Pretty much everyone (and that was six at last counting) who reads this Jenga! (i.e., blog) says: "Scot you don't like anything!"
Oh, but not exactly true...not as long as my wife and KEXP are still around, anyway. For those into such things, KEXP out of Seattle recently recorded the groups Iron & Wine/Calexico in concert, and it sounds real, real fine. I especially like the Iron & Wine cover of "All Tomorrow's Parties".
Enjoy. Listening will make the largely screwed-up world and its predominantly inane human inhabitants just a bit more palatable for a short while.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Bernalillo County and Property Taxes
Alright, I'm violating the "one post per day" at most rule, but I just went to the Bernalillo County Property Tax "Online Payment Home". I go there thinking Cool! online payment for my property taxes! Who cares what anybody else says, Bernalillo County has got it going on!
So then I notice a few hiccups. First, the 2005 tax bills aren't online..maybe they aren't even printed yet, but aren't they due by December 10th or so? Then comes the real killer part, namely:
Well, all I gotta say is that the B.C. Treasurer's Office is some wily, hard-ass negotiators. Only 2.5% for online transactions? You mean my approx. $1000 tax bill will only cost me an additional 25 (*@%*^@+) dollars to process online? Them Treasurer's Office folks are some NFL agent kinda hard-ass negotiators! First State Bank must be feeling totally screwed in that deal, getting only 2.5% for doing....um, basically nothing.
Bernalillo County? I have this '91 Suzuki Sidekick I'd like to sell you...yeah, it runs, Blue Book is about $900. I'll sell it to you for, let's see...how's $10,000 sound? With a 2.5% processing fee that'll make it $10,250.
And yeah, I see your brain churning out there in Blogland.."hmmm....Treasurer's Office....Treasurer's Office, where have I heard something about impropriety concerning some Treasurer's Office lately?" I can't put my finger on it, but..."
I have always found it quaint in a 3rd World sort of way that we made our Property Tax check out directly to the Treasurer in the past. Hard to wonder if that wasn't designed to just save a step in the process, not that Alex Abeyta, Jr.'s tenure as previous County Treasurer had any problems. (subscription...maybe)
So then I notice a few hiccups. First, the 2005 tax bills aren't online..maybe they aren't even printed yet, but aren't they due by December 10th or so? Then comes the real killer part, namely:
"The Bernalillo County Treasurer has entered into an agreement with First State Bank to process credit card payments. You may now pay your Bernalillo County property taxes online. First State Bank/Official Payment Corp. the service provider, will charge a convenience fee for this service. The fee will be 2.5% of your tax payment. Bernalillo County does not charge or retain any portion of this fee."
Well, all I gotta say is that the B.C. Treasurer's Office is some wily, hard-ass negotiators. Only 2.5% for online transactions? You mean my approx. $1000 tax bill will only cost me an additional 25 (*@%*^@+) dollars to process online? Them Treasurer's Office folks are some NFL agent kinda hard-ass negotiators! First State Bank must be feeling totally screwed in that deal, getting only 2.5% for doing....um, basically nothing.
Bernalillo County? I have this '91 Suzuki Sidekick I'd like to sell you...yeah, it runs, Blue Book is about $900. I'll sell it to you for, let's see...how's $10,000 sound? With a 2.5% processing fee that'll make it $10,250.
And yeah, I see your brain churning out there in Blogland.."hmmm....Treasurer's Office....Treasurer's Office, where have I heard something about impropriety concerning some Treasurer's Office lately?" I can't put my finger on it, but..."
I have always found it quaint in a 3rd World sort of way that we made our Property Tax check out directly to the Treasurer in the past. Hard to wonder if that wasn't designed to just save a step in the process, not that Alex Abeyta, Jr.'s tenure as previous County Treasurer had any problems. (subscription...maybe)
We're #46! Part MLMXVII: NM Internet Usage
You might have noticed that several news outlets picked up an AP story entitled "Internet Use Up, but so is User Concern" which combines a number of different surveys into a mishmash of things you already knew. In fact, reading the headline for the article is like reading an a story entitled "Seventy Percent of World Covered in Water", hence you probably quickly moved on to another wave in the 'net surf.
