Regarding the letter from Paul Gessing, “Resourceful,” in your March 22-28 issue: I would like to take serious exception to what Paul Gessing of the Rio Grande Foundation says about the trends in the world’s commodity prices. A bet between Simon and Ehrlich made back in the ’80s is irrelevant, and to infer from that that commodity prices have been dropping is highly deceptive at best.Data from the United States Geological Survey’s Historical Statistics for Mineral Commodities is below. The data is in constant 1998 dollars per ton of commodity for the years 2000 and 2010.Chromium—2000: $721/t, 2010: $2,010/tCopper—2000: $1,840/t, 2010: $5,550/tNickel—2000: $8,180/t, 2010: $15,700/tTin—2000: $7,730 /t, 2010: $15,200/tTungsten—2000: $7,840/t, 2010: $19,500/tAnd a couple of my favorites:Silver—2000: $152,000/t, 2010: $464,000/tGold—2000: $8,530,000/t, 2010: $28,500,000/tThe prices of these commodities have not gone down.Organizations like the Rio Grande Foundation, assorted political entities and the various groups that are supported by the Oil Boys, Big Coal, the Chemical Folk, and such, put out a lot of misleading propaganda and outright lies. The quantity of this propaganda and outright lies will increase dramatically as the elections approach. The lies and propaganda prey on the ignorant and are designed to let the corporate world continue to pillage, plunder and pollute the planet with impunity and without regulation. Global climate change, oceanic acidification, massive human overpopulation and widespread ecological disruption are very serious realities, and efforts by entities such as the Rio Grande Foundation to deflect attention from them are inexcusable. We really do have serious problems, and if we close our eyes to them, we will pass much more serious problems on to those who follow us.
Letters: Cannabis At The Roundhouse Cannabis At The Roundhouse
The SouthEast New Mexico Medical Cannabis Alliance would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the State Legislature and Governor Martinez for passing and signing SB 240 during the last legislative session. SB 240 is an innovative bill that makes the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program self-supporting. This bill provides for the successful continuation of the nation’s best-run medical cannabis program without any cost to New Mexico taxpayers.There are no negatives surrounding SB 240. New Mexicans needing relief from chronic, painful and sometimes terminal conditions are finding that relief. The taxpayers of New Mexico are not subsidizing medication. The program itself pays for salaries, administrative costs and expenses incurred by the state office through yearly fees paid by legal producers and patients that produce their own medication. There is now a brand-new, viable, legal industry in New Mexico where one did not exist before. Jobs are being created, taxes are being paid, law enforcement resources are freed up, the black market takes a hit and the demand for cartel marijuana is reduced. New Mexicans with one or more of 16 approved conditions are guaranteed safe access to medication, and no one following the rules is in danger of criminal prosecution under state law. Perhaps the best thing about SB 240 for New Mexico patients is the distinctly nonpartisan support for its passage. When Senators Cisco McSorley and Rod Adair are on the same page, we’ve made serious progress in nonpartisan accomplishment. Our thanks to each of you for your compassionate, unwavering support. Our special and sincere thanks to our own Senator Carroll Leavell for his “yes” vote on SB 240. Senator Leavell, you have the support of the Alliance! The Alliance also wishes to express our sincere disappointment with Representatives Cathrynn Brown and Bill Gray for their “no” votes on SB 240.Recent CBS News and Gallup polls show that a full 71 percent of Americans feel that medical use of cannabis (marijuana) should be legal. In our state we are fortunate that medical cannabis use is legal and that sick and suffering New Mexicans, including many veterans, are finding relief because of that. The passage of New Mexico SB 240 represents another step forward by our state regarding the prudent application of medical cannabis laws.
Letters: Straight But Not Narrow Straight But Not Narrow
I wish to thank the editor of the Alibi and Janice Devereaux for printing one of the most lyrical, articulate and thoughtful letters I’ve ever read [“An Open Letter to Sate Rep. David Chavez,” Feb. 23-29] .While not a member of the gay community, I thoroughly approve of her noting the narrow-mindedness and tightlipped disapproval of lifestyles that differ from the ones many choose. I believe it is not my business to tell others how to live.P.S., I’m mailing Xerox copies of the letter to my my out-of-town friends so they can admire its clarity and beauty.
