Here are some more beautiful photos of New Mexico. I hope you enjoy!
My Favorite Breakfast Spot in Albuquerque: Copper Canyon Cafe
July 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Copper Canyon Cafe on Gibson Blvd SE in Albuquerque, NM
I love food. I love New Mexico. I love food in New Mexico. So I want to highlight some of my favorite places to eat in New Mexico. Here is one of the best breakfast restaurants in Albuquerque: Copper Canyon Cafe
Copper Canyon is located on Gibson Blvd SE across from the VA Hospital. My wife and I recently stopped into the establishment and had breakfast. The service was amazing! The food was unbelievable.
I ordered the corned beef hash and overlays eggs. I added green Chile and onions to my hash which was a great choice. The food came out quickly and I have to say that it was the best hash that I have ever tasted.
Navajo Huevos Rancheros
Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs
The sourdough bread was also the best I have ever had. The slices were thick and the bread was toasted perfectly.
We have returned to Copper Canyon multiple time since our first visit. My new favorite dish is the polish sausage breakfast with overlays eggs and papitas. The sausage is cooked just right and full of flavor. I mix the papaitas (potatoes) and eggs and put a small dab of Chalula on it. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
Awesome sign at the door
We stopped at Copper Canyon on a Sunday at 11:30am and we did not have to wait. We were seated immediately and the food was served quickly.
If you live in Albuquerque, you know how rare it is to find a Sunday Brunch place that does not have a wait.
So check out Copper Canyon if you get a chance. I think you will love it as much as my wife and I do!
***They have a Veteran/ Military Discount too!***
#ThankfulThursday: Beautiful Photos of New Mexico (Vol. 2)
July 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Here are a few more beautiful photographs of New Mexico for my new #ThankfulThursday series. I truly love New Mexico and hope you will enjoy my photos. Have a wonderful day!
A stunning flower I came across in the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque
Even the smallest and most unnoticed details of New Mexico are worth love
I love the powerful angles and lines of these plants
The majesty of the sun on the New Mexico landscape
New Mexico Veterans Program Needs Your Help
July 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Dear Readers, I am asking that you take a moment out of your day to read about, and possibly help, a program in New Mexico designed to help Student Veterans.
A beautiful and peaceful Retreat for Veterans. Photo from the GoFunMe page
Every year there is a retreat for held for student Veterans at the Vallecitos Mountain Ranch in New Mexico. The retreat helps Veterans learn how to deal with stress and live a healthier life. My wife & I have personally attended this retreat a few times and it is life-changing.
Veterans who have PTSD and other disabilities benefit from this program immensely. Unfortunately, the funding for this year has been cutoff and the program is in desperate need of donations to continue.
Please help out if you can. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. I have included the link to the GoFundMe page. Please share it widely. Your funding will help so many Veterans attend a retreat that can change their lives. Check out the link to learn more.
Thank you so much!
https://www.gofundme.com/student-veterans-retreat?member=401578
The Beauty of New Mexico in Pictures
July 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment
I just felt like sharing some beautiful pictures* of New Mexico. I absolutely love it here! I hope you enjoy.
*All Photographs are my own
Should New Mexico End Summer Break For Children?
February 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Apparently NM Senator Joseph Cervantes (D) was never a child. He must have miraculously appeared in adult form one day and skipped a human experience known as “childhood.” You may think I have finally lost my mind, but I beg you to read SB 256 and come to a different conclusion.
Senator Cervantes sponsored SB 256, which is designed to increase school days for New Mexico’s children. He isn’t just calling for another week of school…he wants the children to go to school for 27 more days! That is 5.5 more weeks of school.
SB 256 will increase the required number of hours per school year for kindergarten through fifth grades from 990 hours per year to 1127 hours per year. (It also removes half day kindergarten)
The bill also includes a minimum requirement of 205 days of instruction per year. Let’s put that in perspective. In school year 2016-17, the Albuquerque Public School calendar included 178 days of instruction. The school year began August 11, 2016 and ends May 25, 2017. By my calculation, the extra 27 days of school would make the last day of school in early July.
