Mmmm. Oysters

Anacortes View

We were up early this morning exploring.  This is Bobbi looking off towards the San Juan Islands.  Later today we will tour around with our friends Pat and Carol Ohearn.  We see a big dinner of Dungeness crab in our future.

More Chihuly

I love this guy's stuff.  I used to work with glass a little.  He is a genius.

Chihuly Gardens

Glass and Steel.

Yes. The Space Needle

Bobbi and Bloody Mary number one

I had Tiger Prawn shrimp.  She had white cod fish and chips.  Excellent food.

Pikes Place Market Seattle

l

Lots of fresh sockeye salmon in the markets.  Bing cherries by the pound.

Great Movie

No, not the Lone Ranger, but a documentary titled, "How to Make Money."  It is about the useless war against drugs.  You simply must see it.  It is cruel to the police and politicians as it should be.  I am a former pol who got sucked into this fight at one point.  And then I woke up.

We got home from Pendaries this noon time and I had to marvel at the full page ads in the Journal.  One from some right wing Christian group trying to state that we are and should be a Christian government. The other ad is from the Freedom from Religion Foundation whom I immediately sent fifty bucks to continue their work.

Off to more cool climate and ocean breezes tomorrow!

After Golf

We had a great three days and two nights in Pendairies playing golf.  Lots of rains between rounds.  Some hail.  Never over 75 degrees.  No forest fire smoke.  And of course the first stop after 27 holes of golf is Maragaritaville.  

Now we  head off for the Pacific Northwest and Canada.  Look for photos.

Pendaries Thunderheads

Climate Relief

Bobbi and I will be out of town for a couple of weeks.  Up to Pendairies for a couple of days of golf.  High of 66 degrees forecast.  Rain Showers too.  Then back for a day before heading up to Seattle for a day, Anacortes for two days with friends and fishing and crabbing.  Then on to Vancouver and Victoria for a look see at summer in British Columbia.  I will post pics when possible!  It will rain in Albuquerque since we will be gone.  Always happens.  My house sitter has a new shotgun.

Pearce

Representative Steve Pearce is in hot water for spending 20K for an international junket.  That is remarkable given his penchant for not wanting the government to spend money on anything.  Frankly though, it doesn't bother me much because even a narrow minded pol like him could learn something on one of those trips.

Here is what the media should be writing about.  Pearce's biblical opposition to doing anything about climate change. He thinks it is a ruse by hundreds of thousands of scientists around the world.  He is really just protecting his fossil fuel buddies who made him millions in his business and now contribute mightily to his campaign coffers.  But, now with the deaths of 19 fire fighters in Arizona who were battling the latest in a string of fires that are changing our landscapes in the west, I wonder what he might say to the wives and children of these front line troops in the climate change stoked fire fights?

Certainly this must bring home to him some sort of soul searching?  Or are profits still etched in his brain so strongly that these kind of occurrences just slide right on by like our ever increasing dust storms.

We can't afford men with a lack of consciences like him to serve in elected positions any longer. 

Just Golf

Too hot to think.  Just golf today.

Southern Gentlemen Myth

Those GOP legislators who wouldn't let Democratic  Senator Wendy Davis wear a back brace during her filibuster to protect women's rights have pretty much destroyed the myth of the fine Southern Gentlemen.  It turns out they are just a bunch of assholes.

It seems to me that we in New Mexico are surrounded by legislatures to the east and west of us that are full of assholes.  I just don't know how else to put it.  The extreme right wing controls those states and will continue to do so with the likes of Rick Perry in the Governor's office. On the bright side, this war against our women will certainly hasten the demise of these crazies on the national scene.  The young people in this country, as evidenced in the Gay Rights movement, will soon control the vote nationally even if places like Texas and Arizona cling to the past of bible thumping idiot elected officials.

I am grateful that we have a moderate/liberal controlled legislature that has some good old time moderate republicans serving.  Even at her worse I don't think Susanah Martinez approaches the certifiably insane right winger yet.  But she is a cowardly fence sitter when she says gay marriage in New Mexico should be decided by only the voters.  Well, not the voters but the religious zealots led by the Catholic Church.

Goes Around

What goes around goes far.  Let me explain.  My sister, Dr. Carlota Baca, just returned from her one month sojourn to Italy and Switzerland.  When she arrived to stay with friends in Berne they were all set to tell her of the news article they had seen in their newspaper a few days before.  It was about New Mexico.

Well, what could the fine editors at that Berne newspaper find so interesting about the Land of Enchantment?  Forest fires?  Tourism?  Juicy scandals?  Nope.

It was about the leaders of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and St. Pius X High School not letting the transgender student march in the graduation ceremonies as a member of their new sex!

Why would an international newspaper be interested in this?   Probably because it showed the caveman attitude of the Catholic Church in America and more specifically New Mexico.  Not exactly a positive image for this tourism based state.

Another thing that came around today was the Albuquerque Journal editorial taking the Governor to task for not releasing public information on who picked up the tab for her husband on a hunting trip.  Even the right wing editorial board couldn't ignore this one.  One thing they don't like is secrecy on the part of government, even if they do worship at the altar of Governor Martinez.

Climate Change and Obama

The President's speech today on Climate Change was very good.  Passionate and direct.  He calls out the obstructionists to get out of the way and let non partisanship debate move towards some solutions.  He says he has no time for climate change deniers and meetings of the flat earth society.  And he made the Keystone Pipeline a hostage.  CO2 reductions are at the top of the list.  All in all one of the better speeches he has given.  Finally, where does this leave our oil controlled Governor?  Obama talked a lot about how many states and cities have already taken action on reducing emissions.  Meanwhile Susana Martinez is doing the opposite.

Governor Sighting

The Governor showed up for a news conference on a Tourism Department publication of a guide to sites used in popular movies and TV series.  A good idea actually.  But did any reporter manage to shout the question, "Governor, what are your comments on the fact that our state is at the bottom of the pile  in the well being of its children?  And what are  you doing about it?"

