We're ****ed.

[Valkysas]

Hello Paul Hutchison,

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google
AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an
effort to protect the interest of the AdWords advertisers.

A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including
but not limited to clicks generated by:

- a publisher on his own web pages
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the
layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason

Practices such as these are in violation of the Google AdSense Terms
and Conditions and program polices.

Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further
participation in AdSense and do not receive any further payment. The
earnings on your account will be properly returned to the affected
advertisers.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team


We had reached over 150 dollars.
It's all gone now. I'm open to suggestions.

I'm guessing someone decided to click over and over in one day in an effort to screw us over.

[Nixon]

Donations. You can count on me for $20.00 within the next two weeks. Make a list of people willing to donate. You could always pay them back with video game related crap later if you felt really bad about it.

I have been known to donate small amounts to other sites that I enjoy. I certainly wouldn't mind giving some money if it meant we had our permanent liscense and wouldn't have to worry about this **** for a while.

[Biggie]

I'm guessing someone decided to click over and over in one day in an effort to screw us over.

Or maybe an idiot who took "click damn you!" a little seriously.

[The Dark Jester]

Probably somebody who thought everytime you clicked on it you'd get paid.

Thats a damn shame Valk.

sorry to hear about that.

[Rodak]

Donations. ... You could always pay them back with video game related crap later if you felt really bad about it.

This ties in nicely with my previous suggestion of selling Pre-Paid "Gift Cards" to The Pavilion Store (knowing that it may take a year to open would not stop those of us willing to donate anyway).

Everyone would benefit from this and it is not accepting donations (plus you would still have whatever small profit margin you build in to the store stock).

Failing that... I recall after the Hurricanes some (one?) of our more talented artists sold art through this site to benefit victims.

Well, this is The Pavilion's Time of Need and I think such a process might help get something started.

At least it's a new suggestion...

Apart from that, maybe asking Congress (Your State or The Federal) for an Emergency Grant as a Non-Profit Organization that helps teach kids the basics of Computer Programming Knowledge in the guise of a Video Game site.

That is only semi-sarcastic. You could pass yourself off as such without much difficulty... Really! (Hey, it doesn't even cost a stamp to try if you email them!)

That's it for now, but if I get any stupider ideas I'll be sure to post them.

Better ones too.

Best of Luck.

Peace.

[Nixon]

I'd gladly donate a piece of art to raise money.

[The Dark Jester]

Id donate money.

[Omnislash024]

How much total do you need to stay afloat Valk?

[Valkysas]

we're gonna need approximately 93 dollars more to get the permanent license we want.
I guess I'm gonna set up a paypal donation box, that will display how much we need, so no one accidentally donates more than we need. I gotta figure out how much paypal's fees would be, so we can make sure that's covered too.

[mbsamps]

I would Gladly Donate money as well... although i'm not a vocal member, I do appreciate the knowledge I get from the other members here. The Crimson Knight is amazing, and I would be happy to pay for the few VERY descriptive posts from him that have helped me further my RPGM3 game along!

I make a lot of money at my job, and $20 or $30 aint ***** compared to what I get in return from this site. Hell I spend more than that on booze in one hour on a friday night! :thumbs

peace

[Shard]

I've got no problem making a donation. This place is a steal just on its entertainment value alone, but I'm not about to expose my finances to the fist**** that is paypal. Give me an address, a post office box if you like, and I'll have it in the mail the next day.

[Nixon]

Yeah, I'd rather send a money order.

[hitogoroshi]

Well, can you get ads from somewhere else? You could just pay back those who donate. I'll have 20$ on Jan 7th (curse my small allowance!), I'll donate if you're not done by then.

[mbsamps]

I'm good with donating through PayPal. I've had an account with them for 3 years now, and not once have I had an issue with sending or receiving money. Tell me what email address or PayPal account to send it to, and its yours.

[Fruple]

I can donate $20, or more, if needed.

[Libby]

lemme know where to send the paypal.

[Jamos' Old Account]

We had reached over 150 dollars.
It's all gone now. I'm open to suggestions.

I'm guessing someone decided to click over and over in one day in an effort to screw us over.

Damn! That is bull ****! When there was enough to save the pavilion... :upset I would love to donate some money, but I am currently unemployed and don't have the money to spare. I pray that we can still save the pavilion.

[HolyPhoenix]

All of my ******* clicks went down the drain. I clicked once a day for about a week now. I am sorry I will not be able to donate because I don't have a job. But if I did I would send you as much as I could.

[Caciss]

Thanks for the guilt trip, Rodak. I completely forgot to mail that piece of art to Nixon. Now I feel like ****.

