Ice Cream and Camp Maqua; It's Definitely Summer

The other day I met a bear, out in the woods, oh, way out there. And while I was out there, I saw that Alice the camel had five humps.

Are you on to me yet?

If you ever went to summer camp, chances are you recognize those words as songs you may have sung while eating your beans and weenies in the dining hall.

Nothing screams summer like the ice cream man, high utility bills and summer camp. I had a blast from my past last week during an afternoon of treasure hunt antiquing. I was quite taken aback when I came upon the exact same tin watering can I had as a child, same little girl motif, same rust.

I was even more stunned to find an old J.C. Higgins aluminum water cooler with the red top, just like the one my grandpa had back in Ohio so many years ago.

But the timing couldn't have been better when I came upon an army green foot locker like the one I used to pack for camp every summer.



There it was sitting on the floor in an antique shop on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, just like it used to lay at the end of the bunk bed in that cold cabin in the woods in upper Michigan. Of course, I had to open it to see if it had the same interior as my old one. Sure enough, it did.

Was I about to discover the wool blanket, mess kit, travel toothbrush and Cutter's bug spray next? All of a sudden, I could smell the mildew that would seep from the laundry bag that hung on the bunk next to my trunk.

It was getting to be too much, so I pressed on, trying to escape memories of cooking hobo stew over a modified Folgers coffee can, but it was no use. Camp Maqua was back.

Revelry blasted over the loud speakers at the crack of dawn, and that meant it was time for the "hoppers" in the cabin to get up to the dining hall and set the table for their cabin mates. The "apple polishers" stayed behind after the meals to clear the tables and clean up. All campers were up at the flag pole for the raising of the colors every morning before pancakes and sausage. Pranks were to be expected, like the time the horseback riding councilor's bra went up the flag pole with the flag.

Everyone's favorite class was the crafts class, of course. We were girls. My sister and I bestowed exquisite gifts upon my parents, including a Popsicle stick keepsake box with a blue marble handle, handmade sand candles and an endless supply of lanyard key chains.

The nightly ritual began when everyone gathered their soap, towels and toothbrushes and headed to the "brownie" to get ready for bed. Girls crowded around the communal circular sink known as the bird bath and stepped on the foot pedal to activate the fountain effect.

Ah, fifteen girls in their pink flowered bathrobes brushing their teeth together and wishing they were home in their clean clothes watching "The Partridge Family." A memory burned into my mind forever.

When the sound of taps came over the loud speaker, it was lights out. All the happy campers were worn out from their nature hikes and junior life saving classes and ready to go to sleep until a flash light flicks on and a voice begins, "It was a dark and stormy night ..."

Whether your campers are enjoying day camp, music camp, sleep-away camp or sports camp, it's what summer is all about. Just don't let your hoppers and apple polishers off the hook when they get back.

Quote of the Week: "Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, little birdies' dirty feet, all wrapped up in, pretty purple porpoise pus, and me without my spoon. But I've got my straw." — "Gopher Guts"

The Eagle Has Landed....

Remembering the First Awe-Inspiring Moonwalk

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 7/18/09

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, the famous moonwalk has brought back memories from when he first performed the dance 27 years ago on the Motown 25th Anniversary show. But there is another moonwalk making an anniversary this week: the real moonwalk, performed by Neil Armstrong 40 years ago this Monday as it was broadcast on televisions around the world.

Where were you when you watched Armstrong's boot touch the lunar surface? I was sitting with my mother on our couch in the living room. I still remember to this day feeling so nervous for the astronauts wondering if they were going to sink into a quicksand-like surface or land safely on hard ground. But that's an 8-year-old girl for you; a mother in the making even then.

Landing on the moon made us one with the world and it was like magic. But watching the space geeks at Mission Control in Houston riding an emotional roller coaster had to have been one of the high points. These young baby boomers brought home the human element. When they looked worried, we were worried. When they threw their arms up in the air in victory, we cried.

"Apollo 11: The Untold Story," an article on www.popularmechanics.com, is filled with quotes from the young men who were part of history; sleepless news correspondents and operations engineers, flight directors and even astronauts themselves telling their personal tales of those historical days in the summer of '69.
Robert Sieck, spacecraft test and launch operations engineer, Kennedy Space Center said, "Since I was the backup engineer, I was not out at the Cape. I could watch the launch with my wife and my 1-year-old daughter. The highway was absolute gridlock, and the cars and trucks weren't trying to move. Everyone was there to watch history. The vendors were sold out of everything—no more T-shirts, caps, buttons or pins. People were pulling plugs of grass from the side of the road and stuffing them in Ziploc bags as souvenirs."

After a three-day coast from earth, Apollo 11 entered the moon's orbit and circled 11 times before attempting to land. Watching the lunar module get closer to touchdown and eaves dropping on Mission Control questioning the safety of landing was when everyone stopped breathing.

"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," Armstrong announces, breaking the tension in the control room as a controller tells the crew "You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue, we're breathing again."

Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would spend two hours on the moon July 19, collecting souvenirs and leaving a few of their own; an American flag and a plaque that reads, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." I would be fortunate enough to see two of the souvenirs in my lifetime: a moon rock at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and the actual space capsule at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., Much smaller than I expected, I might add.

With less than 20 percent of its employees under the age of 40, NASA Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation calls the space agency "mono-generational," meaning it is composed almost entirely of members of the Baby Boomer generation. I think its time to reignite the spark of awe there once was in our space program and inspire a new generation to shoot for the stars.

