Challenge

We will be in Washington, Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Camillus ,New York over the next five days.  The hardest part of the trip will be when the Weight Watchers program meets the Hershey Chocolate Factory.

Our house sitter has a new assault rifle and the cats will be well protected.

Misc.

We are leaving for a few days in the east so I can attend a meeting of the Wilderness Society Council and then we will drive up to Camillus, New York to see our son Justin, his wife Karly, and our cute grandson Simon.  When traveling this time of year I always worry about weather, but I looked at it this morning and DC will be in the low 60's.  In February!  No winter coats needed.  Just some layering.

I am trying to figure out this Rick Santorum phenomenon.  Is he really the face of an attempted christian fundamentalist or catholic takeover of the American democracy?  Does his support stop with the wacko Jesus freaks?  Is Romney any better?  I thought he might be but I am now convinced they are both cut of the same cloth.  It is almost so bizarre that I feel like I am in an Escher painting.  It can't be real.

So, the Journal did an interesting story on Chile production today.  It has fallen dramatically since we have chased off all the immigrant labor.  I wonder if the Governor notices this kind of thing.  Anyway, there is a lot of chile coming in from Mexico.  Can one really tell the difference?  Probably only if they know where it is coming from.  A blind test on this would be interesting.  Maybe one of our mindless TV News Stations could set up one.  They could replace the sex story or abused pet story of the day.  It would be interesting.  This is a picture I took of chile in a market in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Compromise

The Governor could learn some things from Bobbi and me and our discussion on getting a new dog.

We both kind of want one but are trying to decide if we have the energy for a puppy.  We agreed we might but not immediately because of some international travel we will be doing in the next six months.  We compromised on putting the decision off until we complete our travel next fall.  If we get a puppy now then it would probably freak out when we leave it in six months.  Not a good thing to do.  If we adopt an adult then we certainly can't leave because it will feel abandoned again.  It might end up eating my favorite chair or even one of our beloved cats, Ajax and Hermes.  So we  discussed it a little and reached a consensus on waiting a while.  Consensus, something the Governor just can't seem to do with the legislature on things she really wants.  She doesn't seem to budge an inch on her most important legislative initiatives.  And she gets nothing but a failed record.

Occupy Suggestion

The American public is once again being victimized by the Oil industry.  They are getting ready to rake in wind fall profits of an enormous magnitude as they artificially jack up prices.  While they are doing this they are funding super pacs that will blame President Obama for the rising prices while at the same time funding oil and gas mascot candidates running for congress.  How do they get away with this?  It is because they are faceless.

So my suggestion to the agenda of the Occupy movement, when they regroup for warm weather, is to stake out the homes and mansions of every oil company CEO and Vice President.  Camp out in the street and legally picket these folks to put a face on them.  Start identifying them on websites and social media as the greedy corporate icons that they are.  Right now they get away with victimizing all of us because no one can identify them.  At least they might have to suffer some inconvenience and shame for their callousness if we pay some attention to them.

Misc.

Now American soldiers are dying because someone accidentally burned a Quran in Afghanistan.  What lessons can be missed in why one shouldn't venture into the middle east's quagmire of tribalism and religious fanaticism?  Will anyone in this modern age ever try it again?

Downtown Albuquerque continues to be the focus of news stories on crime and misbehaving party goers.  Doesn't this happen all over the city?  Yes, but currently Downtown is the target.  It is too bad.  This is the result of former Mayor Marty Chavez abandoning all effort of continuing the revitalization of the heart of our city because it wasn't his idea.  He would rather sprawl.

The Governor needs a new hair dresser since her current one says don't bother coming by anymore until you support gay marriage.  She has not gone out of her way to disparage gays, but she is sticking to the right wing mantra that adults can not choose their own partners.  Support for gay marriage has been increasing across all demographics except for the wacko religious fundamentalists.  See paragraph one of this blog.

Bobbi and I are struggling on a decision to get another dog.  We have our eye on a border collie puppy.  We thought we would never get another dog when our last Beagle died, but I have been really missing a companion on my long walks.  Border Collies are really smart and hyper which is good for exercising us.  Training will be a full time thing for a year or so.  I have some friends who got a puppy over a year ago and they look tired.  What to do?

