Monthly Archives: January 2012

Don’t Test Allen West

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English: Official portrait of US Rep Allen West.

Image via Wikipedia

Supposition by at least one online source has it Florida Republicans drew new lines to force west out of his home district.  Actually, the switching and twisting may have ended with placing Representative West in a better situation. From Politico by Alex Isenstadt:

Allen West just got a new lease on life.

After a furious backlash from West’s backers over a redistricting plan that would imperil his 2012 prospects, the tea party favorite got a political gift Tuesday: the opportunity to run for a nearby seat — one much more favorable to his prospects.

Under the state’s proposed redistricting plan, drawn by Republican state lawmakers, West’s current district would become much more hostile territory. The freshman congressman will instead run for a South Florida seat, whose current occupant, GOP Rep. Tom Rooney, announced on Tuesday that he would vacate the district and run nearby.

Perhaps the Florida Republican leaders are blending with their national cohorts.  They  (national Republicans) are perpetually upset with the Tea Party and anyone riding the Tea Party bus.  Hopefully such is not the case, but when walking and quacking leads one to a duck (to rephrase a tad) then it is a dadgum duck.

The switch comes after a wave of conservative outrage at the proposed redistricting plan, with some accusing Republicans in the state Legislature of trying to push West, a bombastic freshman who has clashed with the party’s leadership, out of Congress. The conservative blog RedState complained that, “it appears that the Republican-controlled Florida legislature seems to have somehow managed to make Allen West’s seat much more difficult to defend.” The Broward County Republican Party protested by creating a website, “Save Allen West.”

The Republican powers that protest much (too much?) say that there is no conspiracy and they respect Congressman West and would , in so many words, grieve to see him leave.

On Monday, conservative anger over West’s predicament boiled over into conspiracy-theory territory.

On his influential radio talk show, Rush Limbaugh accused Florida House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford of engineering a plot to endanger West. But Limbaugh also went a step further: Weatherford, Limbaugh noted, is a top Florida surrogate for Mitt Romney, whose establishment-backed campaign, the talker insinuated, has it in for West.

“I got emails over weekend from people, I must have had 15 emails, ‘If Romney’s behind this … ’ And he may well be. The Republican establishment could well be. He’s a tea partier, and he got to Washington and he didn’t toe the line and he didn’t shut up and he didn’t go to the end of the line and he didn’t do what he was ordered to do,” Limbaugh railed.

Weatherford defended himself on his Facebook page later in the day, insisting that he and his colleagues never targeted West.

“There are rumors that the Florida Legislature has targeted Congressman Allen West. This is patently false. I personally have supported and endorsed Allen West,” Weatherford wrote. “I will continue to support this extraordinary member of Congress who has brought a much needed conservative voice to Washington, D.C.”

I’m not sure one way or another about Florida’s Republicans, but I can say that I had a former leader of the New Mexico Republicans looked down his nose at me when I dared to mention the words Tea Party in his presence.  I believe there is more of a attitude of superiority now than there was  two years ago by some New Mexico Republican leaders toward the Tea Party movement.  Or maybe, it’s because I’m just a petty pooch in the grand scheme of politics.

I don’t believe there is any question Republicans will need cross-over Democrats, independents and Tea Party members to join Republicans, if they want to keep the House, win the Senate and remove Obama.  My advice and the advice of many of my politically active friends would be, don’t push against those that want to see true conservatives elected … you might end up with a bucket of spit and not ballots enough to elect any of your select few.

There is more to the Politico article.  Please access it here.

Related articles

What Is Cycle 25 — Worry About It?

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Instrumental Temperature record of the last 15...

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Gore and the fellow sweaters who punch the heat lamp together may just be completely full of it if this new article by David Rose in The Daily Mail Online is to be believed:

The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.

The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century.

Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations, the data was issued last week without fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit. It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997.

Heck, there’s more to this story than I care to go over, because the warmists will probably see a racist in the revelation. But here is another paragraph or two and then you can follow the rest of the story on the Mail Online:

Meanwhile, leading climate scientists yesterday told The Mail on Sunday that, after emitting unusually high levels of energy throughout the 20th Century, the sun is now heading towards a ‘grand minimum’ in its output, threatening cold summers, bitter winters and a shortening of the season available for growing food.

Solar output goes through 11-year cycles, with high numbers of sunspots seen at their peak.

We are now at what should be the peak of what scientists call ‘Cycle 24’ – which is why last week’s solar storm resulted in sightings of the aurora borealis further south than usual. But sunspot numbers are running at less than half those seen during cycle peaks in the 20th Century.

