NYT: If You Like This Story, Click Here to Pay Me: "Not long ago, huge traffic numbers were considered a road to financial success. Now, they can lead to an unmanageable bill for a project like Mr. Sacui's, which generates little or no revenue. In such cases, asking for donations seems suitable, especially when the goal is to remain noncommercial."

The article also comes with examples of how much some sites got in donations.