Greg In The Desert

• Got gold? Why TV ad men want yours. | csmonitor.com
  The big reason? As investors look for security in troubled financial times, gold prices over the past year have been hovering near highs last seen two decades ago, closing Feb. 2 at $903 an ounce. 

  At the same time, costs for television ad time are dropping as more-traditional advertisers cut spending, creating an opening for aggressive advertising by gold-buying outfits. Industry leader Cash4Gold even broke into the elite Super Bowl advertising showcase, shelling out $3 million for a spot. Its ad on Sunday featured MC Hammer and Ed McMahon, both known for their financial woes, kissing good-bye their various metallic treasures, ranging from golden golf clubs to a gold toilet.

  (tags: news Advertising)
• “Sour grapes” lawsuit against progressive non-profits is dead
  The so-called ’sour grapes’ lawsuit by three Democrats defeated in the primary officially is done, with the deadline for appeal having passed.

  Former state senators James Taylor and Shannon Robinson and state representative Dan Silva all lost in the Democratic primary and blamed some progressive non-profits based in Albuquerque for their loss. So, in August of last year, the three sued to get the election overturned. The suit was tossed out of District Court by District Judge Linda M. Vanzi in November and the three former lawmakers vowed to appeal.

• Biologists solve mystery of black wolves | Science Blog
  The surprising answer, according to teams of biologists and molecular geneticists from Stanford University, UCLA, Sweden, Canada and Italy, is that the black coats are the result of historical matings between black dogs and wild gray wolves.
• ASA : White House Responds to DEA Raids, Vows to End Policy
  White House Spokesman Nick Shapiro reacted to new Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids at medical cannabis collectives in California, saying he expects President Obama to end that policy when a new DEA Administrator is seated. “The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind,” Shapiro said.
• Intel to shut down Shanghai plant, costing 2,000 jobs — Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 — English Window to China New
  INTEL Corp today announced plans to close its assembly and test plant in Shanghai, which employs 2,000 workers, and shift its operations to a cheaper region. 

  But Intel, the world’s biggest chip maker, said it will increase investment in China by US$110 million.

  Intel will close the Shanghai plant, its first in China costing US$500 million, within the next 12 months. The chipmaker will shift the operations to the western Chinese city of Chengdu.

  Intel said it will give the 2,000 workers the opportunity to apply for jobs in its plants in Chengdu and Dalian.

• HCR 2024
  Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, that:

  1. That the State of Arizona hereby claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.

  (tags: arizona)
• “Can you imagine?” – Duke City Fix
  Suddenly, you find yourself in the center of a circle of boys and they are all calling you “Gay Gabe” and then they push a smallish, fourth grader into the center with you and begin to chant, “FIGHT! FIGHT!! FIGHT!!!” You know who this other boy is and don’t want to fight. He’s got a bad reputation and is just two days back from two weeks suspension. Then… He hits you. You try to run but the circle of boys tightens and they push you back to the center. You yell at them to let you go but they don’t hear you through their chanting.
• AP tries to shake down Shepard Fairey | Los Angeles Metblogs
  Associated Press is going after Shepherd Fairey for copyright enfringement for appropriating their Obama photo for his iconic Hope poster. Fairey has always been forthcoming about the shot by photographer Manny Garcia, who was on assignment for AP when he snapped it at the National Press Club in DC three years ago.
• TPMMuckraker | Talking Points Memo | U.S. Attorney Scandal: Feds Probe Domenici for Obstruction of Justice In Iglesias Firing
  A federal grand jury probe of the firings of nine U.S. attorneys during the Bush administration is focusing on the role played by recently retired Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and former senior Bush White House aides in the 2006 dismissal of David Iglesias as U.S. attorney for New Mexico, according to legal sources familiar with the inquiry.
• Al Jazeera English – Europe – ‘Holocaust denier’ told to recant
  The Vatican has ordered a bishop who denied that Jews were gassed in chambers during the Holocaust , to publicly recant his views if he wants to serve as a senior cleric in the Roman Catholic Church.

I’ve often thought there is a lot of corruption and ego in New Mexico politics. I should say, what seems like more than a normal amount of corruption and ego in New Mexico politics. Kind of a “god-old-boys network” that exists. The Mayor of Albuquerque seems to like to promote himself a lot more than I would expect, for example.

I didn’t expect it from Kevin Jackson, Rio Rancho’s new mayor. he campaigned on being different and trustworthy and I mostly bought into it. Now he’s almost blown any trust I had, since he’s had his credit card revoked from the city for spending $8000 at Scorpion games that wasn’t authorized. The non profit New Mexico Family Council-Best Choice has recently fired Jackson for mismanaging money too.

The Rio Rancho Mayor position is part time, and pays about $12,000 a year. Mayor Jackson said he was giving that money back to the city. Perhaps he thinks he was justified?

Update 10:54 PM: According to KRQE, Mayor Jackson is accused of double billing some trips to the city and his non profit foundation.

Update 6/5/07 6:18 PM:Oh come on now. This is just sour grapes, “Not only is former Mayor Jim Owen calling for Jackson’s resignation, he is also saying the council should name the second place finisher in the last mayoral election to take his place. That person would be Owen.”. Jackson can’t be as bad as this guy.

Update 07/06/07 10:03 PM: It just keeps getting worse. KRQE is now saying that the Rio Rancho city council may have a vote of no confidence at the next meeting (June 13th?).

Also, some of the Santa Anna Star Center receipts list “Mayor Chavez”, yet Albuquerque’s mayor says he’s never been to the center and doesn’t want his ass dragged into it.

Update 6/9/07 8:38 AM: Kevin Jackson has made an official statement saying he will pay back any charges but not admitting any wrong doing. Also saying something about others making charges. New Mexico FBIHOP suggests it’s his brothers that made the other charges. Very interesting.

Kevin Jackson has sent the following “letter to the editor”.

I do not believe in attacking others. When there are challenges and mistakes, we need to learn from them and grow through them.There are certain new issues that we have had to grow through. We can either grow through them professionally or destructively.

Also the Observer thinks the Mayor should resign and suggests alternatives. I say lets not be premature.