This, That and the Other Thing

It's been a bit since I posted anything and so I thougt it was time. As we near the Primary next Tuesday I just wanted to tell people about myself a litte more than what they may already know or assume to know.

• I'm a normal guy just like you. I have my butler put my pants on one leg at a time.
• I have a twisted sense of humor in case you didn't notice.
• I really honestly do care about people. All people it's something my mother instilled in me at a young age. I have learned to help others when I can and to share what I have with those who don't have for whatever reason. I've also learned to tell the difference.
• I'm passionate about everything I do and sometimes that causes me to become angry if I feel that someone is getting screwed over for the benefit of someone else. I wouldn't like it to happen to me and I don't like it to happen to others.
• I belive everyone needs to be treated with respect regardless of their socioeconomic status. Unless they are from a higher status and treat the people below them (I hate using that term) with disdain and disrespect as if they're not good enough to associate with them.
• I believe that kids do learn by example and I also belive that their role models should be parents and family but whether we like it or not they pick up things from their environment and other people in thier lives. Some good and Some bad. So whether we like it they watch us and learn from us. We should do our best to not be a bad example.
• I don't tolerate discrimination of any type. Specifically those based on race, gender or sexual orientation. But there are others, stereotypes if you will. Because a person dresses a certain way they are bad or if they talk with a souther accent they're stupid etc.. There is not place for that. Yes Comedians do it and for the most part they do it to point out how ridiculous it sounds.
• I love animals of all types
• I'm educated but not overly educated. Yes there is such a thing.
• I try to keep my ego in check but when I slip I have family and friends to bring me back to earth.

Well that's just a bit about me hope that gives you some insight and if there's more you need to know just ask.

Praise for Jim Hall Council Chair

Yes the title is correct and no I'm not on drugs other than those prescribed by my physician.. But man are they great.. Ok now seriously at last nights council meeting. Nona Bowman wanted to open up a dialogue about how the county can engage with other entities in meeting the long term goals of the county's vision or something to that effect. It turned into a we need to get the county to tell the lab to change it's mission and get more funding type of thing. Several people came up and made comments to that effect and several made comments about how the lab doesn't listen to it's employees or the citizens of LA County. (No big surprise there). Nona also mentioned that several of her constituents felt that they couldn't attend the meeting to support their concerns because the have been directed to not speak directly to elected officials. (yet another thing that doesn't surprise me.) Well when it came down to it most people said that we need to defer to our congressional delegation and our local partners in the state. Once councilor Mike Wheeler I believe said that we would have some difficulty because people look at Los Alamos unfavorably. True. My comments were that the lab needs to continue to be there and that it's mission needs to change and it needs to be managed properly. I also stated that I thought it was not the business of the County Council to deal with this issue as we had no control over DOE or NNSA and that we needed to take care of the county. If we did anything for the lab it would not achieve the true autonomy that Los Alamos needs to have to truly become a separate Entity from the lab. Well after all of the councilors made their remarks, Chairman Hall spoke up. He basically said that it is the labs responsibility to take care of what the Lab needs and not the business of Local County Government. He stated the Council's job is to run the County and take care of the business of the people. I had to hold my self down from jumping up and screaming "Yeah You go Jim you tell em" I didn't and we moved on to other agenda items. Mainly the budget which Councilor Gibson stated he couldn't support because it was nothing more than the same old thing. True it is just that with no plans for the future and that it wasn't in the best interest of the people. He stated that most of the funds were allocated for the running of the government (am I supposed to capitalize government?) I agree but since this budget was already in place and the time to revise it would severely cut into the business of the council for the next several months it wouldn't be a good idea to try to fix it now. I got up and spoke up to that effect and also questioned why the 150 thousand was removed for community branding which I think we need in order to pull the town out from under the shadow of the lab and it's failures of the past 10 years. I reminded that we've got through the first 60 years now what are we going to do for the next 60 years? By the way on a side note the meeting ended before 10pm yes before... So I give kudos to Chairman Hall for both of the things he did last night that I felt were very good. Keeping the County out of the business of the Lab and getting out early.

Hello Is anyobody listening?!?!!!!!

In today's monitor there is an article about Vincent Chiravalle speaking at the Kiwanis meeting this week. In it he basically lays out his platform about tightening the county's wallet and decreasing the amount of projects the county takes on at one time. Here's a section of the article "The special features he wants to build on and preserve include “the high-powered national laboratory” where important contributions to science and national security are made" Last time I checked the incorporated county of Los Alamos had no power whatsoever to control LANL or LANS or NNSA or DOE!!!

That being said he seems to want to turn Los Alamos into a hiking and nature destination and the science mecca of the world. I don't know what his deal is but to be honest I don't know that he has a clue. He Keeps preaching that: "he has “the energy, the ideas and the determination” for the job" Yet he wants to cap spending that is needed to keep out county functioning and though he isn't opposed to the county cutting down it's share of the property taxes to give some to the schools I bet he'd be the first one to stand up and scream if anyone mentioned possibly raising the actual property taxes we pay which are among the lowest in New Mexico and yet we are one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Doesn't make sense to me. To be honest this young man whether he has a PHD or not is clueless. He comes across as one of those "Entitlement" types who believe the Government (Federal) should give us in Los Alamos everything we need.

What we need is a council that is not afraid of the Laboratory, NNSA or DOE and also not dependent on any of those entities for anything. We are no longer in the 1940's and 50's where Uncle Sam took care of it all. We need to stand up on our own and take care of ourselves because frankly nobody else will and if we continue to foolishly believe that the LAB is going to bounce back like it used to or that LANS will suddenly grow a heart and some compassion then we deserve whatever we end up with.

Los Alamos Deserves better and I think we can do better but it takes everyone in the community working together and not expecting the council to handle it. People need to speak up at the meetings and at the polls. The citizens of Los Alamos have more power than they realize and yet they don't use it. They don't use it because of fear and bullying by the Lab/LANS. There was a letter to the editor today about keeping an eye on the quiet ones who may just go postal someday and start shooting up the town. That is highly possible. You just never know. But the point that has to be made and emphasized is that The Incorporated County of Los Alamos which includes the cities of Los Alamos and White Rock needs to remain an independent entity totally dependent upon itself for all of its needs. That includes self sustainability and bringing in businesses that will increase our tax base and keep our money on the hill.

Mr. Chiravelle talks about energy and enthusiasm which are fine. Rah Rah.. But it takes more than that it takes guts, and excuse the phrase but a huge pair of testicles to stand up for the people of Los Alamos county and do what is right by all of them. It takes the willingness to get egg on your face once in a while and maybe even piss a few people off if necessary. I'll fight tooth and nail like a junkyard dog for the youth and young families of Los Alamos because I believe that they are the true future of this community.

I've served my country in the Military, I've been out in the "real" world and seen all of its corporate ugliness that has come as a shock to most people in this community. I've been laid off with bills to pay I've struggled to make ends meet and I've seen my kids struggle through school. and it is because of all of that that I want to do this. Because I know what it's like to struggle and I know what it's like to ride high on a wave of success. I prefer the middle ground where things are stable and as long as a corporate entity and two misguided government agencies are overseeing our Laboratory we as a community need to find some stability within ourselves. That's what I want to achieve for Los Alamos County and for every living breathing soul that resides or works here.