1.1.2009 Happy 2009!!

A very Happy New Year to you! Our donation goal this month is very low due to staggering donation amounts in the month of December. Thanks, as always, to everyone who kicked in to keep ASF Radio going.

12.27.2008 Wow - What a year!

When I think about everything that's happened in 2008, my head spins. What a busy year we've had, especially in the USA.

Here in Iowa, we saw record snowfall last winter followed by spring rains and floods the like of which have not been seen in over 500 years. The result was an evacuation of 20,000 people (in a City of only 160,000) and Cedar Rapids featuring in the national and international news for several days. Nine months later, the affected areas of the City are still deserted, many are spending this winter in FEMA trailers and the disaster cleanup continues.

My son turned 14 in May, and started High School this past Summer. Yikes. I'm very proud of him, but there's also some sadness on my part as I realize his childhood days are over.

This summer, I took some time away from work and I got to explore a part of the USA that I had never visited before. I fell in love with Wyoming, and spent two weeks exploring the West.

I also made a job change - the first employment change in 8 years for me. It had to happen, but my new employers are great and very supportive of ASF as well.

This Summer, I watched with fascination the Olympics in China. I'm fully aware of China's record on human rights and I don't agree with their government's position on a whole host of issues. But I tend to disagree with the position of most governments when push comes to shove, including our own.

For me, the Olympics wasn't political - it was a window into the lives of the people of China, and growing up in the Cold War era where the phrase Iron Curtain was common and communist nations were viewed as evil and mysterious, I found it incredibly interesting to see more of a world that, for much of my childhood, was regarded as sinister and closed.

Most of us, regardless of where in the world we live, have witnessed a global economic meltdown over the past 4 months and watched any retirement and college investments we may have had shrink at an alarming rate. Some of us ended the year unemployed. Times are hard for many, but times have been hard before. The resilience of mankind, and the kindness of neighbors and friends, will surely help us through the next year.

The USA in 2008 made history by electing a presidential candidate who is, regardless of your political persuasion, definitely a different character from those who have gone before him. I guess I have always considered myself more socially conservative than liberal, but I followed the elections with interest and I'm not disappointed that someone from my own generation will occupy the White House in 2009. I only hope he lives up to expectations.

On the music royalty front, there was almost NO progress made on the standoff between Internet Radio and SoundExchange. News of a settlement may occur early in the new year though. I'm hopeful.

It's not easy to summarize a year in a few paragraphs. What with hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, fires and other disasters both natural and man-made, the year's certainly had it's share of sadness. If you've been unaffected and you've had a good year, give thanks - because so many haven't been as fortunate.

Me, I consider myself very lucky. I have family and friends, I'm gainfully employed, and thanks to ASF, I have friendships that span both the country, and the world. Whatever 2009 holds for us all, I hope there's more music and less war. Here's hoping your New Year is bright and full of possibilities. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being part of the Atlantic Sound Factory.

Happy New Year!

~John