No, the media was being orgasmic over the thought that people could come and see the places where  Johnny Depp used portable restrooms between takes.  We need to have some mobs with pitchforks converge on the offices of the Albuquerque TV Stations and the Journal to capture editors and send them to remedial Journalism class.

Children of No Man's Land

I want a fair and good immigration bill.  Everyone does except the wacko republican tea party types.  They just want their brand of brown people phobia to go away.  And so they want 20,000 more border patrol agents along the Mexican border with a completion of a 700 mile American version of the Berlin wall.  Meanwhile in New Mexico which ranks last in child well being we can only scratch our heads at billions be spent on border barriers while our kids lives fester.  If this is not a sign of America's fall from greatness, then what would qualify?

This is a tough decision for our Democratic Senators in New Mexico.  But, I have to say they must vote against this insane bill.  

The Artful Dodger

It is either a case of incompetence or a case of artful dodging.  I am talking about the story in the Albuquerque Journal this morning showing that New Mexico has slipped to last place in child well being.  We came in 50th, just behind Mississippi.  And the Journal, which rightfully gave the story full front page treatment, never managed to even get a 'no comment' comment out of the Governor Martinez administration.  If ever there was a story that needed a Governor's quote, this was right up there in first place!  How could the editor's of the paper not make an effort to get a quote?

And then they let that  con man Paul Guessing of the Rio Grande Foundation write another column demanding that the federal government hand back control of public lands to the state.  The state never had control of those lands as per agreement to become a state in 1912.  But Guessing and his extreme right wing organization are funded by the oil and gas boys who seem to get most things they want out of the editor of the Journal.  Including the publication of Guessing's outright lies on their editorial page.  Ask yourself one question,  would you want the fossil fuel guys in charge of our National Parks?

Why Cap the Take?

The title of this blog was the title of an editorial in the Albuquerque Journal back in the mid 1980's when I was State Land Commissioner.  I was attempting to raise the oil and gas royalty rates paid to the state land office.  The Journal agreed back then that it was the right thing to do.  The legislature agreed and a new royalty system was introduced and passed that increased by up to 50% the amount of royalties paid to the Permanent Fund from all new leases.  Back then the oil and gas industry put up a token fight against the new rates, but they realized they couldn't justify their stand because of what private land owners were demanding and getting in royalty agreements.  Plus, all the other states around us had already raised their rates.

This morning the Journal ran a column by Michael Coleman about the many states that are demanding that the federal government, aka the Bureau of Land Management and others, start charging a fair market royalty for all of the drilling on federal public lands.  They still only charge a routine 12.5% or so while everyone else gets up to 25%.  If this situation isn't indicative of failed GOP and Democratic Interior department policies then nothing is.  The BLM, White House Chiefs of Staff, Senators, Congressmen and others have all sold out to big oil in keeping these rates so low over the years.  It is corruption in its most basic form.  And it costs the states a bundle because they share in the royalties charged by the Feds.

This might be a great issue for Senator Martin Heinrich to tackle.  Senator Udall might help, but he has been around a long time now and has done nothing because he fears the oil and gas boys.  Meanwhile, what will we hear from Governor Martinez on this issue?  We will see as soon as the oil boys write her news release for her.

I am overjoyed the Journal did this story, like the one AP story they ran on the dangers of fracking to our water supplies.  I hope they won't treat it like the one day scandal story they did on Heather Wilson's fraud on taxpayers.  One day and they forgot all about it.

Bag Men

The supporters of Mayor Berry who may or may not have violated city ethics laws on campaign contributions are trying to halt a hearing into the matter.  They are trying escape any embarrassing moments by filing a suit in Federal court to halt the hearing.  It seems to me that if they think the law is unconstitutional then they should let the ethics panel proceed with a decision and then appeal the outcome if necessary.  This action on their part is nothing but a ruse to delay the hearings until after the election in a few months.  They don't want the Mayor and themselves to be seen as violating the spirit of the city campaign law.  It is underhanded and corrupt on their part.

Absolutely, no one will take notice of this because the media will gloss it over for the most part.  And the corporate handlers of Berry will get away with it.  The question is, will the city attorney's office put up a decent fight on this issue, or are they going to just waddle along for the corporate bag men.

The News

Let's see.  The big news all the way around in local TV and our ever shrinking newspaper concerns, yes, you guessed it.  MOVIE STARS!  James Gandolfini succumbed to a heart attack in Europe.  That is pretty much major news every where.  The Sopranos star is being mourned more than just about anyone who recently died because he is a celebrity.  And then there is the upcoming premiere of the "Lone Ranger" movie.  That was all covered in front page fashion by the Journal (along with a better story about a marmot on Wheeler Peak).  The movie stars including Johnny Depp(a great actor) held an hour long press conference yesterday which probably will get more coverage than the Syrian civil war for the next few days.  Oh, and then there is my favorite building chatter about Brad Pitt's fight against Zombies in the movie World War Z.  I like Zombie movies.

It is all like having the National Enquirer delivered to your front step every day.  Or in your local newscast.  Really, the media has always done this kind of stuff.  But it rarely gobbled up time and space with the regularity it now does. I think we will just have to live with that as the whole world just has an attention span of three minutes.  About the time it takes to read a People magazine story during your visits to the bathroom.  Like the time it takes to read my blog everyday.

Dry

After being back in the east for the golf tournament it feels like I am in a giant vat of dessicant.  I am drying out.  Shriveling  up.  Wrinkling.  Out on the golf course at 7am at Santa Ana was pleasant, but the sky had a strange brownish tinge to it.  A combination of dust and smoke.  Even the bosque at the golf course looked extremely parched.  I have a feeling that when the rains start it will happen all at once as nature tries to catch up.