Still, one advantage of the increasingly popular, but scary 'Net is that you get links to the actual figures (just like ATMs, it's hard to remember a world before such links..you mean we just believed the crap that came out of such lame stories?) One site/study on Computer/'Net usage is from the U.S. Census Bureau. Always a sucker for social science data, I went to the Census page and checked out the State by State 'Net usage figures for 2003.
Sure enough, one Excel spreadsheet later we find out that New Mexico is 46th in prevalence of home 'Net access. We're right between Louisiana and Alabama. Only Mississippi, Arkansas and the aforementioned Louisiana have a lower percentage. The most illuminating thing about this obvious, unnecessary story is the author's point that computers are most prevalent in the West and least prevalent in the South (they break down Computer figures from 'Net access figures).
Well, New Mexico may be geographically in the West, but right now we're hanging out in downtown Petticoat Junction, computer/'Net-wise. Our actual neighbors like Colorado are wired big-time , while virtual neighbors like Alabama have the overall access equivalent of a 2400 baud modem and CompuServe on a Kaypro "luggable". To my virtual neighbors in Tuscaloosa and environs I say let's play Pong! I just got it for my Commodore 64 and the graphics are incredible.
Still, one advantage of the increasingly popular, but scary 'Net is that you get links to the actual figures (just like ATMs, it's hard to remember a world before such links..you mean we just believed the crap that came out of such lame stories?) One site/study on Computer/'Net usage is from the U.S. Census Bureau. Always a sucker for social science data, I went to the Census page and checked out the State by State 'Net usage figures for 2003.
Sure enough, one Excel spreadsheet later we find out that New Mexico is 46th in prevalence of home 'Net access. We're right between Louisiana and Alabama. Only Mississippi, Arkansas and the aforementioned Louisiana have a lower percentage. The most illuminating thing about this obvious, unnecessary story is the author's point that computers are most prevalent in the West and least prevalent in the South (they break down Computer figures from 'Net access figures).
Well, New Mexico may be geographically in the West, but right now we're hanging out in downtown Petticoat Junction, computer/'Net-wise. Our actual neighbors like Colorado are wired big-time , while virtual neighbors like Alabama have the overall access equivalent of a 2400 baud modem and CompuServe on a Kaypro "luggable". To my virtual neighbors in Tuscaloosa and environs I say let's play Pong! I just got it for my Commodore 64 and the graphics are incredible.
Friday, October 28, 2005
"Three Theory" in Action
My superstitious friends (when not teaching Intelligent Design and Palmistry) are always saying things happen in threes, especially deaths. Well, in one 24 hour period we've had death letters from:
Michael Vigil
Harriet Miers
Looks like Scotter Libby (and yes, even as a former Texan who once worked in Denton for a boss named "Scooter", I realize how stupid a name that is) is gonna be the third death. Actually, I never bought into that three mumbo-jumbo (any look at the obits will tell you that we pass three on the death meter quite easily every day), and I'm still holding out hope for Karl Rove and some other sketchy folks we've never heard of being indicted today in Plame/Wilson/Niger/Cake/Italiano/Outing Gate. In fact, it'd make my weekend by Friday Afternoon. It'd make my Halloween, Dia de los Muertos and everything up to Veterans' Day.
Michael Vigil
Harriet Miers
Looks like Scotter Libby (and yes, even as a former Texan who once worked in Denton for a boss named "Scooter", I realize how stupid a name that is) is gonna be the third death. Actually, I never bought into that three mumbo-jumbo (any look at the obits will tell you that we pass three on the death meter quite easily every day), and I'm still holding out hope for Karl Rove and some other sketchy folks we've never heard of being indicted today in Plame/Wilson/Niger/Cake/Italiano/Outing Gate. In fact, it'd make my weekend by Friday Afternoon. It'd make my Halloween, Dia de los Muertos and everything up to Veterans' Day.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
A Trip Through Democracy: My Visit to the County Commission
Last night I made a rare venture into the mire and muck of governmental decision-making, heading downtown to the Bernalillo County Commissioner's meeting. Now usually I would no more go to the NORAD-bunkerish bowels of One Civic Plaza than I would attend a Pampered Chef kitchen party led by Rachael Ray (see story below). But there I was, holding my political nose and wallowing deep in the sausage-factory of democracy.