Wait…that’s not all. There is more fun to be had with this kid-friendly bill. Jolly Ol’ Senator Cervantes included the following restrictions:
“ Days or hours when no instruction is given due to lunchtime, recess, weather-related school delays or cancelations, in-service training, teacher planning and preparation or other events that are not educational programs…shall not count toward the calculation of minimum instructional hours or days.”
I know that schools have built-in school days for weather related cancelations. It just seems a little overboard to include this type of harsh language in this bill.
Lastly, the bill requires that, “School breaks shall be scheduled as evenly as practicable.” Really? How does propose that the schools do that with so few “off” days?
Obviously this is a “year-round” school proposal. I cannot stand the idea of any child, especially children in kindergarten through fifth grade, being required to be in school so much. I have a child and I want her to cherish fall, winter, spring and summer breaks as much as I did.
Hopefully I am wrong and Senator Cervantes was a child at some point. Maybe he will remember that your youth is only temporary and you never get it back. Let’s not take these moments away from our children just because we want them to be “competitive.” For the sake of the inner child in all of us, please do not let SB 256 pass.
Veterans Don’t Matter? According to NM SB 103 & HB 108 they don’t
February 7, 2017 by Leave a Comment
The New Mexico Legislature ignores Veterans again. Politicians love to use us during their campaign, but abandon us when we really need them. SB 103 & HB 108 are both silent on Veterans issues concerning the transfers of college credit gained from military experience. As a matter of fact, the proposed changes in the definitions of the Act may make it more difficult for Veterans to transfer credits.
SB 103 & HB 108 are identical bills that seek to amend the Post-Secondary Education Articulation Act. This Act is designed to create a unified method of transferring credits between New Mexico Institutions of Higher Education. Arguments exist for and against certain aspects of the bills, but both sides seem to miss the impact the measure will have on Veterans.
Currently, there is no unified system of determining how many credits a Veteran will be awarded for military training. According to the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) Bill Analysis for 2016 SB 153, military credit is transferred “solely at the discretion of the college or university.”
That may not seem like a big deal to most people, but for Veterans it is a headache. My wife & I can attest to that first hand. We are not new to college life as military Veterans.*
We have experienced the difficulties of transferring military credits between universities. Despite the fact that my wife had completed multiple years in the military and had an associate degree, UNM did not recognize all of her military education that was included in her Associate Degree. They only awarded her 3 credits for physical education. She had to take more credits to finish her BA than she should have needed. It was a waste of time and money, which could have been easily avoided.
Last year Senator Craig W. Brandt sponsored SB 153, which required the New Mexico Higher Education Department to “work in coordination with institutions of higher education to study, create and implement a policy and single articulation agreement regarding the award of academic college credit based on military training and experience.” Unfortunately, it was only a temporary provision that required HED to present a report to the Military and Veterans Affair Committee (MVAC) and the LESC on November 1, 2016.
The official minutes of the November 1, 2016 MVAC meeting are not available, but the November 16, 2016 LESC minutes are. At that meeting the HED Financial Aid Director, Dr. Harrison Rommel indicated that the department wants “military credits to apply towards a degree”, but as my wife and I both experienced, “the department has not seen that happen in the past.”
The changes to the Post-Secondary Education Articulation Act may make implementing a unified military credit policy more difficult. The bills both propose changing the definition of “articulation” from “the transfer of course credit from one institution to another” to “the transfer of courses that fulfill a graduation requirement for a student’s chosen degree program.”
HED admitted that they have not seen institutions apply military credits towards a degree. This means that even if one institution grants military credits there is no guarantee that another institution will accept them unless they “fulfill a graduation requirement.”
In addition to this change, the HED was quoted in the LESC Bill Analysis stating that “the development of a comprehensive, statewide transfer policy for military credit reflected on JST could be developed in parallel with the department’s existing work on articulation, transfer, and common course numbering.” The key word here is “could.” Why didn’t they use a word such as “will?” They used “could” because that gives them an out and leaves them uncommitted to the plan.
SB 153 did not have any substantive requirements for HED, nor did it have any implementation timeline. If our legislature truly cared about Veterans, they would require SB 103 and HB 108 to include language that requires HED to develop a “comprehensive, statewide transfer policy for military credit reflected on JST that will be developed in parallel with the department’s existing work on articulation, transfer, and common course numbering.”