No politics today.  Even that seems dry and tedious.

Dust

There was an interesting story in the Journal today where folks lamented that there was an increase in dust storms in the west.  It is true especially with the current long term drought.  But there was little mention of the contributing factors to all of this particulate roaming around in the atmosphere.  Might that be overgrazed public lands in the desert west and the millions of tons of tailings piles where no living thing can grow to hold down those polluted piles?

Look here to see how the livestock industry has used their political whining to keep down grazing fees. No president from Clinton to Obama has taken on the cowboys because they fear fighting the 'John Wayne' image of these welfare ranchers.  Yet the damage they are doing to western landscapes continues to grow.  No, I am not heartless and do feel bad for the economic condition out on the range. But maybe this whole model of desert grazing needs to end for the good of the planet.

So, the next time a piece of Arizona blows by your house, remember some portion of that is coming from ranching in the desert.  And that those responsible are using your tax dollars to do it.

The Wild River

As we prepare to leave Philly after attending the US Open Golf Tournament, I peruse the Journal on line and see the Mayor is getting lots of pushback on his plan for the Rio Grande's Bosque.  His vision for the river is to change it from one of the few relatively urban wild rivers in the US to a heavily manicured landscape.  My advice to him is to leave it alone as there are many other things that could be done other than ruining this natural waterway.  The pictures in the Journal showed Berry in a white shirt and tie out on the river bank.  That said a lot!

How about changing your vision away from the river to building a new all purpose arena downtown?  That would be a good thing to do.

This is Rodger Beimer and Ed Mahr at Independence Hall

Philly

At the museum

Philly

Irish pub food !  I had a really good Shepherds Pie.  Tomorrow for lunch we plan a Philly Cheese Steak.  We will sight see on Friday and attend the final two days of the US Open on the weekend.  They have had a lot of rain here.  The cool moist air is great.  

Yesterday

Sunday is our 36th wedding anniversary.  (if my math is correct and you don't count our two years living in sin.)

I was cataloguing some old photos yesterday and came across this photo of Bobbi and I from 35 years ago almost to the day in 1978. We had gotten married on our lunch hour a year earlier so  that we could apply for a mortgage to build a house in North East Albuquerque.  We had been together for almost two years and pretty much figured out we got along okay and we were tired of paying rent.  In the 70's it was difficult to get a mortgage if you weren't married.  This is a photo taken in the living room of our 1400 square foot house which we thought was big!  It cost $43,000 and was well built.

  I was working in Governor Bruce King's campaign when this picture was taken.  Bobbi was a principal planner for the City of Albuquerque.  We met at City Hall when I was working for Mayor Harry Kinney in 1975.  We got on an elevator together.  She was an intern in the Planning department then.  The rest as they say is history.

I love revisiting old photos.  I have always taken pictures.  I got my first camera when in grade school and have always had one close by.  Eventually I became a photographer/cinematographer in the Air Force.  The training I received in the military really led to my career in Journalism and politics.  Someday I will tell the story on this blog.

I have about 9,000 photos that I keep in digital form of family and friends all the way back to the early 1900's.  Just as I have enjoyed old family photos from over the years, I think future generations and grandkids will enjoy them too.  I know some folks that have never taken photos and it is sad that history won't be there for the future generations.

Misc.

The Journal actually put the Heather Wilson story above the fold today on the front page.  That is good.  She deserves it.  When one actually stops and thinks about it one could come to the conclusion that Heather Wilson was being paid a salary to run for future office.  These no work contracts occurred after she left congress and was preparing her Senate campaigns.  That is a pretty good pat on the back from Lockheed Martin and their cronies.  Meanwhile the republicans were all complaining about the waste in government and the need to cut social security.  Who needs social security when you have golden parachutes like that after delivering tax money to the defense industry?

The head of the NM Medical Marijuana Advisory Board was booted by the Governor.  He feels the action was taken  because he wanted more medical conditions included for marijuana therapy.  This action by the governor is typical of a republican right winger. They will miss the boat on this one too as other states just go ahead and legalize the substance.  Colorado's experience should be instructive to the GOP, but just like their long time hatred and damnation of gay folks this one will leave them waiting at the station too.

I will be traveling to Merion, Philadelphia tomorrow to watch the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. We have great tickets for Saturday and Sunday.  The Golf course is underwater practically but it should be playable by tomorrow. I will try and post from there, although no phones, cameras or other stuff like that are allowed on the course.  

Military Industrial Heather Complex

The Washington Post has the goods on the sweetheart deals between the defense industry giant Lockheed Martin with other war profiteers and former Congresswoman Heather Wilson who is now working out of state as the President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.  That is a training ground of sorts for the extractive industries.

The Post says that Wilson was paid $450,000 for work that could not be verified by the Federal Government.  That is not chump change.  It might be payback for the once cheerleader for the bush/cheney administration's war mania.  Those defense industries were the only winners in Iraq.

Read about it here.

On another issue this is good news.

I am still earning money every month from my solar panels.  I haven't had to pay an electric bill in four years now and have had about $3000 in payments from PNM for my sales of power to the Grid.  I have 16 panels on the roof.

Equal Time

Why do we worry about cats?  Today's picture is of Casper in the interest of equal time exposure for our felines.  The routine now that the weather is good is that the cats get on our bed and start wrestling at 4:45 in the morning.  They want to go outside.  We do not allow them outside at night time because of the large owls and packs of coyotes patrolling the neighborhood near the bosque. So, after squirting them with a water bottle to get them off the bed we get another 15 minutes of rest.  Then I must get up at 5am at let them out .  And then I lay in bed worried that a late marauding creature will try to get them.  But they come in an hour later for food most of the time.

 I think I worry more about the cats then I worry about someone tracking my internet and cellphone communications.  Now, that is weird.

