[NTLK] The Lake Tahoe Hiking Newton … to be auction off for charity

[RAParker]

Yep... it is now time.

I will be preparing the Lake Tahoe Hiking Newton for sale. I have spent nearly $2,000 for this incredible setup over the course of nine wonderful years. I must move on.

You may have noticed (or not) that my NPDS server is without a home. Although I am not homeless – thank God for twin Brothers – I did quit a very good job in Tahoe and I am reinventing my current online identities. I have prepared a strong resume and I am relocating myself to Reno... “Nevada's Silicon Valley.”

Here is what I was thinking...

Now may be the best time to sell this rig. Obviously, no one can ever appreciate the value of this Newton setup, except perhaps here on the NewtonTalk list. There is (really) no way for me to sell it for (anywhere near) the actual value that it is worth, other than offering it to a very good cause.

So... I proposed the following: 

This will be offered first to the NewtonTalk community while I spend the time to create an eBay Giving Works charity auction.

Who gets the money?

Some of it will go to buy me a used car. But that’s not all...

I am offering 50% of the total funds received to go directly to Stephen Hackett and his family. This is a good cause. (Period)

How much is it?

Well... that’s why they call it an auction. I do have a set value (a minimum reserve) in my mind and I will be glad to describe the complete package you will receive. If you have any doubts, check out my story here:

<LakeTahoeHikingNewton.pen.io>

and of course here:

<http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/08/the-newton-lives/> 

Trust me, this collectors item is very rare and the package you will receive is extensive, completely operational and well worth the value I have already stated.

Who should bid on this?

*You are a quiet collector of rare computer systems.
*You have enough money to support a good cause without it hurting financially.
*You don’t mind if your donation doesn’t go to an qualified charitable organization that gives you the 1099 QCD. 

If there is a lack of sufficient responses, the complete kit will be placed on “eBay Giving Works” with about the same terms. The only difference is I will be required to pick a supported charitable organization. That organization will be St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Although this indirectly supports Stephen and his family, I would much rather send this donation directly to him in the form of cash.

How can you help?

You can spread the word. Tweet about it. Facebook it. Blog it. Simply refer to this post via a link. It’s easy. I’ll post the link after this message processes within the archive. 

I’d like to do this quickly and easily without having to devote an enormous amount of time by creating and documenting the contents of the auction, waiting for it to end, waiting for eBay Giving Works site to distribute the funds, etc.

How do I bid?

Send me an email with your bid amount. My email addresses are encoded in my signature (below) and my contact information is all over the Internet. 

This is a silent auction…

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Unless you have something nice to say. Your comments are most welcome.  

DO NOT POST YOUR BID ON NEWTONTALK. This list is not an appropriate place to hold an auction. Grant Hutchinson will penalize you in the most embarrassing way possible. Just kidding. (perhaps) Grant: Sorry to drop your name in such a way but you are the list dad and you say the smartest things.

Can I be trusted?

Do you need to ask?

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RAParker
    |\/|\  @ Newted.ORG
    |/-|/  @ Quadzilla.NET
    |\ |  @ TahoeSunsets.COM
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Dictated using Siri and an iNewt Touch 5.0 while in “the middle of nowhere.”
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