smoke 'em while you got 'em

The boy suggested we go out tonight for one last drink and smoke before the city becomes completely non-smoking, including freaking patios.
I never felt very comfortable protesting this law, and I guess no one else did either, although everyone I talk to about it (just about) has some very choice words to say about it and the city for implementing it.
But in writing? I mean, kind of hard to take a pro-smoking stance in writing.
Unless you're Gregory P. At least someone around here hasn't been completely intimidated by the PC movement. Of course, I think he lives in Albuquerque now.

ah, santa fe

Did you read this?
Note to self: become rich person's dog.
I wish I could get a Tibetan monk to bless me when I'm leaving the Whole Foods parking lot.
Reader comments on the New Mex' story not quite as warm and fuzzy as one might expect from Santa Fe. I will say it's not every day reader comment provoke a discussion of Jonathan Swift.
Speaking of which, you might all be surprised to know I once published a paper on Jonathan Swift, back before I became a recovering academic.
I think the new mex read our Hattie the Pig story and are trying to outcute us. At least they didn't just steal it like they did with this story, which ran 10 days before in our paper. Of course, the dailies don't call it stealing when they see our stories, re-report them and then report it as if it's brand-new news. I don't know what they call it. Just another Monday I guess.

freaking internet

I wrote a blog post this morning, but Safari quit on me before I posted it. Thus you, dear reader, should blame the Internet because there is no way I can recapture the brilliance, wit and eloquence of this morning's post. Also I don't remember what I was saying. I do remember that Safari quit when I was trying to load Ozomotli's Web site to give a shout out for Ozo before this Sunday's show, but I'm not taking that chance again. What can I say? Fort Marcy Park, Sunday, starting at 4 pm at the Fort Marcy Ballpark. You can read more about it here.
One of my favorite stories this week, perhaps of all times, is this story we had about Hattie, the pig. I am easily moved by happy stories involving animals.
What else is up for this weekend?
Thinking about a little Mix Master Mike Friday night in Albuquerque.
Definitely Ozo on Sunday.
Probably hit the Pancake Breakfast on Tuesday on the Plaza.
But the real question is: Why am I talking about the weekend when it's only Wednesday?
'Cuz that's how Julia rolls.
In the actual news, looks like Tom Ford got the go-ahead to build his monst—I mean, house.
If you missed it in March, we had a story about George Johnson's web cam pointed toward Ford's house. There's more commentary from George on Ford and other topics on his blog today.

Friday night several of us went to Coyote's rooftop cantina to celebrate SFR writer Nate's birthday (his 27th or 28th, I believe). It was a very warm and lively Friday summer night in Santa Fe and I officially do not like mojitos.
Saturday night, many of the same crowd (minus one Republican who I will not name) went to see An Inconvenient Truth, which was actually quite good (and sold out), although I don't think it's a very good title. Pretty amazing, though, that Al Gore talking about global warming for an hour and a half could be interesting. Ultimately it was pretty depressing. I know Gore said one shouldn't go from doing nothing to despair without stopping in the middle to at least try to make a difference, but it was hard to feel very hopeful about the future after seeing that movie. And I really could have done without the trailer to World Trade Center, although showing it did manage to silence the theater completely.
At any rate, on the global warming tip, The Supreme Court will hear a case on whether the EPA should regulate greenhouse gasses, and here's what New Mexico AG Patsy Madrid had to see on that decision:

The United States Supreme Court today agreed to review the decision of a federal appeals court involving the refusal of the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for motor vehicles.
“I am pleased the United States Supreme Court will hear this vital case. The significance of global warming cannot be dismissed. When you have an agency that is tasked with protecting the environment refuse to do that job, we have a problem that must be remedied. We need the EPA to do their job now, before it is too late,” Attorney General Madrid said.
The EPA issued two rulings in August 2003 declaring that the agency did not have statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. These rulings contradict earlier testimony and statements made by the EPA to Congress in 1998, 1999 and 2000, which indicated that the agency did have the legal power to regulate such emissions.
A petition was filed in the United States Court of Appeals by 12 states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District of Columbia. Three cities, Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia, filed a separate challenge against EPA at the same time. A third legal challenge by numerous environmental groups, including Bluewater Network, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for Technology Assessment, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Advocates, Environmental Defense, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, National Environmental Trust, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the US Public Interest Research Group, was filed as well.
In July 2005, the federal appeals court by a 2-1 vote allowed the EPA’s ruling to stand. In March 2005 the coalition of states, cities and environmental groups filed the cert petition with the United States Supreme Court.