Analysis by experts at NASA and the University of Arizona – derived from magnetic-field measurements 120,000 miles beneath the sun’s surface – suggest that Cycle 25, whose peak is due in 2022, will be a great deal weaker still.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2093264/Forget-global-warming–Cycle-25-need-worry-NASA-scientists-right-Thames-freezing-again.html#ixzz1l0v1IVTc

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Read ‘em & Weep OR Read ‘em & Leap

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A New York polling place, showing booths on th...

Image via Wikipedia -- New York City Polling Place

The polls have been poles apart, but it looks as though it isn’t the case for now.  Of course, the way polls and people go, things could change at the turn of a polling place.

Romney or Gingrich … doesn’t look good for one of them.

Read right below from the link:

Weep Or Leap — Your Choice

Buffet Gets A Buffet From Obama

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President Barack Obama and Warren Buffett in t...
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According to an article on or in The Washington Times,  almost without “warning”.Warren Buffet stands to dine at the table set for him by Obama and his State Department’s lack of support for thousands of jobs in the USA. The Keystone XL pipeline, once to be built from Canada to Houston, Texas has been left exposed to the millionaires among environmentalists, green people and assorted other opponents to real job creation in this country. 

 Warren Buffett, whom President Obama likes to cite as a fair-minded billionaire while arguing for higher taxes on the wealthy, stands to benefit from the president’s decision to reject the Keystone XL oil pipeline permit.

Mr. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. owns Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC, which is among the railroads that would transport oil produced in western Canada if the pipeline isn’t built.

Obama’s rejection of the pipeline comes three years after the initial application was made to construct the pipeline and just when it amounts to political expediency and a thumbing of the nose toward energy independence for this country:

 “Whatever people bring to us, we’re ready to haul,” Krista York-Wooley, a spokeswoman for Burlington Northern, a unit of Buffett’s Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc., told Bloomberg News. If Keystone XL “doesn’t happen, we’re here to haul,” she said.

The Obama administration rejected TransCanada’s request for a permit on Jan. 18, saying there was not enough time to review the proposal by Feb. 21, the deadline imposed by congressional Republicans eager to see the pipeline built. The decision came from the State Department, although Mr. Obama said he agreed with it.

If completed, the $7 billion Keystone XL would deliver 700,000 barrels a day of crude from oil sands in Canada to Texas refineries on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It would traverse about 1,600 miles.

Republicans, labor unions and even some Democrats have criticized the administration’s rejection of the pipeline permit, saying it would create up to 20,000 jobs. Critics accuse the president of buckling to pressure from environmentalists who oppose the project and are important to Mr. Obama’s re-election effort.

What was that about transparency?  Obama has consistently spouted transparency, has he not?  In addition to Buffet’s buffet and other railroad’s largesse, do you think there might be investors in renewables walking this project to the gallows?  Yep, me too.

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ECOC Friday Blast (1/27/2012)

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     Friday Blast
                January 27, 2012

Edgewood Chamber of Commerce
    Your Chamber,
Working for you…

 Home-Based Business Expo 
Saturday March 24
Call the Chamber office for more details.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 The Edgewood Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Edgewood 2012 are presenting:
EDGEWOOD TOWN CANDIDATE’S FORUM
Thursday February 16 at 5:30 pm
at the Masonic Lodge
 Candidates running for Edgewood Mayor and Town Council positions will tell us what they see in the future for Edgewood, and how they plan to get us there.  The forum will be moderated by
Rory McLannahan, Editor of The Mountain View Telegraph, and Leota Harriman, Editor of The Independent. Admission is open to the entire community, and will be a can of food for the food pantry.This event is also sponsored by
ECOC 2012 Partners, 
SASS and Wal Mart.
++++++++++++++++++++++
      COW AWARDS POT LUCK
The COW Awards Committee invites you to attend the best potluck in the area 
 Friday February 3  at 6:30 pm
at the
 Edgewood Middle School Cafeteria .
The speaker will be Syd Masters! It’s worth the great evening to see who has been nominated (especially YOUR candidate).
Bring your favorite pot luck dish, and don’t forget to put your name on the bottom of the dish so that you can get it back!
 
  Call Renee Willes at 505-506-4900 or Robin Prudencio at  505-281-5364
for more information.
    
