Let’s have one last fall picture before winter takes over completely. This is a mumble-mumble tree at the LA Arboretum taken a few weeks ago while the late afternoon sun was shining directly through the leaves as they were turning color.

Even here in Southern California, though, this was the last of it. By the end of the year, all was brown and lifeless. Except for the evergreens, of course. And the palm trees. And the flowers, which are still blooming. And the native plants. Really, it’s still pretty colorful here, and the weather is crisp and snow-free. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

December 9, 2018 — LA County Arboretum, Arcadia, California

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In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we explain, as matter-of-factly as we can, what exactly our finances look like, how brutal it is to sustain quality journalism right now, what makes Mother Jones different than most of the news out there, and why support from readers is the only thing that keeps us going. Despite the challenges, we're optimistic we can increase the share of online readers who decide to donate—starting with hitting an ambitious $300,000 goal in just three weeks to make sure we can finish our fiscal year break-even in the coming months.

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