Be Afraid

I thought it would be nice if all of those smart people being cut loose from Los Alamos Labs employment could be turned into a scientific fossil fuel killing cadre.  Make the oil and coal boys really scared as these bomb making scientists are redirected into energy solutions for our dying planet.  The commenter on my blog yesterday said this, and I have to agree with most of it.

Rodney said, "Spending $Billions on developing, building and maintaining weapons that cannot be used without changing the very nature of life on this planet is the epitome of foolishness. The Department of Energy should become exactly that, the arm of our government that actually addresses issues of providing a safe, clean and sustainable source of the energy needed to power our country and economy. These cuts are long overdue."


But, once again, who will take charge of organizing an effort to use this brain power?  How hard can it be?  Where is the political leadership on this low hanging fruit?

Lame

The announced reduction of jobs this afternoon at Los Alamos National Labs drew an incredibly lame response from Governor Martinez who blames Washington for not prioritizing defense spending and keeping folks on board.  This is so stupid on so many levels.  Governor Martinez, I know  your right wing handlers insisted you say this but deep down  you know it is your party who has been screaming for cuts in the budget.  The problem is that we have spent so much money on republican bush/cheney initiated wars that there is no money left, especially since bush cut taxes on the rich.

Instead of stamping your feet you need to get busy to find ways of putting these talented people back to work.  I am sure you have made no effort yet, as I suggested weeks ago, to set  up an organization to inventory the skills of these folks leaving LANL and Sandia Labs.  Those skills would be much needed in the private sector and  you might be able to attract some employers here if  you got out of your chair and started on a program and policy.  But, what is wrong with me, these are government employees and you and your party think they are all leeches and lazy.  So why help them?

You will be hearing from some of these folks in your next election effort.  I hope someone can lead an effort to show how scapegoating public employees can defeat a governor like you who can't listen to anyone but right wing nut cases.

Misc.

Finally someone got around to saying what my wife Bobbi has been saying for the last two weeks.  Insurance companies must not be allowed to pay for Viagra type drugs if they don't pay for contraceptives.  John Stewart did a great job on this issue last night.

It is hard to take in the fact that thousands of dollars of court time and sheriff and prosecutorial efforts will be made on trying a hapless teenager who allegedly pilfered a two dollar pumpkin.  This is government run amok and I  have a feeling the hassles the young lady has brought on herself might be enough punishment.  It reminds me of Les Miserable.

I have been quietly trying to lose weight on the Men's online weight watcher program.  I started it on Christmas day and have lost 12 pounds.  It is not really noticeable yet cause I was so far gone.  My goal is to have 40 pounds off by next Christmas.  So far, it has been surprisingly easy.  Bobbi is on the program too and doing great.  She has already gone down a size.  I  have lost two inches all the way around but I am still hanging out all over the place.  I will update my progress in about six weeks.  I have to say I am feeling much better than I was 10 weeks ago.  I am eating healthy.  The only hard part is cutting my wine consumption down to 10 ounces a week.

Cause and Effect

There seems to be no real hard look at the causes of having to come up with $360,000,000 for a new interchange at Paseo Del Norte and I-25.  The media just ignores it.  The cost of this one interchange is on a par with the Big I interchange constructed in Albuquerque in 2000.  The legislature just chipped in millions to help Albuquerque fund  its construction.

There is no question that this interchange is needed given the bad planning and decision making in the 1980-2000 time frame.  Urban sprawl was supported in every way by every Albuquerque Mayoral administration, especially Marty Chavez, and the chickens are now roosting at that intersection.  The taxpayers are paying the price once again for largesse handed out to urban sprawl developers.  They were the only real economic drivers for two decades in this region's economy and so they got away with murder.  Yes, they provided jobs and economic growth, but they didn't pay their fair share.  They were always whining about impact fees and paid little towards the needed expansion of infrastructure such as this interchange. Every time I railed at urban sprawl when I was Mayor I was pilloried for being anti growth.  Now the developers have all but evaporated in the great meltdown of housing.  They have taken their earnings to live the good life and the taxpayers will pick up the pieces.  I am doubtful the sprawl supporters will ever return to their once powerful political and economic stature.

It is interesting to note that this issue is so paramount at this point.  In 2007 there was not much being said about it prior to the meltdown.  Things were still booming then and it was the hidden skeleton in the closet.  Ignorance is bliss.

