By HARVEY WINJE
Cats sense by sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Their sensory world is much richer than ours because of unique night vision, incredibly sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) for feeling surroundings, excellent hearing for high frequencies, and a strong reliance on smell, plus a specialized “sixth sense” through their Jacobson’s organ for detecting pheromones, They love any fish except a ‘red herring’ and seldom “bite” on clickbait. A cat won’t miss a chance to play, cautiously.
Cats are exceptionally flexible due to fifty-three vertebrae, elastic cushioning discs, and loose pelvic connections, allowing for a nearly 180-degree rotation enabling twisting and maneuvering with great agility; thereby always landing on their feet.
The alley Newspaper’s several lives show its adaptability and resilience, too. Always “landing on its feet” through seven phases with leadership by forty people who produced 569 issues adapting to the needs and means of the times. Three attempts at privatizing were deflected in favor of keeping the newspaper Community Owned and Operated. The alley would have gone out of publication if one attempt had succeeded as did three other newspapers in that attempted merging.
Alley Communications became the new name in November 1999 reflecting its broadened mission and the evolution of media.
Alley Communication volunteers and staff are mere human beings compared to the alley Cat. It is clear that having more people in leadership roles increases the possibility of having more of the cat’s sensibilities available to us. Will you consider joining the leadership or bringing your skills to another specific project?
- Advocating on Issues
- Agitating for Change
- Building Healthy Community
- Documenting History
- Facilitating Deliberation
- Lifting Every Voice
- Promoting Art and Culture
- Connecting Neighbors
- Giving Democracy a Jog Forward
Alley Communications continues these objectives in ways besides the alley Newspaper.
