Archive for Uncategorized
Them Are Coming
by John Weckerle
Today was a day of great activity – yard work, errands, grocery shopping, harvesting (well, just one zucchini today), cooking wyngette stew for dinner… It was an up-with-the-sun-and-get-to-it kind of day, and one that brought some insight into life and how it works.
During the errands, I found myself headed down an aisle in one of the Edgewood grocery stores, and almost ran into one of our local citizens. This is a person with whom I have at times disagreed, here and elsewhere, but with whom I have always had a congenial relationship. At least, so I thought. I greeted him with a friendly “Hey, <insert name here>, how’s it going?” and was surprised when he simply looked away, grunted, “Hey,” and pushed his cart very pointedly past and off into the middle distance – and ultimately into the rest of it. It took a second for me to process the situation and realize: to him, I have apparently become one of Them.
Now, the subject of Them is of particular interest to me at this time for a number of reasons. I recently listened to a recording of an old radio show from the 1960s, one of the many nightly broadcasts of an author and commentator by the name of Jean Shepherd. Shep, as he was known to his fans, was the author of (among other works) a book titled In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash (the movie A Christmas Story, narrated by the author, is based on part of this book). In this particular recording, Shepherd (who never really discussed politics, but commented on life in general) expounds upon a syndrome we see throughout history – as he puts it (more or less), the belief that all the bad things in the world come from somebody else’s rottenness, or stupidity, and if we could just get rid of Them, everything would be wonderful – “Peace and beauty, through us.” »» Them Are Coming
Au Revoir, Helen Thomas
by John Weckerle
By now, most of the furor over Helen Thomas’s recent comments on the State of Israel has died down. We’ve reviewed the video and also the transcript of the conversation – which, as is often the case, contains more than the video. The transcript is as follows:
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Any advice for these young people over here for starting out in the press corps?
HELEN THOMAS: Go for it. You’ll never be unhappy. You’ll always keep people informed. And you’ll always keep learning. The greatest thing of the profession is never stop learning.
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Today they’re covering the Jewish Heritage Month. Any—
HELEN THOMAS: Are they going to meet the President?
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Yeah, and any comments on Israel? We’re asking everybody today. Any comments on Israel?
HELEN THOMAS: Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Ooh, any better comments than that?
UNIDENTIFIED: Helen is blunt.
HELEN THOMAS: Remember, these people are occupied, and it’s their land. It’s not Germany, and it’s not Poland.
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: So where should they go? What should they do?
HELEN THOMAS: They could go home.
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Where is their home?
HELEN THOMAS: Poland, Germany—
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: So the Jews—you’re saying Jews should go back to Poland and Germany?
HELEN THOMAS: —and America and everywhere else. Why push people out of there who have lived there for centuries? See?
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: Now, are you familiar with the history of that region and what took place?
HELEN THOMAS: Very much. I’m of Arab background.
RABBI DAVID NESENOFF: I see.
Leaving aside for now the appropriateness (or lack thereof) of Ms. Thomas’s comments, there are one or two ancillary issues we wish to examine.
Mud Season, Fire Season, Mud Season, Silly Season…
by John Weckerle
With the weekend’s odd weather now behind us, the mud is starting to dry up a little here at New Mexico Central. However, the warm spring sun shining on our environs probably won’t do much to help us avoid mud of an entirely different nature. That’s right: with the Republican primary looming, TV campaign advertisement season has begun, if a little anemically.
We here at New Mexico Central don’t have an unlimited amount of time to sit in front of the television waiting for campaign advertisements, and perhaps that’s why we’ve seen relatively few so far. Thus far, we’ve noted two of Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Weh’s commercials – one focusing on his military service, and another focusing on Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish’s supposed use of stimulus funds to fly the State jet to a parade. However, NMPolitics.net reports that this allegation is not true; the flight was paid for by the state’s general fund. In the same ad, Mr. Weh touts his use of a truck to get around. This article claims to show a picture of Mr. Weh’s truck parked in a red zone, purportedly parked there by Mr. Weh just before he got out and walked into a fundraiser with former Bush advisor Karl Rove. We have to wonder, however, whether Mr. Weh would really use his truck to get around if elected, given that his campaign is currently making its way around the state in the “Weh Forward Bus.” We have no information regarding whether the bus has been parking where it’s supposed to. »» Mud Season, Fire Season, Mud Season, Silly Season…
Concert Tonight In Mountainair
by John Weckerle
Checking in on our friends at Mountainair Announcements, we find that the Double D Wranglers, a cowboy music and entertainment group from Nebraska, will be playing tonight starting at 7 p.m. at the Brazil Auditorium in Mountainair. For more information, see the Mountainair Announcements article and the group’s web site.