Open Season

Dear Game and Fish Commissioners,

I am very worried about the invasion of unwanted and dangerous species.  One of course is the wild pig.  They will  harm other wildlife and cause great damage to ecosystems.  It might even be necessary for livestock operators to start supporting more wolves in the wild so they can eat the pigs instead of the pigs eating their calves.  Ha Ha.

Anyway, I think there should be an open season year round on these porkers.  So, please allow our gun carrying public to blaze away at these walking pre spiral cut hams.  Go for it!

Secondly, soon to be coming, is an invasion of Locusts.  Oh, they are not really locusts.  They are private and corporate owned drones that will soon be cluttering the airspace over our homes.  I think they should also be declared fair game for open season.  If I see one over my house during my ritual pre shower hot tub soak I will gladly blow the little copter with camera right out of the air.  They certainly don't have my permission to be there taking pictures of me.  Of course, many of them will be  used by police and in order to protect those invasion of privacy cops...their drones should be made to carry large badges with readable numbers on them from 500 feet.  That way we can legally request that we see all pictures and video taken of us with out our permission.

I would suggest, for safety sake, that only certain types of ammunition can be used on these drones.  Something like bird shot.   Or maybe short range laser guided self destructive bullets like our sharp civilization loving  scientists at Sandia Labs have invented.  Also, these licenses should only cost $5.00 since the end game is to protect American privacy.

Arizona

The rest stops are open again in Arizona.  Last year at this time they were shuttered.  Maybe that is progress.  Also, although I came for warm weather and golf, it is very cool,  like last year.

Last night I watched local news on the CBS station.  It was the best local news show I have seen in years.  All good and factual items with no sex stories leading the way and no sick dog or cat stories getting the longest segments.  Albuquerque news stations could learn a lot from these guys, but we know they are not allowed to be journalists any more.  They just pump out what puff stuff the marketers say will help ratings.


And, due to an unbiased and veteran journalist, John Robertson, the Abq Journal had really good legislative coverage this year.  Unbiased and clear.  Wish he were the editor.

Run Away

I will be running away from the invading feral swine and the Albuquerque Journal for a few days to play golf in Amado, Arizona and Tucson.  Ironically, I will be playing golf with my lifelong friend Lee Otteni with whom I once hunted feral pigs in Texas.  They were tearing up the wildlife refuge where he was doing his masters thesis on the life of Barn Owls.  We didn't kill any pigs, but I almost got eaten by a giant crocodile in a stock tank.  That is another story.

Lee doesn't live in Arizona, he just pulls his fifth wheel down there so he and his wife can escape cold weather.  I enjoy the drive down there.  I always fill up my Highlander before I get to the Arizona border so their crazy right wing governor gets as little of my tax as possible.

Suckers

The Governor says the New Mexico Supreme Court is 'laughable'.   Her right wing supporters in the media did not dwell on that.  Can you imagine what would have happened if Governor Richardson had said that?  Three weeks headlines in the Journal for sure.  The Journal protects its favorites and punishes its enemies.

The danger in the Journal repeatedly spewing right wing editorials and unbalanced news coverage was finally made clear to me in that Bill Moyers interview I have been talking about the last few days.  The Reagan republican, Bruce Bartlett, explained it this way.  He says the Tea Party types that are running the GOP are predominantly fundamentalist Christians.  They have learned in their lifetimes to take dogma as a matter of faith.  No matter that facts, science and commonsense might prove that dogma greatly flawed.  And so, as the right wing media and corporate America continually say that taxes are responsible for all our problems and only cutting government services solves our problems,  it becomes a matter of faith with the tea party types.  They keep hearing it, so they have faith that it is true.  They become stupefied and entirely brainwashed into ignoring reality.

I am beginning to believe that there is nothing that can cure this.  This ability for being suckered into nonsense beliefs  is wired into these folks brains.  Certainly, if they were cut off from social security safety nets, health care and government services they might begin to question their faith.  But then it will be to late.

Game

The Albuquerque Journal plays a dangerous game.  This morning in their Business Outlook section they extol the economic importance of Sandia National Labs to the city of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico.  It describes the $386 million in contracts let from Sandia, the fact that it pays $65 million in corporate taxes, employs close to 10,000 citizens and generally shores up our economy.