They should also change the definition of “articulation” back to its original meaning or include another provision that excludes military transfer credits from these requirements.
The legislature is rushing HB 108 and SB 103 through without taking into consideration so many variables, including Veterans issues. I ask that you call your representatives and ask for them to vote “no” on HB 108 and SB 103.
* I served 15 years in the military and my wife served 12 years. We both gave up our careers to use of G.I. Bills and get an education. I was able to complete an Associate Degree in General Studies from Central Texas Community College, a BA in Business and Management from St. Martin’s University, start a MBA at UNM and get my Juris Doctor from UNM School of Law. My wife completed her Associate Degree in General Studies from University of Maryland University College, was the first student in UNM history to earn a BA in Chicano Studies, is in the process of finishing her MA in American Studies at UNM, and has started her PhD in Visual & Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester.
Is Gary Johnson Worse Than Donald Trump?
July 28, 2016 by 1 Comment
For those of you jumping on the Gary Johnson bandwagon, you may want to think twice. In some regards he may be just as bad or worse than Donald Trump.
I will admit, at first glance, Gary Johnson seems very appealing to voters who do not like Clinton or Trump. If you take a few moments to read through the “issues” section on his campaign site, you may find yourself shaking your head in agreement with most of his ideas. For instance, he proposes:
- Cuts to military spending and to use more strategic means to “neuter” extremist organizations.
- Legalization of marijuana
- Lowering/ eliminating taxes and simplifying the tax code through a “single consumption tax” (VAT tax)
- Create jobs by eliminating business income taxes. This will make America a “tax haven”
- People should be free to do as they choose, marry who they want to marry and personal freedom should be protected at all costs (as long as no harm is done to others)
- Reform the Justice system. Too many things have been criminalized in an attempt by politicians to look “tough”
- Drug rehabilitation and harm reduction are more acceptable and successful than incarceration and arrests.
- Immigration: Simplified system of work visas. (which sounds like a good plan until you read his other ideas in combination with this idea)
- Eliminate Common Core and standardization in the school system (Eliminate the Federal Department of Education)
These are just a few of his talking points. Many of these ideas will appeal to voters who supported Sanders and those who dislike Clinton and Trump. Unfortunately, Gary Johnson’s website conveniently omits some of his (and the Libertarian Party’s) more controversial ideas. For instance:
- Elimination of Federal minimum wage. Gary says that minimum wage is “much ado about nothing.” He wants to “let the marketplace function.”
- He wants to privatize public education. The Libertarian Party believes that “parents should have control of and responsibility for ALL funds expended for their children’s future.”
- The end to all laws prohibiting discrimination. Their platform states, “Members of private organizations retain their rights to set whatever standards of association they deem appropriate, and individuals are free to respond with ostracism, boycotts and other free-market solutions.”
- He calls for a privatized Healthcare system and the phase out of Social Security. The Libertarian Party believes that “retirement is the responsibility of the individual.”
- Remove all barriers to “Free” trade.
- Require all States to accept “Right to Work” to dismantle unions.
- End government regulations on employer/ employee relationships.
Let’s soak these items in for a moment. Gary Johnson and the Libertarian Party want to ease immigration to allow more workers, end minimum wage, allow employer discrimination and remove all regulation on hiring practices, destroy Unions, privatize Healthcare, which will decrease access, and dismantle the financial safety net of the elderly.
His plan would basically legalize slavery and throw us back into the Dark Ages. These ideas are ridiculous. Does he or the Libertarian Party actually believe these ideas are a good idea? (This may be a silly question considering a candidate danced in a thong onstage at their Convention and another walks around with a boot on his head.)
Gary Johnson has moved away from some of the Libertarian Party’s more extreme ideas, but he is still representing their platform. Don’t forget, his VP choice is Bill Weld. Governor Weld actually joined the Libertarian Party 2 weeks before he was selected as Gary Johnson’s VP choice. Mr. Weld stated that 98% of the Libertarian Party’s platform is “music to [his] ears.” Really…98% of it? Has he actually read the platform? Governor Weld even mentioned that he is not a fan of Gary Johnson’s “single consumption tax.” He believes that it is regressive.