    Area Happenings

This Friday Blast Section is reserved for your events or happenings in the area!  If you have an upcoming event or a special happening that you would like to see in the Blast, please email it to the office by Wednesday. Approved information will be reviewed and inserted in the Blast on the following Friday.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Wildlife West Nature Park has received a grant from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps for this season’s youth employment at the park.
The first orientation will be held on
March 10 at 10am. 
All interested youth aged between 16 and 25 please bring a resume and two references to the orientation.
Returning corps members can come prepared for orientation and ready to work that afternoon.
For more information call 281-7655.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 January 28 Saturday  1-5pm 
FREE Real Estate Investor Seminar and Home Tour.
Learn more about investing in Bank Owned Properties, Real Estate Contracts, HUD Homes, Rentals, and much more.
ReMax Pros 12028 North Highway 14
Cedar Crest.  RSVP 505-281-7677
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DID YOU KNOW…..
That reporting a negative number on line 21 of the 1040 will get you audited?
This is the “other income” section, and a negative number on this line gets the IRS computer really excited!
Want some help keeping that IRS computer calmed down?
For NEW CLIENTS Tax$mart LLC  is now offering a 25% discount on your tax preparation…(good until March 31, 2012.)
Call Darice Houghton at 505-281-9043.
******************************************
100 Years of New Mexico History
Get this keepsake hardbound book with beautiful pictures and stories of the history of New Mexico.
Order now:
Only $29.95 plus tax (add $7.50) to cover shipping and handling if the book is mailed.  Available at
The Mountain View Telegraph
 or call 823-7100
  *****************************************
Edgewood Mobile Food Pantry needs your plastic bags from the grocery store.  Please drop them by the Chamber office.
About Us 
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri
9:00am – 3:30pmLocation:
95 State Road 344 Ste 3
(Library/Chamber Bldg)
Edgewood, New Mexico
Phone Numbers:
505-286-2577
505-850-2523

e-mail:
info@ edgewoodchambernm.com

Executive Director:
Madeline Heitzman
Board of Directors
                            Term ends 12/31
President: 
                   Chris Hopper       2013
Vice President:
                     Misty Miller       2013
Treasurer:
             Patrick Thompson     2013
Secretary:
           Robin Markley             2013
MEMBERS AT LARGE:
Ray Seagers                            2013
Saul Araque                            2013
Howard Calkins                     2012
Gary Birkman                        2012
Renee Willes                          2012                            
Committees:
Membership:     Howard Calkins
Marketing:               Misty Miller
Political Affairs &
By Laws:         Ray Seagers
Events:                 Gary Birkman
Programs:            Brenda Murray
Luncheon:             Linda Thomas
February Edgewood
   Chamber Dates  
COW Awards
Potluck Dinner 
FEBRUARY 3 at 6:30pm at
the Edgewood Middle School Cafeteria.  Bring your best potluck dish and help to honor the recipients of the COW Awards.
Speaker is SYD MASTERS
ECOC BOARD MEETING
February 6 at 6:16pm
ECOC Office.
MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON
February 8  11:30 am
Edgewood Community Center
Speaker:  Martha Eden
“Understanding our Economy”
LEADERSHIP EDGEWOOD 2012
February 9
The class will meet at the Chamber offices at 8am and will carpool to Santa Fe to spend the day at the Roundhouse.
ECOC MIXER
February 16 at 5:30pm
at the Masonic Lodge
Edgewood Candidate’s Forum.
 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – Admission is a can or package of non-
perishible food for the pantry.

Town of Edgewood
Meetings  Town Council
meets First and Third
Wednesdays of the month at 5:30pmEdgewood Community Center Planning & Zoningmeets First and ThirdMondays of the month at6:00pmEdgewood Community Center.

Other Chambers:
East Mountain Chamber meets
the first Thursday of the month at
11:30am.  Call 281-1999 or
Moriarty Chamber meets
at noon the third Thursday of the month at the Moriarty Civic Center.  Call 832-4087
Mountainair Chamber meets the first Tuesday of the month at 11:30am at the Shaffer Hotel. 847-2975 or
mcc@mountainairchamber.com
 *******************
 Ponderings:
HISTORICAL TRIVIA:
In the late 1700′s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair.  Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining.  The “head of the household” always sat in the chair, while everyone ate sitting on the floor.
Occasionally a guest, usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal.  To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge.  They called the one sitting in the chair the “chair man.”
Today in business, we use the expression or title Chairman or Chairman of the Board.
PS - Thank heaven the rest of the board doesn’t have to sit on the ground. We’d have some pretty crabby boards…
© 2012 Edgewood Chamber of Commerce – All rights reserved
Address:
PO Box 457 Edgewood NM 87015

PO Box 457, Edgewood, NM 87015, USA

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Who Gives A Hoot — Who Gives Money To Boot

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Biden, it seems gives a hoot when it is his money.  On the other hand, Romney doles out a substantial portion of his money to his church and charities. Let’s see the details, or at least some of them from the Daily Mail Online and Tony Hanrden’s blog:

n the early hours of this morning, some 550 pages of Mitt Romney’s tax returns and a 2011 tax summary were released by his campaign. Just after dawn, there was a long campaign conference call for bleary-eyed reporters in which an accountant (who sounded exactly like you’d imagine Mitt Romney’s accountant would sound) went into details of Mitt millions in mind-numbing detail.

