I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started blogging four years ago next month. What started as an exercise in forcing myself to write every day, has morphed into an obsession that can produce a half-dozen posts every 24 hours. And while I allowed myself to dream that I might someday earn an audience of a few hundred, I never imagined that thousands of readers would eventually make HA a part of their daily routines.
There is a ton of work and several tons more of pressure in keeping HA relevant, informative and entertaining, and there is absolutely no way I could have continued at this pace without the generous and talented help of my co-bloggers. And over the past year I have particularly come to rely on the increasingly prolific contributions of Will Kelley-Kamp both in keeping HA fresh, and in giving me the occasional breather that I so desperately need.
That is why I am both saddened and proud to announce that Will will be stepping back from HA, at least through November, to take a position as campaign manager for state Rep. Geoff Simpson. Will has more than earned this opportunity, and I have no doubt that he will perform his duties with flying colors. He will retain his blogging privileges here at HA, but neither the time nor the political constraints of a full-time political campaign will permit him to post with much if any frequency.
But as long as we’re saying goodbye to an HA regular, if only temporarily, I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome a new co-blogger to the HA stables, Jon DeVore. Jon’s original blog, Columbian Watch, was one of the first political blogs I read on a regular basis (along with Carl’s famously concise Washington State Political Report), and I have long been a fan of his writing. Some of you may remember him as Stilwell, under which name he wrote for a while at NW Progressive Institute. I look forward to his contributions.
Will is incredibly enthusiastic about his new job, not the least which because, unlike blogging, it actually pays. Likewise, I know that there have been some of you in the comment threads who have suggested that I should do the responsible thing and get a real job myself, rather than asking my readers for support. Of course I could, and I’d probably make a pretty penny in the process, but my job here is not done. This is perhaps the most important election year in my lifetime since 1968, and we all know how well that one turned out for the nation. So I have chosen to take what little opportunity I have to make difference, and continue to attempt to do exactly that.
Of course, on this, the final day of my annual Pledge Week, please remember that I can’t keep this up forever. My ability to grow and expand HA to the point where it can eventually earn enough money to support me, relies for the moment on your continued support. Help support local progressive media. Please give today.
Yes Goldy, you owe it to yourself and the world to stay the course and re-defeat the fascists (only this time we’ve got to make it stick!). There’s too much at stake to give up now!!
“World Food Program warns of ‘silent tsunami’ of hunger
“By DAVID STRINGER, Associated Press
“LONDON (AP) – … A ‘silent tsunami’ of hunger is sweeping the world’s most desperate nations, said Josette Sheeran, the WFP’s executive director, speaking Tuesday at a London summit on the crisis. …
“The price of rice has more than doubled in the last five weeks, she said. The World Bank estimates food prices have risen by 83 percent in three years.
“‘What we are seeing now is affecting more people on every continent,’ Sheeran told a news conference.”
Quoted under fair use; for complete article and/or copyright info see http://news.aol.com/story/_a/w.....0309990014
Roger Rabbit Commentary: That’s right, we’re now facing the first global food crisis since World War 2!! Waaaaytagoooo wingfuuuucks!!! There’s absolutely nothing you turds haven’t fucked up. The surviving remnants of humankind (if there are any) will curse you until the end of time! But speaking for all rabbits I’d like to thank you for getting rid of humans so we can have this planet to ourselves with no fucking cars running over us anymore!!! Rabbits rule!!! And I’m gonna be their king!!!
C’mon folks. This goal should have been reached within three days tops.
If you have ever valued what Goldy has done here with humor and guts, five or ten bucks is hardly anything to ask.
Give.
Bye, Will. Your photoshop skills will be missed. Go get ’em down in S. King County.
Welcome, John.
Final day? I’m falling behind. My wife’s been sick, and we’ve agreed not to make any “political” type donations from community funds without the consent of the other. Right now is not a good time to discuss it.
It might take me a couple more days after the drive is over, but I still plan to chip in something soon.
Congratulations, Will! I’ll never be able to look at John McCain again and not think, “T. Rex arms.” Hope to still occasionally hear your witty banter and Carl’s laugh at it on Podcasting Liberally.
will–
From the RIGHT, I wish you mediocre success.
Just kidding.
You are a pretty bright KLOWN will.
Great opportunity to run a campaign and the learning curve is great.
When I first read the post, I was thinking GOLDY was running someone’s campaign!!
Pretty hard for that to happen with all the profanity et al.
But all of you KLOWNS impress me with your energy & enthusiasm. Notice I didn’t say intelligence!!!
Win that race for us Will and then come back for more fun in the sun.
As for Stilwell AKA Jon Devore you fucking bum. I would rather see you run for office down there. Hell, the fruit on that tree is ripe and plumper than ever. But I do enjoy your writing so shit. Whatever.
Pelletizer@1: you got to be kidding. You are such a flaming idiot.
Rice crop failures in Asia and a drought in Australia is Bush’s fault.
Your oxygen starved mind is so stupid when not discussion legal matters.
And Goldy, we the people of Washington were both happy for you and your radio days and greatly harmed by the fact that the hours in your day shrank by so much as result of other activities.
The MSM is just no longer up to the task of demanding real answers and digging into the facts. Rush rush rush and what do they give us?
Halfass.com. Well we are better off for a whole horses ass any day. Welcome back. I know Dino may not see it now, but in the long run he will be a better person when all the facts get out there. As will the sherrif dave.
Good luck, Will!
Keep in touch.
Geoff is a bright spark in our dark, dank fucked up universe. Good luck to the both of you!
Will, Congrats and good luck! I hope to see you now and again up in Seattle.
And it looks like the posts I wrote just for you about how congestion pricing isn’t necessarily regressive came just a bit too late. :-(
PM, you rascal, I live in the freaking 18th District. But you are one of only two people on earth who have ever said I should run for public office, so thank you.
Goldy and everyone, I’m looking forward to it.
Will, thanks for all your work here on HA and good luck in the new job. Now that you will be out south, please stop by Burien Drinking Liberally sometime (we only meet on the 4th Wed.)
You know with all this talk about whether Dems are going to get “swift-boated” we know one thing for sure, McCain will get “fake documented” by the main stream media. roof roof.
@15 Let’s hope so because it takes every dirty trick we can come up with to beat a campaign run by a dirty trickster. Of course that traitor McCain could solve that problem by releasing documents himself. But he knows he ratted on his fellow soldiers to save himself in Nam so he can’t – simple as that.
It doesn’t take much to be accused of dirty tricks by dems, all you have to do is tell the truth.
I wonder if they will be talking about the democrats millitary record…. wait they never enlisted… Nevermind. roof roof
Will, I hardly ever agreed with you on some things(thank you yogi berra), but I think you care about the little guy.
So, here is some advice that your candidate will love. Update your candidates wikipedia page pronto. It is sinfully empty of info.
Good Luck.