Archive for Uncategorized
Jar Shapes Demystified
by John Weckerle
In comments to our last post, questions were posed and answers theorized as to the reasons why peanut butter comes in round containers, rather than square ones that would minimize wasted space in crates and boxes used in shipping. We sent messages to Con Agra (the makers of Peter Pan peanut butter) and Smucker’s asking for clarification, and received this response from Con Agra. While our proposed reasons probably had some validity, their reason was perhaps more simple: it’s easier to get the peanut butter out of a round container.
In Search Of The Unbroken Cracker
by John WeckerleÂ
Not long ago, we received a link to this story about Wal-Mart’s crusade to cut costs of food, including pressuring manufacturers to reduce package size. Here’s another one I’d like to see them tackle: reducing the amount of broken crackers, chips and other products that represent a potentially substantial waste of food and money.
To illustrate, we purchased a box of Triscuits at the Edgewood Wal-Mart, brought them back, and opened them up. Crackers were removed by gently inserting the hand into the free space in the box and carefully tipping crackers into the hand to avoid accidental breakage. They were sorted into two piles – broken and unbroken – and the broken pile was weighed using a common kitchen scale. »» In Search Of The Unbroken Cracker
Protect Your Food and Garbage
by John Weckerle
Cibola National Forest and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish have issued a joint order regarding the proper storage of food and garbage in the Sandia and Mountainair Ranger Districts. Visitors must ensure that food and garbage are acceptably stored both day and night and are unavailable to bears and other wildlife. Fines for violating the order may be up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations. For more detail, read the joint release.
This is a good time to remind residents that they should be managing their food, and especially their garbage, in just the same way. Those who put their garbage out the night before collection should make sure to use animal-proof containers.  Animals can easily be habituated to human food in residential areas and become a nuisance, as is evidenced by the stories we have heard over the years regarding the need to capture or kill bears in the Sandias and Manzanos.
Post Turtles
by John Weckerle
Recently, an area resident sent me a new version of the old George W. Bush “post turtle joke,” reconfigured to focus on Barak Obama. While I may not have the same opinion as the sender regarding which of the two most resembles a post turtle, I didn’t think much of it; it’s election season and, as tired as we all are of it after the primaries, we’re bound to be seeing a lot of political humor.
I was, however, very surprised at the next message I got, which contained a response from one of the other recipients: “… i’m embarrassed for you. this is pure racism. never send me anything like this again.” »» Post Turtles
Rain, rain…
by John Weckerle
Yesterday, I used the last of my harvested rainwater. Even though I have a 3,600 gallon capacity, the dry winter, followed by a dry spring, left me with far less than half of that to get through the season. With the second-year trees and shrubs associated with our ecological enhancement activities and the new vegetable gardens, plus the fountains/wildlife bubblers, that much only goes so far.
Why so dry? Part of the answer lies in the state of the El Nino – Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that affects weather on a global scale. It involves temperature anomalies in the surface waters of the central tropical Pacific Ocean. El Niño represents a period when surface waters are 0.5o or more warmer than normal, and La Niña represents a time during which temperatures are 0.5o or more cooler than normal. ENSO neutral conditions exist when surface water temperatures are within 0.5o of normal. During the El Niño part of the cycle, our area tends to get more rain, while dryer conditions persist during La Niña. During ENSO neutral conditions, there is an equal chance of having normal, above average, or below average conditions. We are currently experiencing the La Niña effect, which is currently weakening. »» Rain, rain…
Hey, Central New Mexico – Want To Take A Ride On the Space Station?
by John Weckerle
Well, you can’t – but you can watch other people do it for you. According to NASA, there will be some great observation opportunities from points within our area over the next few days, and at some times, both the International Space Station and the space shuttle will be visible at nearly the same time. For more information, check out the Moriarty Space Station sighting schedule.
Beware of Unlicensed Contractors – And Let The Unlicensed Contractor Beware
by John Weckerle
In a letter to the Independent on May 13, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department provided information on an unlicensed pavement company that has apparently been working illegally and doing poor quality work, leaving homeowners with a mess afterward. My own recent experience in a dispute (now in its 20th month) with a contractor who turned out to be unlicensed has required me to learn a few things about protecting oneself against predation by contractors who appear legitimate, but who may be something else entirely. NM-Central.com is happy to share some potentially useful information on avoiding and/or rectifying problems with unlicensed contractors.