But the tax hating and right wing Journal never manages to mention that this is made possible by, you guessed it, federal tax dollars that fund virtually all of Sandia's research and development.  The Journal has attempted to turn this whole enterprise into a victory for corporate entities while making only one fleeting mention of the Department of Energy,  and nothing about the American taxpayer who funds it all.  (One can only wonder how the Journal will approach a story saying funding and jobs are drying up for the labs due to their insinuations that the federal government and its public servants are akin to blood sucking vampires.)

I am hopeful  you will find the time to watch the interview that Bill Moyer did with a Reagan republican this weekend.  You can find a link on yesterday's post.

An Old Time Decent Republican

Bill Moyer's new PBS show is really good.  This interview with Bruce Bartlett is a must see for anyone who remembers what reasonable conservatives were like.  Please, try and find the time to watch it.

The Bishops Beckon

The Catholic Bishops, not to be confused with many church members, said no to the President's accommodation on requiring family planning services for their employees.  What is next?

Tom and Jack

KOAT TV did a nice story on Viet Nam Veteran Helicopter Pilots Tom Baca and Jack Swickard.  Tom is my twin.  You can see the story of their harrowing mission here.

On Thursday the New Mexico Senate passed a Memorial in their honor.

PRAGMATIST

President Obama was pragmatic in his fight with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, the guys who wear outdated costumes, and made a compromise on the question of having the church as employer provide family planning services.  I am a former catholic as many of you know, but I think this was the right thing to do.  Even if the large majority of Catholics think there is nothing wrong with family planning they didn't want such a mandate on the Princes of the Church.  You just can't argue with the bishops even if they are out of touch with their own members.

The Dance

Last night I got a phone call survey asking if I thought 'illegal immigrants' should have driver's licenses in New Mexico.  When I said I thought it was okay the call was terminated.  Obviously the poll was being done for our xenophobe Governor Susanna Martinez. I just happen to think that immigrants should be allowed to give their legal U.S. born children a ride to school.

Meanwhile the dance was going on in the New Mexico House of Representatives where a ban on such driver's licenses was voted out of the chamber, with the help of Navajo Democratic members, McKinley county members, southern democrats and Al Park of Albuquerque.  He is doing the dance because he wants to run for higher office and being a xenophobe is the way to do it.  He argues that his vote just gets it over to the Senate where the bill will supposedly die.  Either way, Park left his credentials as a pretty nice guy in the waste can.

And then, hilariously, there is a story in the Albuquerque Journal about the rebound of the Chile crop in New Mexico after suffering a 10 year low last year.  The problem cited for the future was a dwindling labor force to nurture and harvest the crops.  Getting rid of the ability of immigrant pickers to drive to their assigned fields will just do wonders for that valuable cash commodity.

There was a stunning documentary this week on PBS about the travails of the Freedom Riders in the early 1960's and the violence, imprisonment and beatings they endured.  Their whole ordeal involved getting into multi passenger vehicles with white people.  They endured the xenophobia of Alabama and Mississippi.  Put yourselves into the shoes of immigrant families in this state and wonder if they are feeling like those freedom riders.

Schizo Elephants

I keep trying to figure out what the GOP is doing with their presidential candidates.  It seems to me to be like a wine tasting party where every selection is tasted and then tasted again and then ranked poorly and then reconsidered and then kept on the table with four or five other vintages.  Will it ever end?

The turnouts were pretty low in these latest popularity contests so once again the extreme fringe fundamentalist right wing shows their strength by just showing up.  It is not that they are great in numbers.  They just show up.  Like Woody Allen's great quote,  "80% of life is just showing up."   And that is scary.

I had coffee with fellow blogger Joe Monahan yesterday.  We were lamenting the fact that so few people show up to run for office any more.  Good solid qualified folks that is.  We were concerned that their is so little respect or honor shown to mere congressmen any more.  I can remember when they were highly sought after speakers and guests and that people normally were pretty excited to shake their hand.  That has all fallen by the wayside as the Newt Gingrich inspired Congressional antics have been in place since the mid 90's.  Now many congress members are just viewed as 'one of them.'