Being the typical American patriot, I usually only attend such meetings when they directly affect my life, and last night was no exception. Namely, the Commissioners were deciding whether to overturn a County Planning Commission decision to put the kibosh on a 54-acre South Valley (SV) shopping center next to the brand-spanking new Walmart Superstore at Rio Bravo and Coors Blvd. A Walmart store that I live approximately 800 yards from as the crow flies, separated by a large, beautiful alfalfa farm that is a Winter hotel for large groups of cranes and geese. So this Winter I will get to look out my back yard and see the cranes taking off at sunrise with this lousy, stinkin' Walmart Superstore in the background. Sunset returns to alfalfa base for the birds will be in front of the glittering parking lots lights of said stinkin', lousy Walmart Superstore.
Basically, the Commissioner's vote last night determined whether I would soon get the additional visual treat of having a Lowe's Home Improvement crammed next to the Walmart Superstore. Never mind that these same stores exist a bit up the road at Coors just past I-40 (okay, it's a Home Depot there) or that the other, West, side of Coors Blvd. is already designated open space....a group of developers has determined that we gotta have more, more, more and there's just gonna be a bunch of meetings, appeals, re-appeals, more meetings and further appeals until they get what they want.
So anyway, last night I and about 125 folks who don't like the idea pack in with about 30-40 folks who really, really want there to be a Lowe's Home Improvement and get to hear from lawyers and a few citizens on both sides about how either this idea is the single greatest idea since the Tennesse Valley Authority & Lousiana Purchase rolled up in one, or is the most wicked idea since the Walmart Superstore was built. I realize one might detect a bias in my analogies there, a trend I fear will continue.
And there was bias all around for sure. Bias and little red name tag looking things that said "I Support the Marketplace at Anderson Farms" from the pro-development side (Farms? If it's a farm, it sure as hell ain't gonna have a giant concrete strip mall on it, right?) as well as large photos-on-a-stick of gas prices at the Diamond Shamrock, illustrating that we in the SV have to drive large distances to get our Home Improvement supplies (upwards of about 8 miles one way...OH MY GOD!!!!) Anti-development forces showed photos of flooding at the Walmart, long traffic lines on adjacent streets from what growth we already have, and laughed inappropriately at the County Commissioners when they said things like "Of course we don't want to do things like the City".
A few highlights from the festivities:
So, Cordova makes a reasoned explanation of why she's voting to defeat the appeal, the other Commissioner's ask a few questions, the audience laughs at the Commissioners inappropriately from time to time, and the moment comes for a motion/vote. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then things go a little hairy. First, Commission Chairperson Alan Armijo, who's done a pretty good job of running the timed debate (at least when he's not hobnobbing with folks around the chamber) kinda violates rule #4 for Parliamentary Procedure folks (and I should know...I was Parliamentary Procedure "President" for my FFA competition team back in 9th grade...really): He doesn't formally read the motion before the vote.
Then the vote happens. Now from the rather slow-pitch softball questions to developers from Commissioner Tim Cummings and others it appears this vote is gonna be close. No way to tell at all which way it's gonna go. Tension. Rising. Then in about 2.2 seconds, Armijo says "all in favor" and some voices are heard. "All opposed" and no voices are heard. A few seconds go by and the vote sinks in to the crowd. We Won! Yeah! Rejoicing! (of course I refer to the anti-development folks here). The crowd on both sides starts for the exits.
Then Commissioner Michael Brasher looks up to the exultantly leaving anti-development folks and asks something like "I'm sorry, what did I just vote for?" I paraphrase, but I do not kid...Brasher is confused about whether he voted for or against the development. The smiling faces on the exiting anti-development folks leaves him feeling more confused.
