Southwest Environmental Center Urging NM Senate To Reject Schmitt Post

NewsNM (Swickard) This statement by the Southwest Environmental Center makes me glad Schmitt was selected. I share his view of global warming as a political scam. If it were real, why have we no dialog about when you have gone too far in your efforts, and, how shall we arbitrate the correct climate for the Earth, given it changes constantly. Answer those two questions if you support the claim of man-made global warming.

From KRWG-TV.com - LAS CRUCES, NM (krwg) - Southwest Environment Center Executive Director Kevin Bixby says the nomination of Harrison Schmitt Nominated to Head New Mexico Department of Energy and Natural Resources is irresponsible. New Mexico lawmakers are urged to vote against Schmitt's confirmation because of what the center calls his "extreme" views on climate change and other issues. On his website, Bixby states the global warming scare is being used as a political tool to increase government control over American lives, incomes and decision-making. The Southwest Environmental Center is a Las Cruces-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of native wildlife and their habitats in the Southwestern Borderlands. Bixby says, "Schmitt's views are not in the main stream and frankly it's dangerous to put someone like Schmitt and his extreme views in a position of such great importance and responsibility for the state of NM is absolutely irresponsible. It is both irresponsible for NM and the southwest environment, but also for our economy because climate change has the potential to do great economic harm. I think putting Mr. Schmitt in this position is sending the wrong message and taking us in the wrong direction." Read more

Southwest Environmental Center Urging NM Senate To Reject Schmitt Post

Small school districts could be assimilated

From the Alamogordo Daily News - by Milan Simonich, Santa Fe Bureau - The high plains village of Mosquero in northeastern New Mexico has a school district with 43 students. A crowded classroom in Albuquerque has more kids. Roy has a school district, too. It has 51 students. Wagon Mound has 71 in its district, House 79 and Des Moines 97. Isolation, geography, a weak economy and tradition are reasons that places too small to appear on many state maps have school districts. All told, 49 of New Mexico's 89 school districts have fewer than 1,000 students. State Sen. Stephen Fischmann, D-Mesilla Park, has introduced a bill to close each of those small districts. His proposal, SB 80, is not as radical as it may sound, Fischmann said. Read more

Small school districts could be assimilated

On This Day In New Mexico History - January 31

On this day in New Mexico history - January 31, 1958 - the product of much research in New Mexico, Explorer 1, first US satellite, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The research work starting in New Mexico at White Sands Proving Grounds, later called, White Sands Missile Range.

Captured V2 German rockets at the end of WWII lead the way. Experience with the V2 (black & white photo on right) gave scientists data they needed to develop our own rockets. The first was the WAC Corporal flown 17 times, reaching an altitude of 80 miles. It would be a test bed for multi staging. Explorer I followed the first two Earth satellites in space the previous year, Soviet's Sputnik 1 & 2. Explorer 1 was the first spacecraft to detect the Van Allen radiation belt, returning data until batteries exhausted four months later. It remained in orbit for 12 years. It reentered the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean on March 19, 1970 after more than 58,000 orbits.

On This Day In New Mexico History - January 31

A Look at the New E.I.B. Board

Rob Nikolewski

Capitol Report New Mexico - Meet the new board; NOT the same as the old board. The state’s Environmental Improvement Board has become one of the most politically-charged agencies in New Mexico government. The previous board members were appointed during the term of Gov. Bill Richardson. Conservationists praised them for passing – in the final two months of the Richardson administration – measures to cap greenhouse gas emissions. But incoming Republican Gov. Susana Martinez – a vocal critic of what she calls “cap and tax” — summarily fired all seven members, saying ”the majority of EIB members have made it clear that they are more interested in advancing political ideology than implementing common-sense policies that balance economic growth with responsible stewardship in New Mexico.” In the past few days, Gov. Martinez has named her choices for a newly-constituted board she says will balance the interests of New Mexico’s energy sector with environmental concerns. Opponents counter by saying the new board is stacked with industry lackeys. Regardless, the new members are expected to try to roll back the measures the previous EIB instituted. Yet a comparison of the EIB’s new members with its old members turns up some interesting contrasts. Read full story:

A Look at the New E.I.B. Board

Pearce to Appear on NewsNM

Steve Pearce

New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce will be in the News New Mexico studio for an extended discussion on what is happening in the U.S. Congress on Monday January 31, 2011 at 8:00am. Topics to be covered during the hour long interview will be the repeal of the Affordable Heathcare Act (also known as Obamacare), the ongoing crisis in Egypt, raising the debt ceiling limit, evaluating current national energy policy, and the process of job creation. If you have questions you would like the hosts to read on the air please submit them to contact@newsnm.com.

