SWIRLING SNOW

• I love this photo of art on the "wall" built by Israel to keep the Palestinian people in a box. It just shows you can't kill the spirit. Reports in the news sound like Israel has been hitting the people in Gaza hard again. My heart breaks everytime they slam Gaza - it's like shooting birds in a cage.

• I've started work on our next Space Alert! newsletter. Yesterday was the deadline for copy and as usual I have to be flexible about it with those who have committed to writing something. I guess I was a bit unrealistic to put the deadline so soon after Xmas. I always dread getting started to work on the paper because I collect a huge stack of materials to sort through, but once I get going I love the challenge of finding the important bits of information and putting it into a readable format.

• I had a visit yesterday from freelance journalist Matthew Reiss who is contemplating a move from New York City to Maine. He wanted to get a look a Bath Iron Works so I drove him around the shipyard and then the timing worked out nicely for him to come on my radio show where I interviewed him about his specialty - U.S. foreign policy in the Asian-Pacific. He has written alot about China, Japan, and South Korea and has recently done stories about Jeju Island. So with the Jeju Navy base issue so hot, and the Bath Iron Works connection being so important since they build the Aegis destroyers that will be ported at the Jeju Navy base, it was a great chance to bring all these elements to local listeners. We would talk for 10 minutes for so, then play some music, and then talk some more during the two-hour show. Peter Woodruff, who normally co-hosts the show, was not there as he and his wife were off gallivanting on a bit of a mini-vacation. Hope you had a nice break Peter.

• I don't do fundraising during the holiday season for the Global Network. I read years ago in a non-profit fundraising guide that it is actually one of the worst times to try to fundraise. There are other times of the year that have proven to be much better opportunities to seek support. It always amazes me how many non-profits are out flooding the public with donation requests during this holiday season. With that said though I have been astounded by a couple very large donations that have arrived in the Global Network mail box in recent days. Some people seeking tax deductions do like to end the year by making donations to their favorite groups. This is evidence to me that if you do good work consistently people who have money to give will remember you without having to hound them during this end of year rush. Build it and they will come....... thanks to all of you for your kind support over the years.

• I am going back to the chiropractor today for my aching back. It was aggravated by having to shovel snow four times the other day during our big storm. We got about 7-8 inches of snow in all but the wind was howling so long and hard that the snow kept reappearing in places that had previously been shoveled. I actually love being outside in those moments, the little kid in me enjoys playing in the snow. I just don't have the back of the little kid anymore.