Rain

The only thing that has been in the canales of our home near the Rio Grande in Albuquerque in the last  year is our cat Ajax.  He has taken to hanging out there in the mornings now that the weather is good.  My hope is that he will find it too wet at some point this summer. Thunderstorms are needed. 

Water and Oil

It was refreshing to be up in Mora County on Tuesday and Wednesday.  They are the first county in the country that has said no to fracking for oil and gas.  The county commission there thinks that their water supplies might be a little more important than some oil company's CEO getting a bigger bonus for squeezing resources out of an irreplaceable watershed and aquifer.

Now the Governor and her minions, yes the oil and gas boys, have revised the rules that would protect water supplies all over the state from these drillers.  And of course not in a good way.  And before long we will see a full scale assault on Mora county fueled with petro dollars.  They will come after those commissioners who see the importance of watershed and landscape protection.  Just you watch.

Productivity or Enslavement

I noticed that productivity of American workers inched upwards again in the last quarter.  This has been going on for some time as corporate vampires suck the last living energy out of their employees while stashing cash and not hiring any new help.  How much longer can this go on with our some real domestic problems?  Probably a long time as Americans now have lost the ability to take to the streets in any meaningful way.  I am sorry, but social media doesn't build barricades around government buildings and corporate headquarters.  It is really invigorating to watch the Turkish people doing their thing to rattle the Islamist fundamentalist running their country.

Meanwhile in the local New Mexico media the Albuquerque Journal and KRQE news room have managed to turn a FBI investigation of the Governor's administration handling of that casino license into a thing about child porn and Democratic Party Chair Sam Bregman.  Mostly I feel sorry for my old friends like Dick Knipfing and Larry Barker at Channel 13 who are either helpless or conflicted in the coverage of this stuff.  Or maybe they are just also enslaved to their jobs and are not allowed the be the real journalists they once were by a republican infested executive corp in the news room.  Looks more like Fox News everyday.  The news department's handling of this whole affair could fill a few pages of the Columbia Journalism Review.

And finally, we got caught in a hell hail storm yesterday while returning from Pendaires.  My friend Lee Otteni stayed an hour too long there and his truck was caught up by golf ball sized hail and heavily damaged.  I was encountered the hailstorm on La Bajada which resulted in many accidents.  I managed squeak through the mess before they closed the interstate.  I have never been in that violent kind of storm before. At least some moisture was received.

END of Golf day

Smokey Pecos

Mountain Air Mixed

I will spend the next couple of days playing golf in Pendaries, NM breathing mountain air mixed with forest fire smoke from those fires 50 miles to the south.  And of course I got teed off early after reading the Journal story on the Governor's fundraiser being interrogated by the FBI.  After waiting three days so the Governor could come up with a strategy for dealing with this, the Journal relegated the story to the bottom of the fold, front page.  The Governor's response was to say she was a great prosecutor as DA and knows how these things work.  Far from the flat footed response she gave on TV the other night.  And of course the Journal turned this into a Bill Richardson thing.

I have decided this newspaper editor has decided the publication will eventually fail economically and he wants to go down with a full court press for the republicans.

Stealth

Headwaters of the MRGCD at Cochiti Dam

The stealth election for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is tomorrow.  Maybe 5% of the folks will show up to vote as usual.  The corrupt process has been in place for years now and it was designed by the agricultural community to lessen the impact of city taxpayers in the district.  These urban taxpayers pay 90% of the bill.  (I pay both city tax and irrigation fees.)  The agency is answerable to no one, not even the decent minority members of its board.  But having said that, Adrian Ogelsby and Karen Dunning must be reelected to keep the forces of darkness at bay on that board.  A water agency like this can't be run by rubes and these two are not rubes.

The Albuquerque Journal remains stealthy for two days in a row on the Albuquerque Racino controversy that has now become public after it was revealed that Governor Martinez's fundraiser has been interviewed by the FBI concerning the awarding of the Racino license.  And KRQE Channel 13 remains in stealth mode and refuses to say they had this whole story wrong.  As a former journalist it just gives me a sinking feeling that we don't have the press watching our backs anymore at all!  It pretty much indicates to me that Dick Knipfing has no say editorially at that TV station anymore.  That is a loss for them.  He was always a guy who would insist on correcting errors in reporting in the past.  I guess it is not about being accurate journalists any more, but all about protecting the 'brand".

Yep

Yep, the Journal didn't even report that story that I talked about in Saturday evenings blog post.  That means one of two things.  They are protecting a Governor because she is republican.  Or they can't even afford to have a writer around on a weekend.  I hope it is the latter.

Journalistic Responsibility--Ha!

If Channel 13 news sees a major screwup in a government agency that involved unprofessional work because of cronyism they would call for heads to roll.  Now that it is apparent that unprofessional cronyism at that news department has resulted in a major blunder in their reporting, will their news director, reporter and others be fired?

 Don't hold your breath.  Channel 13 reported that the Santa Fe Reporter story on wide ranging FBI investigations of the Martinez administration were wrong.  The TV guys said it only involved  issues of  those stolen emails we have been reading about.  But now a former campaign manager has come forth to say that she was interrogated about that alleged bid rigging in the awarding of the Albuquerque Racino licenses by the Martinez administration.  So Channel 13 barely mentioned this tonight on their newscast and certainly did not correct their erroneous story.  It has been solidly reported that there might be some close friendships between news executives and Martinez staffers.  I can't believe that someone at that news operation can't come clean and take responsibility for the errors.  Hubris!

I can't wait to see how the Albuquerque Journal handles this new revelation.  They will probably blame it on former Governor Bill Richardson.

Divide and Conquer

The Martinez Administration must be having a good laugh this morning as the news media is now chewing off their own leg in debating whose story is correct on the possible ongoing investigation of bid rigging in the awarding of the Albuquerque Racino license.  The highly respected Santa Fe Reporter has been attacked by KRQE'S so called news department for putting out a bad story on this whole mess.  The Reporter is demanding a retraction from KRQE and after reading political blogger Joe Monahan this morning I think Channel 13 has some soul searching to do.  The TV news operation seems to have some incestuous relationships with the Governor's gangs.

