KH: How important has publishing an ezine been to your business?

JTD: For this particular business, it was 100% necessary as my real *JOB* IS my ezine. My main income stream is from ad sales so it is imperative to keep ezine going. My secondary business, digital products, relies on mentions in my newsletter as well as other forms of promotions.

KH: How long have you been running an ezine and how many subscribers do you have?

JTD: It will be three years on Feb. 10 of 2003 and I have over 31,000 subscribers. There are weeks I will pass 32,000 and then lose up to 500 with bounces and closed accounts, etc.

KH: Do you submit your ezine to directories and/or announcement lists and if so how effective has this been in gaining new subscribers to your publication?

JTD: Rim Digest is listed with most of main directories and I am sure this helps a lot with gaining subscribers. I also use software to remind directories and update my listings whenever major changes are made, such as when I added extra day to my publishing schedule when a nice number of my subs asked me to.

KH: Do you write and use your own articles to promote your ezine? How valuable has writing articles been in promoting your ezine?

The place of current thought: Eritrea (on upper eastern part of Horn of Africa).On main street in capital city of Asmara.

The time: Just three years after Eritrea independence from Ethiopia on 1991. The independence was acheived through an armed struggle lasted for 30 years.

The occation: As a journalist working 30 years on this field,10 of them in Eritrea alone,I used to gather topics for my job from streets,the people,the Europian weather those days,the smelling of national feelings and experience of a revolutionary front changed cloths,cars and of course seats and secretaries.

The scene: An old field fighter,used to leave his camp at morning to wander across Independent Street.He crossed towards same place ouside Cathedral where he used to stand upside down for a while several times a day. His hands on earth and his feet on Cathedral`s wall he seemed to be more happy than when he faced this picture standing on his feet.He looked deeply at people,the buildings,the cars and whatever or whoever there passed by.He changed this position,each time he got satisfied.The last time he got satisfied was just half an hour after sun set.He stood up and walked his head waved left and right.

There was a deep sorrow and regret on his eyes.