Happy New Year!
Not a day goes past
without my receiving emails or phone calls from ANN readers
expressing their thanks and support for what we bring to you
each and every day. Many of these communications come from people
who have read ANN since its inception, and many more from those who
have been reading me, personally, since my print days with US
Aviator and or even further back to Air Progress, Sport Pilot
and beyond...
Many of you know about the tumultuous road that we've taken on
this journey and how the trip has not always been the most joyful
pursuit one can take on... It has been, at times, difficult if not,
treacherous. We've been tested... time and time again. We've gotten
what seems like more than our fair share of the hard breaks, the
(seemingly) impossible tasks, and the kinds of fights that no one
willingly takes on... but has to, if their principles and
beliefs are to have any validity.
As many times as we
have been challenged, we've never backed down... not once. To
those of you who know this well, and who have expressed concerns
over the personal price we've paid, fear not. We survived. We're
doing well. Heck; we're even thriving, at this point. There are far
worse things in this world than being tested and standing up to the
challenges involved.
Yes, at times, the road has been a first-class bitch... but if
we had quit, then we would have failed and failure is not a
word we accept without a struggle. There are far worse things
in this world than to have convictions and be called upon to defend
them. There is NO failure in fighting for what you believe, no
matter the outcome -- only in backing down before something that
you know to be wrong... and so we've taken these lessons and built
ANN as the ultimate expression we could conceive of, to honestly
offer more info, more swiftly, to more flyers than ever before...
so you can be educated and informed as well as we'd always wish
ourselves to be.
There is such immense power in knowledge... and ANN desires
nothing so much as to convey that power to you all. Over the next
few weeks, we'll be making further upgrades to insure that the
quantity and quality of info we get to you not only increases, but
increases dramatically. We're getting ready to add some very
qualified new staffers, increase the timeliness with which we
deliver our news (via 24/7/365 real-time news delivery) and
introduce some exciting and innovative new tools to help you get
our news products faster than ever before, via ANN's new
ever-ready, Aero-News Bug.
Best of all, though, is the fact that the ANN gang (a small part
of which are pictured below in the midst of chowing down during
Oshkosh 2003) continues to grow and evolve into the finest crew of
fly-writers I have ever worked with. From our most senior full-time
staff to our stringers, we now boast a crew that has no equal in
professionalism, commitment and dedication to the best interests of
aviation. Beyond that, there is a huge community of readers (YOU!)
that have become our inspiration. We're having a ball
with all this and working our buns off... and the product you
receive can only improve from here on out. Fasten your
seatbelts...
For the moment, though, I'm pleased to report that
life is cool. Though working hard and long; our challenges are
rewarding, the company great, and the future bright.
So... as Van Morrison croons the Bright Side of The
Road from a CD, little Josan (our German Shepherd and, some
say, the brains of the outfit) lies crashed out at my feet (and
snoring up a storm), and the day comes to a close with the end of a
VERY intriguing year, I wish you a Happy New Year and the very best
from all of us at ANN HQ... where all is truly right with the
world.
There's more.... but we'll speak on that another time... in the
meantime, let me once again express my thanks for your support,
counsel and readership. It is, indeed, a privilege to work for you
all.
God Bless...