Now part of the problem is that Armijo didn't read the motion before the vote. Also, the motion was confusing...running something like "To deny the appeal of the developers and uphold the decision of the County Planning Commission"...still, you don't vote on something you don't understand. That was rule #1 back at the FFA Parliamentary Procedure competition.
Obviously, Brasher meant to vote against the motion and for the development. Now at times like this it's hard not to remember that this is the same Michael Brasher who forgot the filing deadline for ABQ City Council, missed the deadline and had to run as a write-in. Frankly, it's a little tough to resist making some rather pointed judgements as to the general sharpness level of Commissioner Brasher. So instead I'll just focus on how Goddamn funny it was to see Brasher try to Parliamentarize himself out of the predicament.
Basically, he had to talk the other Commissioners into letting another vote take place "reconsideration", an attempt that required a motion and a second. Brasher motioned, and what followed was about the funniest five seconds of silence in recorded Parliamentary history. Then Chairperson Armijo had to tell Brasher that there was no second.
It made walking out the door that much more enjoyable. So enjoyable that I barely noticed the pro-development folks walking alongside me muttering about the "idiots" who would oppose such a project. I have to say that maybe for the first time I actually enjoyed attending of these shindigs. Of course, by far the biggest reason is that I got the decision I wanted. Still, it had other pluses, including learning that my County Commissioner is probably the smartest one of the bunch (at least we absolutely know she's not the least smart), I got to relive memories of my days of High School Parliamentary Procedure, and there were moments of humor better than just about any Daily Show or Conan bit..better, as Homer Simpson would say, because they were true.
I don't know as I'll ever attend another one of these things ever again, but the chances are just a bit better than they were before last night.
Being the typical American patriot, I usually only attend such meetings when they directly affect my life, and last night was no exception. Namely, the Commissioners were deciding whether to overturn a County Planning Commission decision to put the kibosh on a 54-acre South Valley (SV) shopping center next to the brand-spanking new Walmart Superstore at Rio Bravo and Coors Blvd. A Walmart store that I live approximately 800 yards from as the crow flies, separated by a large, beautiful alfalfa farm that is a Winter hotel for large groups of cranes and geese. So this Winter I will get to look out my back yard and see the cranes taking off at sunrise with this lousy, stinkin' Walmart Superstore in the background. Sunset returns to alfalfa base for the birds will be in front of the glittering parking lots lights of said stinkin', lousy Walmart Superstore.
Basically, the Commissioner's vote last night determined whether I would soon get the additional visual treat of having a Lowe's Home Improvement crammed next to the Walmart Superstore. Never mind that these same stores exist a bit up the road at Coors just past I-40 (okay, it's a Home Depot there) or that the other, West, side of Coors Blvd. is already designated open space....a group of developers has determined that we gotta have more, more, more and there's just gonna be a bunch of meetings, appeals, re-appeals, more meetings and further appeals until they get what they want.
So anyway, last night I and about 125 folks who don't like the idea pack in with about 30-40 folks who really, really want there to be a Lowe's Home Improvement and get to hear from lawyers and a few citizens on both sides about how either this idea is the single greatest idea since the Tennesse Valley Authority & Lousiana Purchase rolled up in one, or is the most wicked idea since the Walmart Superstore was built. I realize one might detect a bias in my analogies there, a trend I fear will continue.
And there was bias all around for sure. Bias and little red name tag looking things that said "I Support the Marketplace at Anderson Farms" from the pro-development side (Farms? If it's a farm, it sure as hell ain't gonna have a giant concrete strip mall on it, right?) as well as large photos-on-a-stick of gas prices at the Diamond Shamrock, illustrating that we in the SV have to drive large distances to get our Home Improvement supplies (upwards of about 8 miles one way...OH MY GOD!!!!) Anti-development forces showed photos of flooding at the Walmart, long traffic lines on adjacent streets from what growth we already have, and laughed inappropriately at the County Commissioners when they said things like "Of course we don't want to do things like the City".
