The Oatmeal's Tesla Fundraiser Pushes Past $1.1M http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408922,00.asp
With 34 days to go in his publicly funded campaign to, "build a goddamn Tesla Museum," Web cartoonist Matthew Inman - creator of The Oatmeal - has blown past his initial goal of raising $850,000 by a fairly substantial amount. As of this article's writing, Inman - and more than 26,000 backers behind the project - have raised a total of just over $1.1 million. Since New York State has offered a matching grant to the campaign recipient and non-profit Tesla Science Center if it manages to raise $850,000, the project should be able to hit $2 million in total funding if not surpass it entirely. Although the goal of the campaign is to ultimately build a museum devoted to famed inventor and electricity enthusiast Nikola Tesla, the first step in the project would be to purchase the 16-acres of land surrounding Tesla's now-demolished Wardenclyffe tower. It's currently listed at $1.6 million and the Tesla Science Center is already working to make a bid on the property. "Even though we've already hit our goal, I plan on letting the campaign run the full 45 days," Inman writes. "Every extra penny we earn will go toward restoring the property, building exhibits, and turning this land into something worthy of Tesla's awesomeness. The original goal of $850k was enough money to bid on the property, but it's going to take a lot more to turn it into an actual museum." Those looking to contribute to the campaign can still receive most of the perks associated with donating. For example, a $3 donation gives you the feel-good belief that, were Tesla alive today, "he'd totally high-five you and compliment your haircut and/or mustache." The two major, "donate $33,000 and be featured on TheOatmeal.com" packages are sold out, as are six of the seven "Custom Oatmeal portrait of you" perks that require a $3,333 donation and all 40 of the autographed Wardenclyffe posters signed by Tesla's last remaining relative, William Terbo. However, unlimited quantities of the Wardenclyffe baseball caps, bumper stickers, and glossy Tesla photos are up for grabs. Inman's campaign topped $850,000 in donations just last week, just five days after the fundraiser's launch itself. Indiegogo, the donation company handling all of the online fundraising, created an infographic to shed some new details on the sheer volume of donations shortly after the Tesla project hit the $873,000 mark. _______________________________________________ Please be sure to include a URL to the article. Reply to the sender with a "Thank you" if you like this post. _______________________________________________ Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
