Already put my foot in it...........or have I?

I  was having another look at my site of the week.  The very excellent http://wwwskeptiod.com and the information therein.  Its got to be said that the sites principle, Brian Dunning, is very well informed and I find his articles an invaluable source of information.  The article on the Min Min Light http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4133  was great.  For a subject,  the explanation of which to have alluded serious reason for so long,  I found both amazing and relieving.  Some things are just difficult to explain but I am certain that most things do end up with a rational scientific explanation  even if i may not understand that explanation in full.  I know that sounds a bit strange but I prefer a scientific explanation to anything spiritual because it satisfies my curiosity in the same way that any metaphysical one leaves me cold.  I had never heard of the Min Min Light and to discover the phenomenon and the explanation in the same article was quite a catch.  

That got me to thinking.  Was I a bit hard on Brian in my last post for him trying to prise almost a whole dollar for one of these articles? Its something I pondered for a while.  If THIS blog grows he should be receiving more traffic and thus increase his chance of making more money from his site.  He should be as entitled as anyone else to make a few quid from his hard work of course.  But something about charging anything at all over the operating costs doesn't sit well with me, especially as sceptics spend a considerable effort debunking people making pots of cash for nothing more than pretending to bend a spoon.  Its an awfully good site and I am sure the extra hours tagged on to Brian's week are hard to come by.  I have a family life to juggle in amongst my work and private time so I understand the commitment he´s making,  a noble one.  But he´s selling a book and a Video / DVD and has a website to help him promote these things along with going to the trouble of having T- Shirts printed up - (not cheap either).  There is something of an marketing plan in place here somewhere.   

I´m happy to support Brian's efforts to inform us and maybe entertain us a little.  I´m not ready to stump up a dollar if 69,000 others are doing the same every week and netting him a cool  3.6million bucks a year for his  450 odd hours work.  That's some hourly rate which ever way you look at it and a LOT of money.   I doubt that is happening of course,  he seems a very likeable guy,  and as he is an incredably well informed  sceptic as well I ask my self;  would he pull the wool over everybodys eyes and say that only 6 people are bothering with the donations?  I don't actually believe he would,  I think he´s trying to cover his costs and make a few extra buck,  but as a sceptic myself I don't know for sure.  In short,  I don't want to pay for him to get rich but I´m happy to pay my share of a decent and honest return on the investment he makes of his time.   I do hope that he continues,  I find him very easy to listen to and his research seems thourough.  I will make a decision soon about this and keep you informed.........I´ll probably end up subscribing, I will definatly be spreading the word about his podcasts, I have 150 of them on my phone and have barely listened to anything else since I discovered him so I guess you could say I am a fan.   Check him out www.skeptoid.com