I realize that the two main party candidates are less than optimal choices. They are hard to support and a lot of people refuse to vote for them. That doesn’t mean we should jump on Gary Johnson’s bandwagon. Reinstating slavery, allowing sweatshops and child labor, abandoning the elderly and supporting segregation/ discrimination are horrible ideas. That platform sounds just as bad or worse than Donald Trumps! Would you vote for Gary Johnson?
NEXT WEEK: Would you vote for Dr. Jill Stein?
Loco Friends: Humans of New Mexico, Dr. Annette Rodriguez and Learners Chess Academy
July 27, 2016 by 1 Comment
New Mexico is full of amazing people and community organizations. Today the Daily Loco is going to take a few moments to recognize some of our friends: Humans of New Mexico, Dr. Annette Rodriguez and Learners Chess Academy.
Humans of New Mexico ( www.HumansofNewMexico.com )
For those of you who have not heard of Humans of New Mexico, I suggest that you take a moment to visit their site, follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook (they have already eclipsed 1000 likes!). They are a “Community project collecting oral histories from everyday New Mexicans.” I find it fascinating to read (or listen to) the stories of everyday people from our community. Everyone has a story to tell and Humans of New Mexico seeks “capture the complex issues that affect our communities and offer a platform to voice everyday practices of resistance to societal pressures.” This is an amazing project that deserves our support and recognition.
Dr. Annette Rodriguez
The Daily Loco would like to congratulate Dr. Rodriguez for winning the 2016 New Mexico Foundation for Open Government William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award (Education). The award is given “to individuals and organizations that advance transparency in the areas of law, journalism, education, government and business.”
Dr. Rodriguez fought the administration of Northern New Mexico College by using the Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act to expose widespread corruption and poor management at the College. The information was published on The Northern New Mexico College Study Group blog and the Daily Loco.
Dr. Rodriguez is a true champion of the People and proved that she truly cares about the students of Northern New Mexico. Thank you for all that you do Dr. Rodriguez!
The Awards Lunch will be held at the Embassy Suites on October 5, 2016. Tickets are still available. Visit their website for more information or to purchase.
Learners Chess Academy
Where to begin? Learners Chess Academy is a community blessing. The organization was founded in 2010 by Victor Lopez and has grown into a non-profit organization that provides after-school programs and chess camps for youth in Albuquerque. Visit their website to learn more (www.learnerchess.org)
Learners Chess Academy has had an amazing year so far! Coach Victor was honored as a White House as a Champion of Change. He (and Learners Chess Academy) is definitely deserving of such high praise.
In addition, the organization just launched Learners Without Borders. The project just recently sent a group of high school students (with coaches) to teach chess in El Salvador. What a great opportunity for those teenagers!
Most importantly, Learners Chess Academy provides Need-based Scholarships. Here is the statement from their site: “At Learners Chess Academy, we charge a fee, when we can, for many of our classes, camps and programs. But we also strive to bring the joy of learning chess to those who cannot afford it by offering need-based scholarships for our camps and after school programs.”
Please take a moment and visit their site to make a donation. Any amount can help a child learn chess and provide an enriching after school program and camp opportunity. DONATE (you will be redirected to their donation page)
Thank you taking the time to read about the amazing accomplishments of some of my friends. Albuquerque and New Mexico are full of amazing people and organizations that seek to build a better world. I am proud of you all and proud to be a New Mexican!
DNC Convention: Thoughts and Highlights from Last Night
July 26, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Being a political junkie, I was glued to my TV last night watching the DNC Convention on MSNBC. Here are a few highlights and thoughts about what I saw:
Senator Cory Booker- Wow! What an amazingly powerful speaker. He emphasized love and unity. Although his speech set the room on fire, it was void of any real substance.
He motivated the crowd with catchy phrases like, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” He also called Trump a “twisted hypocrite” who would never let another man treat his wife and daughter the way he treats women. Overall, I think his speech was a success.
Sarah Silverman- What can I say? Sarah did not look comfortable onstage last night. Her jokes were forced and she could not hide her obvious contempt for the Bernie or Bust faction in the crowd. She broke down and told the Bernie or Bust faction that they were being ridiculous.
