A couple of months ago, my pal, religious-right funder extraordinaire Howard F. Ahmanson, Jr., responded to my offer of blogging for Navel Gazing with the exciting news that he and his company, Fieldstead N Co., would soon launch a website complete with blog. A couple of days ago, under the headline “The Notorious Fieldstead Website,” Ahmanson sent me this email:
I just discovered that the Fieldstead website, fieldstead.com, has been open for business since November 1st! Anything on it is public and can be used against us in a court of Law, of Journalism, or of Internet Snark. Be assured, however, that not every philanthropic or political contribution we ever make will be posted there!
Ahmanson's politics might be out of whack, but at least he has a sense of humor.
The website isn't much right now–no blog yet, Howard? Couldn't you have spent a couple of the $1 million and hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars in change on hiring some bloggers?–but does list some of the many causes Ahmanson contributes to (local institutions include the Pacific Symphony, KOCE Foundation, the Coal Canyon Biological Corridor, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Orange County Rescue Mission, of which we'll have a bit on soon). No contact info given, so don't bother writing in with your grant proposal. One interesting passage from the home page:
Truly, ideas, as well as social
institutions, have consequences. Therefore, officers and relevant staff
continue to keep abreast of ideas and their possible implementation by
reading relevant papers, journals, magazines, and books from the
popular to the academic, while maintaining a watchful eye on cultural
and world events.
Since Ahmanson is an admitted reader of Navel Gazing and the Weekly, going so far as to leave comments and write letters, that means someone finally thinks we're relevant! Hooray!
