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Our squirrel was back today. I know, I know, it’s just a squirrel. Who cares? But there was some doubt about my report of its coloring the last time I mentioned it, and this time I got a picture of our little friend — which is harder than it sounds. They’re quick little things. Quicker than the autofocus on my camera, anyway.

So, anyway, here it is, nature red in tooth and claw. Domino was fascinated for a while until the squirrel did something that scared her off. I can’t imagine what, since it was hopping from tree to tree the whole time and never got closer to her than ten feet. But something happened, and she made a dash around the side yard. In any case, I assume that our resident squirrel experts can tell me what kind of squirrel this is now that I have a picture? Or maybe embarrass me by telling me that it’s actually a chipmunk or something?

This soothing nature break has been brought to you by Emerald Nuts, the favorite of nut-hoarding squirrels everywhere. Frenetic political blogging will resume shortly.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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