Friday, April 27, 2012

Congressional Investigation




Why don’t those people quit investigating?   They do nothing to further good government, they only do things to further their own personal ambitions, or those ambitions of their respective supporters, and in the process spend thousands and thousands of our money.

A soon as something happens that attracts media attention, someone in Congress in a blue suit standing at an oak lectern in front of American flags says, “we need to investigate, so we're going to hold hearings”.  Then the poor souls who are charged with running the government are forced into more sleepless nights preparing for stupid questions that have been written by staff for  “The Senator” or “The Member” so he/she can sound somewhat intelligent.

  
There is no way us lowly citizens can ever find out how much money Congress spends “investigating” things.  
They take trips during “work periods” all around the world to “investigate” how people are spending our money – and they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the investigation. 

And, the “investigations” will undoubtedly uncover some dirt under a rock somewhere and here come the cameras again!

We’d be better off if they’d quit investigating and keep that money in the treasury and then shut up!

Here's what it is   sing along!




Thursday, April 26, 2012

Prairie Dogs

From Today Show “Animal Tracks” web page… 

These prairie dogs are just chillin’ out in the Arizona sun, looking like they are fending off food coma. The photo was taken by Jane Lyons, an interior designer who dabbles in photography. "I managed to get the shot without them becoming too alarmed and it seems I caught them at a relaxed moment,” the Philadelphia resident told Solent News. "I was really thrilled to have photographed their closeness and very unique charm and personalities."

We have prairie dogs in New Mexico, too. They can be pretty pesky little things that are real problems for horseback riders, highways, airport runways, etc.

But they are cute!

George Maloof, father of Joe, Gavin, George, Phil and Adrienne, told me once his favorite of all the stories I ever did for KOAT-TV’s Big Seven News was a report from a prairie dog village near Espanola.

I stopped by the village on a trip to Taos one day and attempted to get an interview with the Mayor of the Prairie Dog Village, but he was not commenting for TV, or any other media, at the time.

We went about our merry way going from hole to hole looking for folks to talk to, and none of those little creatures would talk. From a distance, they would stand on their front porches and watch the goings on, but they didn’t want to go on camera.

As we drove out of sight, I could hear them exclaim, “Good riddance dear reporter, now leave us alone!”

I did.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Discovery Lands




It is a sad day for US Space Travel. Space Shuttle Discovery has taken her last flight, this one from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral to Dulles Airport near Washington, DC where she will be on display for all to see from now on.

I was there when she took off for the heavens on February 24, 2011, her last mission. I can not tell you how it felt to see her aim for the stars. Here's a photo I took.




And here's a video.


I was about 3 miles away. Notice the communicator from NASA when he says "The shuttle has cleared the tower"...at that point in every mission public comment on the mission switched to Mission Control Houston and the next comment was from officials there.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Batter Up



It's the 10th year of the Isotopes in Albuquerque. Friday the 13th the team opened and here I am with Tommy Lasorda, the ambassador for the Dodgers - and a one time manager of the Albuquerque Dukes, way back in the early 1970's. He of course went on to manage the Dodgers in their good days. Maybe with the new ownership of the "big" team, those glory days will return. The 'Topes are the AAA farm club of the Dodgers.




Lawrence Rael (L) and Jim Baca, the former Mayor of Albuquerque, were on the field for the honors before the game. It was during Baca's term as Mayor that the Dukes abandoned the "Duke City". The community scrambled, and with the able assistance of Lawrence as the Mayor's Chief Administrative Officer, a deal got done not only to bring a AAA team back to Albuquerque, but to build a new stadium (oops, it was a renovation of the old Albuquerque Sports Stadium) to house them. All the pieces fell in to place and it happened, but Jim didn't get the public credit he deserved because he was out of office by the time the Isotopes started playing.



Ken Young, who is seen here addressing the 10,000+ fans on opening night was instrumental as well is getting a group of investors together to buy a club and bring it here. He's a legend in minor league baseball, and also heads Ovations Food Services which is one of the biggest concession operators in the USA.

A lot of the committee that worked to bring baseball back to Albuquerque is seen in the background stretching from present Mayor Richard Berry and his wife Marie on the left, to former Mayor Jim Baca on the right - of the photo - not politically.



Two of the hardest workers on the committee were Dan Barkley, a professor at UNM and a real baseball fan, and the legendary Chuck Lanier a long time promoter of community good in Albuquerque.



And here's my co-chair of the Backin' Baseball Committee, Vic Chavez seen here with his wife(and Orbit, the Isotopes mascot).

There was a time, 10 years ago, when things could get done without the infighting that is everywhere in the political process. I'm not sure what we did back then could be done present day.

Thanks to the voters of Albuquerque who supported the bond issue, we are the home of a very successful family entertainment venue - and it's paying it's own way.

(All photos courtesy of Connie Beimer)

Friday, April 13, 2012

Pffssstt



North Korea Rocket Launch!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Lone Ranger Rides Again





There they are, the new Lone Ranger and Tonto in a publicity shot provided by the company that's shooting the movie in New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.

The Lone Ranger (John Reid)is portrayed by Armie Hammer and Tonto (Native American spirit warrior) is played by Johnny Depp.

According to publicity on the movie, The Lone Ranger and Tonto are opposites brought together by fate and must join forces to battle greed and corruption.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney are making the film. JB is on hand at the film shooting on a set west of Rio Rancho and has also been spotted around town. He posts some items on Twitter.

Tonto is supposedly staying in a big fancy house in the east mountains.


If you haven't seen it, here's a terrific Lone Ranger Story from Jay Thomas.



Many of us remember this



Anyway, it's nice to have Jerry Bruckheimer and all of his folks in our part of the world.

Welcome!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Hometown hits the big time.

The writer is call it a "wealthy enclave"...I'm not sure that's what Taos is if he's talking about money. If he's talking about scenic beauty, he's right on.

Anyway, Forbes has published a list of "prettiest towns" and my hometown is included.

Read the internet story here:

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

April in Albuquerque


April 3, 2012 out our front door!