Democracy for New Mexico

Fun Saturday Lazy Research

has a fun map of the counties of our Country and an interactive method to drill down to see what a particular region is made up of these current days.

The categories for the interactive map above are shown below.

Have fun. Click on this link to go to the and maneuver around. See where you want to move to. Good Saturday fun!

Southern NM Veterans’ Organ Mountains Tour Highlights Importance of Protecting Public Lands

Vets Discuss Value of Lands for Those Who Fought for America

On a tour of various landmarks in the Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks region on Wednesday, Southern New Mexico veterans from every branch of the military discussed their strong shared support for protecting rich public lands within the Organ Mountains and Desert Peaks region in Doña Ana County. Veterans spoke of the importance of having protected mountains and open space at home for veterans to recreate and provide a sanctuary.

The tour included several natural and historic locations including the Organ Mountains, rare World War II Aerial Targets in the Sierra de las Uvas, and the historic Butterfield Stagecoach Trail.

“Veterans – more than most -- recognize that when our sons and daughters are fighting overseas, they’re fighting for so much more than our freedoms. They are also fighting for our land and our nation’s sacred places,” said Dona Ana County-area veteran Peter Ossorio. “To Southern New Mexicans, the craggy peaks of the Organ Mountains and its surrounding desert is one such sacred place. In fact, I would say protecting our public lands heritage is one of the most patriotic things we could do.”

The event, which was a desert tour of some of the public lands proposed for a national monument in Doña Ana County, was organized by local veterans and the national Vet Voice Foundation.  The Organ Mountains-Doña Ana County Conservation and Protection Act (S. 1024) would protect these resources as would a recently-announced proposal to create the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument (see www.OrganMountains.org).

Just last week, a broad coalition of Southern New Mexico businesses, sportsmen, faith-based organizations, conservation groups and community leaders announced their support for a Presidential monument designation for the Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks region. Representatives from the Offices of Sens. Bingaman and Udall, two sponsors of S. 1024, were on hand for the veterans tour, which included an expert on the Butterfield Stage and a local historian on the land’s significance.

“As veterans, we are committed to serving beyond the time when we were in uniform,” said Dona Ana County area veteran Bernie Digman. “Serving our country is about so much more than our time in the military – it’s about what we do when we take that uniform off. For me, that means fighting to protect public lands so that my kids and grandkids can enjoy the wonders of nature that I enjoyed as a boy.”

In addition, healthy public lands are critical to many returning veterans as they reintegrate to civilian life.

“You cannot understate the therapeutic value of a camping trip or a peaceful hike for our brothers and sisters who are returning home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Ossorio added. “These wild and beautiful places like the Organ Mountains and Desert Peaks region are a crucial part of the America our service members are fighting for.”

“Protecting public lands is about more than merely conserving acreage, it’s about preserving our history,” Digman said. “Right here in Dona Ana County we have the obvious places to protect – like the crest of the Organ Mountains. But we also have more hidden treasures, like the Butterfield Stage route and the bombing targets carved into the desert these are no less significant than the beautiful vistas we enjoy every day.”

Recent studies have highlighted the positive economic impacts of National Monuments.  A 2011 report on Carlsbad Caverns showed an annual tourist spend of $23 million, supporting nearly 350 direct and indirect jobs.

Photo above at the bomb range is (frmr state Rep.) Nate Cote and other Las Cruces area veterans.

“National Monuments mean local jobs,” said local veteran Nathan Cote. “How? Because when a monument is designated it immediately goes to the top of the list when it comes to tour books and travel blogs. A National Monument in our community will bring more visitors who will spend money and create jobs right here. There really is no downside.”

Nathan Cote, Bernie Digman and Peter Ossorio are all featured in a recent series of videos from the Vet Voice Foundation on the importance of preserving our public lands and heritage.

ABOUT Vet Voice Foundation
Vet Voice Foundation is a national group that works to mobilize veterans to become leaders in their communities on the important issues our nation faces. With regard to the conservation of our public lands, Vet Voice Foundation recognizes that when a service member is fighting for his or her country, they are also fighting for our nation’s natural wonders and an American way of life that is steeped in enjoyment of the great outdoors.

2010 --->>>> 2011

Peace Love Focus Community Progress Adventure Justice

2011: Time for a New Clear Vision

Merriment, Peace, Love and Joy to You All!

Enjoy this video of COLORES: A Southwestern Christmas and ponder how lucky we all are to reside in this beautiful, diverse, culturally rich place on Planet Earth! Whether or however you celebrate this time, we hope you'll experience and share love, peace, understanding and joy!
                                                       --Barbara and Mary Ellen

Justice League: Are You Ready to Meet the Real Martinez - Captain Susana Lockstep?

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Get ready for some boffo comic commentary -- with just the facts, ma'ma -- on the New Mexico governor's race. This Wednesday, September 15, a brand new, New Mexico-based political action committee will launch the first cartoon ad of this gubernatorial political season.

The ad, called "Decision of the Decade," will feature Susana Martinez as “Captain Lockstep,” along with Sarah Palin and Diane Denish. I've seen a sneak preview of the ad and it makes it plain just who represents the forces of good -- truth, justice and the American way -- and who represents the darkness in the battle between Democrat Diane Denish and Republican Susana Martinez.

The Justice League PAC is a statewide political committee and was formed by Neri Holguin, Sandra Wechsler and Eli Il Yong Lee, who have years of experience in New Mexico politics and issues. Its purpose is to reinvigorate New Mexicans to reclaim politics for none other than us -- the people.

For more information, visit www.justiceleaguepac.com and prepare yourselves for episode number one of the new comic saga that tells it like it is in the battle between Martinez-Palin and Diane Denish for the future of New Mexico. Will the forces of justice defeat the selfish pursuit of power by the right-wing Texan running for New Mexico governor? Tune in Wednesday and find out.