»» Beware of Unlicensed Contractors – And Let The Unlicensed Contractor Beware
Look, Up In The Sky
by John Weckerle
As I was hand-watering the trees I bought last year from the Edgewood Soil and Water Conservation District (with harvested rainwater) at around 8 a.m. this morning, I heard a loud, droning sound coming from the East. Curious, I looked out over the land below, and for the life of me, I could not figure out what was making the noise.
Finally, I looked up, and found my explanation. By the time I got the camera, it was fairly far away. It was certainly something to see! I’m not sure if all the residents in the area enjoyed it quite as much – especially those who might still have been trying to sleep. Then again, how many people sleep past 8 on a Sunday?
A Few Questions For Our Readers
In preparation for an upcoming article, we have some questions on regional development. We would like to ask our readers:
What does economic development mean to you?
What does sustainable development mean to you?
Should a regional plan for economic development, infrastructure, wildlife corridors, transportation, resource management, etc. be developed?
What values would you wish to see incorporated into regional development philosophies? Which do you think need more attention?
What role should municipal and county governments, business organizations, etc. play in setting the course for economic and other regional development?
Please feel free to provide us your thoughts as comments. It would be helpful if you include the part of the region in which you live and work, whether you’re a business owner, government employee, commuter, etc., and what type of work you do.
Be Ready
by John Weckerle
The Trigo fire that devastated over 13,000 acres in the Manzanos and destroyed dozens of homes is a grim reminder that fire wildfire is an ever-present threat in our part of the world. A dry Winter followed by a dry Spring makes it that much important that residents in the area be prepared for whatever may come their way. »» Be Ready
Let’s all pay more for less
by John Weckerle
This evening, NBC Nightly News reported that Kroger Foods, the owners of Smith’s in Edgewood, is experimenting with with 3-quart milk containers as a replacement for gallon containers – supposedly, according to anchor Brian Williams, as a means of reducing “sticker shock” and essentially making us not notice that we are paying more for less.
This is a trend that I’ve found offensive for years. Rather than raise the price up front, the strategy is to shrink the container, wait a bit, and then raise the price. Food companies seem to think that the American people are perhaps not bright enough to realize that the packages are getting smaller, and the prices are going up. Food costs what it costs, and families need as much food as they need. As prices go up, and container sizes go do down, we’re paying for more packaging and more transportation per unit of food contained therein.
Thanks a lot, Kroger, and thanks to any others who are, in fact, making it that much more difficult for people to feed their families for the simple goal of hiding from us the fact that we’re paying more for less – no doubt, with no corresponding adjustment to profit margins. Just understand: we’re smarter than you think.
Q’mon, Qwest…
by John Weckerle
I occasionally help people out with network issues. For most complicated things, we have more accomplished individuals, but if it’s simple, I try to handle it. Hooking your existing router up to your new Qwest DSL modem should be easy, right? Well…
Yesterday afternoon, I spent what felt like 3 days trying to work this one out. The issue? In hooking a router up to a gateway (in this case, the Qwest DSL modem), you need to change the IP settings (IP is short for Internet Protocol; IP addresses tell the router where to look for the modem, your computer, and the computers that tell your computer where the web sites you want to view are located) in your router from those relevant to your old internet service provider to those associated with the new one. This is a relatively simple task for anyone who knows how to access the administration panel for the router, which should be covered in the router’s user guides. »» Q’mon, Qwest…
NM-Central.com – From New Mexico’s True Heartland!
Welcome to NM-Central.com, providing perspectives from New Mexico’s real central valley. That’s right – the Estancia Valley, and not the Rio Grande Valley, contains the actual geographic center of the state, about 12 miles south-southwest of the town of Willard in Torrance County. This may come as a surprise to some, especially those who think they live in the East Mountains – since said mountains are not “East” at all. They are West. Period.
We invite you to join with us in discussion ranging from statewide to local issues – all, of course, from a true central perspective.