There was an air of grumpy efficency about the call, which was led by Ben Ginsberg, who was George W. Bush’s lawyer during the Florida election recount in 2000. At one point Ginsberg noted that 26 people from Chicago were listening into the proceedings, a reference to the Obama campaign headquarters.

So what were the headlines? He raked in about $42 million in 2010 and 2011. His effective tax rate was just below 14 percent, lower than that for many American taxpayers. He paid $6.2 million to the taxman and donated a staggering $7 million to charity, including $4.1 million to the Mormon church.

OK, so Mormons are supposed to tithe 10 percent of their income. But it’s to Romney’s immense credit that he promised to do this in his youth and followed through with that – to the tune of scores of millions (maybe hundreds of millions) of dollars throughout his life.

When I was in grade school, a few years ago (yeah, right) the two sums would add up to 13.2 million.  And what to some of the other politicians in the limelight of late give to charity of any kind.  Let look at a few examples:

In fact, in those two years, he paid 16 percent of his income to charity, compared to, er,2.6 percent by Newt Gingrich.

And what about President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the run-up to their 2008 campaign?

USA Today broke it down here. In 2007, the Obamas gave more than $240,000 to charity, about 5.7 percent of their income. The Bidens gave an average of $369 to charity a year for the decade before he moved to the Naval Observatory – about 0.3 percent of their income. Back in 1997, then veep Al Gore and his then wife Tipper gave $353.

Since becoming veep, Biden hasn’t become much more generous. In 2010, he gave $5,350, about 1.4 percent of income. That same year, Romney gave some $3 million. The national average is about three percent.

It seems that economic wealth,  even coupled with charity, causes rupture or heartburn, not to mention gnashing of teeth and pointing of accusatory fingers.  This in “free” America, a place hard work and economic success was admired and to be copied.  Now we may be falling into the abyss of European disdain of personal success.

In Britain and much the rest of Europe, immense personal wealth often breeds resentment. In the United States, not so much. Certainly, Americans want economic fairness and equal opportunity. But belief in capitalism and the notion that by striving hard you too can become wealthy remain are enduring American traits.

Last week, Romney was stunningly inept in his handling of questions about his tax returns, humming and hawing, prevaricating, stonewalling and then finally, in defeat in South Carolina, agreeing to release documents.

Now he’s done what he should have done earlier (politically-speaking – he’s releasing returns much earlier than any other candidate previously in modern times) this is going to fade away as an issue for most voters.

Democrats will try to foment resentment about Romney’s wealth. And certainly some people will never want to vote for a fat cat rich guy. But if Obama strategists think they it can win a re-election battle on a platform of class warfare they’re very much mistaken.

There you have it.  Almost the entire post from Mr. Harnden’s blog.  For those wishing to visit his blog and his post for this article, click here.

Edgewood Governing Body Candidates

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Readers should know by now that there is an election in Edgewood for vacant seats on the governing body.

We will be posting events and position information for all candidates who want to provide the information to us.

The elections for municipal office are non-partisan, i.e. none of the candidates are running as members of any political party; therefore every voter should focus on qualifications and other information allowing the winners to properly serve all citizens of the town.

We will post information in the order we receive it.  Below you will find the first event received by us:

Call me at 505 280-6564

http://www.facebook/BradHill4Edgewood

Update: Fast & Furious Offenders To Be Prosecuted By Arizona?

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Reversal of roles after reversal of roles?  We suppose you could say that is the case.  It looks as though Arizona is moving to investigate, with an eye toward arresting, those federal officials involved in the scam known as, “Fast and Furious.”  This after the feds went after Arizona for trying to stop various aspects of the effects of illegal immigration.

Not saying there’s any relation between the two events … just saying what is, is.

Read about it here:

Role Reversal

Edgewood Food Pantry & Civitan Clothing Distribution (01/26/12)

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Please Note:  We hope to have Diabetes screening available.

Left Click = Larger Image

Left Click = Larger Image