DWI suspect stops for bathroom break during chase

From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE - A drunk driver learned just how painful a beanbag gun can be. He also learned you don't make obscene gestures at police, and you don't stop to zip down your pants and relieve yourself in the middle of a chase. Dashcam video shows the driver, now identified at Estevan Tapia, 26, swerving all over I-25 Tuesday night. He stopped and got out twice, each time giving police the middle finger salute. The second time he stopped he got out and took a bathroom break, beer bottle in hand, before deputies dropped him with the two shots from a beanbag gun. Tapia has been arrested more than a dozen times. The 26-year-old already has four DWI convictions. We won't know how drunk Tapia was for a few weeks because they had to draw his blood at the hospital. Deputies took him to the hospital because they wanted to make sure the bean bags didn't do any serious damage. If Tapia's convicted of a fifth DWI, he faces one to two years behind bars. Read more

DWI suspect stops for bathroom break during chase

El Paso tops Newsweek's list of 'Can-Do Capitals'

From the El Paso Times - by Vic Kolenc - El Paso is No. 1 among 200 of the nation's largest cities for making the most progress in recent years in improving the quality of life, according to a new ranking done by Newsweek/Daily Beast. It calls the top cities "America's Can-Do Capitals," and said these are cities that "still have it going on" even as economists fear a "double dip" recession. El Paso scored 71.43 points out of a possible 100 in the ranking, which allotted 25 points in each of its four categories: sustainability, livability, transportation and infrastructure, and business development. The ranking was published in the latest issue of Newsweek magazine as part of a story about ways to fix America, and is posted on the Daily Beast, an online compilation of news and commentary. "By several significant data points, it (El Paso) has become a city that offers more opportunity to residents than it did a half-decade ago," said Lauren Streib, an assistant editor for Newsweek/Daily Beast. She and reporter Clark Merrefield compiled the rankings using a variety of data from government agencies and Moody's, an economic research company. The data show that in the past several years, El Paso has become more environmentally friendly, "and its business climate and the quality of life of its residents has improved," Streib said. Read more

El Paso tops Newsweek's list of 'Can-Do Capitals'

Swickard: A nation with serious financial structural defects

Commentary by Michael Swickard - The presidential election heated up when Rick Perry correctly labeled the financial structure of Social Security to be the same as a Ponzi scheme. Other candidates cursed quietly to themselves that they had not told the folks back home the bad news because the folks back home might blame them for the problem.Social Security became a Ponzi scheme in the late 1960s. The other presidential candidates were caught not telling the truth about Social Security. They in mass politically attacked him. Each crossed their fingers and shouted Social Security is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. But their voices quivered and their eyes rolled wildly. Each knew it was a huge lie and a day of reckoning was coming as they always do for Ponzi schemes.The good news is that little by little some of the candidates are grudgingly admitting that Rick Perry is right about Social Security. As quick as a flash, though, out of the other side of their mouths many say that people should not worry since full disclosure of the Ponzi scheme will not be made on their watch. So much for telling the truth.Is it a Ponzi scheme? Yes, because the money paid by each person into Social Security is not put in an annuity account in their individual names; rather, the sum total of the money is entirely consumed each year, some on Social Security and the rest in the general budget. None of their money is saved. Metaphorically a piece of paper is put into the donor’s account telling the next generation to tax themselves to pay this account since this person’s money has already been spent. Read column

Swickard: A nation with serious financial structural defects

NM Checking for Test Cheating by Teachers

From therepublic.com - The state is checking for possible cheating by teachers who may be changing student test scores.  Public Education Department Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera confirmed to the Santa Fe New Mexican department plans to spend about $70,000 on an erasure-analysis program to check for suspiciously high numbers of erasures on standardized tests.  More News New Mexico

