Wampler Scores Career-High 26 As Aggies Survive Battle With Cal State-Northridge 66-59

bleedCrimson.net Report

The Aggie women's basketball team survived a tight battle with Cal State-Northridge on Sunday afternoon in the Pan Am winning 66-59. Tabytha Wampler led the team with a game-high 26 points and 14 rebounds as she had nearly recorded a double-double at halftime with 12 points and nine rebounds. The Aggies held Cal State-Northridge to just 31 percent shooting for the game in avoiding the upset.

The Aggies would take a seven point lead in the second half with 14:11 left to play after a layup by Kaitlyn Soto however, the Matadors would trim into the Aggies' lead and eventually take a one point lead at 57-56 with 2:24 left to play.

The Aggies would retake the lead and salt the game away from the free throw linen the final two minutes winning 66-59. Click here to read more.

Wampler Scores Career-High 26 As Aggies Survive Battle With Cal State-Northridge 66-59

Longer teacher tenure coming?

From the Santa Fe NewMexican.com - by Kate Nash - Pension plans for public employees are likely to see some dramatic changes after the New Mexico Legislature's upcoming session, say lawmakers working to keep the retirement system solvent. Among ideas proposed so far are making teachers work up to 10 years longer before they can retire, increasing employee contributions to retirement funds and using more realistic assumptions about investment returns. Legislators serving on a task force say it has become increasingly apparent that over the long term, the state cannot continue to pay what it has been providing to retired public workers. In the next two years alone, thousands of government employees are expected to file claims for benefits, including 13,700 in the educational retirement system. New Mexico's pension plan for educators has an unfunded liability of nearly $5 billion, and its managers have a goal of getting 80 percent of that funded within 30 years, although Educational Retirement Board Director Jan Goodwin said the plan will be able to pay retired members for "many years to come." To shore up finances, the Educational Retirement Board is considering making some teachers work longer and having them divert an additional half-percent of their salary toward retirement. The board is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes Dec. 10. The changes would also need approval of the Legislature, which convenes in mid-January. Still, during the last fiscal year, PERA had a negative cash flow of about $150 million. That's the difference between what it took in from employee and employer contributions versus what it paid out in benefits and expenses, Read more

Longer teacher tenure coming?

The Facts Concerning Border Security are Stubborn

Proponents of the Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks Wilderness Act are crossing fact-obfuscation lines reserved for the likes of Bernie Madoff. In the hopes that Senator Jeff Bingaman will somehow be allowed to slip this terribly misguided proposal through the lame duck session of Congress, radical environmentalists are now making claims that contradict all of the facts and documentation supplied by virtually every expert that bothered to make an appearance on News New Mexico.  Despite their outrageous claims, the negative impacts that would be caused by this radical proposal are both far reaching and profound.

Sadly, rather than negotiate for a simple "Open Space" designation that would prevent any future development of the areas in question, wilderness proponents are now claiming this poorly thought out proposal will "strengthen" border security. And residents are now being warned in a new ad that Southern New Mexico will be LESS secure by NOT passing this ridiculous act.
We cannot ever recall seeing more absurd assertions regarding any legislation. Facts regarding the colossal folly of creating "Wilderness" rather than "Open Space" in the designated areas on the increasingly violent Mexican border can be found by clicking here:

The Facts Concerning Border Security are Stubborn

Three GOP House Members Vie for Minority Whip

Dennis Roch

News New Mexico has learned that there are three GOP house members vying for the vacated position of House Minority Whip. The vacancy was created when Roswell's Keith Gardner accepted the position of Chief of Staff for Governor-elect Susana Martinez.



Jimmie Hall



The three Republicans are: Dennis Roch from Texico, Jimmie Hall from Albuquerque, and Don Bratton from Hobbs. As these three house members jockey for position in the party caucus, it appears that all discussions of the possibility of forming a coalition with Democrat Joseph Cervantes (D- Las Cruces) have slipped even further below the political radar screen. As is often the case with politics during leadership battles, nobody wants to go on the record.

