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In today’s Albuquerque Journal, March 7, 2011 there is an article by Robert J. Samuelson…No doubt he is a rich, well rewarded writer of the Washington Post, Newsweek and probably author of many best selling books, so he is well versed to talk about us folks that worked all of our adult life, most of the time for companies that did not have a retirement plan…So, we paid into our only option, Social Security….and paid and paid and paid….Now we are trying to collect some of that money. I have been retired a few years and I don’t think I have come close to drawing out what I paid in, yet, althoughI am not sure now just how much I did pay in total….. Mr. Samuelson says all of us drawing social security are welfare recipients, saying it taxes one group to pay another group. I never felt like I was donating to Social Security Recipients while I was working. Now that I am on the receiving end I just feel like I am collecting what I paid into for all the years….And until the idiot today called me a welfare recipient, I felt very happy,…well, I don”t want to use that term, idiot, I know that’s not right nor proper, so scratch that part….until that rich person today called us welfare recipients, I felt very happy…even knowing that one day there will be an end to the money available….but everyone one of us that paid all those years, Mr. Samuelson, we want our money….it was honest labor on our part and it was not optional…Shame on you for calling us welfare cases….Pete Hester

According to this morning’s paper, 200 people protested the fact we cannot have same sex marriage in the state of New Mexico. But they did not go on to say that about 528,297 stayed home and did not protest….To me that is the important number…The 200 that did protest are a few misguided souls that love to make noise and make an issue for their own cause. It is a case of the squeaking wheel getting the grease….They do a good job of that….making noise I mean

Drugs, Trucks Top Agenda….Obama, Calderon Vow Cooperation by Julie Pace says the Albuquerque Journal article, Friday, March 4th…”Washington: Seeking to repair damaged relations, President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon agreed Thursday to deepen their cooperation in combating drug violence and declared a breakthrough in efforts to end a long-standing dispute over cross-border trucking.”….Well, a couple of things, one, as much as America is involved in the drug issue, the battle will have to be won in Mexico. Maybe we can help…. maybe we can’t. The Mexicans will have to heat up that battle, that’s for sure….. Two, trucking. I don’t believe any American driver will be willing to take a rig into the interior of Mexico and probably not even across the border. I mentioned before of having customers in Mexico…We hauled propane, gas, diesel and asphalt into Mexico and we had trouble convincing the drivers to cross the border 10 – 15  years ago and I don’t see any of them entering Mexico today. On the other hand, the Mexican drivers would certainly be willing to cross into America with a load no matter its ultimate destination. And that is a one sided deal. Later on, my carrier was stopped from  delivering propane because America was not willing for the Mexican trucks to deliver over 25 miles north of the border so then they stopped us from crossing…. One other thing about going into Mexico is the cost of insurance, for your equipment and for the load…The truckers don’t own the load but they are certainly responsible for it until it is unloaded, in good condition, at the destination….Boss, it’s your call. You are the one working with the man, but to me, its a one sided deal, but for America to win either war, seems to me you gonna have to make one hell’va commitment….but that’s just me….

Hey, I was born and raised a Baptist….But I don’t like what those folks are doing picketing military funerals…What is that about?…Give that up and go love the folks who have lost a child fighting for our country…What can possibly be gained by putting pickets out during that time of burying a child….Lay down your signs and take up the cross and help the grieving souls bear their burdens….My goodness, do ya’ll serve the same Christ as the rest of us Christians?….Can you not see the hurt you are causing?…Love thy neighbor as thy self….I hope God will open your eyes…Have any of you lost a child, a family member, a friend, a cousin? Surely you understand the hurt they are enduring….You got to be a different breed of Baptist than what I am used to…Some cult maybe?….Just weird?…

update to this post, March 4, 2011….Tonight I read up on the Westboro Baptist Church…..I have learned they are not associated with any other Baptist churches. And its no wonder as all the google articles were about “hate”….gays, Jews, Blacks, Lady Gaga , all are hated by the Westboro Baptist church. Probably some others in there as well…I think we need to pray for them and pray that the word “love” will overshadow all the “hates” they have…..I would suppose that if we dug deep enough we would find the real reason for the picketing and carrying on…..fame….fortune….maybe even the old devil himself has a hand it   as he wants to stir up people against God on both sides of the aisle…..I am Baptist, but I try not to throw stones and certainly cannot conceive anyone showing such disrespect at a soldier’s funeral, at anyone’s funeral…shame on you….

July 16, 1945 at 5:30 am there was an atomic blast that shook most of New Mexico and later all of the world. The blast had been scheduled earlier in the morning but because of a rain storm it was delayed for an hour and one half. The prevailing wind carried the fallout north by northeast, right across the Chupadera Mesa. Beginning in 1945 tests were conducted all though the fallout area, and again in 1948, 1950, 1951, 1973, 1974 and until 1986 when the Radiological Survey and Evaluation of the fallout area stated that no further testing was required. So, all is well on the Chupadera Mesa…By the way, that mesa is just west of Claunch….The Deer Canyon Preserve is just further north of the Chupadera Mesa but I don’t think it was ever a part of the testing done after the atomic bomb blast….I’m sure the property is ok but I did want to mention it, mainly just so you readers will know. I have mentioned Deer Canyon Preserve before stating that it was nice country and none of that has changed, lots of wild life and beautiful scenery, still  it could have been a part of that fall out area, if it matters to you at all. The all clear issued by the US of A should be good for something, huh, and that was over twenty years ago…..You can research it also, enter Chupadera Mesa in your search engine and it will tell you most of what you want to know.