I still maintain that one of the big problems with getting people to deal with global warming is its name. Global warming just doesn't sound scary. Global Sweat Death, on the other hand, has a certain ring to it.
Seriously, I am buying renewable light bulbs the next time I go to the store and saving up for an electric car and finding out if we can power SFR on wind power. I mean, seriously, have you read this?

TFGIF

I mean, for real. I need: some pool time, to finish reading my book, to start my new book, to see this movie, and to catch my breath.
We had a short round up of comments about Big Bill's exposure at Yearly Kos. For a good indepth article about the impact bloggers could have on dethroning the GOP, check out this article from the Boston Phoenix. I think the Dems have made things way too hard on themselves. If they want to regain political power, the answer is simple: Be about something and say what you're about. I still can't believe what a terrible campaign Al Gore ran in 2000, compared with the person we see out there now, clear, with a vision, articulate. And, seriously, Bill Richardson needs a better speech writer; I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again.
Meanwhile, I'm having lunch with our food writer in a few minutes. I've been friends with several food writers/foodies over the years and I can tell you, it's not easy to have me as a friend if you're into food, because it means you go out to lunch ready to take chances, split things, get crazy, and you're stuck with me, the girl who orders salad nicoise and bottled water everywhere she goes. Hopefully my sparkling wit compensates for my lack of interest in reading the menu.
Bon appetite! And have a great weekend if I don't make it back here today.

p.s.

Just took an online survey for Alternet that asked which potential Democratic presidential candidate I would vote for in 2008, and Big Bill wasn't on the list. It's actually interesting, when you're outside NM, how few people have really heard of him. (Outside of NM and DC, I should say).
The survey also asked who I thought the most effective celebrity was for promoting progressive politics, which I found to be a really annoying question for some reason.

other altweekly bloggers

wrote about the AAN convention in case, for some reason, you want to hear more about this.
I finished all the Best of Santa Fe assigning and should be doing something productive right now, but I'm feeling a little sketched out. This week feels long! Or maybe it's just thinking about Best Of that's making me woozy.
Honey Harris played Julia by The Beatles for me after I got off the air today on KBAC, which was so sweet it made us both embarassed and I had to run out of the studio blushing.
Anyway, I'm going to go back to reading this, which Clinton talked about during his speech. I was going to read it when it came out, but, ya know, I never read Rolling Stone because it seems, um, super old.

posting more photos

I now have a permanent url for my flicker photo page. You can find me at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/votergirl/
Or, you can just click here.
Unfortunately, I've used up my entire allotment of photo memory for June at the moment, so I can't get all my AAN photos up there at the moment. Hmm. Fortunately, most of the photos I took turned out very poorly and I got a little obsessed taking video clips anyway.
One thing I forgot to mention was the Friday night return to the hotel from dinner. When we left, all was relatively quiet and hotel-like. When we got back, there was a Juneteenth celebration going on in the street, which was cool, although cooler once we knew what it was. According to The Arkansas Times (our host paper) there were gun shots fired at some point during that but, fortunately, I remained oblivious. (The Times mentions that lower in the article).
Anyway, here's some brief footage from Juneteenth, recorded as we returned to our hotel Friday night:

blog giveaway

OK, first person to email me gets my Bella Flek and the Flektones tickets.

The Clinton files

I suppose I could go on in some fashion trying to explain how smart Clinton was when he spoke at AAN, but a. I don't want to sound like some kind of crazed groupie and b. if I don't finish editing this cover story I'm going to be up shit's creek paddleless.
Needless to say, Clinton played this crowd exactly right: long on wonk and with the sense that he was giving a serious mandate to a particular group of journalists that take themselves particularly serious. But he also reeked of sincerity and, yes, I freaking rushed the rope to shake his hand. I even clapped when he was done talking, and you know I never clap.

OK, here's some video.

The first one is Clinton talking about our papers (alternative weeklies):


In this video clip, Clinton is talking about how the mainstream media (and maybe other media) cartoonize politicians (he cited his wife as an example) and don't allow for the complexity of the people and their positions. He urges us (the media) to more thoroughly explain the issues and officials' stances.



Finally, in this last clip, Clinton answers a question, read by Westword Editor Patricia Calhoun, regarding the 2004 elections and election fraud.



If you'd like to see this videos in a larger format, you can find them here and here and here.