Pearce to Appear on NewsNM

Clinton Walks Tightrope

Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called on Egypt to move toward an orderly transition to democracy. She also said there's a long way to go. On Fox News Sunday Clinton said that the situation in Egypt is volatile and complex, as protestors continue to clog the streets of Cairo. Clinton conceded that President Hosni Mubarak had finally appointed a vice president. However, when pressed she indicated that the U.S. did not want to see a takeover of the government in Egypt that would lead to oppression. The Obama administration seems to now be faced with walking the same diplomatic tightrope as its predecessor. Also it would seem that effectiveness of efforts by President Obama to assure millions of Arabs in speeches that under his leadership, America would better understand their desire for freedom is becoming increasingly called into question. Every day in the Arab world anti-American sentiment continues to plague the dialogue of peace.

Clinton Walks Tightrope

Martinez Considers Judicial Appointments

Governor Martinez

Las Cruces Sun-News - LAS CRUCES - New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said Friday that she expected to fill the two vacancies on the 3rd Judicial District bench next week. In a wide-ranging discussion with the Sun-News editorial board, her first since taking over as governor, Martinez also explained her decision to remove the spaceport executive director and board, said she would oppose efforts by the Jemez Pueblo to build a casino in Anthony and discussed her budding relationship with the New Mexico Legislature, two weeks into her first session. Martinez said Friday that she would conduct interviews on Saturday with the six candidates vying to replace judges Jerald Valentine and Stephen Bridgforth, and would likely make her decision next week. Read full story here:

Martinez Considers Judicial Appointments

President Calls for Free Elections in Arab World

Our president made this statement regarding the struggles for freedom in the Middle East......."For decades, the people of this region saw their desire for liberty and justice denied at home and dismissed abroad in the name of stability. Today your aspirations are threatened by violent extremists who murder the innocent in pursuit of power. These extremists have hijacked the noble religion of Islam, and seek to impose their totalitarian ideology on millions. They hate freedom and they hate democracy -- because it fosters religious tolerance and allows people to chart their own future. They hate your government because it does not share their dark vision. They hate the United States because they know we stand with you in opposition to their brutal ambitions. And everywhere they go, they use murder and fear to foment instability to advance their aims."......this quote came from President George W. Bush on January 13, 2008 while visiting the United Arab Emirates.

President Calls for Free Elections in Arab World

Will One Form of Totalitarianism Replace Another?

Hosni Mubarak

Newsmax -CAIRO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Egyptians faced lawlessness on their streets on Sunday with security forces and ordinary people trying to stop looters after days of popular protest demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak's authoritarian, 30-year rule. Throughout the night, Cairo residents armed with clubs, chains and knives formed vigilante groups to guard neighbourhoods from marauders after the unpopular police force withdrew following clashes with protesters that left more than 100 dead. By morning, the capital's streets were mostly deserted, with the army guarding the Interior Ministry, and citizens putting their trust in the military, hoping they would restore order but not open fire to keep key U.S. ally Mubarak, 82, in power. Up to 3,000 people gathered on Sunday in Tahrir Square, which has become a rallying point to express anger at poverty, repression and corruption in the Arab world's most populous nation. "The people want the fall of Mubarak," they chanted. "Hosni Mubarak, Omar Suleiman, both of you are agents of the Americans," shouted protesters, referring to the appointment of intelligence chief Suleiman as a vice president, the first time Mubarak has appointed a deputy in 30 years of office. Read full story here:

Will One Form of Totalitarianism Replace Another?

O'Reilly: Winning the Future

Bill O'Reilly

Townhall- Finally, an issue all Americans can rally behind: winning the future! Surely most of us would like to be victorious down the road. The alternative is losing the future, and that doesn't sound very good, does it? If the future is lost, then what will become of us? Thus, President Obama's new mantra, "winning the future," got immediate traction. His State of the Union speech was full of optimistic ways that we can win. Most of those ways involve "investing" in stuff like education, infrastructure jobs and alternative fuels. "Investing," of course, is the new word for government spending. The president doesn't want to spend anymore; he wants to "invest." Read full column here:

O'Reilly: Winning the Future