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Saturday, February 23, 2013

Paris, New Mexico!

This is a combination/re-edit of two Letters To The Editor that garnered publication in the local Valencia County News-Bulletin newspaper on January 26 and February 23.

     During all the discussion for and against cityhood over here in Rio Communities (which passed 63 percent to 37 percent), I was surprised to discover that the actual name of our new city is farther down the line in the cityhood process.
     So I have two points on the matter:

     First point is that we should be thinking outside the box or outside the nine dots (whichever metaphor works for you).
     Rio Communities is too long, perhaps, and East Belén will never happen.
     The best place to deliver your suggestions is at the R.C.A. monthly meetings (see website www.riocommunities.org.)

     My second point is my own suggestion. Now I have always wanted to live in Paris, France, but that is probably not going to happen.
     Second best is to take the opportunity here and rename this new city across the river from Belén as Paris, New Mexico!
     No kidding, this could be great for our image. We can do sister cities with Paris, France, and the 10 other cities named Paris in the United States.
     Maybe get an endorsement from Paris Hilton.
     Build a 40-foot Eiffel Tower where N.M. 304 meets N.M. 47.
     So, please, Valencia County News-Bulletin readers, let’s use our creative talents and submit many suggestions, though topping my own suggestion will indeed be difficult.
     For as Audrey Hepburn said, “Paris is always a good idea.”
* *          * *          * *          * *
     Here are 10 more reasons why we should rename Rio Communities to Paris, New Mexico:
1. The Great Seal of the city of Paris, N.M., has an already-defined motto: Audrey Hepburn’s statement that “Paris is always a good idea.”
2. The new city council can outlaw wearing cowboy hats except by people who actually own a horse or cow. Other people who feel the need to wear a hat can buy a beret.
3. The schools can teach the kids how to sing “America The Beautiful” and “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” and “Home On The Range” in French.
4. An annual auto road race, that starts at the River Bridge, runs out the Manzano Expressway to UNM-VC, west to N.M. 47, south to U.S. 60, west to N.M. 304, and back. What will make the race exciting are the many potholes and the course being a figure eight. It would be called “The 24 Hours of Le Manzano.”
5. The restaurant at the golf course can add new items to the menu: French roast coffee and café au lait, of course, plus beignets, croque-monsieur and crepes suzette.
6. Wine sales will go up.
7. Instead of asking “Fries with that?” fast-food workers will get to ask “Avec pommes frites?”
8. We can celebrate Bastille Day on July 14.
9. The senior center can show movies with English subtitles.
10. The new Municipal Judge can sentence anyone convicted of D.W.I. to the guillotine.
Copyright 2013 by G.E. Nordell, all rights reserved

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

February 2013 News Factoids

"We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality."
Apparently, this is a 'folk' version of a longer quote from Ayn Rand [1905-82]
"[Man] is free to evade reality, he is free to unfocus his mind and stumble blindly down any road he pleases, but not free to avoid the abyss [that] he refuses to see." — in "The Objectivist Ethics", 1961
(thanks to Harry Binswanger, Ayn Rand scholar for the correction - 1/2013)


"More U.S soldiers died of suicide in 2012 than died in combat."
~~ N.B.C. News headline, January 2013

Several land development companies began selling lots across the river from Belén, New Mexico in the 1960s, collectively named the Rio Communities. Rapid growth slowed at the end of the century, and essentually halted due to the G.O.P. Economic Meltdown of 2008. A few energized locals built a demand for self-rule (versus lousy services under Valencia County), and a special election in January 2013 won passage for cityhood. {Only 1,063 voters participated, but the 672 to 391 count came out 63 percent for versus 37 percent against incorpor-ation.} I am a stand for getting the new city renamed Paris, New Mexico.

SOME HUMOR: The January 2012 nominations for the annual Raspberry Awards {'The Razzies') included Tyler Perry for Worst Director {for "Good Deeds" and for "Madea's Witness Protection"}; he is also nominated for Worst Actress {for "Madea's Witness Protection"}, and for Worst Actor {for "Alex Cross" and "Good Deeds"}.

"Climate change is already affecting the American people. Certain types of weather events have become more frequent and/or intense, including heat waves, heavy downpours, and, in some regions, floods and droughts. Sea level is rising, oceans are becoming more acidic, and glaciers and Arctic sea ice are melting. These changes are part of the pattern of global climate change, which is primarily driven by human activity."
~~ opening paragraph of a draft report commissioned by Congress and issued under the auspices of the Global Change Research Program

Because of drought and wildfires around the world, meteorologists have added two new colors to the hot weather maps - neon purple and dark violet - to indicate higher temperature ranges (over 130°F). ~~ per The Week Magazine

"Every year, the influenza virus kills about [35,000] Americans."
~~ Michael Specter, at NewYorker.com
The 2012-2013 flu season began earlier and has hit harder than in previous years, and some health officials are already using the term 'epidemic'.

The average high school graduate today makes $12,000 less than the average high school graduate made in 1980." ~~ The Week Magazine

'States With Minimum Wages Above The Federal Level Have Had Faster Small Business and Retail Job Growth' ~~ title of 2004 report by Fiscal Policy Institute

The Republican-caused economic meltdown continues to produce negative results: After being a twice-weekly for over 100 years, the local paper here is cutting to a weekly delivery schedule on Thursday only, along with its sibling paper in Socorro, New Mexico.

"Santa Claus is a god. He's no less a god than Ahura Mazda, or Odin, or Zeus. Think of the white beard, the chariot pulled through the air by a breed of animal which doesn't ordinarily fly, the prayers (requests for gifts) which are annually mailed to him and which so baffle the Post Office, the specially-garbed priests in all the department stores. And don't gods reflect their creators' society? The Greeks had a huntress goddess, and gods of agriculture and war and love. What else would we have but a god of giving, of merchandising, and of consumption?"
~~ Donald E. Westlake [1933-2008], in the short story "Nackles"

Sunday, February 10, 2013

State of the Union Priorities

Sen. Tom Udall sent out an email today asking New Mexico constituents what they think Washington's priorities should be, going into President Obama's State of the Union Address on Tuesday. (Republican Senator Steve Pierce has decided to skip the address and attend a 'chicken rally' in support of polluters and against the endangered lesser prairie chicken.)

So I figured it might help some to display my response to Udall's survey on this here blog.

JOBS, which includes the economy & Reason-Based Taxation

EDUCATION, which includes funding more teacher jobs

SAFETY, which includes gun laws & funding police & fire (jobs)

ENVIRONMENT, which is green jobs

INFRASTRUCTURE, which is all jobs program
Copyright 2013 by G.E. Nordell, all rights reserved