News : And the winner is...YOU!!!

...our Vinton Today readers!

Once again, we met, we planned, we called the brains of this operation into a meeting and had a great time discussing our next plans for Vinton Today.

We discussed things that weren't working like we thought they would, and some new ideas for both the front end of the website as well as the back end, where we do our work.

I had the chance to once again learn more about technology from our wizard/genius Wesley...who as always took my notes which included the word "squish" and explained in technical terms how to fix the "squish" as well as how our website works.

To be one of those techy dudes (or gals, just in case any of the ERA movement might be reading and care) you have to learn another language.

I kid you not!

They even refer to it as another language.

Today I learned how our website works compared to sites like Facebook.

Okay, so you're bored...hang in there, I'll explain it in English like our smart guy did for us today, he's really good at that.

He explained that when we send something to the website, the website asks ONE time if we are sending something and waits for about 60 seconds for us to send it after we click the right button.

Facebook, on the other hand is like a 2 year old. It says to your computer, "Are you done yet? Are you done yet? Are you done yet?" Until you say, "YES I'M DONE ALREADY!!!"

See, now wasn't that a tiny bit interesting? Only Wesley used visuals, talking hands, which resemble sock puppets, and hey, it worked! I think after 3 years he know he has to REALLY dumb it down for us to understand! :)

The purpose of Wesley coming to talk with us, was with the express purpose of giving him our wish list, and finding out how much it will cost to make the improvements and updates the site needs.

At one point in our discussions I learned that there is a program out there that makes websites accessible on every computer gadget out there, but because of cost, well it's on a wish list.

Wesley looked at the list we had so carefully put together, and after we picked him up off the floor, and threw a little cold water in his face to revive him, he dutifully took our list with him to find out what we need to do to fix and improve the site again.

See, we just hand him the ideas. He has to burn his brain cells up trying to figure out how to create a program that we can learn to use (picture sock puppets) and yet complicated enough that our mouths drop open when Wesley shows us what we can now do!

Unfortunately, Dean and I aren't lottery players, so once in a while, we have to say, "Pretty Please???"

Vinton Today is a lot like NPR, or your IPTV station.

While we are fortunate to make a living via the advertising, we have to cover bills like a $600+ hosting fee, because the traffic has gotten so large we keep out growing our britches aka our bandwidth? (I think is what it's called)

We also have to pay for the various domain names each year.

Last year after a sucessful fundraiser, we had enough donations to pay for all the operating expenses of this website, as well as update a camera.

This year we come to you again, asking for you to...send in a donation to the efforts of Vinton Today.

We can only keep operating with everyone pitching in what you can.

Whether you are in the widows mite category, or Bill Gates' tax bracket, (if you're in the latter, please set up an appointment with us, we have a LOT of plans!) if everyone will pitch in what they can, we can operate this year again in the black.

It was a great feeling last year to FINALLY operate and not feel like we owed Kurt and Lu our firstborn!

So with your help again this year, we can keep our firstborn, and keep Vinton Today the slick "little" site that it is.

So click here, to print out a donation form, or simply stick a check in an envelope addressed to: Vinton Today Fund, P.O. Box 7, Vinton, IA 52349 Be sure to send along your return address.

For those of you who might find it easier to drop off a check, feel free to swing by Monkeytown, and mark it for the Vinton Today Fund c/o Lu and we'll be sure to add that to the collection as well.

As always, we thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts for your sweet words of encouragement, you kind generousity as well as reading and passing along the stories you find on Vinton Today.

Here's to another wonderful year!

fyi: Vinton Today Fund is NOT tax deductible.