Evil Spotted In Edgewood Again This Afternoon
by John Weckerle
The forces of evil were encountered again today in Edgewood – not far from the intersection of NM-344 and Old Route 66. That’s right, the Security Tool malware program cropped up on yet another Edgewood computer. This makes two this year of which your editor is aware, and I’m sure the other nerds like myself computer enthusiasts in the area have been running into it as well. We’ll refer our readers to our previous story on the issue, and suggest that everybody download a copy of the removal software and the directions. This is one sneaky, stubborn piece of malice, and you’re looking at a couple of hours minimum to remove it. Be extra careful with those e-mail attachments, folks!
Enough, Already…
by John Weckerle
We find ourselves shaking our heads yet again at the Mountain View Telegraph’s relentless publication of climate contrarian rants by Scott Brooks. Last week, Mr. Brooks provided yet another reference-free critique of little bits and pieces of an BBC interview with University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit director Phil Jones and a related BBC story. We’ll let our readers read the articles and come to their own conclusions, but from here it looks as if Mr. Brooks’s points on the Jones statements are 180 degrees off top dead center. Mr. Brooks’s interminable insistence that the lack of statistically significant warming during a statistically insignificant period of 15 years proves something about climate change is beginning to bore us, and his recounting of the comparison of warming periods is characteristically wide of the mark. Of course, we see similarly characteristic unqualified statements that those who believe that anthropogenic global climate change is occurring point to the winter storms as proof of global warming. That is typical hogwash; in fact, the only references to those storms proving anything that we’ve seen have been from the other side, claiming that they show that global warming is a farce. Mr. Brooks does as much in the current diatribe.
Mr. Brooks will continue to write his letters, and the Telegraph will continue to print them – and will likely continue not to provide any meaningful independent examination of the issues in question – in what appears to be a perpetual “he-said/he-said” treatment of the subject. Perhaps one sells more papers by inflaming than informing, but in this case we again wish to state that we believe the Telegraph owes its readers a little more of the latter.
More Unofficial Election Results – Mayoral Elections
by John Weckerle
We have unofficial results on three Mayoral elections in the New Mexico Central region. Sources inform us that Ted Hart will be the new Mayor of Moriarty; that Ted Barela has been re-elected as Mayor of Estancia; and that Chester Riley will be the new Mayor of Mountainair.
Holy Landslide, Batman…2010 Election: Early Edgewood Results
by John Weckerle
We have received some reports on election results for the Town of Edgewood Council elections from former candidate (and, apparently, Councilor-elect) Chuck Ring. According to Mr. Ring, the count stands as follows:
- Chuck Ring – 365 votes
- Rita Loy Simmons – 350 votes
- Glenn Felton – 273 votes
Mr. Ring also reports that votes for the bond issues went as follows:
- Roads: 147 for, and 474 against
- Facilities: 110 for, and 431 against
Issues associated with Wildlife West Nature Park have been part of the debate. We contacted the Park’s founder and current director, Roger Alink, who stated, “We’re delighted. Chuck and Rita have been consistent supporters of the Park in all its endeavors.”
New Mexico Central Moves To The Dark Side
by John Weckerle
There is nothing like the smell of a 5/8 inch masonry bit being driven – at slow rotation and slow advancement – through bone using a large drill press in an unheated garage just after lunch. »» New Mexico Central Moves To The Dark Side
Margarita Hibbs, Estancia Mayoral Candidate
(Editor’s note: The following information was submitted via e-mail by Margarita Hibbs, candidate for Mayor of Estancia. Ms. Hibbs also submitted this resume.)
Age: 47
Education: High School Graduate, 2 years college education toward Bachelors in Business Administration
Work: Small Business Owner of Fine Arts Gallery and Flower Shop
Related Experience/Community Involvement: Resume Attached
Family: Married to Martin Hibbs for 26 years with 4 children, ages 23, 22, 19 and 17
Why should the people of Estancia elect you to the office of mayor?