This situation will remain in place as long as corporate America controls the election process through huge and anonymous donations of cash to candidates who will do what every they are asked in order to hang on to an elective office.  That cash is driving everything.

Misc.

The oil and gas boys have had their way on the State of New Mexico's cap and trade policies that were aimed at chipping away at fossil fuel emissions.  The Governor's hand picked Environmental Improvement Board killed the program and added to the miseries of future New Mexicans.  One shouldn't forget that New Mexico is one of the largest oil and gas producing states in the country.  I think in one hundred years people could look back and wonder why any political leaders would do such a thing.  Maybe that will be the right wing marionette Governor Martinez's enduring image.

President Obama has succumbed to endorsing donations to a Super Pac that will fund his reelection efforts.  It is disappointing, but he really had no choice given what corporate America is doing in funding right wing Super Pacs.  This Supreme Court condoned system may well lead to real chaos in the future.  Soon only the rich and their corporations will have influence on elections.  The left side Super Pacs will never match them since they will need working people to fund them.

Wynn Quigley has a thoughtful column in the Journal today about the failure of the Occupy movement to move things.  I think the main reason is that they have no nationally identified leader or goal.  They are rudderless.  I think that Clint Eastwood's commercial during the Super Bowl had more effect on America's psyche than a year's worth of Occupy platitudes and fuzzy messages.

I can't understand why this gay bashing church on Albuquerque's west side can be so out of touch with reality.  They follow the teachings of Christ in very strange ways.  How can 20,000 members condone a hate mongering minister?

Escaping Assets

I keep lamenting the Governor's xenophobia on undocumented worker's drivers licenses as a great waste of time and effort.  The legislature is wasting hour upon hour playing around with this issue instead of just burying it.  I don't care how many people want to see us mistreat people who need to drive cars in order to feed their families.

My friend Eric Pfeiffer, retired Economic Development Director for Albuquerque called from Hawaii this weekend where he and his wife, Canoe, now reside.  He is always interested in political gossip and the economic situation in New Mexico.  He is concerned that one of the greatest brain drains in the history of this state is occurring.  My concern is that the Governor's office, Mayor's office and legislature sits on their thumbs and does nothing about it.  I am talking about the hundreds of retirements that are taking place at Sandia and Los Alamos National Research Labs.  Many of these retirees are the smartest and most experienced scientists in the world who have basically opened up new frontiers in technology and health.  And as they end one career in working for Federal Government sponsored labs they are headed out into an environment that is unorganized and unready to take advantage of their still fertile minds.

Shouldn't someone be putting together an institution on the state and local level to take advantage of using this brain power to improve New Mexico's economy and job situation?  Shouldn't the Governor, Mayor and Legislature spend a lot of time on this issue?  Or has it even crossed their mind that this low hanging fruit of talent could still be a wonderful asset for New Mexico?  If our political leadership had any vision this kind of opportunity would not escape them.  Both the City and State have economic development departments.  They should make this a priority.  Leave the xenophobic issues behind and spend time on things that matter to all New Mexicans.

Super Bowl Cat

Ajax could have cared less about the Super Bowl tonight.  We had a few folks over for Frito Pie, gossip and game watching.  El Gato just wanted a warm place.  He discovered this toasty receiver a couple of weeks ago and has claimed it as his own.  Ajax has an incredibly long tail!  I was happy with the outcome of the Super Bowl because a blue state team one.

Mystified

Some things mystify me.  Here they a few.

• The Governor and Legislature spend more time on immigrant drivers licenses than on working together to improve our state's economy.  This is the Governor's fault for taking advice from xenophobes.
• How can Newt Gingrich sit and say with a straight face that he is the one to bring Americans together when he was the one who is most responsible for our disunity?  Trace his history in the 90's.
• How can a guy like Romney be so dumb in his statements about the poor?  Even if he is insulated from them and lives in a different world, he should have the common sense to put himself in their shoes.
• How can the Susan Komen foundation be so insulated from the reality of their constituency in their pulling of funds from Planned Parenthood.  This move to the religious right guarantees I can't walk for them ever again...or send them money.
• How could the Journal put President Obama in a front page headline that is favorable today on his plan for higher education and student tuition's and loans?  When I read that I figured the Editor must have been on vacation.  When I read it everything grew quiet in our house and somewhere in the distance a dog barked.
• Why hasn't Hector Balderas just decide to step back from his U.S. Senate race, take the money he has raised, and use it to run for Attorney General?