Once this gets all sorted out I hope someone will actually keep looking into the Racino issue.  The public has a need to know if this high stakes bid award was done properly or not.  I understand that whenever government is involved in one of these there will be allegations made no matter how pure the process was.  It has always been up the the independent press to figure out the truth.  Maybe the first solid step is the just announced indictment of the republican operative who leaked the emails that started this whole ball rolling.  Hang on for an ever increasing fast ride on all of this.

Of course the problem here is that there is little capacity left in this country and state for real journalism anymore.  I don't think little grant funded news websites can get the job done because they are only around for the duration of the grant.  And then the charges can always be made that the investigations are tainted by the grant makers bias.

Misc.

Sometimes you just have to wonder what goes through peoples heads before they speak.  As an accomplished foot in mouth expert I know these things just happen.  Mayor Berry's statement that putting immobilizing boots on cars will help stop men seeking prostitutes is a gem.  Gee, why didn't anyone think of that before?  Do you think johns will maybe use the bus?  Or rent a car from Enterprise?  And really, shouldn't there be a trial first?  And of course would this really end those primal urges and the world's oldest profession.

Watch what happens here.  Everyone will try and get on this bandwagon so as to look strong in the fight against human trafficking.   In effect this is one of those useless laws that will be passed as a feel good measure.

At the same time I applaud Mayor Berry's and the County Commission's efforts to get a major grocery store located downtown.  This will help the tens of thousands of folks near by from having to climb in a car for a multi mile trip to buy a carton of milk.  This effort is a good band wagon to climb on.

Some Trade!

Wait, I get home from golf to read that China is buying our biggest pig farm.  And in return we  buy their defective solar panels?  Life is so strange.

Early Golf

Out on the course early.

Forward Thinking

I am still waiting to see some vision of the future of our city of Albuquerque from our Mayoral candidates.  So far not an utterance from the candidates on the "BIG PICTURE'. They only thing we see in the media is who is charging who with ethics violations and who will spend the most money on independent campaigns for the candidates.  This makes one think that the candidates have no ideas whatsoever.  But, we still have four months!  Maybe we will be enlightened?

There is a story and a lot of interesting comments in the Washington Post this morning about a squadron of F-15 fighter jets that has been grounded due to the budget sequestration.  It might just be the tip of the iceberg as I sense a real desire to cut back the excesses of the military industrial complex in this country.  We don't need to outspend the entire world on military spending any longer.  I welcome that.  But the question of the sequestration itself is a red herring.

Why stop spending money at all as the economy sparks to life once again.  Lets just reprogram it into rebuilding this nation's infrastructure and educational system.  Certainly, having third graders that can read at third grade level is a hell of a lot more important in this country that more weapons procurement.    And all of those defense industry workers?  They are skilled and talented and can be used in many different ways.

B-17

In the Memorial weekend spirit I went up to Double Eagle Airport to look at the WWII vintage Boeing B-17 Bomber.  I had always wanted to peek into one.  I certainly got a view of what flying into combat in one of these must have been like.  Just very thin aluminum between  you and the freezing cold and flak and cannon fire from fighters.  No protection at all really.  My brother Tom paid $400 for a ride in it.

 About 4000 of these were shot down in Europe with their ten man crews.  

Misc.

I had meant to mention earlier in the week that Larry Barker at Channel 13 had a good story on the failure of the Martinez administration to pursue a developer who ran up millions in bills before skipping town.  Today the Journal did the story and barely mentioned their favorite Governor.  When it comes to reporting on the Governor the Journal adheres to the term 'fair and balanced' as practiced by Fox News.


 Anyone who was born in the 40's or 50's should go see the road show edition of 'Jersey Boys' which is on a two week run at Popejoy on the UNM Campus.  The house was packed on Saturday night.  Talk about a nostalgia trip!  I remember the first record I ever bought was 'Sherry' by the Four Seasons.  I was in the 7th or 8th grade and had a crush on Sherry Brummel who lived down the street.  I wonder what ever happened to her.

The Lead Story

The lead story on one of the so called TV newscasts last night was about a guy who has been regularly seen jogging naked in the Bosque.  Of course it was the lead since it smacked of something sexual with a little deviancy.  The Lead Story!  Now we all know about it and of course our lives must be better.

Now I am going to reproduce in full an email I got from someone wondering why a certain cop, who I am sure would be called undercover, is allowed to appear like this in front of cameras representing the APD.  And if he is no longer undercover because of this TV coverage then will he stop looking like the bad guys.

A friend of mine sent me this picture of an APD officer escorting the suspected child molester that was arrested a week or so ago.

Is this the face of APD under Richard Berry?  The guy looks more like a thug than a police officer.  Is this what APD has turned into?  Is this what the community wants from it's police department?  Is this why the DOJ is in town?  Schultz says no, but pictures speak a thousand words.

Also, who in their right mind does a perp walk anymore?  Didn't we learn anything from Lee Harvey Oswald?  Once in custody the suspect is to be protected by the police.  Other than for media PR when does it make sense to walk a child molester through a downtown crowd to the prisoner transport center?  APD was lucky an angry family member wasn't waiting.

The command staff at APD and the mayor's office is AWOL or they are just stupid.  No one at city hall is thinking about anything more than getting re-elected.  This place is a mess.

What do you think?  When you were mayor would you have an detective wearing a death head t-shirt in front of the camera?  At a time the DOJ is investigating?  Would you want this APD Detective working with victims?  Child victims at that!

 Berry is showing no leadership at APD.  This entire circus is a disgrace and disservice to the community and those who have proudly served APD.