House Minority Leader Tom Moore of Farmington has been closed mouthed about any negotiations taking place as have all the Democrats News New Mexico has spoken with.

Don Bratton

Still, observers we have communicated with outside of the realm of elected officials still believe the idea of a coalition is far from dead. With six weeks to go before the beginning of the 2011 New Mexico legislative session, the behind the scenes wrangling is likely to continue to be in secret. Whether it is for the House Minority Whip position, or to form a coalition that takes down current House Speaker Ben Lujan and the rest of those in charge of New Mexico for the last eight years, the trend continues. Other than Dona Ana County house members Andy Nunez and Mary Helen Garcia, and Luna County representative Donna Irwin, nobody is going on the record.

Three GOP House Members Vie for Minority Whip

Mayfield Scores 10 Touchdowns, Wins Another Title

The stories of the Mayfield Trojans winning another New Mexico High School football championship on Saturday afternoon will be in news outlets all over the Land of Enchantment. It is no secret that the City of Las Cruces provides tremendous support for its football programs. News New Mexico was able to obtain a copy of a speech made to the Mayfield team Thursday night that may well sum up why what happened at Wilson Stadium in Albuquerque Saturday afternoon came as no surprise, even after Mayfield finished their regular season with a record of just 6-4. 

Mayfield Trojans - 2010 NM 5-A Champions

Here is the transcript: 

I get stopped in restaurants and I get called on the phone before championship games because people are under the mistaken impression that I know more about New Mexico High School football because I have broadcast quite a few state championship games since 1995. I remember the first Mayfield Trojan state championship game I ever broadcast. It was back in 1995. As we were checking into the hotel the night before the game the clerk at the desk asked us if we were from Las Cruces. When we said "yes we are the radio broadcasters," she smiled and said: "Well I hope you enjoy your stay but we are going to kick your butts tomorrow."

2010 - Mayfield Coaching Staff

 My radio partner and I looked at each other and smiled. We knew that “we” were not going to win or lose the game. The players and coaches were going to do that. And we also knew she was not going to kick anything. We just smiled, put the room keys in our pockets and thought to ourselves….."we’ll see." Of course the record shows that "we" won the game….You notice how the language changes? I said “we.” In sports, the champions have a thousand parents, and the losers die as orphans. Naturally I got stopped a few times earlier this week. Several people told me how surprising it was to them that the Mayfield team was back in the championship game. My response has been pretty simple. "Why would anybody be surprised…….we are talking about the Mayfield Trojans aren’t we?" I remember all of the championship games since 1995. None of Mayfield's subsequent trips to the championship game surprised me. And none of the Mayfield victories surprised me. Why? Because we are talking about the Mayfield Trojans aren’t we?

Everyone in this room should take a minute to look around you look at the sheer volume of commitment that has gathered here. For everyone here, it is worth pausing for a second to think about this organization from the head coach down to team managers. Look at the booster club president and club officers down to the volunteers. I am honored to even be asked to speak here tonight…..you know why? Because we are talking about the Mayfield Trojans aren’t we? The invitation to speak tonight made me feel good. The thing that everyone in this room does that makes it wonderful for everyone else in the room, is each of you contributes to something that is bigger than all of us. Hell this thing is even bigger in stature than old Jim Bradley over there who built this amazing empire from scratch not long before that lady behind the counter in that Clovis hotel boasted that the Clovis Wildcats were going to do what it turned out they couldn’t get done. You seniors, you juniors, and God help us if any of you sophomores get into the game Saturday.....you are already part of something that is bigger than any single individual in this entire room.

Now…..several times people have asked me this week……will those Mayfield players be able to bring the intensity and poise they need on every single snap of the ball to be victorious Saturday? And my response?.........We are talking about the Mayfield Trojans aren’t we?
Footnote - The Trojans got the ball eleven times Saturday afternoon. They scored ten touchdowns before they finally took a knee to run out the clock.

