Happening In The Desert – Page 12

February 17, 2009

Obama Speaks At My High School Tomorrow In Mesa, Arizona

Update 02/18/09: View video and more news on this event from Channel 3 in Phoenix.

President Obama will speak at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona tomorrow. I graduated from Dobson High in 1992.

Apparently they announced it monday morning and people rushed to the school to get tickets. Obama will be speaking in the school’s gymnasium which holds about 2000 people but there were only 400 tickets released.

ronaz08 on YouTube has a video of his sons waiting in line on Monday which shows at least a 1000 people lined up.

It’s interesting that Obama chose the state of Arizona, where McCain is a senator. Obama apparently didn’t inform or invite McCain to the event. The other senator for Arizona couldn’t change his plans.

“That’s too late for me to change my plans,” Kyl said. “In any event I wouldn’t be speaking. I would be standing there while he’s announcing something that I know nothing about. The time to talk about these things is before the fact, not after the fact.”

Of course, there are protests being organized.

Although I don’t miss living in Arizona I might have planned a trip back home if I could have acquired tickets for the event.

February 16, 2009

Mobster Movie Style Death In Rio Rancho

New Mexico’s location to Mexico means there’s often some sort of dead body out on the mesa related to drug trafficking.

Danny Baca was apparently supposed to take about $7000 worth of drugs to a drug cartel contact in El Paso. Instead he decided to come to Albuquerque. A mistake since they found his body, which had been burnt and shot, out on the mesa.

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department says Baca was killed over a relatively small amount of money–but the drug cartels aren’t know for cutting people breaks.

You would think anyone getting into the drug business would know this.

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February 13, 2009

Ed Grothus Of The Black Hole Died Today

Ed Grothus, proprietor of the os Alamos Sales Company most commonly known as The Black Hole has died today.

Ed Grothus worked at Los Alamos National Labs building nuclear bombs, quitting that job and becoming a anit-nucelar activist and then founding the The Black Hole. The Black Hole is a store which has military surplus and salvage equipment from the Los Alamos Labs in New Mexico. The Black Hole web site says they are a recycler of nuclear waste. The Black Hole is famous for providing movie props and materials for artists.

Ed was the subject of three documentaries: Atomic Ed & The Black Hole, Los Alamos und die Erben Der Bombe and Laboratory Conditions. He also received various awards.

There is a video on YouTube entitled The Black Hole in which Ed tells his story.

February 11, 2009

Wonderful Restaurant Namaste Cuisine of India and Nepal

I’m not going to do a full out resturant review here. I’m not a good person for that. I don’t normally venture out of my comfort zone when it comes to food. If it wasn’t for my freinds I would have never tried Indian food.

Now I love Indian food. In Rio Rancho there is terrific restaurant called Namaste Cuisine of India and Nepal located at 1520 Deborah Rd. NE. I’ve only had the buffet. I don’t know the names of all the dishes but I really like the rice, spinach & cheese, meatballs and chicken in some sort of sauce.

If your in Rio Rancho be sure to check it out and read nmgastronome for a real review.

January 21, 2009

Taking Pictures On Pueblos Prohibited?

A story on the local news says taking pictures of or in pueblos is prohibited. There’s several pueblos near Albuquerque and the Rail Runner goes through them. The train conductor attempts to stop passengers from taking pictures of the Pueblos while the train runs through their land.

What is their legal right to prohibit photography where it’s legal to photograph in every other public location in the US? Can they really do anything about it? What will the Rail Runner do if someone continues to take pictures?

January 19, 2009

Former Rio Rancho Mayor Lands In Jail

Man, what is the deal with this guy. How did he ever con himself into Mayor of Rio Rancho?

Former Rio Rancho Mayor Kevin Jackson has landed in trouble again.
Jackson is in a Pennsylvania prison charged with violating a protection from abuse order filed by his wife.
The former mayor was being held Monday at the Erie County Prison, in lieu of a $20,000 cash only bond.
Charges against him include violating a protection from abuse order, burglary, criminal trespass and carrying a firearm without a license, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report.

January 19, 2009

How Corrupt Are New Mexico Government Officials?

I have often thought that New Mexico government is more corrupt than it should be. At least comparing to where I come from: the Phoenix Metro Area. Apparently I’m not the only one according to the New Mexico Independent.

The numbers were good when we looked at how New Mexico did in terms of raw numbers of guilty officials (we were 48th) and guilty officials per capita (46th). But then there was a twist: ”Reporters who cover the Roundhouse in New Mexico think it’s a pretty darn corrupt state — we’re ranked No. 3,” Marjorie Childress wrote. “…Does this mean our reporters are biased? Or does it mean we have really poor ethics laws and really poor prosecution by U.S. attorneys in our state?” she asked.

This is all in relation to Governor Richardson withdrawal as commerce secretary and the pay-to-play scandal. Prior to that the Manny Aragon courthouse construction scandal. Even prior to that the Rio Rancho Mayor.

January 2, 2009

Spaceport America Gets Virgin Galactic

The future is here. Sales tax increases started today and Virgin Galactic has signed a lease with Spaceport America in southern New Mexico.

Under the terms, Virgin Galactic will pay $1 million per year for the first five years for use of the terminal facilities, and, for the next 15 years, will pay a fee based on an amortization of the remaining total cost of its facilities.
In addition, it sets a tiered fee scale — with a minimum charge of $50,000 per month — that hinges upon the number of flights launched by the company each year. A third fee charges the company $30,000 each year to rent ground space for the facilities.

Creative Commons photo from generated

October 17, 2008

No Public Access To Xprize This Year

I went to the second annual xprize cup competion in Las Cruces in 2006. Although incredibly windy it was a great event to attend. This year they don’t have the money for a public display so only registered attendees get in. What a bummer.

“The Cup as it has traditionally been held is not (going to happen this year) because of funding levels it takes to run a massive public event,” Steve Landeene, executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, told the Sun-News.

“And the fact that the air show at Holloman is not on this year … that was part of the decision-making process that went into saying, ‘Hey, we don’t have the funds to have a massive public event.’ So what we’re doing this year is kind of a hybrid,” Landeene said.

October 3, 2008

1957 Buick Super For Sale

Down the street from my house is a 1957 Buick Super for sale. According to the sign it only has 87K miles on it and they are asking $5750. I have no idea how well it drives but body and interior did appear to be in good condition for a 51 year old car. Not a bad price for a vehicle that runs let alone one this old.

I would totally buy a car like this if I had the money and place to put it and didn’t already have a project car (that I haven’t worked on in years).