I was driving home from the base, trying to keep track of which idiot was going to cut in front of me, and listen to public radio at the same time. So, I'm not really sure if the host was discussing things here in New Mexico or something else that President Obama had signed into law. But the subject was health care for children. This new law required government-paid health care for all the children (could have been New Mexican or American) to include illegal aliens. Now this alone made me think that it was New Mexican; but, I may be incorrect. I don't mind working to pay for health care for children, even if they aren't mine; but, I do not want my tax dollars paying for illegal aliens. All of the violence from just across the border has already spilled over into our state and now we are giving them another reason to be beating a path over here. If the economy is so damn bad, why are we making it even worse? Big Bad Bill Richardson gave his State of the Union speech at the Round House. In his speech he stated that New Mexican politicians were not to blame for the economic shortfall in our state; but, it was their responsibility to fix the situation. Bull crap!!! Last summer he was sending out rebates to New Mexicans for $50 if they made less than $100,000 a year. The money he stated would be recouped from the gasoline tax. Then the price of gasoline went way down and the state came up short of money. Now, I think that was his fault. Now he says all the kickbacks and bribes he took, that made him drop out of the Secretary of Commerce slot, was just a big misunderstanding. Bull crap again. It's the way that business is done in New Mexico. Just like Chicago, it's business as usual. And, Bill, you can stop bragging about how you've balanced the state budget each year--it's a law, you have to. And, to top off my ride home, I listened to the local debate concerning gay marriage. One of our state representatives stated that next on his list after the legalize gay marriages is to legalize polygamy. Well if there are any men out there that can afford several wives, and want to put up with the headaches women cat-fighting can cause, more power to them. Frankly, I've gotten to the point in my life that putting up with one man is getting very trying.

Obama's inauguration was one heck of an event; but nothing compared to what's to come. I couldn't believe that they made him take the oath over again. Please! Take a look at any history book and you'll see that he was far from the first president to misspeak and it was not the first Supreme Court Justice to mess things up. The reason for the re-take? Just to ensure that no one questions it. And, changes that he promised? Well, they are not what I expected. I think he's out to set a record of Executive Orders. That coupled with the record number of jobs lost today. It's not looking good my friends. The last thing I heard on public radio this morning as I pulled into work was that President Obama had signed an order limiting the amount of money a business executive can earn in a year. Now, I admit that business senior management has been earning way too much money and receiving huge bonuses; however, where does Obama get the right to limit income? If it was a condition for receiving government bailout funds, okay I get it. But, the bailout money given to industries and banks was not contingent on any certain conditions (even though we the public were told differently). Our government has no idea where most of that bailout money went and banks like AIG have already told us they paid execs huge bonuses and went on seminars/vacations. I worry that our government is turning into a socialist/communist state. If they can dictate the amount of money executives can earn in a year, who is next? Government buy outs of utilities, banks, newspapers, industries, and even porn--where is this all leading? Yeah, we voted for change; but, how much change? What path is America going down? This my friends is NOT Good.

Today's headlines in the Albuquerque Journal read, Mexico is Deteriorating Into a Rogue State. No kidding. I said that last year. The drug war is just over the border from New Mexico. Mexican troops are fighting there every day. Drug lords and dealers are killing other drug lords and dealers and all the innocent Mexicans are run down by the drug lords, drug dealers, and the Mexican troops. And, anyone who can get away is running into the U.S. border states. Can you blame them? It's just a matter of time before Mexico deteriorates into another Iraq or Afghanistan. The American news media seems to have done an excellent job of keeping it out of the papers and off TV. Taking our troops out of Iraq is a great idea because they are going to be fighting a war right here, and it won't be long.

For hundreds of unemployed New Mexicans trying to file for unemployment benefits, the phone just keeps ringing. But no one in the Unemployment Office is answering. New Mexico has an unemployment benefits filing number. Just call this number and apply over the phone, no hassle, no waiting. Besides you can't just come into the office and file, they are too busy. Well, evidently they are too busy to have folks apply over the phone, so they have busied it out. Unemployed New Mexicans are not getting their benefits because they have no way to apply. Our local investigative news team started to look into the matter and as always, everyone passed on the blame. And, our wonderful governor has now decreed that employees will work 7 days a week until everyone who needs to file a claim has been able to do so. Which is wonderful! Except for one thing--they weren't answering the phone nor taking claims because the State of New Mexico doesn't have the money to pay the claims. So, now everyone can apply (or so they say) but where is New Mexico going to get all the money to pay them? Hey, don't look at me.

There still is good left in the world. In spite of the evil that man does to man, we still get the "Miracle on the Hudson." Just an example of the good that man can do to man, if he really wants to. Not to mention the good performed by the pilot and crew. If you keep your wits about you, and do not panic, only good can become of it. Congratulations and thanks to the pilot and God.

