] published a Natwest account number to raise funds to cover costs for the Assange hearing – a lot easier for anyone happy to send from their personal account – i was.”

Interbank transfers, especially for those banks with ethics, structures or resources that exclude them from the usual clearing system/s can and often do charge fees that are exorbitant for the less well-off.

JudyJ
JudyJ
Mar 10, 2020 1:02 PM
Reply to  Robbobbobin

Robbo…,

You may well be right about some banks charging fees for ‘interbank’ transfers but I bank with Lloyds and transferred a one off payment to Craig Murray, and every month to my window cleaner and my credit card (at Barclays), pay all tradesman who do any jobs for me, and paid back a relative a loan of £25k …all using internet banking and incurring no charges. Presumably if you go into a branch to do it they will charge a fee, which doesn’t seem unreasonable.

Loverat
Loverat
Mar 8, 2020 2:49 PM
Reply to  Rhys Jaggar

It is a problem in these uncertain times. But Craig Murray has quite a wide readership and I’m sure there many who can donate regularly but don’t, or perhaps dont quite get around to it.
Sites like this have very dedicated people working long hours for no financial reward. I think added worry of future funding is not ideal.

The thing about supporting sites like this is you know your money is going to be used well. Give it to Oxfam or Amnesty you are probably funding a fair bit of misery in the world. My view has always been the UK and via charities should have a larger overseas aid budget – but only if it is channelled to genuine courses and not war and terrorism. So anyone reading here who has forgotten subscriptions to these charities know what to do.

paul
paul
Mar 8, 2020 7:25 PM
Reply to  Loverat

Oxfam needs all the money they can get to fund their sex parties with poor black kids.

Richael
Richael
Mar 7, 2020 12:44 PM

I’ve already sent you an email and posted twice about asking if it is possible to send you a cheque ( Euros or uk £s) or…possibly ( not my favourite choice) do a bank transfer. Therewas no response from yourselves so I guess that’s a ‘ No”?

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 8, 2020 2:44 AM
Reply to  Richael

If you don’t have a personal (bank-issued) credit card then prepaid, non-rechargeable, over-the-counter VISA/Mastercard plastic usually costs a lot less per unit than any single ‘interbank transfer’ and, provided the Off-Guardian has set up its PayPal account to accept ‘donations’ as well as ‘subscriptions’, will–like personal credit cards–work via the PayPal button (and, if you make the right payment choice at the ‘checkout’ will effect the transfer as a regular card processor rather than requiring you, too, to have a PayPal account).

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 8, 2020 11:43 AM
Reply to  Robbobbobin

I don’t deal with Paypal stuff myself, but I’m very happy to trust you know exactly what you’re talking about 😉 Thanks for the helpful advice!

JudyJ
JudyJ
Mar 10, 2020 1:17 PM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

I’m not sure if it’s still the case but it used to be that if a transaction took the payer to the Paypal site (some traders require Paypal payments only) there was the option of checking out as a Paypal account holder or as ‘Paypal guest’. When I first encountered the reference to ‘guest’ I was put off by the terminology but all it means in practice is that a window opens and (as Robbo… says) the payer enters their credit/debit card details without any need to have a Paypal account, and the payment is made via Paypal so the recipient never has access to the payer’s bank details. Paypal doesn’t charge a fee for such a transaction.

Hope this helps.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 10, 2020 2:31 PM
Reply to  JudyJ

Ahh, I will suggest we post these instructions online, to make it clear that people can pay with credit/debit cards without having to be PP user themselves. Really helpful, thank you!

paul
paul
Mar 8, 2020 7:29 PM
Reply to  Robbobbobin

OG should have a PO Box to receive payments.
Anyone sending money on line might as well carry a poster on their back saying, please rob me.
My brother installs computer programmes for businesses, but he says he would no sooner make a payment on line than he’d jump off a cliff.

paul
paul
Mar 8, 2020 7:31 PM
Reply to  paul

Banker’s drafts are better for anonymity.
Make it as difficult as possible for GCHQ.

Robbobbobin
Robbobbobin
Mar 9, 2020 4:08 AM
Reply to  paul

Zcash and Monero (and maybe others since I last checked) virtual currencies have pretty good privacy/anonymity and there are still some reliable exchanges that will process their secured transactions, though ‘the authorities’ are gung-ho to stamp out anything of that sort completely asap. They don’t want ordinary cash money, let alone virtual cash.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 8, 2020 8:21 PM
Reply to  paul

Thanks for the suggestion, Paul. If that would make you, or anyone, feel easier sending a few cents/pennies our way, it’s definitely something we should look into in the future. I will certainly pass this on.

I’m a bit cash-under-the-mattress inclined myself, I’d be interested to know, how does your brother manage to pay his bills, or his subcontractors or his staff, or invoice his clients, in this modern world?! Interesting.

If it were up to me, I’d want to live in a world in which we could accept rare earth minerals and fine works of art hehe. Here’s hoping!
A2

Loverat
Loverat
Mar 9, 2020 3:22 AM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

Admin2 seems to be on fire with the funnies.

I have a bit of a line in fine wine, dog shares and silver bullion coins (kept under my bed). In these days of Coronavirus I’m also accumulating tins of Irish boneless kippers from the £1 shop. I guess that’s the capitalist streak within I can’t shake off and besides, are good for cholesterol

They are £1.80 in Sainsbury’s. Perhaps these would be acceptable currency going forward?

It’s an interesting discussion. My mum who is over 80 spoke to her bank to request a new cheque book. They told her people don’t use cheques anymore. She replied saying what does she do if she wants to make a money gift to one of her grandchildren. The operator said she should ‘wire’ the money over. I had to explain to her what this would entail. So I guess with perhaps a more ‘mature’ profile of reader, Off G might be up against it so worth considering those options.

Fine wine, fine art, fine kippers, fine silver and dog shares, laugh away but seriously there are many ways of raising money, worthy of consideration.

Sam - Admin2
Admin
Sam - Admin2
Mar 9, 2020 12:22 PM
Reply to  Loverat

Perhaps I was being too hilarious to make it clear that I totally agree, and am that way inclined myself! I will pass on the request for a less digital option to contribute funds. Thanks.

paul
paul
Mar 9, 2020 8:16 PM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

Cash and cheques.
Nobody should pay for petrol other than in cash.
Where I used to live in London, 50% of petrol stations were skimming cards for cloning in the Far East.
Cash is anonymous – which is why they’re trying to ban it.

paul
paul
Mar 9, 2020 8:18 PM
Reply to  Sam - Admin2

21 Century Wire obtains funding from Brave Browser in their virtual currency.