A few highlights from the festivities:
- The pro-development citizen's group has a 23-year old disabled man speak about how the new shopping center will make it possible for him to shop at Lowe's Home Improvement as he cannot drive. I don't know where this ranked in all-time misuse/abuse of disabled people talking at public meetings, but it had to be at least somewhere near Top Ten.
- The anti-development group leader brandishes and reads a letter from Isleta Pueblo Governor Robert Benavides, which drives the developer's lead attorney in a rabid frenzy of attempts to strike the letter as "heresay". Besides the almost palpable mouth-foaming of the attorney is the fact she carries about 300 lbs. of unwieldy documents along with her as she goes to the mic. Waddling is a good term here.
- Commissioner Teresa Cordova, the SV Commissioner, comes off looking incredibly professional and thorough, citing examples of why the development is inadequately planned while at the same time earnestly telling the pro-development folks that she agrees that the SV really needs economic development.
- The best thing about living in the SV is that we just do things a bit differently down here. We don't have any traditional-looking politician type leadership, so instead even what leaders we have exude an eccentric bent reminiscent of folks who keep strange sculptures in our front yards and shoot guns off the back porch while reading The Iliad. Damn refreshing.
- At least one developer rep. makes a statement about "I can't tell you, Commissioners, how many residents told me personally that they have to drive to Los Lunas to do this kind of shopping". The words "Los Lunas" are said with the same sneer one uses when saying things like "Christian Heavy Metal" or "blog entry".
So, Cordova makes a reasoned explanation of why she's voting to defeat the appeal, the other Commissioner's ask a few questions, the audience laughs at the Commissioners inappropriately from time to time, and the moment comes for a motion/vote. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then things go a little hairy. First, Commission Chairperson Alan Armijo, who's done a pretty good job of running the timed debate (at least when he's not hobnobbing with folks around the chamber) kinda violates rule #4 for Parliamentary Procedure folks (and I should know...I was Parliamentary Procedure "President" for my FFA competition team back in 9th grade...really): He doesn't formally read the motion before the vote.
Then the vote happens. Now from the rather slow-pitch softball questions to developers from Commissioner Tim Cummings and others it appears this vote is gonna be close. No way to tell at all which way it's gonna go. Tension. Rising. Then in about 2.2 seconds, Armijo says "all in favor" and some voices are heard. "All opposed" and no voices are heard. A few seconds go by and the vote sinks in to the crowd. We Won! Yeah! Rejoicing! (of course I refer to the anti-development folks here). The crowd on both sides starts for the exits.
Then Commissioner Michael Brasher looks up to the exultantly leaving anti-development folks and asks something like "I'm sorry, what did I just vote for?" I paraphrase, but I do not kid...Brasher is confused about whether he voted for or against the development. The smiling faces on the exiting anti-development folks leaves him feeling more confused.
Now part of the problem is that Armijo didn't read the motion before the vote. Also, the motion was confusing...running something like "To deny the appeal of the developers and uphold the decision of the County Planning Commission"...still, you don't vote on something you don't understand. That was rule #1 back at the FFA Parliamentary Procedure competition.
Obviously, Brasher meant to vote against the motion and for the development. Now at times like this it's hard not to remember that this is the same Michael Brasher who forgot the filing deadline for ABQ City Council, missed the deadline and had to run as a write-in. Frankly, it's a little tough to resist making some rather pointed judgements as to the general sharpness level of Commissioner Brasher. So instead I'll just focus on how Goddamn funny it was to see Brasher try to Parliamentarize himself out of the predicament.
Basically, he had to talk the other Commissioners into letting another vote take place "reconsideration", an attempt that required a motion and a second. Brasher motioned, and what followed was about the funniest five seconds of silence in recorded Parliamentary history. Then Chairperson Armijo had to tell Brasher that there was no second.