[Snarf]

Give me the paypal info and I will donate some money.

[Sage of Creation]

In the time of need... the Pavilion will prevail! You can count me in for a PayPal donation!

[Key]

I've got no problem making a donation. This place is a steal just on its entertainment value alone, but I'm not about to expose my finances to the fist**** that is paypal. Give me an address, a post office box if you like, and I'll have it in the mail the next day.

Same here. I don't get paid alot at my job, but I'm willing to donate to keep this
site afloat.

[Shadow Rider]

Give me a paypal account, and I'll donate...in Canadian money...

[Big Rick Cook]

What's the big deal with PayPal?

[Armored]

I'm with the money order thing, just give me an address.

[Nixon]

Paypal charges a lot of fees for almost every type of transaction. Also, some people have issues with them from past buying or selling experiences.

I use paypal, but I'm not sure I'll have enough in my balance to cover what I want to donate, so I figure I'll send a money order.

Either way, I'm always happy to support this site.

As for the ads, I think they should go in the playground only, if that's possible. That way, you could PM every member of the playground (form letter time!) and explain how things will work and what they need to do. If anyone ****s it up, you'll have a better idea of who it was.

[Omnislash024]

I'll donate some cash toward the site Valk. Just give me some info to where I should send it to.

[Valkysas]

if people want to donate, they should check the "donations" topic in main forum. we currently have 40 dollars confirmed, split between Shard and Nixon. we're still in need of 53 dollars. no big rush, we have almost an entire month.

[Draygone]

Guess that'll be the last/only time we'll be using Google Ads. And I was looking forward to possible mega-prizes, too.:(

I'll donate, too. This bad talk about PayPal worries me a little (especially since I'm about to be selling something through it), but hopefully there won't be any problems. Or, maybe I could just send money order.

[jvrlopez]

PM sent in regards to a donation.

[Valkysas]

I was looking forward to possible mega-prizes, too.
So was I. first thing I was gonna do was use extra money to buy a bunch of copies of RPGM1, 2, and 3, and send them out to anyone who wanted one. honestly, if we would have kept up that 50 dollars a day thing from day one, it would have been possible.

oh, I found out why google kicked us off the program. remember that day that people confirmed they were clicking, but it kept showing just one click valued at 6 cents? well, I sent them an e-mail about it complaining. shortly after, it shot up over 20 dollars, and then they dropped us. I asked them directly why we were removed, and they told me that it was because I falsely accused them of trying to steal money from me.

[Caciss]

Why don't we just go with a different advertisement company?

[Valkysas]

too little time to have any effect now. we'd have to make the required amount before saturday in order to make it this pay period. we also have to be approved and there's set-up time on their part, no way we could pull it together in 2 days.

[Caciss]

I still say a little advertisement wouldn't be bad, could help with buying prizes or other cool stuff. Have contests, I don't know. It'd pay for itself.

[Valkysas]

oh, yeah. we'll definately try something similar in the future. just not with someone who would try to screw us like google did.

[Caciss]

Well, yeah I don't blame you.

[hitogoroshi]

Still, set up ads in January and you may be able to pay back those who donated. I don't care how big they are, really.

[Shard]

Check's in the mail, Paul. Incidentally about paypal....paypalsucks.com does a fairly good job of explaining how damaging they can be from people who have actually worked there. I never had any problems with my account when I used it, but that doesn't mean I wasn't in danger. I've never gotten mugged, but I also don't make a habit of going into west Oakland and waving my cash around.

[Jeroak Nelave]

West Oakland? What part of the bay area you live in Shard? Pleasant Hill here.

[Jeroak Nelave]

Oh Valk, i'll be contributing also once i get paid next friday.

Atleast $20

[hitogoroshi]

WAIT A MINUTE!
Look at what Google said.
Hello Paul Hutchison,

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google
AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an
effort to protect the interest of the AdWords advertisers

And you said they cut us off because:

oh, I found out why google kicked us off the program. remember that day that people confirmed they were clicking, but it kept showing just one click valued at 6 cents? well, I sent them an e-mail about it complaining. shortly after, it shot up over 20 dollars, and then they dropped us. I asked them directly why we were removed, and they told me that it was because I falsely accused them of trying to steal money from me.

They changed accusations on us. This anything we can use against them? I mean, a lawsuit, if made public, would hurt Google, so they might refund us or something. We didn't do anything wrong, and if you went to court, you have 100+ witnesses.

[Manyak]

How about no?

:doofus

[Valkysas]

thats just a standard form letter. their reason varies all over the place.

if I try logging into the adsense service, they tell me my account was never even approved.

See?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/Valkysas/google.jpg