Libertarian or Republican for the most part. Very much a gun-lovin', independent, I-do-what-I-want-and-feds-get-out-of-the-way mindset.

Yeah, I think this is fairly true of a lot of other western states as well. More independent than value-oriented.

I think this is fairly true of a lot of other western states as well. More independent than value-oriented.

Yup. Very much a "well, if they're so damned poor they should get off their butts and get to work, they're probably illegal immigrants who don't want to work, I don't my hard earned tax dollars going to support layabouts" and "why the hell should my hard earned tax dollars go towards that, I don't give a damn about that" sort.

Yup. -to bon (immigration is a little more complex personal issue on this border.) I sometimes laugh at national pundits talking about NM politics. It's its own creature that they usually just don't get. You've got hippy communes colluding with gun-toting survivalists and ranchers and environmentalists fighting together against the gummit. Sometimes. And then there is the whole family thing. Hey, it is a state of under (I think) 2 million. Family connections COUNT. One friend was nephew of the guv when we were born, and man, is that family connected. Another friend's grandmother ALWAYS had the personal # of the governor, regardless of who it was. And WOE if they didn't take her call. And she wasn't even that public. You just TOOK Nana S.'s calls, is all.

Somewhere there is a map showing who gives more and who gets more from the federal gubment. Guess who tends to clean up?

I think it was Keith Olbermann who described her as the past mayor of Cicely Alaska....

At my school the kids aren't supposed to sell candy at campus. It has something to do with the contract the food service has.

I'm sure this is the case across the board.

However, back in the Dark Ages AKA, the early 80s, we still had crap food in the cafeteria, had the freedom to go to Mario's Pizza or BK Lounge for lunch, provided we could do it in under 35 minutes (which, didn't work so well), so oftentimes a soda from the machine and a crisped rice generic chocolate bar rocked the house as a nutritious lunch alternative.

Good times.

That I wouldn't repeat again if you paid me.

ION, came back from family dinner with the Republican leaning relatives. Knowing that I sit way the fuck over on the lefty side of the fence, they tried to get my goat by asking if I wasn't pleased that a woman had been chosen as the Repugs VP candidate.

I calmly replied, "I think she'll play great down here, considering she's a good ol' boy wrapped in a dual-X chromosome."

I love leaving 'em speechless.

Carlos Beltrán hit a grand slam in the 9th inning! Mets win!

I love leaving 'em speechless.

Barb is amazing.

OK, math teachers? I just volunteered to teach/tutor neighbor T algebra. It's been 20+ years since I did that. She's 12ish. Any good beginner texts? She's had a rudimentary introduction, with them not calling it algebra and she's hinky on the concept.

When I was a kid, I liked Algebra the Easy Way [link] though it's definitely not a traditional textbook. At CTY, we used this book [link] , which I liked a lot.