Mayfield Scores 10 Touchdowns, Wins Another Title

Unemployment Crisis:Crisis Catch 22

From americanthinker.com The battle continues over private-sector job creation and government expansion. Taxation and unemployment are directly related, and if every American doesn't understand this, then Americans will continue to lose jobs. The Democratic left has placed a gun to congressional Republicans' heads by threatening to allow taxes to increase on all Americans on January 1. Democrats intend to continue government expansion by again extending the policy of paying people not to work, while Republicans are threatening to block all leftist lame-duck initiatives barring tax breaks for every American, including "the rich."
The historical facts are quite clear on the subject: lowering tax rates always results in economic growth by leaving more investment resources in the private sector, where real jobs must be created. Lower tax rates have always resulted in increased tax revenue streams by way of economic expansion. So why are Democrats so committed to raising taxes?
More here

Unemployment Crisis:Crisis Catch 22

O'Reilly: Jimmy Carter Gone Wild

Bill O'Reilly

From Townhall.com - There used to be a code among former presidents that you did not speak ill of other occupants of the White House. In the summer of 1998, President Gerald Ford told me that he would not comment on President Bill Clinton's personal problems, saying only that he hoped "respect for the presidency would be restored soon." A couple of weeks ago, George W. Bush also declined to speak about President Barack Obama, except to say that raising taxes on anyone right now would not be a good idea. But former President Jimmy Carter is apparently not a code keeper. On his recent book tour, Carter has taken to blasting the Republican Party and Bush-the-Younger. Carter is also very, very disenchanted with Fox News. Read full column here:

O'Reilly: Jimmy Carter Gone Wild

Feds Tracking Credit Card Use in Real Time

From wired.com Federal law enforcement agencies have been tracking Americans in real-time using credit cards, loyalty cards and travel reservations without getting a court order, a new document released under a government sunshine request shows. The document, obtained by security researcher Christopher Soghoian, explains how so-called “Hotwatch” orders allow for real-time tracking of individuals in a criminal investigation via credit card companies, rental car agencies, calling cards, and even grocery store loyalty programs. The revelation sheds a little more light on the Justice Department’s increasing power and willingness to surveil Americans with little to no judicial or Congressional oversight. More here

Feds Tracking Credit Card Use in Real Time

Kudlow: Shock Therapy for Jobs

Larry Kudlow

From Townhall.com - Pro-growth incentives will fix this dismal unemployment picture. Unemployment jumped to 9.8 percent in a very disappointing November jobs report. Nonfarm payrolls increased by only 39,000 and private jobs expanded by just 50,000. This is way below what the economy needs. Most discouraging, the smaller-business household employment number fell for the second time in a row, down 173,000 in November after a 330,000 drop in October. This is the nineteenth straight month with unemployment above 9 percent. Read more here:

Kudlow: Shock Therapy for Jobs

Aggies Fall 84-78 In Overtime To UNM

bleedCrimson.net Report
The Aggie men's basketball team lost 84-78 in overtime to in-state rival New Mexico on Saturday night. The overtime finish was the fourth game to end in overtime since 2000 but just the 13th in the series' 205 games with the Aggies falling to 6-7 in the overtime games.

The Aggies erased a 17-point first half deficit and a seven point deficit in the second half to force overtime. However, the Aggies would hit just one of 10 shots from the floor in overtime and could not overcome two three pointers by UNM's Phillip McDonald in the extra period.

Troy Gillenwater scored a career-high 32 points including 13 free throws in the loss. The Lobos' senior point guard Dairese Gary scored 19 points and was 11-of-14 from the free throw line. Aggie senior guard Gordo Castillo scored all 11 of his points in the final 8:30 of regulation including a jumper that tied the game with six seconds left sending the game to overtime.

In the overtime period it was the Phillip McDonald show for the Lobos as he hit a three pointer with 3:48 left to play to give the Lobos a 76-73 lead. The Aggies would get four straight points to take a 77-76 lead but McDonald would hit another three pointer with 1:53 left to play to give the Lobos a two points lead at 79-77 and they would not trail the rest of the way. The Aggies would score once more on a free throw from Bandja Sy and the Lobos would salt the game away from the free throw line for the 84-78 victory. Click here to read more.

Aggies Fall 84-78 In Overtime To UNM