Governor vetoed tax on food bill

Today our Governor Bill Richardson refused to sign an idiotic legislative will in to law, something maybe never done before, a governor opposing the legislature to such an extent. I can only assume in his last leg of governing he no longer cares who he opposes and just decided to do  the right thing. In lieu of the legislature not having managed to levy a tax on alcohol and other luxury items, this tax seems particularly wrong headed. New Mexico has a rather large population of hungry people, many of them kids that get to school without breakfasts. Yes, this is possible in the land of the Americas, the United States, the richest country in the world!

Due to strong lobbying efforts no tax were levied on alcohol or other luxury items. Tax my chocolate if you must. I know it is not a need, but a want of mine and I be willing to pay the extra and even welcome any help to keep my chocaholic in check.  And with the extent of drunk driving in our state I do not understand why a tax on alcohol, that just might make people drink less and act less out of control, did not sail through both the House and Senate? Maybe it was the tortillas that might have fallen under the category of junk food as a white flour product, that got our New Mexican legislators off the track and in defense of their daily fare, losing sight of the bigger goal? Come on, it can not be so hard to agree on what is junk and what is not, even if we have to include the tortillas as wholesome foods. As far as obesity, junk food is not the only culprit, but it is one of them and taxing the donuts and fries seems to me a more then reasonable thing to do in an economic squeeze.

Mind you we had a lot of extra pork these last few years. Oil and other natural resources that gave higher dividends is my meager understanding. So why are we hurting so bad now? Did nobody think of putting some to the side? It's a difficult economy world wide, but that does not justify tax on good  and necessary food.

So, exhilarated I want to cry "long live our Governor" (he often seems to act like a King) who in his almost infinite wisdom chose to do the right thing today - vetoed the tax on food bill. While quietly I think, hooray he listened to me, took my advise and stood in his power as governor and refused to sign in to law a really stupid legislative decision!

Health Insurance Reform

Images from the White House Flickr Photostream

This so called reform leaves me cold, for me it means having to come up with insurance cost I can not afford. For the Health Insurance Companies it can only mean more money, a lot more money, as millions will have to join their for profit institutions. I can only hope that this is one step only in the right directions towards universal health care that includes a Public Option. I am happy for those in need that will benefit. I am happy nobody can be turned away any longer because of pre-conditions, and finally I am happy for President Obama and the Democratic Party to have accomplished this. A loss would have been devastating and even more demoralizing.

Michael Moore spoke very eloquently on the issue on Larry King Live:
http://larrykinglive.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/23/lkl-last-night-michael-moore-on-health-care-reform/


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/the-good-the-bad-and-the_b_512131.html
Andrew Weil hits the nail with this being a Health Insurance Reform.

Myself I have managed to avoid conventional medical care. I take no over the counter medicine, treat my current cold with Echinacea, Vitamin C and Riccola (Swiss candy that soothes the throat.) It works, applied early and frequent enough. My pups got some pest, probably fleas and those too I have treated without pharmaceuticals, mostly Tea Tree oil and natural offensive odors to pests. This too worked, my girl is no longer losing huge clumps of fur and can lie down for extended periods of times without scratching herself and annoying me to no end, but we are not done yet.

I am aware though that I am only one health catastrophe away from total ruin.  This health  insurance reform (termed so correctly seems to me by Dr. Weil) will make the cost of  insurance to self employed individuals like me, that have no pool to join (unaffordable now, mandatory soon) even more expensive! And this is our so-called health care reform? What a strange society I live in, the land of the Americas, the richest country in the world!

Finally, someone please analyze Barack Obama's most interesting signature, I would be curios about their insights.

First Day of Spring

March 21st, 1. day of Spring in the City Different in the Land of Enchantment

After one more thunder, hail and snow storm when winter asserted itself for the last time for this season.

Another deposit of several inches of very dry snow that easily blew or melted off the surfaces the very next day, our 1. day of Spring. Yes, we have the potential of snow, ice and frost way in to the month of May. But at least from now on it will no longer stick to create havoc with traveling conditions.

Notice how the Pueblo style architecture melds in to the landscape and creates a rather pleasant meeting of nature with culture.

Quintessential Santa Fe

On the first day of Spring, the day after my neighbor's Aspen tree buds burst open and we all then had to deal with an assault of thunder, hail and another snow storm that delivered again inches of very dry snow, I felt blessed to take our evening walk under a blue and sunny sky on roads that had mostly dried by the end of our first day of Spring. Heading back home this is what we encountered:

I was enchanted by this quintessential Santa Fe look: The magic golden light just before the sun sets with the very long shadows. An almost deserted plaza even on a Saturday evening offering plenty of space even downtown. And a Mariachi band that played with gusto and skill so that even I could enjoy this style of entertainment. I felt delighted to be in the right place at the right time where the eyes and ears got their due.

Notice the light off the buttons on the musicians costumes, such a feast for the eyes with the Governor's Palace making a perfect background.

They say now happiness is contagious and so is misery. Experiencing this scene made me feel delighted, despite having had to go out and walk the dogs in still frigid air. The charms are many in the Land of Enchantment or - Entrapment.

2 years prior:



Can you see the growth over the last 2 years?

Light Reflected

3 Years with Sumo

Sumo a Yorkie/Poodle/Maltese when he still sported a professionally groomed look, 3 years ago today, on his first visit with us and one week before he joined our pack for good. He felt uncertain as it was time to go to sleep in a new place, but on his bed - not mine!

Schnuegge (cute guy) on his first afternoon hanging out in our yard with bones he tackled with vigor, perseverance and single-minded focus. He was then still our neighbor's dog and Schnuegge was my term of endearment before I settled on his most appropriate name, Sumo. A name, I recently discovered to my great surprise, shared with former french president Chirac's 'vicious' Maltese. (After biting the president 3 times that Sumo was abandoned to a farm.) My Sumo is not vicious, but vigorous, be it in tackling bones or wrestling with Isabella almost 3 times his size.

Sumo at the dog park, rebuffed, unable to comprehend why I would not want his muddy paws on me.

Sumo not so long ago at the dog park after an extensive trim by me that brings out his contours nicely in the light of the setting sun.

Lunar Ebb and Flow

I remember how excited I was when I noticed this one branch set on fire by the setting sun.

And I remember how disappointed I was when I discovered the splotches from a dirty lens.

For 11 months I did not look at this image again - until yesterday when I reminded myself that the road to hell is plastered with good intentions.

Imperfection may just have to be good enough. So here I post this lovely image tarnished by a few splotches despite, or because of it all.

Much-Macho Lover-Boy

While a little bit of tail has never hurt anyone,



our Lover-Boy can be a tormentor and bit mucho much in his insistence on attention, love and affection.

My Mucho-Macho Lover-Boy

Pretty Kitty stays slim and trim by scaling our 7 feet fence to escape and to exercise his freedom to torment our new neighbor's cat.