I was following it for quite a while and saw that they were planning to ask for money. I do not recall an actual deadline but the way they have done this, no one can even ask to sign up! I didn't feel like paying the $15.00 or whatever they were asking, but now you can't even contact them. I have not run across paying for receiving blog updates, but I am sure others do it.
There may have been other options to make this blog more rewarding for them, like selling advertising or writing a self-published book and selling that. It's too bad, as I really enjoyed it.