Call for a Robust Public Option with the Health Action Hamsters

A couple of superstar rodents plug a robust public health insurance option in this spot sponsored by Health Action New Mexico. If you're not singing along by the end of the video, I'll eat the cowgirl hat I stole from one of the hamsters. Seriously.

Now that you're in the mood, check out the short video interview below with Health Action New Mexico's Executive Director, Barbara Webber, and then take action! We're moving into the final round of negotiations on the health reform bill in the U.S. Senate so we need to contact our members of Congress and Dem leaders -- including President Obama -- AGAIN to make sure they do the right thing and include a robust public option in the bill -- no triggers!

Get contact info for your members of Congress by entering your zip code here. Send a message to the President here.

Checking In

Mama moose and baby, Roosevelt National Forest CO

Moose, Roosevelt National Forest CO

Cache La Poudre River, Northern CO

Northern Colorado back road with clouds

Near Poudre Pass

Grand Lake CO South of Rocky Mt. Nat. Pk.

We're still on break but we'll be back soon.

Click on images for larger versions. Photos by M.E. Broderick.

Enough of the GOP Mob

DNC web ad. Pass it on. Enough is enough.

Photo of the Day: Climate Change Activism

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Powerful way to make a point. Today three Greenpeace climbers hung a banner on the face of Mount Rushmore to issue a challenge to President Obama. "America honors leaders, not politicians: Stop Global Warming.” At least 11 arrests have been made in order to stop global warming. The action is part of a global day of action staged by Greenpeace to urge world leaders, who are currently attending a G8 meeting in L’Aquila, Italy, to take the actions necessary to avert runaway climate change. Visit the for more info, photos and a video.

Photos: Albuquerque Pridefest 2009

Here's a photo slideshow from yesterday's Albuquerque Pridefest parade and the gathering at the State Fairgrounds. If you'd like to watch the slideshow in a larger format, go here. You can also visit the photo album that contains all these photos at our Flickr account.

This set is from the dedication of the Albuquerque Pride memorial at Morningside Park last Thursday. Here are the links to the larger version of the slideshow and the Flickr album. Albuquerque is only the second U.S. city to have a memorial honoring its GLBT citizens, the other one being New York, which has a memorial to the 1969 Stonewall uprising there that is considered a touchstone of the modern-day fight for equal rights by the GLBT community.

Also see our previous post with videos taken from the Dem Party of Bernalillo County parade float, and photos and videos from events posted at Peter St. Cyr's site, What's the Word. Jim M. at Duke City Fix has another wonderful .

ABQ Artist and Founder of 'One Million Bones' Selected as Prestigious TEDGlobal Fellow

Bravo, well done, how exciting and what an honor for the woman behind some incredibly meaningful and moving art projects. Last week, organizers of the TED Conference introduced the first group of TED Fellows to participate in its new international conference, TEDGlobal. One Million Bones is proud to announce that its founder and director, local Albuquerque artist Naomi Natale (above), is among those honored, according to a statement released today. Natale is one of only twenty-five individuals from around the world who have been selected to participate in the TED community this year by attending TEDGlobal 2009, which will be held in Oxford, UK, on July 21-24.

In addition to participating as full members of the TEDGlobal Conference audience, each TED Fellow will participate in a two-day pre-conference where they will receive world-class communication training, deliver a short TEDTalk, and collaborate with their peers, among other benefits. Their TEDTalk may be selected for posting on TED.com, where it has the potential to be viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

“I am honored to be selected as a TEDGlobal Fellow and look forward to sharing my new project, One Million Bones, with the TED community,” said the 27 year old Natale. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with some of the most innovative and forward thinking people from around the globe.”

Natale was selected for her innovative work in socially focused large-scale art installations, having founded and directed The Cradle Project, which opened to rave reviews and large crowds in downtown Albuquerque last June (see my post). Designed to promote awareness of the estimated 48 million children who have been orphaned by disease and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, this fundraising art installation also raised over $100,000 to help feed, shelter, and educate these orphans.

Natale’s newest and most ambitious project, One Million Bones, is a fundraising art installation designed to represent victims of present genocides and create a visual demand for solutions to this issue. Our mission is to increase global awareness of these atrocities while raising the critical funds needed to provide humanitarian aid to the displaced and marginalized victims. One million people will each create one bone to represent one victim. Installed together, these one million bones will flood the National Mall in Washington D.C., unearthing the memory of these victims, while calling citizens to action.

“By inspiring action through art, you can change the world one person at a time,” said Natale.

You can follow Naomi Natale on FaceBook and MySpace.

About TED:
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then, its scope has broadened to include science, business, the arts, and the global issues facing our world. The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives — in 18 minutes. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.” The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives and philanthropists — is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck, Isabel Allende and Bono.

TED was first held in Monterey, California, in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson's Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TEDTalks and TED.com; and the TED Prize. TEDGlobal 2009, “The Substance of Things Not Seen,” will be held July 21-24, 2009, in Oxford, UK. TEDIndia will be held in Mysore, India, Nov. 1-4, 2009. TED2010, “What the World Needs Now,” will be held Feb. 9-13, 2010, in Long Beach, California, with a simulcast event in Palm Springs, California. For details on all upcoming conferences and events, visit www.TED.com.

Sunday Peonies

We planted peonies in our backyard a few years back and now they are producing beautifully and expanding. The blooms -- which appear right after our young lilac bush drops its purple flowers -- last only a short time. While they're here, they're a precious sight to behold with a scent to match. (Click on photos for larger images. Photos by M.E. Broderick.)