It made walking out the door that much more enjoyable. So enjoyable that I barely noticed the pro-development folks walking alongside me muttering about the "idiots" who would oppose such a project. I have to say that maybe for the first time I actually enjoyed attending of these shindigs. Of course, by far the biggest reason is that I got the decision I wanted. Still, it had other pluses, including learning that my County Commissioner is probably the smartest one of the bunch (at least we absolutely know she's not the least smart), I got to relive memories of my days of High School Parliamentary Procedure, and there were moments of humor better than just about any Daily Show or Conan bit..better, as Homer Simpson would say, because they were true.
I don't know as I'll ever attend another one of these things ever again, but the chances are just a bit better than they were before last night.
Monday, October 24, 2005
The Big Bill v. Gary Johnson Question: Part II
Okay, since I asked, as a serious question, a few days back whether those of the NM Lefty political persuasion would vote today for Big Bill Richardson or Gary Johnson the following has happened:
The news upshot of this is that Big Bill gets followed around Pyongyang by the NM press golly gee whillikers style to the extent that we have in-depth examinations about how many scotches and ginseng liqueurs Big Bill drinks at dinner, and the Gov. shows up at national gigs like "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" getting to brag about the concessions N. Korean officials granted him.
Our next local story switches us from Big Bill in his "negotiating with Communist mad men suit" to continuous-loop stock footage of long-haired Gary Johnson looking like he either just walked off the set of "Lords of Dogtown", or is up for the part of Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High: The Musical". Over this stock footage we get to hear about all the broken bones Gary has had since leaving the Governor's office, the stock footage continuing to play because it allows everyone in the news room to laugh uncontrollably without being seen.
I don't retract the question...Johnson or Richardson. But I do admit there was a certain, shall we say, leadershipishness gap this past weekend. At the same time, I can hardly wait to hear Gary sing a duet with Mr. Hand about the pizza he ordered to History class:
Gary Johnson: Aaalllooohhhaaa, Mr. Hand!
Mr. Hand: Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?
Gary Johnson: Learning about Cuba, and having some food.
And then it's straight into the salsa number "That's my skull, I'm so wasted."
- Big Bill evidently had some success talking the North Koreans into going back to international negotiations aimed at controlling NK's nuclear weapons program and making it less likely that we all get blown up on account of some old-school Communist wild man.
The news upshot of this is that Big Bill gets followed around Pyongyang by the NM press golly gee whillikers style to the extent that we have in-depth examinations about how many scotches and ginseng liqueurs Big Bill drinks at dinner, and the Gov. shows up at national gigs like "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" getting to brag about the concessions N. Korean officials granted him.
Our next local story switches us from Big Bill in his "negotiating with Communist mad men suit" to continuous-loop stock footage of long-haired Gary Johnson looking like he either just walked off the set of "Lords of Dogtown", or is up for the part of Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High: The Musical". Over this stock footage we get to hear about all the broken bones Gary has had since leaving the Governor's office, the stock footage continuing to play because it allows everyone in the news room to laugh uncontrollably without being seen.
I don't retract the question...Johnson or Richardson. But I do admit there was a certain, shall we say, leadershipishness gap this past weekend. At the same time, I can hardly wait to hear Gary sing a duet with Mr. Hand about the pizza he ordered to History class:
Gary Johnson: Aaalllooohhhaaa, Mr. Hand!
Mr. Hand: Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?
Gary Johnson: Learning about Cuba, and having some food.
And then it's straight into the salsa number "That's my skull, I'm so wasted."
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Info Wanted: The KUNM "Strike" of '87
Dear Babblearians/Babbleistas/Babbleites:
I starting some research on the history of KUNM, specifically the "strike" of '87. As a KUNM volunteer in the mid to late '90s, I heard a few stories about the "bad 'ole days", but still haven't seen a definitive report on just what the hell happened. What little I've heard sounds pretty juicy, and I want to talk to folks involved before we're all dead (including, perhaps, KUNM) to get the story out.
Maybe it's already out...can someone lead me to it? The only net cite I can find is a KUNM history in progress (author currently unknown). One cool thing about checking this written history is finding out that Stuart Dyson was KUNM Program Director at one time....