Letters: Duke Nukem Duke Nukem
[Re: Opinion, “Playing With Nuclear Fire,” March 29-April 4] Jerry, thanks for promoting Palast’s work. Unfortunately, it is too little, too late for all the best efforts of activists. I hope all readers will go to enenews.com to see what is actually up. Our government agencies, mass-conspiracy-media, every talking-head you see on TV is lying or participating in normal, ignorant, American go-along to get-along, don’t-make-waves, just do it. Mr. Ortiz y Pino, you have scratched the surface. Unfortunately, we live in high clearance Newk Mexico, so we dare not bite the deficit-funded hand that feeds us. The diesel backup generators are an interesting aspect of the story, but in reality, the stark fact is that every so-called nuke power plant actually requires constant input of high-voltage, commercially-produced-and-delivered electricity , without which the cooling stops and the meltdown begins. Even if the diesel generators were perfect, they only have what fuel is in the tanks. After that, with your disaster-destroyed power grid gone, you get meltdown anyway . That is what we have cooking away times three, at least, at Fukushima. Plutonium mixed-oxide fuels were jettisoned and vaporized into the atmosphere. You can see it for yourself on YouTube. Nice basic article, Jerry, going as far as you did to help Palast. But, Jerry, now is the time to show us a little more depth. Actually, a lot more depth.
Letters: Priorities Priorities
[Re: Blog, “Daily Word,” March 29] Bankers are taking federal bailout money and foreclosing on our homes that are no longer worth the mortgage amount because the bankers burst the bubble … and Gadi Schwartz is following the City Housing Director to the nail salon? Hooray for tough journalism.
Letters: Divide And Conquer Divide And Conquer
[Re: Letters, “The Great Divide,” March 29-April 4] Well, Greg, I must say that this perch of yours in beautiful Placitas sounds quite interesting. The view must be spectacular, as your part of the Earth tends to be filled with stunning, stark beauty. That’s probably why the home prices in your quaint village are so prohibitive for us average folk—you know, simpletons that don’t have quite the same "perch" that you do. In fact, we’re lucky to have a perch at all, and even if we did, it wouldn’t quite give us the same sweeping perspective you’ve been so utterly blessed with. No, unfortunately us down below don’t have the same opportunity you do to see the world so objectively and simply like the thoughtful professor that you are. I wonder though, are you looking down from your perch through a camera, perhaps? Maybe one that, I don’t know, has a black-and-white lens attached? Because this A vs. B perspective is so, well, simplistic—almost like you’ve been sitting on that perch a long, long time—30, 40 years, I’d say. Certainly your romanticism of the very modern times you called "the ’60’s" wouldn’t suggest that maybe "Republicans" aren’t the only ones who really believe that the world must backtrack to some mythical utopia dreamland in the past. But what do I know, I’m just an intellectually challenged, fascist Victorian drooling over the Bible in the canyon below, eagerly arming myself in anticipation of the next war—while you, in your exclusive, beautiful and very narrow corner of the world observe from high above, completely detached from this awful American schism I, and the other frothing racist misogynists, apparently helped create.
Letters: The Meaning Of Free Speech The Meaning Of Free Speech
[Re: Opinion, “A Police State of Mind,” March 22-28] I attended the Nonie Darwish lecture and heard dissidents crying about "free speech on campus." When protesters "mic checked" Ms. Darwish they violated her right to free speech.A question-and-answer session followed her lecture and the dissidents were given the opportunity to express their anti-Israel sentiments.Interestingly, no one challenged Ms. Darwish on ideological grounds that Islamic Sharia laws imposed by Middle East dictators promoted terrorism and oppression of women.
Letters: Let The Sun Shine In? Let The Sun Shine In?
[Re: Blog, “Protest against APD shootings today at 4 p.m.,” March 28] Police shootings were down in 2011 from 2010. Either fewer people needed to be shot, or APD is being more careful in applying deadly force, or both. A Justice Department investigation might tell us if there was, or still is, a problem outside the obviously bad calls.I signed up with a group to watch cops because I thought some impartial observation could not hurt. I resigned when it became obvious too many of them were more about cop hating than cop watching and were using a concern for civil rights as a cover. There never was and never would be a justified use of deadly force in their world. Too bad, it was a good idea.
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