NM Checking for Test Cheating by Teachers

NM House Moves Forward With Sagebrush Lizard Protection

From biologicaldiversity.org -New Mexico lawmakers today dealt a blow to those opposing Endangered Species Act protection for the rare dunes sagebrush lizard by rejecting a bill that sought to delay those protections for one year. The 7-6 vote in the state legislature’s House Judiciary Committee effectively kills a symbolic, non-binding memorial introduced by Rep. Paul C. Bandy (R-Aztec) during a special session of the New Mexico legislature convened primarily to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional districts.  More News New Mexico

NM House Moves Forward With Sagebrush Lizard Protection

Balderas and Lyons Feud Resumes

Patrick Lyons

State Auditor and U.S. Senate candidate Hector Balderas and Patric Lyons are at it again. According to a story posted on the KOB TV website, Lyons who is Public Regulation Commission Chairman has welcomed an independent auditor to go over the books of the PRC. His comments come in the wake of a decision by Balderas who is State Auditor, to withdraw from a previously announced audit of the Public Regulation Commission.

According to Balderas, Lyons has been trying to obstruct an examination of travel records and other expenses at the PRC. Originally the audit was initiated as a follow up to allegations made against PRC member Jerome Block Jr. who is now facing an impeachment investigation by a sub-committee of the NM House of Representatives.

Hector Balderas

Lyons has responded to Balderas attacks by saying he lacks confidence in the state auditor's office because of his experiences when it audited the State Land Office when Lyons served as state land commissioner there.

According to the KOB TV story Balderas has accused Lyons of verbally abusive to his staff calling them a "bunch of snakes." Balderas also had some harsh comments for what he called "Tea Party Republicans" on his twitter page early today. Balderas tweeted the following: Tea Party Republicans: tax cuts for rich and less food stamps for poor. Stand with me and tell them they're wrong.

Balderas and Lyons Feud Resumes

Midwest Facing Record Cold Temperatures....Again

Globe Gazette - MASON CITY - North Iowans will want to cover up their flowers, vegetables and other plants Wednesday night as possible record low temperatures sweep through the area. "It wouldn't hurt to if you want to prolong their life a little bit," said Gary Hall, Iowa State University Extension regional education director. Cerro Gordo, Worth, Hancock, Winnebago and Kossuth counties are all in a freeze watch late Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Low temperatures overnight Wednesday are expected to be in the low 30s and will create patchy frost by Thursday morning, said Tyler Roney, meteorologist at KIMT-TV. Some of the temperatures could be record lows. "It's very much so an early taste of fall," he said. Some plants, however, might not be quite ready for fall yet. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Midwest Facing Record Cold Temperatures....Again

NM GOP Calls for Heinrich to Make Solyndra Statement

NewNM note - We received this press release from the GOP of New Mexico -

Recent Obama administration emails expose pressure put on federal officials to expedite their decision making process in order to grant a half billion dollar loan to the politically connected solar panel manufacturer Solyndra. The manufacturer received stimulus funding back in 2009. Now, in 2011, the company is bankrupt and under federal investigation. Congressman Martin Heinrich has been a consistent cheerleader for the Obama administration's frivolous spending schemes, including the failed stimulus bill and cap and tax legislation. Now, the President’s green jobs initiatives appear to be full of mismanagement and rushed due diligence in the name of political expediency.

Martin Heinrich

“Congressman Heinrich has remained silent as the Solyndra debacle has unfolded,” said Republican Party of New Mexico executive director Bryan Watkins. “We call on him to explain his support for policies that led to a free-money giveaway which has wasted more than $500 million of taxpayer's money. This situation calls into question the efficacy and legitimacy of legislation Heinrich has fiercely defended.”

President Obama at Solyndra

“The President’s ‘green jobs’ initiatives are looking increasingly like a means to achieve political ends using taxpayer dollars. This mismanagement of federal funds is shocking and disappointing. It is apparent the Obama administration is willing to compromise its fiduciary responsibility to the country’s taxpayers in the name of political gain,” concluded Watkins.

NM GOP Calls for Heinrich to Make Solyndra Statement

"Repeating History?"

Courtesy of conservativedailynews.com

"Repeating History?"