Greg In The Desert

• El Paso/Las Cruces News, Weather, Sports and Entertainment – KDBC 4 – We are CBS! | Feds: Air quality data insufficient for NM Intel
  A federal agency says there’s not enough air emissions information available for Intel’s Rio Rancho manufacturing plant for it to fully evaluate potential public health consequences.
• Italian red-light cameras rigged with shorter yellow lights – Ars Technica
  It turns out, however, that Arrighetti and a handful of public officials were allegedly a bit greedier than most. He’s accused of conspiring with 63 municipal police, 39 local government officials, and the managers of seven different companies in order to rig the system so that it would turn from yellow to red quicker, therefore catching more motorists.
• Comcast investigating Super Bowl porn feed | www.azstarnet.com ®
  Comcast continued this morning to investigate how pornography interrupted its feed during the final quarter of the Super Bowl on Sunday.

  It is unclear how many viewers were affected by the clip, which lasted about 30 seconds, and featured full male nudity, said Kelle Maslyn, a Comcast spokeswoman. 

  allers said that the clip showed a woman unzipping a man’s pants, followed by a graphic act between the two.

  (tags: news)
• Coffee: Brew the Best Possible Coffee Without Breaking the Bank
  early all the coffee in the world comes from two types of coffee plants: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has roughly half the amount of caffeine and a more mellow taste. Robusta has more caffeine and higher acidic content which creates a significantly more bitter flavor.
  (tags: home food cooking)

• ‘Buy American’ rule proposed for Obama stimulus plan – New Mexico Business Weekly:
  The U.S. Chamber said foreign companies employ 5 million workers in the U.S. and the business group worries about such trade restrictions mirroring what happened in the 1930s, when the U.S. hiked tariffs during the Great Depression and global trade dipped by 50 percent.
• The Official Site of Rio Rancho, NM – Building Details
  Hewlett-Packard’s new facility in the Rio Rancho City Center is a 218,000-square-foot, three-story office building which will house the company’s New Mexico operations. HP will initially employee 1,350 with the ability to expand within the building. The design of the facility incorporates many attractive features and amenities for employees, and will be an integral part of City Center.
• Why CableCard isn't on the Mac | Playlist | Macworld
  There are the copy-protection issues around CableCard, mandated by content owners who are terrified of piracy. There's Apple’s lack of interest (at least, so far) in creating a CableCard-ready Mac. There are access issues with the new DisplayPort connection.
• Denver's red light cameras: no data, just lots of tickets – Ars Technica
  The only thing better than setting up red light cameras and watching the cash flow in is doing so without collecting the required data to prove that the cameras are useful and accurate. Right? Okay, maybe not so much. This is, however, the situation unfolding in Denver, Colorado, where a local newspaper's detective work has revealed that the contractor hired by the city to manage the cameras has failed to submit contractually-required documentation. What's more, the city wasn't even asking for it.
• Nortel Finally Bails On WiMax (NT)
  Telecom gear maker Nortel (NT), which filed for bankruptcy protection two weeks ago, is finally putting an end to one of its big wireless bets. Toronto-based Nortel (NT) is killing off its mobile WiMax business, ending a joint venture with Israel's Alvarion.

  WiMax, a super-fast mobile Internet technology, hasn't taken off the way some of its backers had hoped, as many telcos — like AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), and T-Mobile (DT) in the U.S. — opt for a competing technology called LTE.

When first installed Albuquerque was making a ton of money on red light cameras. Now they are loosing money on them thanks to the state taking all the fine money. This is one of the worst run programs i’ve seen. Can’t the State and city get together on this and make sure there’s enough money?

I can tell you who is making money no matter what the State and City are doing: RedFlex.

Gov. Bill Richardson chimed in Friday on the fight for red light camera revenue between the city of Albuquerque and the state. Comparing the program to “big-brother,” Richardson said he is leaning toward signing a bill that would claim camera revenue for the state.

What? If he doesn’t like them then introduce a bill to ban them.

I can’t help be be amused that the Mayor of Albuquerque has suspended the red light camera program over money. According to him, the purpose of the program was not to make money, but was to increase safety at risky intersections. Its questionable if the data supports this, but the program did make money, like $10 million. Oops, that extra $10 million wasn’t supposed to happen. Or was it?

Now the state wants a cut of it, or I guess all of it, so goodbye cash cow. I’m sure all interested parties will find a way so everyone can profit. except the citizens.

Red light cameras, speed vans and human patrols. All things that contribute to Albuquerque turning up as number 7 on the National Motorists Association (NMA) top 10 list for speed traps. I’m really not surprised to see Albuquerque on the list, and yet I still think I there’s never a cop around when you need one. In other words, the speed traps are probably needed.

It also says something about my driving record as I’ve never had a speeding ticket in the 10 years I’ve lived here. Doesn’t mean I haven’t been lucky. I’ve been pulled over twice for not stopping at a stop sign. When I first moved here I had long hair and was driving around in the Maverick. I was pulled over by a cop that was two cars ahead of me for not wearing my seat belt. The Maverick only had lap belts and how could he see when he was two cars ahead of me? I never got a ticket for any of these incidences. I did have two speeding tickets when I lived in Arizona.