Monthly Archives: February 2010

Organized Labor’s Whipping “Boy” Cleans Up

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Street sign for Wal*Mart Drive, south of Gordo...
Image via Wikipedia

Perhaps whipping “boy” is a misnomer, since Wal-Mart is all grown-up and  king of the retail jungle.  Not that organized labor is happy about WallyWorld’s status, but thus far, they have been unable to do anything except attempt to make a villain out of a very successful business model that sold over 400 billion dollars of retail goods during 2009.

Now comes news from Wal-Mart and the New York Times (Stephanie Rosenbloom, February 25th) that they plan to cut  their greenhouse emissions substantially between now and 2015:

… it would cut some 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain by the end of 2015 — the equivalent of removing more than 3.8 million cars from the road for a year.

The New York Times article was largely taken from a press release from Wal-Mart.  This is not Wal-Mart’s first venture into helping to “save” the earth from some of the reported effects of anthropogenic actions, but more and more they are teaming up with environmental organizations. Whether this will be good for Wal-Mart remains to be seen and there will still be those detractors, whether organized labor or just garden variety progressives, that will demean the efforts of Wal-Mart and other big boxers, simply because they mean to have a drum in the band.

Here’s a link to the Wal-Mart press release … you be the judge, click.

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Just Something A Little Silly And Uniquely American

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

A rather long day today. What with politicking around the community and attendance at a Lincoln Day dinner in Moriarty.  We were treated to an inspiring speech during the dinner celebration by former United States Representative Heather Wilson and great food from Shorty’s BBQ of Moriarty.  I’m jealous because the owners of Shorty’s are great people with great food and Edgewood doesn’t have a Shorty’s.  Although, we have our own great restaurants, there is not a Shorty’s among them.

Anyway, I’m out of steam, but I did run across a story of a small Texas town that bears sharing with others.  I believe readers will find it curious and a little delightful and somewhat representative of another place and a time forgotten or not known by many.  The tale is a saga of men against women (at least some women) and the battle at the polls that finally determined the winners and how they marched with their hands and arms full of their treasured prop to a resting place seen before.

I first found a reference to the story from a site called Boing-Boing.  A site which contain some material which is not always suitable for young eyes and ears (my opinion) so I traced a little further and ended up at a site ran by a fellow named John Ptak.  Mr. Ptak’s site or blog is filled with interesting and strange accounts of science and tidbits and pieces of America.   In addition to his blog he has a website from which he peddles science books.

So visit his website and then come back to read the piece I have referenced above.  Click here and have great fun.

Some chicken, pork and corn in the barbeque
Image via Wikipedia
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Special Session To Begin March 1st For New Mexico Legislature

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Seal of the State of New Mexico
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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Governor Bill Richardson has announced that he will call the special session to begin this coming Monday, March 1st, 2010.  He indicates that this is to give the legislators more time to come up with more compromise, indicating that they have already compromised to some unknown or unspecified extent.

Here’s hoping that the legislature will see the wisdom in progress, but they will not play the progressive’s games and will not tax:

  1. tortillas, biscuits, or white bread
  2. anything alive or anything dead
  3. clothes to wear or hair to bare
  4. beer to drink or computers that think
  5. Lard to mix or boots for kicks

In short dear lawmakers leave us alone; cut the session short and get yourselves home.

You can read the governor’s very short news release dealing with his calling of the special session by clicking here.

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When You Have No Positive Record, Make One Up

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It is absolutely amazing to see what crawls out after dark.  Dark is the record and attitude of Glenn Felton in his bid for re-election to the Edgewood Town Council.  Lacking real accomplishments, Mr. Felton and his benefactor, Mr. Stearley resort to — not half-truths — but full falsehoods.  For someone who expects people to trust his actions and his deeds, he has consistently, with the help of his black- hatted friend told falsehood after falsehood.

Let’s have a look at the mailer Felton has sent out to Edgewood voters in a shameful attempt to garner a record where none exists:

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A “Little” Power From A Little Sunlight

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

The Governor’s office, along with a couple of state agencies, announced yesterday that Chevron Mining and Chevron Technology will construct a one megawatt concentrating photovoltaic solar facility on property that was formerly used in the mining of molybdenum in Questa, New Mexico.

Everyone involved seems to be ecstatic about the project with state and federal agencies touting the use of the former mine property as a great way to use space formerly occupied by potentially hazardous material.

The press release is posted below, just click on the link:

GEsolarQuesta

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Boxer All Boxed Out

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Seal of the Environmental Protection Agency
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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Pajamas Media posts a report that has Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) running from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Trotting with her was Lisa Jackson of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  All of this is so strange and new, plus it is a direct change of course for both of the women.

Heretofore, both Senator Boxer and Administrator Jackson were perfectly content to bask in the heat of global warming reduction.  Now it seems, according to the Pajamas Media piece, they can’t run fast enough to rid themselves of their previous concern for the IPCC  Fourth Assessment Report  (AR4):

Boxer and Jackson’s statements, in addition to being a striking change in policy, are problematic because U.S. climate science is very closely tied to the IPCC reports (as Christopher Horner showed in his recent PJM series on the NASA FOIA emails.)

Senator James Inhoffe (R-OK) a member of the committee chaired by Boxer issued a minority report, which cited Climategate file information and other recent findings. The minority report challenges the information as flawed  and garnered defensive action by Boxer and Thompson.

The report filed by Pajamas Media reporter Charlie Martin has the complete story along with CSPAN video. Click here to see Mr. Martin’s report and other information.