Listen, I’m still pushing for the flood waters of the Mississippi to be pump to a series of lakes out west….Costly? you bet….Live saving? It might be a few years in the future and maybe sooner than later. Every state in the west is making plans to extend the water that we do have available. The Colorado River system is water for Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, California and down in Mexico…The Rio Grande waters Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico…The water starved states out west could all chip in for the building  of a water line that only operates when the Mississippi and Missouri goes over a certain foot level and it pumps until the flood waters recede to under that recommended level. That water would be pumped to a series of lakes for storage and for pumping further west. Or, we can do nothing and take pot luck….One day soon, water will become more precious that oil or gas that we now pump all over the nation…Hey, locks and dams will work also….We could call it the Miss-New Mexico Waterway….(Have the Delta Queen sail into Albuquerque?)…..Oh, back to the pipeline, we can start working on it now or we can work on it later, but with the population growth in the west something will have to be done soon. Now, if I can find me a senator to sponsor this little operation….Maybe the Senior Senator from Arizona….Reckon?….Well, he could ’cause he sure understands, huh?…Pete Hester

Yes sir, folks of New Mexico, our drivers license do not prove we are Americans. We need a passport to verify that little tidbit of info. Governor Martinez promised to fix that and the Democrats in our state are fighting it for some reason….In this morning’s paper some of our legislators recounted all the reasons we should not pass a bill barring illegals from gaining a New Mexico drivers license…Most of them are “peeing down our neck and telling us its raining”….Listen, if you don’t do something soon then the people of New Mexico will need a passport for traveling between the states….I can see the time when the Border Patrol will be on main thoroughfares throughout the nation checking drivers license or passports of people traveling between states….It will happen…Mark it down….Our drivers license prove we are legal to drive in New Mexico, that’s about it….Talk to your Democratic Representative or Senator about getting the driver’s licenses rule changed. Tell them one must be an American citizen to have a New Mexico License….Let’s have a license that means something, ok? ….Rep. Bill O’Neill said the phone calls to him regarding the drivers license bill are from “people who do not have all the facts”……He said his committee tabled three driver’s license bills on Saturday, not because they don’t agree with the bills, but because the details of the legislation would cause problems….Well, not doing anything is causing lots more problems, Mr. O’Neill, and it is embrassing to us New Mexician’s who would like for our drivers license to prove we are Americans…..Are you listening, Mr. O”Neill, “prove that us New Mexicans are Americans”…..

Well, doggone, wouldn’t you know it, some of my kinfolks read my blog and dropped me a note….It was so good to hear from them…My granddad’s brother moved off to West Texas and except for isolated contact with some of our folks here and there, we have not heard much from them…Anyway, this young lady that I have been e-mailing has a good handle on the Hester family history even down my branch of the tree. I worked on our genealogy a few years ago but have let it go for the last ten years or so. Maybe now, with some others working also, I will try and get back into it….It’s nice to talk family, huh? And to learn what the other siblings  side of the family has been up to. Back in the 1960’s our quartet was singing at a Sunday Afternoon Singing in Hobbs, NM, the Stamps Baxter type singing and the moderator asked a Mr. Hester to come and lead a song. Looking at that gentleman was like looking at my Dad. When he finished he was walking down the aisle back to his seat and I stood up, took him by the arm and led him outside….He said his family came to West Texas from Alabama and at the time I never thought about him being my Dad’s first cousin as I had not done any genealogy work….He had to be kin because of the striking resemblance. Small world, ain’t it….I am looking forward to learning more about this side of our family….Pete

Christy Germscheid of Angel Fire Resort sent me the winners of the shovel race, actually, sent me a list of the results of all the races. I will only post the top winner of each class. Master Men: winner, Jeff Hamblin, top speed 73.21 miles per hour….wow….Adult men: winner, Justin Gonzales, top speed, 71.92 mph. Adult women: winner, Kelly Haukebo, top speed, 68.57 mph. Junior: winner, Niko Haukebo, top speed, 70.37 (flying,huh). Youth: winner, Dominik Ickes, top speed, 65.99 mph. Little Scoops: winner, Braden Allen, top speed, 48.44 mph. Team Racer: Fish on Ice team of John Herring, Janet Herring and Daniel Herring with a top speed of 63.13 (Daniel) 62.51 (John) and 60.50 (Janet). Thank you Christy for sharing that information….. Now, just what do you folks think about that. Can you imagine traveling down that hill at 70 miles per hour in or on anything…..a shovel?….I wasn’t there in person, but I’m thinking about making it next year, er, do they make extra wide shovels? Just wondered, er, not for me, it’s er, for a friend…….that’s www.AngelFireResort.com if you need info about a few days on the snow at this beautiful northern New Mexico ski resort….come on out, the skiing is great…. (so I’ve heard)…Pete Hester