I'm embarrassed we even have to respond to conspiracy crap like this, but NO it's not a paid ad, and NO we have not been contacted in anyway whatsoever by any government about this. If you want to criticize the way we have done this project or that fact that we are doing it at all, that's one thing, but to suggest that the military paid us is absurd.

In hindsight, we could have framed this project better, but this is just about one to one connections with isolated strangers. It is not about patriotism or politics or even the best use of funds, but about reaching across space and time and even well-guarded security checkpoints and saying, "Hey, fellow human (who is probably around the same age as me). I don't know you but I still give a a shit. Here's a book I like that I thought you might enjoy reading, and some badass wristbands I found or whatever. Being isolated from friends and family must suck. Hope this helps a little."