Update: Thanks for all those who have contacted/gotten back in touch with me on the subject. I get the sense from those responding via email, etc. that the "Strike/Debacle/Wars" might make for one of those "This American Life"-esque audio stories. Despite the fact that this means more work for Scot (and who wants that?) , the anecdotes I've heard so far (and the blurry, subjective nature of the histories presented) are too good to pass up.
And of course, I'm still looking for others with knowledge of the events of '87...meanwhile I guess it's time to invest in some of that newfangled digital audio recording equipment I've heard was invented since the dark days of my KUNM "5 O'Clock Report" rip-n-read anchoring of 1995-1997. Man did I suck at reading the news...thankfully there's no tape, analog or otherwise, of that fiasco. Remind me to tell you about my attempt to say "Eddy County Sherriff M.A. 'Chunky' Click" with a straight news-face sometime.
I starting some research on the history of KUNM, specifically the "strike" of '87. As a KUNM volunteer in the mid to late '90s, I heard a few stories about the "bad 'ole days", but still haven't seen a definitive report on just what the hell happened. What little I've heard sounds pretty juicy, and I want to talk to folks involved before we're all dead (including, perhaps, KUNM) to get the story out.
Maybe it's already out...can someone lead me to it? The only net cite I can find is a KUNM history in progress (author currently unknown). One cool thing about checking this written history is finding out that Stuart Dyson was KUNM Program Director at one time....
Update: Thanks for all those who have contacted/gotten back in touch with me on the subject. I get the sense from those responding via email, etc. that the "Strike/Debacle/Wars" might make for one of those "This American Life"-esque audio stories. Despite the fact that this means more work for Scot (and who wants that?) , the anecdotes I've heard so far (and the blurry, subjective nature of the histories presented) are too good to pass up.
And of course, I'm still looking for others with knowledge of the events of '87...meanwhile I guess it's time to invest in some of that newfangled digital audio recording equipment I've heard was invented since the dark days of my KUNM "5 O'Clock Report" rip-n-read anchoring of 1995-1997. Man did I suck at reading the news...thankfully there's no tape, analog or otherwise, of that fiasco. Remind me to tell you about my attempt to say "Eddy County Sherriff M.A. 'Chunky' Click" with a straight news-face sometime.
Saturday Morning Coffee-fueled Pondering
As my hands jitter across the keyboard in response to two cups of the beyond-Turkish strong coffee my wife makes, I ponder as a Progressive (with strange Libertarian undercurrents) the following:
Perhaps the best thing that could possibly happen to the NM Democratic Party is Robert Vigil.
Perhaps the second (or absolute) best thing that could happen is that Bill Richardson is no longer Governor.
And a follow-up question that I've been asking my progressive/liberal friends in recent weeks:
In 2006, who would you vote for as NM Governor: Bill Richardson or Gary Johnson?
And let's add the U.S. House 1 question: Patricia Madrid or the increasingly anti-Bush Heather Wilson (if we are to consider going from basically having continuous political sex with W to voting against him three or four times as an increase)?
Okay, the last one is easy, but Patricia Madrid sure as hell isn't putting a spring in my step to enter the voting booth. In fact, to complete the circle, why do I get the feeling that my voting for Patricia Madrid is kinda like voting for Robert Vigil?
Discuss amongst yourselves......
Perhaps the best thing that could possibly happen to the NM Democratic Party is Robert Vigil.
Perhaps the second (or absolute) best thing that could happen is that Bill Richardson is no longer Governor.
And a follow-up question that I've been asking my progressive/liberal friends in recent weeks:
In 2006, who would you vote for as NM Governor: Bill Richardson or Gary Johnson?
And let's add the U.S. House 1 question: Patricia Madrid or the increasingly anti-Bush Heather Wilson (if we are to consider going from basically having continuous political sex with W to voting against him three or four times as an increase)?
Okay, the last one is easy, but Patricia Madrid sure as hell isn't putting a spring in my step to enter the voting booth. In fact, to complete the circle, why do I get the feeling that my voting for Patricia Madrid is kinda like voting for Robert Vigil?
Discuss amongst yourselves......
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