Weenies in History

Everyone seems to be talking about the 1980 New Mexico Prison Riot.  Tours are being given at the burned out facility where 33 inmates died at the hands of other maniacal prisoners.  Many other prisoners wanted no part of the chaos and this is where the weenies come into the story.

In 1980 I was serving as Director of the Alcohol Beverage Control Department.  We were in a battle to reform the state's corrupt liquor laws.  I  had been appointed to the post by Governor Bruce King.  I had served as his news secretary during his first term and worked in his campaign for a second term a few years later.

As I recall the riot started on a Friday evening.  Saturday the Governor called me in because his press secretary was on vacation and he needed me to help out with the army of press from all over the country.  It was a challenge.

Now, the prisoners who wanted to avoid the chaos and violence in the pen somehow worked their way into a large exercise yard.  There were hundreds of them there with no food, shelter or adequate clothing in the freezing February weather. Governor King called in the head of the National Guard and said he wanted blankets and food dropped to those prisoners.  Twenty four hours passed.  The prisoners were still unaided.  When we told the Governor he went ballistic....something he was never prone to do.  He called in General Franklin Miles to his office and we got to witness one of the few 'chewing outs' the Governor ever issued.  He told Miles that if every single inmate in that yard didn't have a bag of weenies, buns and a blanket with in two hours that Miles would be busted to KP duty.

About two hours later a Huey helicopter was raining weenies down upon the huddled prisoners.  That was a sight to see.

Dennis Strikes Again

My old classmate and retired Ambassador to Peru Dennis Jett wrote another great commentary for the McClatchy Newspapers.

Commentary: It's Mitt's assertion that he is not anti-immigrant that is repulsive
The squawking heads were all in such a rush to declare Mitt Romney the winner of the debate on Thursday night that they forgot to listen to what he actually said.

Romney, in parrying Newt Gingrich's charge that he is the most anti-immigrant candidate, forcefully declared: "I'm not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. My wife's father was born in Wales. They came to this country. The idea that I'm anti-immigrant is repulsive."

That defense is as phony as it is false.

It is phony because Romney's father once ran for president. But wait a minute. The constitution says, "No person except a natural born citizen shall be eligible to the office of president." Romney's father was able to run because his parents were American citizens and he therefore acquired citizenship at birth regardless of where he was born. Romney's father came to the United States for the first time, not as an immigrant, but as a full-fledged citizen who just happened to have been born abroad.

As for Romney's father-in-law, Edward Davies, he was born in Wales, but presumably came here as a legal immigrant and eventually attained citizenship. Davies went on to become the mayor of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He was also a life-long, avowed atheist, who had nothing but contempt for organized religion. Davies was "converted" to Mormonism by the Romeys in a ceremony 14 months after he died.

So Romney's defense was phony because his father was never an immigrant and his father-in-law was undoubtedly a legal one. His defense is false because he is anti-immigrant, at least the illegal ones. No one has suggested that any of the candidates oppose legal immigration.

When speaking to lily-white crowds in Iowa and South Carolina, Romney's line was basically let's deport all eleven million illegal immigrants. By this point in the debates, even the most casual observer could not have failed to conclude that the Republican Party has become the party of choice for racists. That's why Romney's remarks were clearly an attempt to tap into the xenophobia and racism of his listeners.

When he got to Florida, however, the complexion of his audiences and his remarks both changed dramatically. There are three and a half million immigrants in Florida and in Miami-Dade County there are as many immigrants as there are native-born Americans. So instead of rounding up all the illegals and shipping them back to where they came from, Romney's talking point became they would all deport themselves once he took office.

Romney has ridiculed Gingrich's suggestion that some mechanism, like local draft boards of the past, be set up to consider making exceptions on a case by case basis. If his father-in-law had entered this country illegally and were still alive, would Romney want to send him back to Wales?

Once faced with voters who have some sympathy for people who came here from abroad, he changes his tune. He claims self-deportation will take care of the problem and he rewrites his family history to make his father an immigrant. His reputation for being someone who will say anything to become president is well deserved.