YouTube rocks!

the modern world is a freak show

there's something ineffable and miseable about the days in which one flew in a state of total disconnectedness. No wireless, no cell phones. Just a cigarette and a drink at the bar and then another on a plane (OK, I don't really remember the latter, a bit before my time but still).
I just shot this photo at my gate on my phone, emailed it to myself, went online on my laptap via wireless to retrieve it and then posted it here. Am debating if this is better/worse or the same use of time as, say, reading People Magazine.
OK, I suppose blogging is as good a way as any to kill time in an airport. Here I am at gate 7 in dallas waiting for the plane. I signed on via tmobile so I could grab the cover story out of my email and edit it on the plane. now that's time management. too bad I can't read and drive and make better use of my 50-mile trek back to santa fe.
met an editor at AAN who said he took a month off, drove across the country, dictated one chapter of his book into a taperecorder each day and at the end of the month he'd seen the US and finished a first draft of his book.
I'd rather keep reading Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assasin on the plane, but between the driving dictating novelist and Bill Clinton, I'm feeling almost like a slacker, what with my doing one thing at a time mentality.
They're preboarding. Guess I'm next.
See you back in NM.

post clinton partyum

I would really like to write extensively, right now, on the Clinton talk yesterday, not to mention the rest of the AAN convention. I also have video of Clinton's talk, and Wesley Clark's talk.
However, this would mean possibly missing my flight home and/or getting on the flight without taking a shower, neither of which are really options (at least not very polite ones), so for now here's two shots, one from downtown little rock and another from the clinton talk, in which you get Clinton talking and Westword Editor Patricia Calhoun's foot. Sorry Patty! I wanted a better angle, but I didn't really want to slither along the floor like some photo-hungry politicarazzi, so I stayed put.
Needless to say, the Clinton talk was pretty great, actually really great (although I'm still irritated with myself for not trying to ask a question, particularly given that the only question askers were men. Seriously!) but my only questions were about nuclear power and I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep it short, given my propensity for long questions and overtalking.
blab blab blab.
OK, here's a few pics. More later. With any luck I'll be home by later this afternoon

the clinton doublewide

Apparently the Clinton Museum is often referred to as "the doublewide." You can't tell from this picture but it does, in fact, look a bit like a big ol trailer, at least from a distance. Of course, it's a very nice building, although I, personally, hadn't expected iit to be so modern looking. Inside is as much Clinton paraphanalia as a person could ask for: handwritten speeches, old family photos, looping videos. In a way it's a little creepy, actually. It reminded me of the Jack London House I went to in northern california where there's a video of Jack London speaking that's on a repeating loop and a bunch of his stuff everywhere and almost no one is there. Of course, London is dead and it's actually his house, so that's a bit different. Anyway, it's been a long time since I heard a US president speak in complete sentences, so that was fun (and, I suppose, we will hear the real Clinton speak tomorrow). As for today, Wesley Clark is slated to start talking in half an hour, so I suppose I should put some clothes on. Thus far this conference has been a. hot and b. rushed and c. slightly missed since I had to sit in my room last night for several hours and read a cover story draft. Am going to try to not do that today if possible.
More later.

ps: the replica of the oval office was roped off (see above). I'm not sure why a replica of an oval office has to be roped off.

pps: arkansas is unhumanly hot. I have no idea how people live here.

here in the sunport

Have I mentioned before the sunport is my favorite airport? Maui's airport comes close, but Albuquerque is just so easy. easy parking, security takes five minutes, they have this nice little smoking lounge for last-minute nerve calming. which was just kind of screwed by my boss calling from the gate to find out if I was here and to tell me people are lining up (the plane isn't even here yet).
Guess I better jet. More from Arkansas... a state that is in... um, the south, I believe.

clinton bound

Yes, I'm off to Arkansas, where we'll be hearing from Clinton, Wesley Clark and Susan MacDougal. I'm on the bill as well but I'm thinking (hoping, praying) that I won't be very attended (my session, that is, not me personally obviously).
I actually almost entirely packed and cleaned up last night. Last year I left my packing to the last minute and then ran out the door without actually putting the clothes in the bag and arrived in San Diego with no clothes. So I'm trying not to repeat that debaucle.
Anyway, I'm bringing a camera and the laptop and I intend to blog from Arkansas. Of course, intentions and actions don't always meet up, but I'll try to keep you posted on the Clinton event and anything else exciting that happens.
Wish me luck, folks. I'm heading into humidity and mosquito territory, and you know we don't like that!
If you're looking for something to do tonight, check out the teen out monologues. I think they are going to be great.

girl loves dogs

So the other night, slightly tipsy, I chased my very old dogs around videotaping them and expressing my undying love. And here it is, caught on tape:

woah nelly

I actually had two voicemails this morning from people saying NICE things about the paper and THANKING me for various things in the paper.
What's up with the universe?
Fortunately, there also was a message from a woman ranting about how disgusting Savage Love is.
Pfew!

back from a few days off

and trying to get a few things done. If you missed our block party on Wednesday, you missed out. It was super fun. Here's a few pics:


this is my friend samia. with me.


here's my guy, who will not like this picture, and dan


and here's love gun, our kiss cover band.

a few more photos can be found here
and check the paper, I think we're going to publish some that were taken by the professional photographers (which I am not. Clearly).