The Israelis finally had enough of Hammas rocket firing into Israel and decided to put a stop to it. It's not that I'm taking Israel's part in this conflict, but you have to look at it from their point of view. While riding a river boat in Budapest, I meet a couple from Israel. We started talking after discussing where we were each from and the more we talked the more I could feel their paranoia. They were afraid of everything and everyone on the tour. I told them they needed to relax and enjoy their vacation in beautiful Budapest, away from all the fighting and bombing in Israel. But, they just couldn't. Then they ask me, since I was American and the whole world seemed to be out to get Americans at that time, how can you relax and not be afraid that someone is planning against you. I thought about it, and told them that I've never felt real fear, for many reasons, but most of all because the military had taught me how to take care of myself in most situations. I've just always felt I could handle anything. They told me that Israel once felt that way also, until their neighbors started bombing them. The man spoke up and said, how would you like it if Canada or Mexico started shooting rockets at you, or sent people to be human bombs in your stores and workplaces? Well, I guess I wouldn't feel very safe anymore. And, I know that America, as a country wouldn't stand for it. So, there, he said, Israel feels the same way. Now stop and think about it, if the state next to yours started shooting rockets at your state, how would you feel and what would you do? Would you expect our government to do something to control the situation? I know that the world has condemned Israel for attacking Gaza (Hammas); but, has the world condemned Hammas all these years for attacks on Israel?

This morning President elect Obama held one of his fire-side chats and discussed the state of the US economy. He stated that the economy was in such a bad state that we (as a country) may never be able to pull out of this mess, unless the government acts now. I felt his description was overboard and uncalled for. Why? Well in this same speech Obama stated that when he takes office, 95% of Americans will receive a $1,000 check to stimulate the economy. How does he figure that? Come on, we're already billions in debt to bail out the banks, auto industry, big corporations, everyone with their hand out (including Mr. Flint of the porn industry). Now going farther in debt to give out another stimulus--how does that get American economy back on track? Since I haven't received any of the stimulus checks to date because they say I make too much money, I don't want to have my tax dollars spent on another stimulus check when the first one didn't work. I have to agree with the economists who stated that giving the 750 billion dollars to Americans to pay off their debts would be more of a stimulus than giving it to companies who are using it for executive parties, vacations, and bonuses. If they are going to keep giving my tax dollars away with no accounting for how it is being spent; then, I think I'll keep it and pay off the new washer and dryer I had to purchase to replace the ones that decided after 10 years of use, that they were tired of working. If we are in such a bad state of affairs, quit giving away tax dollars that haven't even been collected yet. My great great grandkids do not need this crap.

I strongly believe in the right of every American to demonstrate in favor of, or against, issues they feel strongly about. This is one of our Constitutional rights. However, I do not agree with demonstrations that turn into riots, violence, and harming of innocent individuals. After saying this, I have to express my opinion of the incident in San Francisco on New Years Day. Some young men were out celebrating New Years and decided to take the subway home. At 3 AM on New Years Day, security put them off the train because they were too loud and drunk. Oscar Grant, 22 years old, tried to reason with the party goers (of which he was one) and the security guards who were placing the party goers under a body search. After lying face down on the station floor, hands behind his back, another security guard kneeling on his back, a security guard unholstered his gun and shot Mr. Grant in the back. The bullet went through Mr. Grant's back, hit the pavement, re-entered Mr. Grant and killed him. Now the security guard's statement is that he was afraid for his life and in the excitement, he thought he was unholstering his tazer. Okay, here's my opinion--from the video taken by one witness, it looks to me like Mr. Grant was trying to get his friends to calm down and cooperate with security guards. At one point he asks the guards not to taze him. From personal experience, I can say that in the heat of an arrest or intervention, things can get out of hand; however, this is a security guard who has several years of experience and if he can't tell his gun from a tazer, he shouldn't be on the job. The tazer is suppose to be kept on the opposite hip than your gun and even if it isn't, they are so way off from the same shape and trigger. I can only say that I do not believe the guard. He should be fired, arrested for murder, and put away. However, rioting will not solve the situation. So, lets get a grip and follow the law.

Just an update on the law suit I was filing against the government to pay for the surgery I had to have in October. I won't be paying anything.

"Richardson Shocker" was the headline of the local Albuquerque Journal. My co-workers and I just shook our heads. What's so shocking about Richardson being investigated? We've been wishing and hoping for it for 3 years. It's no shocker--that's the New Mexican way of doing business. No one gets anything in this state's government without a kick back or down and out bribe. That's why the Illinois governor's way of trying to sell Obama's old Senate seat is no surprise to us. We have one guy, Manny Aragon, whose been taking bribes for years (he was doing it when I lived here in the 80s) from construction companies, government officials, UNM officials, everyone. He finally was sent to prison this past year. Now, it's a real disappointment that Richardson isn't leaving, we were all counting the days until he left for Washington. Anyone can have him, if they'd just take him, for FREE. Do I think that he's guilty? Most probably. But, he isn't the only one here in New Mexico and it looks like he isn't the only one in the good old USA. We think that our officials should be held to the dream of never having done anything wrong, never having given into temptation; but, in reality, power corrupts. And, the longer these politicians serve in office, the more corrupt they become. There are no living saints among us, save one.

Happy New Year to everyone. Let's pray that things get only better.