The state Legislature is to be commended for managing to cover the budget shortfall during the special session. Santa Fe has a rare gem in the Academy for Technology and Classics, which offers at a public school the kind of education one usually expects to find only at private schools. I hope that ATC remains open and doesn't fall prey to one of the impending budget cuts.

Retain red tag

Staci Matlock's Nov. 1 article, "Damaged acequia puts flawed system in spotlight," states that according to ARC chairman Jason Shapiro, the developer's apparent destruction of a section of Acequia de las Joyas may have resulted from an inaccurate plat that doesn't match the original archaeological survey. The developer has said he bulldozed the protection easement, not a section of the protected acequia.

It is in fact not misplaced, and Mr. Shapiro has no evidence other than the developer's opinion that the protection easement is misplaced.

While ARC member Jake Ivey admitted there were holes in the system, he seemed unconcerned that the developer is now allowed to benefit from his destruction of a protected cultural resource. The ARC is now moving for the second time in six months to vacate a protection easement on a pre-1851 acequia segment. Instead, the committee should recommend that the red tag on the development remain in force until the ditch is restored.


See 'Section 60'

Section 60 is a gut-wrenching HBO documentary about the "saddest acre" at Arlington National Cemetery, where U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. Why are we throwing blood and treasure at these corrupt, failed states? Why are we doing it basically alone, perhaps with a little token support from a handful of other countries? Why do we have major industries that thrive on war?

Only after we were kicked out of Vietnam did it become a viable nation. Until then, we were the deep pockets that fomented unbridled corruption. History, as usual, is repeating itself.

The reason for our current wars, of course, is oil. If, as Bush Sr. famously said, Iraq exported broccoli, the 82nd Airborne wouldn't be there. Unfortunately, we have painted ourselves into a corner. Try walking or biking to work, shopping or school. Not a chance. And so many energy "solutions," like wind, solar, hybrids and even, it appears, nuclear, won't help. The immediate future is just fine. But decades from now, our survivors will be living in a very, very different world.


Over-exposed news

I purchase your newspaper to stay informed about what is going on in the this city and the rest of the world. I like your newspaper and have even clipped out a few articles to save in my own records.

However I did not like the Nov. 7 photo of the nearly nude man that ran with "Teen charged in nun's death." You should have used a mug shot, or a photo in which he was fully clothed.

This man is suspected of committing an awful crime, but I do not think we need to be exposed to even more nudity and violence than we already are. This kind of reporting reminds me of the angry female journalists who insisted on being inside the men's locker room; or the new version of the Zits comic strip; or memories of the female Army private who had fun with naked prisoners of war.

I'm not a religious woman or scared of nudity, but I think that constant images of it cause a lot of the problems we have in society today.
No-alcohol parties

I am glad that Mayor David Coss pledged a community-wide effort to curb drunken driving in the Santa Fe area, and that he mentioned that tougher laws must be included in the effort.

Those tougher laws could include one that forbids any alcohol consumption on city streets, such as at "block parties."

I've attended a block party the last two years, and it ends up in nothing but binge drinking and arguments. They last until two in the morning because you have people driving off to replenish the booze supply two or three times.

The mayor says he also supports education as part of the city's effort to stop DWI. Well, I see a lot of kids at these block parties, and they are getting a bad education! If people want to get drunk and raise hell, the city should make it difficult for them. We need protection against DWI.

Bring our money home

Just think about it! If we get out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, we would have billions and billions of dollars for education and health care and lots of military personnel right here for home defense. We could even keep a better eye on the billions going to non-defense contractors. Just think about it.