Puttering Around

This picture could stand for the early morning annual golf match play at the ACC course I play at.  Golf is a mental game and if you are in the zone you don't notice much because of the concentration the game calls for.  The caption on the photo says the golfer is pretty sure his wife got out.

For the second year in a row my partner Ed Mahr and I, both 19 handicappers, fought against two real low handicappers.  Alas, we lost on the 17th hole after hitting good drives and crumby approach shots.  But it was fun since our opponents didn't think we would make it pass hole 11.

The picture could also stand as a metaphor for Archbishop Sheehan who disallowed that senior at St. Pius from graduating as the boy she has become.    The senior decided not to attend the ceremony.

Sheehan's  church is being consumed by bigotry and he doesn't even know it.  My guess is that just about every catholic under the age of 25 thinks the church is not worthy of their support or attendance any longer.  If they don't, they probably will feel that way by the age of 30.    And once again,  if he gets to wear gay clothes why can't anyone else?

Misc.

It seems to me the easiest way to force the construction of Tornado shelters in affected areas is for Insurance companies not to issue home policies unless there are shelters.  It just makes sense.

If Congress bends over for bankers and doesn't keep student loan rates from doubling then it might be time for some serious civil disobedience.  Not on campus.  In the CEO's offices of American Banks.  Be messy and rude.

I will start feeling sorry for the press in regards to the Obama administration's snooping amongst them to find security leaks when the press starts screaming for repeal of the so called 'patriot act'.  Our privacy is just as important as the editors of right wing newspapers and the folks at Pox news.  Yes.  They are a pox on us all.

Vampires

American corporations are beginning to resemble vampires.  Apple Computer, a child of American entrepreneurship, pays no taxes and sucks the blood out of our public services.  Steve Jobs probably didn't envision this kind of corporate looting of the treasury, but his predecessors like how it looks.

Last night John Stewart was on the Veteran's Administration case because their new computer system doesn't work.  But that blame needs to be put mostly on the American corporations who said they could do the job for only one billion dollars and then delivered a non functioning system.  And this happens time and again with these information technology projects.  Yet the government gets all the blame.

A fertilizer plant in Texas blows up and the corporation that owns it seems to bear no responsibility even though people are dead and a town destroyed.  And when you get time go out and explore the abandoned mines and tailings pile left all over public lands by multi national mining firms.  But the government gets the blame.

And things wont change until Corporations stop funding elections to put in their mascots in the Congress and Senate.

Paradox

It is just weird.  New Mexico is lagging behind the economic recovery in the region and nationally.  We are ranked low in the race to eradicate poverty.  We see little progress in attracting new jobs so young people can start their lives, pay off their usurious student loans thanks to our bankers, and have productive lives.

The state is being led by republican executives.  Governor Martinez and Mayor Berry are doing the worst jobs possible in getting the state and city back on their feet.  The only thing that they can point to are projects started under Governor Richardson.  Like him or not he was a mover and shaker.  His poll numbers are low and Martinez and Berry look invulnerable.  It is a paradox.  I have seen it so many times.  The less an elected official accomplishes the longer they are in office.   It is just a peculiar thing in our democracy and most of it is driven the the funding sources of campaigns.  And the inability of the media to do anything but attack government while ignoring  corporate America's predatory nature.

This is a blog worthy of visiting.  The charts on it will scare you.

Ancient Curse

Uranium mining in New Mexico.  An ugly history no doubt, but now that we know better can it be done correctly?  In my opinion not as long as the ancient curse of the 1872 Mining Law remains in effect.  That law was passed during the Presidency of Ulysses Grant.  And it still allows miners the right to claim hard rock minerals on federal land as their own and not pay a dime for it.

The Journal reports a Canadian and Japanese partnership will come in to mine uranium once again near Grants, NM.  They will get all of it for free.  And there is nothing that can be done about it since the mining interests  block any reform.  Can you imagine what these foreign companies CEO's say over lunch?  Probably they say this, "those stupid Americans just give away their minerals under a century and a half old law.  Its too good to be true!"

In the meantime Congressman Steve Pearce lobbies to get more nuclear waste into the WIPP site.  This tail end of the process is controversial at least.  But storing that waste on rail sidings at power plants is even more dangerous.  But stop and think about this process.

The miners get the uranium out of public land for free and then the public has to pay big bucks for the waste storage.  How is that sensible?  

Alma Mater

Sometimes, most of the time, timing is everything.  Like yesterday when I received a fund raising appeal from my Alma Mater St. Pius X High School.  I graduated from there in 1963.  I liked the school and still have lifelong friends from my days there.  I was into the whole Catholicism thing back then, but I was never a fundamentalist.  And I moved on to my current status as a non believer.

But, I understand that is not the norm and I don't criticize those who still believe.  Except when it promotes discrimination and bigotry.  Which is exactly what the school administrators and the Archbishop are doing now when they wont let a transgender student graduate in the appropriately colored gown.  What is more astonishing is that they would even pick this fight in this day and age.  I can't imagine what the student body and faculty get out of this in a positive way.  It certainly makes the school look like a out of touch and isolated institution.  Or an ally of the official homophobes government of Russia.  Yes, the Russia they wanted us to hate as the center of global communism back in the 60's.

I won't be sending Pius any money or respect.  They just need to move on in to modern day society.

And if the Archbishop can dress like this why can't this student wear a certain colored gown.

Oops!

One giant OOPS for everyone of our legislators, cabinet secretaries, LFC, governor's staff and Governor.  I mean really, someone somewhere should have done a little more due diligence before presenting a faulty budget that will cost millions more in lost revenues than had been predicted.  And of course the Governor, unlike the President with his IRS problems, is given a complete bye in the media.

I know these kinds of things happen.  They are not planned deceptions by anyone like the Legislative leadership and Governor.  What is astounding is that no one caught it at the time.  The current head of Finance for Governor Martinez stood up and took the blame, but so should a lot of others whose scrutiny failed.  But, once again these things happen.  Now it must be fixed and my bets are that it won't be because it will look like a tax hike.

