Rest, Mr. Speaker

Ben Lujan

Mr. Speaker

New Mexico House of Representatives

Mr. Speaker, may you rest in peace!

"It's a humbling experience, to say the least, and a deeply rewarding experience that we could contribute in some small way to make New Mexico and hopefully the U.S. and the world a better place," he said in his farewell speech at the end of the last session.

He was 77.

Santa Sighting

In a nearby parking lot yesterday...unsual sights.

Cops on horses & kids.

The Oreo cookie

The Coca Cola Polar Bear

Santa sighting!

Veteran's Day

Sam Beimer

1945

Germany

Those brave souls like my dad helped make this a much better world.

Thanks!  

You've been resting in peace for almost 25 years.

Twenty Years Ago

Twenty years ago on the eve of the 1992 election Bill Clinton came to town.  

Actually, it was Election Day - because it was after midnight - when he finally arrived.

And, if memory serves right, it was cold and breezy in that corner of the Albuquerque Sunport tarmac.

It was his last stop before getting home to Little Rock.

My wife, Connie, found the button in the "button file" this weekend.

Ryder Cup Notes

It was a fine crisp fall time at Medinah near Chicago as the Europeans took on the Americans in the Ryder Cup golf matches.  

There were too many of these shots - Bubba headed for his ball in the woods - and USA fell to the Europeans.

Right after I took this shot a "mobile device enforcement officer" threatened to kick me out if I did it again - taking a picture of the players during play.  Seems a little over the top, but rules is rules, and I broke them.  Good for him.  Bad on me.  I put away the phone and then took pictures of scenery and things while there were no players around - and nobody cared.  

On the way into the matches on one of the shuttles I visited with a "Brit" who indicated to me that there weren't many folks on the European team that cared about the Union Anthem - isn't.  Each of their countries has their own anthem, so this is just a marketing something.  

Here's the music.

 

Medinah Country Club has been around for a long time.  In visiting with one of the 600 members at lunch, he said most of the playing members are "blue collar" but there are quite a few who are allowed to join the club and use it for marketing and promotion of their firms.

What a magnificent club house. It was originally the site of a Masonic or Shrine temple.  The facilities for the Ryder Cup were built right over two of the courses - while walking into/out of the matches, here in the middle of the path was a sprinkler head with yardage distances - but I couldn't tell where the green was - under a "building" or under the entrance/exit.

Of the three Ryder Cup matches I've visited, it was the best.  Looking forward to the next one on American soil in the Minneapolis area in 4 years.

Smooth & Mellow

So long Andy Williams.

Thanks for the memories.

Moon River is waitin' around the bend!

Enjoy

Jury Duty Completed

For the last couple of weeks I've been on standby - having been called as part of the jury pool for Metropolitan Court in Albuquerque.

My time of service came to an end on the same day I was chosen to be on a jury - only to learn upon return from lunch break that a mistrial had been declared.

I picked up my certificate of service from the friendly folks in the juror services office and was on my merry way out the building.

All in all, I have to tell you the court and its systems appear to run very well.

 

Chief Judge Judith Nakamura dropped in on the waiting "masses" - there must have been a hundred or so waiting to be called.

The amount of traffic handled by Metrocourt is astounding. The 19 judges handle upwards of a thousand cases a day. She's booking hearings right now for her November docket.

It is a beautiful building, the systems in place appear to be good - and everyone from the security officer at the front door to the clerks of the respective courts had a smile and a good attitude.

That's refreshing because most of the folks who have occasion to visit the courthouse aren't a very happy lot.

Good Job!

Oh, and there weren't any TV shows on in the jury waiting room.  Our Judge Judy said cable was cut off due to budgetary restraints a couple years ago.  However, she said things are looking better and she promised to check on the possibility of lighting up the screens once again.

Now, can you imagine - watching Judge Judy or any of those other shows while waiting to be chosen to be in a real trial?