Put it on the List? Sports Attendance is Way Off

Jim Spence
For all you conspiracy buffs it seems almost like we have a conspiracy of silence in professional sports. Nobody is talking about terrible attendance. The last few road trips we have taken to large metro areas, we could not help but take note of dreadful turnouts at various sports venues. And being hopeless sports junkies, we have also noticed empty stands on television in virtually every ballpark except the places where people live like sardines (New York and Boston). Could it be that most professional sports franchises have finally priced their product out of a large portion of their markets? It’s possible.
Arizona Diamondback Coaches
Take the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Coyotes for example. While the Diamondbacks have struggled mightily the last two seasons, the Coyotes made the playoffs in 2010 and 2011. Still, both organizations are suffering from woefully light attendance. And last fall we noticed that there were more television “blackouts” in the NFL than we can ever recall. Television blackouts come only as a result of the home team failing to sell out its tickets prior to the game. Could it be with high gasoline prices, high ticket prices, and government protections in place for every obscure “species” except job-seeking humans, that even the seemingly unassailable professional sports franchises are finally suffering from joblessness and bad government energy policies?
Phillies Pitcher Cliff Lee
These days ESPN watchers take note of the gyrations in the NFL and its so-called dispute with the player's labor union. At stake in the skirmish is the question of whether owners or players will get to keep more of the fan's bottomless pile of money. As a lockout/work stoppage looms, a working stiff has to laugh. Are these people living in the real world? Or perhaps they realize schmucks like us will always pay up to go see a live professional sports event when we visit the metro areas. Oh yes, on a nationwide basis, visits to the metro areas are still way down too. Pardon me while I wipe away the tears for the sports franchises and players. However, it is somewhat curious that the national media's reporting of the attendance dilemma is pretty darned light. Maybe they are collectively hoping that nobody will notice?

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Roswell: 750 Rally Hoping Fish and Wildlife Bureaucrats Listen

Steve Pearce
Roswell, NM (April 28, 2011) An estimated 750 New Mexicans attended a rally tonight in Roswell to oppose the listing of the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species. The listing threatens to have a devastating effect on the oil and gas jobs in New Mexico. The rally was organized by a grassroots effort in southeastern New Mexico. Congressman Steve Pearce, who was the keynote speaker at the rally, has heard an outcry from constituents over the proposal. The Fish and Wildlife Service has communicated an utter disregard for the economic impact of such a listing, and has released conflicting information on the listing’s effect on jobs. “Fish and Wildlife is making economic claims without facts,” said Pearce. “My office has asked for data from Fish and Wildlife on how jobs will be impacted, and they claim they don’t have the information.
Most of the oil and gas jobs in southeast New Mexico are at risk. Irresponsible, unbalanced overregulation limits the amount of energy produced, which kills jobs, causes severe budget problems in the state, and increases costs to citizens. In this time of high unemployment, we can, and must, do better.” Congressman Pearce has a consistent record of working to find a commonsense approach to conservation efforts. He recently introduced legislation to restore the logging industry after it was nearly destroyed in New Mexico by the listing of the spotted owl. He has also worked to protect farmers and ranchers from burdensome regulations that came as a result of listings of the Mexican gray wolf and the delta smelt. Since his time as a state representative, Pearce has worked to ensure that extreme political agendas do not interfere with American jobs and the American way of life.
Steve Pearce at Rally in Roswell
Pearce emphasizes the importance of conservation, but advocates an approach that will protect both jobs and the species. He has supported Candidate Conservation Agreements as an alternative to an endangered species listing. These agreements engage both public and private stakeholders in an effort to protect the species while addressing the needs of all affected parties. By moving to list the lizard as endangered, Fish and Wildlife is completely disregarding the time, work, and expenses already spent by local businesses in acquiescing to these agreements. “It is alarming that Fish and Wildlife seems to have already made their decision while the public comment period remains open,” said Pearce. “My constituents have a legal right to a voice in this matter, without prejudice or bias.”
Immediately after the rally, participants marched together to voice their concerns at the public hearing held by Fish and Wildlife on the listing. While the verbal comment period closes today, constituents are strongly encouraged to write Fish and Wildlife and contact their office to voice their concerns. More information can be found at www.pearce.house.gov.

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Cruising on Taxpayer Dime

From kob.com -Two government employees are under investigation by their respective departments for cruising on clock after a KOB Eyewitness News 4 investigation.  KOB followed one driver in a City of Albuquerque vehicle for 45 minutes starting in downtown.  After a big loop through the east side of the city, the driver completed the meandering 18 mile route at the city’s Pino Yards near I-25 and Paso.  Google Maps shows the driver could have taken a more direct route that would have been just less than eight miles.After an inquiry with the city, KOB found the city vehicle should be used for striping projects and that there are no such projects scheduled along the documented route.  More News New Mexico
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