6.6.06 indeed

So far day has been disastrous.

1. lost power in half the building for several hours. Had to plug the computers into working outlets with extension cords and work in the dark. Waiting for frogs to start falling through the skylights.
2. Still haven't voted since we've been behind all day. See #1.
3. Hairdresser has stomach flu and had to postpone tomorrow's haircut, which means I have to continue looking unkempt until the weekend.
4. Which means if you come to our block party tomorrow (Wed., 6.7.06) and you can't find me, just look for the hairball.
5. Sky is dark and rainy. Hope it's not dark and rainy tomorrow for Block Party.
6. Too tired to fully explain block party. Just come here betwen 5 and 9 and be prepared for food and music and more.
7. Am barbecueing tonight. Seems iffy. See #5.
8. Am off for the next two days, and was planning to log in some pool time and get hair cut. Probably screwed due to #3 and #5.
9. Am on radio in the a.m. discussing elections. Definitely must vote. Always vote and never miss a vote. Why don't I feel more excited to vote? Worst election day ever, barely got an adrenelin rush from passing campaign workers. What's wrong with me?
10. Went to hear Blackalicious last night. It was really fun. Even though it started two hours late in a club with no alcohol that wouldn't let you leave and come back in.

OK, seriously ready to get out of here.
Happy voting.

straight from hell

Peter, the morning producer from Wake Up New Mexico, tells me they're having the mayor of Hell, Michigan for 6.6.06. And folllowing that, at 8:05 am, live from Air Force One, Eric Draper.
Draper used to shoot for The Trib and is now the “photographer to the President.” That's 106.3 and 94.7 FM in Santa Fe.

it's almost here

As others have noted, the election is almost here. Tomorrow, to be exact. I plan to get some info from 89.1 FM, which will start with election coverag at 6:30 pm and feature Joe Monahan and others. Then, in the morning, I'm sure we'll talk election results with Larry and Dianne. I'm planning to take Wednesday off, but I'll be sure to be up bright and early so I can be prepared when I talk to Larry and Dianne (as I do every Wednesday morning). Then, starting at 5 pm on Wednesday, our annual summer block party begins, and it's going to be crazy off the hook exciting this year, so be sure to come down (132 E. Marcy Street) and check out all the music, food, vendors, animals, face painters, fire dancers etc.
And next week I'm off to Arkansas. Which isn't quite as much fun to write as "next week I'm off to the beach" but oh well.
This interview on NPR this morning, with the Canadian Mounted Police, about their nabbing of Canadian terrorists, was pretty interesting, perhaps more for what it didn't say. For example, NPR asked the MP how this would effect their monitoring of Canadian and non-Canadian citizens, and the MP said, (I'm paraphrasing), "we don't monitor Canadians or foreigners. We're not a police state."
Yeah, exactly.

in case you were wondering

there's a reason you can't breathe
we are having so many computer problems this week.
murphy's law in full effect.
30 days until bars become non-smoking
five hours until I go home and throw myself face down on the bed
Can't believe The Alibi endorsed David Pfeffer. What an embarassment. "God bless David Pfeffer." Excuse me while I hurl. Couldn't get Carraro to say anything specific? Are you joking? What won them over to Pfeffer? His goal to stop making "Christian" a dirty word? Yeah, that's an important goal for congress. Please. It's funny, usually the New Mexican's endorsements infuriate me with their stupidity, but I thought their primary ones were pretty good (and not just because they made similar picks to ours; they just felt more complete than usual and some of them actually mentioned the other candidates). Anyway, God knows we're not perfect. We had one typo in our endorsements that actually made me almost slam my door yesterday.
Ahem. Anyway. The Alibi also talks about the other candidates in the races, which I think is good and overall their endorsements were informative, although I didn't understand the bowling references, since I'm not a bowler.

Here's how the various endorsements break down for statewide races, plus US Senate, so far:

SFR: Carraro
New Mexican: McCullough
Abq Journal: Carraro
Abq Trib: Carraro
Alibi: Pfeffer


Secretary of State:

SFR: Shirley Hooper
New Mexican: Shirley Hooper
Albuquerque Journal: Mary Herrera
Abq. Tribune: Mary Herrera
Alibi: Stephanie Gonzales

Land Commissioner
SFR: Jim Baca
New Mexican: Jim Baca
Albuquerque Journal: Ray Powell
Alibi: Jim Baca

State Auditor
Everyone: Tom Buckner

AG:
SFR: Lem Martinez
New Mexican: Lem Martinez
Albuquerque Journal: Gary King
Alibi: Gary King