Do corporations have 'free speech' rights? The Supreme Court thinks so.

Once again, Socorro's El Defensor Chieftain newspaper shills for the corporate agenda with press releases and spin being served up as "news" and "opinion" - Socorro can (and should) do better.

Most folks know about Roswell's connection with extraterrestrials, but fewer know of Socorro's connection. But the more UFO-savvy may recall that Socorro was home to one of the more famous UFO sightings in history, way back in 1964. New information raises questions about the veracity of Socorro's 1964 UFO incident.

There will be a public meeting Wednesday, July 22nd at 6 p.m. at the Socorro Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management to discuss the BLM's plans to use the herbicide tebuthiron on over 32,000 acres of BLM land in and around areas of the East Magdalena Mountains, Polvadera Mountain, and Sierra Ladrones.

So we're in the worst economic downturn since the great depression. Businesses and governmental bodies alike are struggling to make ends meet. So what does Socorro City Council and Mayor Bhasker figure they ought to do during such trying times?

With gas rapidly approaching $4.00 per gallon, this is a good time to start thinking about solutions to our oil addiction. Unfortunately, many so-called conservatives are now spouting "solutions" that do nothing to actually address the root of the problem, but instead serve only to further enrich the oil companies and keep us dependent on a commodity that funnels money to dictatorial (and unfriendly) regimes while simultaneously polluting the very air that we and our children breathe.

If your pastor says something controversial (even if it is taken out of context), well, that must be a big deal. So, one would think that if your campaign manager worked as a public relations specialist (i.e. spin doctor) for a dictatorial regime that was responsible for the murder, rape, torture, and disappearance of many of its citizens that it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL. But you'd be wrong. Especially if the offending person worked for a Republican, like John McCain.

Just when you thought New Mexico Tech was getting back on solid ground, what with their tap dancing and backtracking regarding the proposed drop zone for EMRTC, lo and behold they go and do something silly again. This time, it's huge bonuses for the vice presidents, even during a time of tight budgets and increases in tuition. I'm sure the students and parents who are having to stomach a tuition increase aren't going to be too pleased to hear that NM Tech President Dr. Daniel Lopez proposed $100,000 (yes, one hundred thousand dollars!) to distribute as bonuses to the NM Tech vice presidents, and the board of regents rubber-stamped it at their last meeting (whatever happened to the regents being a board of oversight?)

Charity is a good thing. Except when it isn't. When is charity not a good thing? When it's serving an ulterior motive. The Farm and Ranch Bureaus may be doing just that.

As mentioned at the February 19th New Mexico Tech regents meeting, New Mexico Tech will soon host the filming of a 6-part series, produced in conjunction with Warner Brothers, to examine how the unlucky cartoon coyote might increase his chances of actually catching the all too elusive roadrunner. What could be more exciting and cute than that? How could we possibly find anything wrong with this? Well, we did. And we'll tell you why.