Balkanalysis.com Rapid Reactions: Securing the Future of Balkanalysis.com - How You Can Help

Every Macedonian should bookmark this site. It is a pity that they do not have a source of funding. My suggestion, contact LUKOIL They have just concluded and investment deal for Macedonia and may be interested in funding a group that is interested in fighting US hegemony in the Balkans.

Balkanalysis.com Rapid Reactions: Securing the Future of Balkanalysis.com - How You Can Help: "Thursday, June 09, 2005


Securing the Future of Balkanalysis.com - How You Can Help

During the summer break we will be plotting away regarding how to expand and improve coverage. Now is your chance to tell us what kind of changes and additions you would like to see. More breaking news? More in-depth investigations? More photos? etc. We don't have to remind regular readers of our David-and-Goliath struggle vs. the mass media. So far, Balkanalysis.com has been an arduous labor of love.

Please mail your suggestions to us at: contact@balkanalysis.com

If you want to know more about some of the changes being considered, think of it in the following terms:

1.) An extra $250 a month will mean new reports of the latest in Balkan politics, security and current events appearing several times a day.

2.) An extra $500 a month will mean the publication of investigations in Macedonia not found anywhere else and which might result in considerable adventure for those researching them. Yeah, baby!

3.) An extra $1,000 a month will mean several such reports a month from various other Balkan countries.

4.) An extra $2,000 a month will mean the creation of an entire archive of rare, hard-to-find primary sources from Macedonian history, scanned and translated into English, done in tandem with academic experts on a whole new website. This is something that is essential for the preservation and enrichment of this fast-disappearing culture. As old people die, and villages are left abandoned, ancient traditions and key documents vanish. We are happy to do the painstaking work, again in coalition with experts, but everything has a price. And you know what? Despite all their so-called patriotism and complaints of injustices from abroad, the government is not interested in preserving their own history, as will be seen in a forthcoming interview.

Now, how have we arrived at such monetary figures? Basically, as everyone knows, everything depends on resources. We have no great desire for fame or riches, but such work is expensive.

The first figure cited above would mean we could hire an extra researcher to help research and publish new stories all day, every day. The second and third costs depend on two factors: first, the time, travel, equipment and effort required; and second, the obviously wiser decision, financially speaking, to sell exciting stories to larger, wealthier media bodies. We are happy to publish them here and thus build on the site's reputation, but it has to be financially feasible. The final cost involves website production and programming as well as travel costs, archival research costs and translation costs.

If you are interested in contributing contact us at contact@balkanalysis.com to indicate which venture you would be most interested in supporting and how much you would be willing to contribute. While you are free to contribute at any time via the Amazon Honor Program, we do not plan to implement the above ventures unless we are assured of the total cost being covered from as many readers as it takes. This is because we don't want to waste your money or do something halfheartedly.

Finally, if the reader interest is high enough, we are also considering contributing to humanitarian projects (and not to corrupt NGO's!) but directly to those most in need and in the form of tangible, locatable equipment (think food, medical or other necessary gear), as opposed to conferences, consultants or other forms of the organized, Western-style theft that has left the Balkans worse off, emotionally and physically, than it was before the arrival of the career do-gooders.

Simply put, we would like to give something back to the region, people and places that have provided us with so many wonderful experiences, ideas and accounts over the past few years. Any readers who feel the same way are welcome to earmark their contributions for specific causes, and if we agree we will see that it is done.

Thanks,
Balkanalysis.com Team"