Hopefully people will recognize that I have a record of community service with a broad and diverse understanding of our small community, its assets and its challenges. My work for and with children are evidenced by the Estancia Youth Development Group Basketball program of which I helped organize, my history as a foster parent and advocacy to “at risk” children through my work with the Rio Grande Valley CASA board, as well as my support of youth organizations such as Teens-Need-Teens Activities Program and the Rotary Club Scholarship fund here in Estancia. Over the years, I have been recognized as a Rural Community Advocate within New Mexico and with Senate and Congressional Leadership in Washington, D.C. and will gladly use those contacts to further promote the success and prosperity of Estancia. As a former board member of the Salt Missions Trail Mainstreet Board, and a small business owner, I understand the importance of small business creation and community heritage preservation programs. These programs have the ability to marry cultural and aesthetic business goals of a community and help promote healthy and controlled growth. »» Margarita Hibbs, Estancia Mayoral Candidate
Malware Alert
by John Weckerle
Yesterday, your editor spent a couple of hours removing a particularly nasty piece of malware from somebody else’s computer. The program, Security Tool, represents itself as a malware checker, but is in fact a vicious attack that attempts to coerce the user into purchasing the program using a credit card. Once installed, it essentially seizes control of the computer, stopping the use of any program other than itself on the basis of programs being “infected” with malware, and won’t turn the computer loose until you log on and pay for the program. Obviously, DO NOT input your credit card information.
Here’s how I cleaned the machine: »» Malware Alert
Dennis Fulfer – Introduction
Basics
I’m 38 years old and have been married for 7 years to Kristy Fulfer. We have a wonderful 6 year old son, Charles Nath Fulfer, III, who is named after my dad and granddad.
I was born in Yokosuka, Japan, grew up in Imperial Beach, CA, and moved to my ancestral home, Mountainair in 1994. My family has been in this area since 1906.
I hold a Bachelors in Business Administration in Marketing. I’m currently enrolled in a dual degree program, the Masters in Community Regional Planning and the Masters in Public Administration. I’ve completed all the coursework for the MCRP, and have three classes left for the MPA.
I’m self-employed, owner of a real estate brokerage, Discovery Property Company, and a marketing/web design firm, DKF Diversified. I’ve been the vice-chair of the Mountainair Planning and Zoning Commission for 4 years. I’ve been the Treasurer of the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce for 3 years. And I recently resigned as President of iCreate, Inc., a community based non-profit.
Why I’m Running for Mayor
I’ve always been intrigued by the social dynamics of the community development of Mountainair. Subsequently, my academic career was guided by this intrigue, particularly in economic development. The coursework in the MCRP program really broadened my view of the social interactions between all the various constituents of Mountainair. To say the least, the mayor’s office must juggle the needs of the natives, newcomers, Anglos, Hispanics, the Seniors, and the Youth, just to name a few. I positively believe that I am the best candidate to address all the needs of all the various constituents.
In my academic career, as well as my practice as a real estate broker, I’ve been trained as a facilitator. I feel I have what it takes to bring all the constituents to the table, build a trust among them, and assist them in coming to a mutual agreement. Additionally, I’m trained in the various ins and outs of town management. Also, I’m an artists of sorts. I excel at finding “outside the box” solutions to any problems and obstacles that the town faces. Finally, I’m a team player. I believe in finding solutions as a collective, and sharing the credit.
Issues
There are many issues that Mountainair is facing as a community. One issue that will need to be addressed immediately is the level of professionalism in providing our public services. The citizens are in fact customers of these services and it is important that the town understands this key concept and acts accordingly.
Youth Development is an important issue as well. So often the youth is not considered in decision making, which leads them to be discouraged in being a participant in the development of our town. I aim to change this by creating a Youth Advisory Group that is made up of youth, by the youth. This will empower them to be part of the decision making process and hopefully inspire them to be more active in local development as adults.
Infrastructure is a major issue. Because state money is tight and we have such a small tax base, funding these projects will need to be creative. But before we begin to fund these projects, we need to create an Infrastructure Improvement Sector Plan. This plan will identify which areas need to be addressed immediately and what can wait for a later phase. The public will have full participation in creating this sector plan, and if elected, I will begin this process this summer.
I’ve identified many other issues, and my positions on them are available on my website: www.DennisFulfer.com
Stepping Into The Past, In Miniature
by John Weckerle
It’s not often that we extend our focus out into the “just nifty” realm, but given the local enthusiasm for antique cars, and in light of the fact that we have a good bit of Old Route 66 running through the New Mexico Central area, we figured we’d share a link to photos of the Models of Michael Paul Smith, as well as an interview with the photographer/model maker.
Even In This Weather
by John Weckerle
Life goes on for our feathered friends. This little guy paid a visit to New Mexico Central headquarters just a while ago.
Robin In Juniper With Snow
Public Service Announcement: Edgewood Food Pantry and Clothing Distribution
Checking in on our friends at Gadabout-Blogalot.com, we find that the Edgewood Civitan Club, Edgewood Food Pantry, and Roadrunner Food Bank will be joining forces to hold a food and clothing distribution event on January 28, 2010 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., or until everything is distributed. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and there will be enough food for 100 families. For more information and copies of the event fliers, see the Gadabout-Blogalot.com article.