I’m scramming for a few days for a short break that after any Presidential election year, much less this one, is more needed than I’d have time or ability to adequately describe. We’ll have guest hosts on the show for the duration (thanks in advance for help making it possible, Nicole and Angie!), so please scroll down to listen to their BradCasts while Desi and I try to stand down for a bit.

One other thing I need to quickly mention…

I’ve failed to ask here specifically here for a while, for a number of reasons, but if you’re able to help out with a donation at years end for all that we do here — particular after this year, and with what is heading our way next year — the support would be tremendously appreciated. One of the reasons we are all in this mess right now, one of the main reasons, I’d argue, is thanks to the extraordinary failures, yet again, of our mainstream corporate media in almost every way imaginable (and predicted).

Those failures and their unspeakable costs to the nation and the planet, I am hoping, are obscenely obvious at this point to any and all BRAD BLOG readers. But, if not, go back and review our last year and half or more of coverage. (Yes, we warned of this mess damned near every day during that period, while almost the entirety of the corporate media were happily and profitably whistling past all of our graveyards.) Then go back and review our decade of coverage before that, for still more warnings and hair-on-fire predictive journalism. As of the end of January, we will have been at this now for twelve long, difficult years. But we are improbably still here and at it because of you and your support over those years. Thank you!

But support of rare, independent outlets like this one will now be more important than ever. Please consider a donation to help support our work now and in the years ahead. A one-time donation is greatly appreciated, but a monthly sustaining pledge even more so. Whatever you can do to help is welcome and appreciated.

And, if you’d prefer to support a different independent media outlet rather than (or in addition to) this one, please rest assured it will be most welcome and much needed, as we all attempt to move forward together. If the institutions you have counted on have failed you, please consider supporting the ones that did not. Hopefully that includes us. But there are many others who will also be fighting for their lives in the days ahead and will need your help. Thanks in advance!

Until we return, my best (and Desi’s as well!) to all of you for safe, happy and somehow peaceful holidays! — Brad (and Des by proxy)