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Web surfer, can you
spare a buck?

The creator of the Web site at gimmeabuck.com describes himself as "an average middle class computer programmer living a relatively comfortable, honest life in a typical suburb of a large city." He is nearly 30, married, drives an old Toyota and spends a portion of his free time chipping away at his bills. He never does reveal his name, though street panhandlers rarely do, either.

Perhaps it's a bit severe to compare the author of the "Amazing Gimme A Buck Website" to a beggar, though truth be told, he offers neither a worthwhile service nor equitable product in exchange for each dollar he solicits from visitors to his site. As an aspiring writer, however, he promises to reward each contributor with an e-mail containing one word for every donated dollar. "I get to feel like a real writer and you get to feel like a New Yorker," he states. "I may even send you a bonus of a few words!"

His "wealth sellout" plan will cost you a bit more. For $200, he promises to spend one hour in an unpleasant location watching a clock, forbidden from humming or making personal phone calls. For an extra $50, he will look busy. He's open to activities that contradict his tastes or beliefs, such as "wearing suits, attending office picnics, pretending to be concerned with maximizing office profits, and watching up to three highly embarrassing ads on TV with my mom in the same room."

For $1,000, each benefactor is promised a pamphlet called "Ten Ways to Better Manage Your Money" and for $10,000, a T-shirt that reads "I gave $10,000 to some guy on the 'Net and all I got was this lousy T-shirt." "In addition to that, anyone who gives over $100,000 will be thanked heartily by my wife and myself in person!" he writes. "We will both fly directly to your town/village/city and shake your hand! (travel expenses are extra)."

To date, gimmebuck.com has received $85.31; the evidence is posted at www. gimmeabuck. com/mailbag. There are more than two dozen photos of letters accompanied by dollar bills, another letter whose author enclosed 53 cents, and a hand-drawn $20, complete with a smiley face and the sender's autograph.

The Web site also receives it share of e-mail. "You are a loser," writes one visitor. "Jeez, if I had a penny, I'd break it in half and send it to you."

Note: Web sites mentioned in this column were active at time of publication. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin neither endorses nor is responsible for their contents.

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