Another big oops today belongs to City Council Candidate Isaac Benton who still doesn't want to state his position on a Candelaria roundabout.  This extremely divisive issue here in the north valley deserves a statement from him one way or another.  He sent me an prickly email saying it needed to be studied for a longer time.  I am in a quandary here.  I feel like I can't vote for Benton, whom I actually lean towards, because he won't level with us, and I have a bad taste in my mouth that Councilwoman Roxanna Meyers is in cahoots with the sprawl developers, but at least has the courage to say she is against the project.  I am against the project myself, but I am not a one issue voter.  I just don't like pols who duck the issues.

The Snoops

The federal government's snooping into reporters and editors phone and email should come as no surprise.  Ever since bush/cheney oversaw the demolition of privacy in this country a decade ago this practice of snooping is commonplace.  But now the Obama administration will get much of the heat.  And deservedly so.  I had always thought Obama would restore these issues of privacy protection but like all elected officials he was countermanded by the bureaucracy that really runs this country.  That being the law enforcement cartel of FBI, DEA, ATF, NSA, CIA etc. etc.

Having been an elected official I know how hard it is to crack the concrete facade that such people have developed with help from an apathetic public.  Yes, the career public servant can be just that, a servant.  But many times delusions of grandeur in the upper levels can rival the likes of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.  (The Joseph McCarthy of our times.)

Sara

My niece Sara has been married 19 years today to Jason Reeves.  They live near Missoula, Montana.  Back in 1969 I was visiting Dothan, Alabama where she was born.  My brother was stationed there as a Helicopter instructor pilot.  He  had me send a box full of New Mexico soil for him to put under the birthing table so she could claim being born in New Mexico.  I snapped this picture when she crawled up on my bed to say good morning.  Years later she and her sister Stephanie became our best baby sitters for Justin and Noelle.  Now, Sara has teenagers of her own.

Coffee Chatter

We had an hour of chatter this morning over coffee and vacillated over whether or not we really care anymore about what is going on in this country.  Of course, deep down we do care or we wouldn't talk about the stuff we supposedly don't care about.

We talked about the state of the media mainly.  Some of the group has decided that the national broadcast news shows now resemble more than ever the local TV news shows we have all grown to loathe.  Why are the big outlets constantly doing stories on murders, rapes and local violence?  Because they are finding it it cheap to do.  And then the stories that are easy to cover, like Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy, will consist mainly of talking heads for the next three weeks.  Well, we do need to keep abreast of these things I guess.

I can assure you that the people who got blown up in that Texas fertilizer explosion and those who lost everything might wonder why no one cares about their victimization at the hands of no safety regulations.  Now, if Angelina had been shooting a movie nearby then it would get attention.

We also lamented the deepening silliness of a visual TV newscast now essentially turning themselves into radio stations as more than 50% of their content comes from phone interviews with news makers and the other 50% from dash cam and security cameras.    Finding a job as a videographer must be tough these days.

And those reporters who never actually do journalism but rather rely on man on the street interviews than talking with  knowledgeable people....well what can I say?  Their teeth are white and lipstick bright!

Sticking One's Neck Out

Oh, that we had politicos that would equal this.

GOP and Oil

I have to say I am very impressed with the great position taken by the Mora County Commission some time ago. They said no to the Oil and Gas industry on drilling and  fracking in their county.  This takes courage since that northern New Mexico enclave has been economically challenged for so many years.  It is also a place of beauty with landscapes to die for!  And so it should be no surprise that the republican county chairman there is now complaining widely and loudly that the oil boys should get to do what ever they want.  Lest we forget that the GOP and the Oil and Gas Industry are one in the same.

Given our  historic drought and the frightening news on growth of green house gases the Commissioners in Mora look pretty damn smart.  They know that the long term health of their region is tied to water supplies and they have taken bold moves to protect them.  It looks even more impressive when one looks at the Martinez administration's failure to carry out inspections on drilling operations in New Mexico.  

Why America is Falling Behind

Read it here and weep!

Where's the Beef

I had to chuckle when reading about the cowboys in New Mexico complaining that their assistance payments from the federal government are late.  Yes, they are all being hurt by our drought.  And yes they all get thousands of dollars in welfare checks from the government when times get hard.  And yes many think that the government entitlement programs for everyone else should be ended because those people are all freeloaders.  I have always been astounded at this double standard in rural America.  Even though most things they take for granted were paid for by the government.  Like the electrification of these areas by the government.  Like the dams and roads and subsidies paid for by the government.

I do respect these ranchers.  They do work hard and most of them are really decent people.  I just have problems with many of their industry's double standards.  I can't understand their opposition to extended unemployment assistance in hard times and then expect to get payouts for them selves as well as their grazing subsidies in the form of practically non existent fees.  And, when they elect people like Steve Pearce out in ranching country they should realize it hurts their credibility.  He is the poster boy for these double standards.  He never saw a tax break he didn't love for the oil and gas industry.

Misc.

Corporate America now wants to do away with sane City of Albuquerque campaign fund limitations so they can get their fingers into our Mayor's race.  This should come as no surprise to anyone.  They have filed a lawsuit to overturn the city's ban on allowing businesses with city contracts from donating to candidates.  A disaffected democrat, think former legislator Al Park,  has teamed up with right winger Mickey Barnett to put corporate CEO's in the funding drivers seat.  This will be interesting to watch.

It seems the only time Governor Martinez gets to brag about economic development is when she rides the coat tails of Governor Richardson.  This time it is the announcement that the Space Port that Richardson started has a new tenant that will test and further develop reusable rockets.  Well, it is still a good sign and Martinez hired an able person to carry on the work of the Space Port.