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Somehow We Knew, But We Didn’t Pay Attention

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Yes, somehow we knew.  We knew that the Rail Runner would rupture a gut and spill deficit dollars all over the place.  It did not disappoint and according to a post on New Mexico Watchdog by Jim Scarantino there is no truss or truss belt that will save the train.  He alludes to possible bankruptcy or some such in the close future.  We certainly would not argue with the suggestion and can add that practically every scheme  that has been financed on the bucks of the 1/8 cent gross receipts transportation tax is spilling dollars and providing less service than was touted.

You can read this post from us and see the writing on the wall, but not the bus on the road.  We in southern Santa Fe County send the money, have no representation on the board,  have had service to Edgewood cut and see no rubber on the road … except for shredded tire threads.

Jim really nails it (as he is wont to do every time) on this shame game.  See his article here and comment there if you have the inclination. Oh, don’t miss the great cartoon by Rex Barron posted with Jim’s article.

The Runner show its rear to the folks of New Mexico.

Rail Runner Jeer With Its Rear

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A Reminder For Roadrunner/Edgewood Food Pantry & Civitan Clothing Distribution

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THE FOLLOWING IS POSTED AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE BY GADABOUT-BLOGALOT

Hello Everyone-

After a crazy couple of months, Edgewood Mobile Food Pantry is back on schedule (we hope).  Roadrunner Food Bank is providing the food and we will distribute it on Thursday, February 25th from 5:00-7:00 pm to anyone needing help.  Here’s a link to the flier and previous post.  If you know of anyone that might benefit from this program, please let them know.  I’m also asking for help passing the flier out or distributing it to businesses or churches.  I won’t be able to hit every church or business and I know they will be a valuable resource in reaching families that can benefit from the pantry. This month, we will have enough food to feed 150 families.

A little bit about the program:
We are paying a shared maintenance fee of $.05 a pound for the food.
$125 will buy 2500 pounds of food, allowing 50 families to receive 50 pounds of food each.
There are no income restraints-anyone needing the food is welcome.
All donations will go back into buying food from Roadrunner Food Bank.

At the bottom of the e-mail, there is a link to a video Roadrunner made about the necessity of mobile food pantries.

Results from last month (December):

148 families were served.

There were 559 people in those 148 households.

Thank you to our sponsors- Valley View Church, Rita Loy Simmons and Wal Mart.

We also had 40+ volunteers-the pantry wouldn’t have been successful without their help.

Valley View Church has once again offered their space for the event and Allen Elliot brought cases of food for our distribution this month. The Stepp and the Griego Family have also donated. Thank you, sponsors!

In the eight months this pantry has been operational, 3456 people in 940 households have been recipients of food from Roadrunner. Thank you for all of your support, we couldn’t operate without help and donations from others.

New this month: Edgewood Mobile Food Pantry is happily joining with the Edgewood Civitan Club to provide a free clothing exchange.  Please see this LINK attachment for more details.  We welcome the opportunity to expand the services available to the community.  Thank you, Edgewood Civitans, for providing such a valuable service!
If anyone is interested in helping by either volunteering their time or sponsoring the event, please contact me.  My phone number is 281-5364.

Last, but not least, the following link is to a video from Roadrunner.  It’s a great video and some of our clients are featured.

http://www.rrfb.org/download_content/Open-Door.wmv

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Edgewood Town Council Candidate Forum

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Yesterday, the Central New Mexico League of Women Voters (League) conducted a forum for the candidates (Mr. Felton, Ms. Simmons and myself) in the upcoming Edgewood council election.  The event was initiated by Ms. Ellen Wymer  and over a period of at least two weeks organized in a fair and impartial manner. The League carried on in same efficient manner set by Ms. Wymer.

The questions were all germane and the answers were pertinent.  I believe all the candidates did well (including myself) and there were no bombs tossed or daggers thrown from the eyes of any candidate.  The event was a nice exercise for the candidates and the folks attending, but I doubt that  any candidate gained support that they didn’t have before the forum.  In my opinion,  based on who and what I observed, the audience members had already decided who their favorite candidate or candidates were.  With few exceptions, all audience members have attended previous Edgewood candidate forums and were there to lend support to their candidate or candidates of choice.

Altogether, the event was a small slice of American life that is repeated many times over at the beginning of each election cycle.  The fact that the event takes place over and over, fully open to all, without concern for reprisal or punishment should tell us that our system works if we work with it.

I am thankful to the other candidates, the citizens who attended, the League and Ms. Wymer for their direct participation.  I don’t know why a certain verse of a Lewis Carrol poem (The Walrus and The Carpenter) kept running through my mind at various stages of the debate … perhaps the reader can help with why, or maybe just say that I’m weird and let it rest:

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings–
And why the sea is boiling hot–
And whether pigs have wings.”

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

Find Them Both, Below


The Walrus and The Carpenter

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EDGEWOOD CIVITAN CLUB CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION (02/25/10)

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POSTED AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE BY GADABOUT-BLOGALOT

THE FOLLOWING CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION EVENT IS SPONSORED BY THE EDGEWOOD CIVITAN CLUB AND WILL BE CONDUCTED DURING THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT VALLEY VIEW CHRISTIAN CHURCH

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO OBTAIN FURTHER DETAILS

Clothing Flier

THE EDGEWOOD CIVITAN CLUB IS A SERVICE CLUB.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING PLEASE GO HERE.

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