We are about to implement significant changes to our site that have been in the works for some time. In short, we are revamping the VIP program. These are the highlights:
* We used to email our content to people who signed up to receive it that way, as several thousand did. That email system became defunct due to a change at Google, and we are finally replacing it after two years or more. All VIPs, but only VIPs, will now get daily emails with portions of our posts and links to the posts. Obviously, those who don’t want emails can unsubscribe.
* We are changing our comment system so that only VIPs can comment.
* VIPs will continue to see our site more or less ad-free, which is increasingly valuable since, as you may have noticed, the advertising has gotten more insistent.
* The cost of being a VIP will remain the same, $4.80 per month or $48 per year.
* If you are already a VIP, you shouldn’t see any particular change except that you will start getting daily emails. If you are a non-VIP reader who doesn’t comment (like the majority of our readers), you shouldn’t see any change.
* As we have always said, the main point of being a VIP is to support our work. We appreciate all of our readers, and we are especially grateful to our VIPs.
* Once this change is implemented, we have a few additional tweaks to the site in the works–doing away with a few non-functional elements, for example. But nothing radical.
* No doubt some will have questions. You can send them to our email inbox, [email protected].
* We expect to implement these changes on Thursday.
