February 23, 2022
HELP !!!
February 23, 2022
It appears that I have unintentionally and unknowingly infringed a copyrighted image, and I am being threatened with legal action if I do not agree to their terms. After finding the accusers all over the internet, I see no other choice.
The way these guys operate is basically entrapment. It should be illegal, but instead it has been made highly profitable by insane copyright laws. They leave things lying around on the internet with no notice, and then sue anyone who picks them up. They have even sold CD-ROMs full of images and then sued the buyers for actually using the images. Apparently the terms are buried so deep no one can find them. They have destroyed businesses and livelihoods. The even sue governments.
I really cannot afford this. Covid has ruined my health and left me unable to work. I am living off my savings and praying that somehow I get better, but after two years, I have little hope. I am not one to put my sob stories online, but there it is.
Some of you have made generous contributions for the website since I started asking, and actually covered the costs of this year's hosting and registration. Now I have to ask again. Otherwise, njscuba.net is paid for the coming year, and that will be the end.
NJScuba.net has never been for-profit, and it still isn't. This is embarrassing, but I have no choice.
THANK YOU ALL!!!
2/24/22
I am truly grateful for the outpouring of support I've recieved. My 'goal' was reached in less than a day. I really was not expecting that. Any extra will go towards hosting costs, which have also gone up significantly. Thank you so much to everyone.
Update
I reached my 'goal' in less than 24 hours, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed. I have to say that I was not expecting anything like that, I just don't know what to say except thank you all so much!
I really just want to put this thing behind me, and your donations have been a great help. I will put the extra towards hosting costs, which have gone up significantly this year. There is a simple explanation for that: for years a single company has been buying up all the independent hosting companies, and now has a near-monopoly. See here:
Every hosting company I have ever used for any reason is on that list, except for GoDaddy, and they are awful. (Or at least they were, maybe they have improved.)
For many years, hosting costs were inconsequential and I paid them myself, but a lot of things have changed. So if anyone would still like to make a small donation towards that, it is always appreciated.