Despair, depression, misery, a world full of horror--and all mixed in at the same time--imagination, hope, people reaching up, and reaching their hands out to help others. And here I am with my hand out asking you for money. The world goes round at its own pace, and we all do what we can.

ETS! may or may not be a significant contribution to the struggle for truth, justice and the humanitarian way. We do what we can, and at ETS! we do it as cheaply as we can--not just because we hate asking for money--but because if we didn't do it cheaply, we'd owe even more money to our printer than we do now. And if we don't pay the printer, we can't keep publishing. We are now two-thirds of the way through our Winter fund drive and we have reached only a quarter of our goal of $6,0000 (about $1410 so far).

That's not going to work. Like I said, I don't know if ETS! is a significant contribution to the struggle. Maybe there are better ways humanity could spend the $700 odd dollars every two weeks it costs us to keep in print. But if you think this paper is useful to you, if you like it, love it, or perhaps even cherish it, then now is your opportunity to transform that abstract feeling into direct action. We need to raise about $5500 in the next two weeks.

What fund drive would be complete without give-aways? Folks who donate $100 or more will get one of the infamous ETS! t-shirts as a token of our appreciation and esteem and donors of $300 get to have dinner with ETS! editors and radio personalities Geov Parrish and Maria Tomchick (make them take you someplace nice).

It's a busy time of year, so if you want a quick and easy way to donate, you can do it electronically via PayPal on our website (http://www.eatthestate.org). Or, if you prefer, you can mail a check to Eat the State!, PO Box 85541, Seattle WA 98145.

As always, heartfelt thanks to those who have donated and who help sustain ETS! in all other ways.