At the same time the Journal did a good story on the problems at the Licensing and Regulation department.   The philosophy at the department under a bad Martinez appointee is that enforcing regulations and standards is a bad thing.  Meanwhile, the fruit of that kind of thinking is borne out in the  ever increasing death toll in Bangladesh.  The collapse of the substandard built garment factory there has now caused a total of 705 deaths.  One wonders if Martinez knows how to fire bad appointees.

Protest and Prayer

I keep using that definition of  prayer, "How to say your are helping with out really doing anything."  Now I think that same definition might be true in many cases for modern day protestors.  Think about the "Occupy" movement that accomplished exactly nothing.  And now to top that off are the protestors who are objecting to burying the dead body of that Boston bomber.  What is the point?  It seems to be one of those things that cowardly politicians can't deal with for fear of upsetting some irrational voters.

Those protestors could use their time more wisely.  And also the media folks who blow these things out of proportion.  Why not stop worrying about one dead body and start worrying about some live ones.  Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and help build a home for some deserving people.  Or going to a veteran's hospital and helping out.  Or sit on a board of some organization that actually does humanitarian or conservation work.

This is kind of a preachy blog today but I am feeling guilty for spending $21 on tickets and $11 on popcorn to go see the worst 3-D movie ever last night.  I am talking about two hours of special effects interrupted by some actors mumbling to each other.  Yes, Iron Man III was awful.  I might have had more fun at an NRA convention.

Misc.

The Albuquerque Journal has done one of those stories that makes a common practice seem like a crime.  They have singled out a guy in Las Cruces for making recommendations to Governor Richardson on who might make a good Judge.  Every Governor who has ever appointed judges has always relied on someone to scout out candidates for judicial appointments.  But in Richardson's case they try and make it look sinister.

Last night at dinner with friends we took a poll on how many of our children subscribe to newspapers.  Not one of the six of them do so.  They get their information else where.  And so you would think that publishers might find a way of attracting young folks to get newsprint on their fingers.  In the case of the Albuquerque rag, nothing of the sort is happening.  One of the folks at dinner last night just returned from several years in New Orleans.  Their newspaper recently cut down to publishing only three days a week.  She said most people didn't even notice.

Here is one way to exhibit some journalism at the Journal.  Conduct a 90 minute free wheeling interview with the Governor on the state of the state and publish it verbatim.  We all decided last night that she is really in over her head and does not really understand the issues in front of her.  She only conducts interviews on her terms and the media should take her to task for not showing her command of the issues and her visions to make our economy a more viable one.  I am betting she cant give an answer more than a 15 second sound bite for TV.

Worth Watching

History in two minutes.

Coverage Please

In the past the Albuquerque Journal would have sent a reporter to Mexico City to cover the meeting of the US and Mexican Presidents.  It is an important story given that our Land of Enchantment sits on the border with Mexico.  Given the immigrations issues, economic issues and so called war against drugs issues, you would think the editor at the newspaper could send down an experienced journalist to get us some insight.  But no, what we get is a wire story buried in the back pages on this historic visit of a black US President with a Mexican President.

Well, maybe they will pick up the story second hand and in a little more depth.  And maybe they did send someone who will file stories later.  Lets hope so because we are tied to Mexico in culture, business and family.

Praying for Rain

Remember that definition of prayer?  "How to say you are helping with out really doing anything."

Breakfast at the Grove

Bobbi and I went to breakfast at the Grove with Martin and Julie Heinrich this morning.  Julie and Martin introduced themselves to us back in 1997 when they showed up as volunteers at our Mayor's campaign office.  Julie worked for me as my press liaison during my term in office.  Martin must have caught the fever and went from running for city council to becoming a Congressman to becoming a Senator in just about 8 years.  Phenomenal.

They are getting ready to move themselves and their two sons to Washington, DC so they can spend more time together.  They will keep their home in Albuquerque as Martin will have to be here so much.

These are decent, honest and hard working people. 

Off

I am off to play golf.  Here is a good read about an occurrence at the Albuquerque International Airport.

County Property Taxes

As usual the Bernalillo  County folks have continued their practice over the last decade of upping the assessments on your home as high as the law allows.  That is now about 30% in ten years.  And don't forget how the value of your home plummeted.

This is why the Bernalillo County Commission needs to be changed into a Mayor/Council form of government.  Right now there is no one to take the heat on this outrageous hike in assessed values every year.  If you call your Commissioners they just shrug their shoulders and say "I am only one of five of us, what can I do?"  If there were a chief elected official in the county he couldn't use that excuse.  And don't tell me the assessor is the one to complain too, she just ups the assessment to match what the commission says they will increase the budget by.

Or better yet consolidate the city and county.  It really doesn't matter who feels like they win in that scenario, as long as all of the duplication and waste gets fixed.

I'll Be Sorry

I just don't get the P.R. juggernaut against the slaughter of horses in the United States.  Every day 100,000 cattle, 23,000,000 chickens, and over 300,000 pigs are killed in America for food.  And no one does front page stories on that.  But, even mentioning killing a horse turns one into some sort of ogre.  Because they are prettier  than other livestock?  It is a classic double standard.

I remember back in grade school at Our Lady of Fatima's Heights Catholic School that I made a bad lunch trade one day.  Roland Ghiardetti, who was Canadian I believe, offered to trade me his hamburger for a PBJ sandwich.  Thats a great deal I thought.  Half way through the burger he asked me if I liked the horse meat.  I did up until that point.  All I could think of was our crazed pet Arabian horse at my grandfather's in Pena Blanca.  I haven't had any since.

But I have munched on lamb, veal, and other species and never thought twice about it.  Now, I don't eat much meat anymore.  I am not a vegetarian but I just don't seem to like it much.  Although I will always eat some Bison.  Very lean.

The fact of the matter is that so many people have abandoned horses in the last  five years that they are suffering terribly.  That is certainly less humane than most other alternatives.

I'll be sorry I wrote about this.