This is the Newport Beach coast a little before dusk. In the background, 26 miles across the sea, is Catalina Island. The buildings are part of Fashion Island, a mixed shopping/commercial development.

I don’t know that this is a great picture, but I’m putting it up to force myself to stretch a bit. As I’m sure you’ve all figured out, I have a strong preference for sharp, color-saturated images. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I should be more open to the variety of possibilities inherent in movement, focus, and different color palettes. I don’t think pictures like this will become a regular thing—my taste is still my taste—but they might become slightly more frequent.

March 9, 2019 — Lake Forest, California

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We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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