Al Franken attempted to ease the tension by using a goofy line about building bridges, but Sarah was visible irritated and was removed from the stage. Not a great move by Sarah when the overall theme of the DNC Convention is “unity.”
Rep. Joseph Kennedy III- I just have to say that I was surprised at Rep. Kennedy’s complete lack of charisma or speaking ability while onstage. It was awkward watching him introduce Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren- Her speech was very toned down compared to the other speakers. (Although she did make fun of people who wear hats) I think that the most important take-away from her speech was her repeated use of the phrase, “rigged system.” I know that she was using it in the context of our economic system, but some part of me felt like she was calling out the DNC and the rigged primaries.
First Lady Michelle Obama- I will have to admit that there were a few moments when the First Lady almost brought tears to my eyes. I really liked how her focus was on children and the future.
To me, her most powerful message came when she said that she realized that “She wakes up every morning in a house that slaves built.” She went on to mention how her daughters played on the White House lawn. It was a strong and passionate statement of how far America has come.
Unfortunately, First Lady Obama attempted to talk about how much Hillary loves and supports children. She forgot to mention that Hillary called for the deportation of children from Central America. I am not buying the whole “Hillary loves children” talking point.
Bernie Sanders- I am a Sanders supporter. Secretly, I was holding out hope that Bernie would shock the World and withdraw his support for Hillary. I was hoping that he would announce that he was running against her in the general election in November.
But…I understand reality. Bernie has been doing this for a long time and he knows what is best. I was happy to hear that Hillary worked with Bernie to adopt many of his political ideas.
He announced that their plan is to allow children from families who make under $120,000 per year to attend 4-year public universities tuition-free! He also said that their plan would drastically reduce student debt.
He discussed the public option for healthcare and the $15 minimum wage platform. I was impressed because he was the first politician to actually discuss specific plans while onstage.
He did have a few moments that made me cringe (including when he said, “I’m with Her). He said that Hillary was going to work to implement a new Glass-Steagall Act. It seems that he may have forgotten that Hillary’s husband, Bill, was the one who repealed it in the first place.
Also, Bernie talked about how Hillary was going to go after Wall Street and big banks. Let’s be real! Hillary is supported by big money and her daughter is married to a hedge fund manager (they own an entire city block on Madison Avenue in NYC). I respect Bernie, but I do not appreciate being treated like a fool. Hillary will never go after those entities.
I will miss the Bernie campaign and I have strong doubts that the revolution will continue after November. I enjoyed Bernie’s detailed speech, but I cannot help but think of what an amazing President he would have made.
MSNBC- I am not naïve. I know that the media loves Hillary Clinton and MSNBC is not an objective news source. Yet I cannot help but laugh at how silly they are. Here are a few moments that had me shaking my head:
- After Bernie’s speech, MSNBC decided to “interview” a few Bernie supporters. All 3 of the women said that they would not vote for Hillary. The commentator’s were so condescending towards these young women and said that they should check back with them in a few days. Way to belittle young, intelligent women MSNBC!
- One reporter told a young woman that she had to pick either Trump or Hillary…she only has 2 choices. The young woman said that there were more than 2 choices and she was going to vote for the Green Party candidate (Jill Stein) MSNBC commentators quickly responded that Bernie did not support Ralph Nader when he was the Green Party candidate.
- MSNBC attempted to turn the rumor that Russia was behind the DNC leak into a fact based story. Even though WikiLeaks creator Julian Assange denied that there was any proof that Russia was the source of the leaks, MSNBC cited nameless “cyber security” experts who support the Russia rumor. What would Mr. Assange have to gain by lying about Russia? Why didn’t MSNBC interview a few of these so-called “cyber security” experts? CONSPIRACY THEORY: Is mainstream media using this Russian non-story to cloud over the fact that the Democratic Primaries were rigged?
The DNC Convention is a show and it will go on. As one of the young women stated, it is a “Hillary Clinton Love Fest!” Please feel free to share your thoughts or opinions about the Convention or this article. Also, feel free to click on the links to watch parts of the DNC speeches!
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