Quote of the Week: "There is a photograph that shows splashdown inside the control room. There's a guy standing by the console with a huge piece of paper. That's me. I got the signatures of everybody in that room and in the back room. Every time I did that I would ask them their age. Well, I sat down and ran it out. The average age the night we had splashdown was 28." When Space Shuttle Atlantis left Earth on May 11, 2009, the average NASA civil servant's age was 47." H. David Reed, a flight dynamics officer during Apollo 11.

I had this Chuck Mangione album...right along side my KISS and Cheap Trick albums

Americans Are Suckers for Pitchmen With Accents

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal, Rio Rancho section 07/11/09

The phrase "Sell the sizzle, not the steak" is the old adage that the advertising industry creatives live by. Executives have been honing their skills for years trying to figure out what is going to make average consumers go out and spend their hard-earned dollar on something they didn't know they wanted until they were told they couldn't live without it. And one way to do it is to put a big personality out front to make the product sound like the answer to all your prayers, aka the pitchman.

How many young people out there bought their parents a ShamWow for Christmas last year? I know my youngest daughter wanted to buy me one, and my nephew actually did give my sister one. How could they help themselves, those poor innocent consumers? Watching a captivating commercial every half hour on the television and a slick salesman like Vince telling them they needed one for "the shower, the boat and the RV." Those kind-hearted, gift-giving urchins didn't stand a chance.

Pitchmen have been shouting at us since before television existed, but TV only gave them a bigger audience. Even Jack LaLanne, the exercise guru of the '60s, is hawking his Power Juicer, beauty products, belt buckles and T-shirts. I remember I used to watch Jack Lalanne on TV when I was young and home sick from school. I would turn on his exercise show (it was in black and white) and dunk my Oreos in my milk as he counted out the repetitions. He was persuasive in getting me to hold on to a chair and do leg lifts every now and then, but mostly I just waited to see if Happy, his white shepherd dog, would come onto the set. A Power Juicer? If Jack Lalanne says it's good, it has to be.

It was sad news to hear Billy Mays died recently. Everyone knows Billy Mays for OxiClean. Billy Mays for Orange Glo, Billy Mays for Kaboom. With a very recognizable presentation voice, you knew when his commercials came on without even seeing the screen. I have to admit, I couldn't take Billy Mays in the morning. He may have been very successful at his career, but that decibel is not acceptable before the noon hour.

What is it with Americans and the English accent? For some reason, we just attach authority to it no matter what the subject is. Take the other big pitchman out there, Anthony "Sully" Sullivan. You know him for products such as the Swivel Sweeper, the TapLight, the Smart Chopper, the One Sweep, the Natural Bra, the Jet Tan, the Slimming Pants, the Glass Wizard, the Laser Straight, the Westinghouse StickUp Bulb, the Grater Plater, the Point 'n Paint and the list goes on and on.

There have been many famous pitchmen over the years who have begged for your money. Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's fast food chain, was the pitchman for his own company. Remember Florence Henderson and her "Wesson-ality?"

Bill Cosby was one of my favorites. He used to pitch Jell-O brand pudding for years. I still have my Old Weird Harold plastic pudding cup in my cupboard from the '70s. I am sure my granddad saved countless box tops and sent away for it, just like he did my Tony the Tiger spoon; which is in my silverware drawer right now.

But wait, there's more! Remember John Cameron Swayze for Timex? How about Madge the manicurist for Palmolive dishwashing liquid — you're soaking in it.

As long as there is life on the planet, there will be pitchmen standing in line to sell you something you probably don't need. So don't get out that credit card too quickly, unless of course, he has an English accent.

Quote of the week: "I talked, I yelled, I hawked, and it worked! I was stuffing money into my pockets, more money than I had ever seen in my life." — Ron Popeil, maker of the Vegomatic.

Jack and Happy

We Could Be Doing Much More To Stop These DWIs

I am having a hard time keeping my composure and anger intact in respect to the recent accident by an alleged drunk driver who killed four children in Santa Fe.

It didn't matter that they were young and inexperienced drivers. They didn't stand a chance.

If the suspect was indeed drunk, consider it another in a long line of senseless crimes caused by selfish people who have no care or concern for anyone else in this world but themselves.

When I was 17, my girlfriend and I were hit head-on by a man driving the wrong way on a one-way street. The driver was leaving a bar in his late model Cadillac around 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night, and we had just left the ice cream shop in our sub-compact Dodge Colt. Upon breaking the windshield with my head, I suffered a concussion and broken jaw.

We were both banged up pretty badly, but lived. We were lucky.

Unfortunately, many of us know someone who has lost a loved one.

I have some friends who lost their daughter four years ago in another senseless accident. She was 18 years old, and the accident happened the night before she was to go away to college.

Their sadness, confusion and torture is easily seen on the pages of a Web site where her parents, friends and strangers leave little heartfelt messages to their deceased daughter, telling her how much they miss her, how she would have liked the recent trip to the beach, and how they are still trying to come to terms with losing their only daughter who meant the world to them, just like all of our children do.

The notes left by the girl's mother are the hardest to read as she tries to "move on," like she is advised. But as you read her messages, you can see that after four years it still feels like she lost her daughter last night. She sees the notes from her daughter's friends who have gone through college and are now graduating. Friends tell the girl about their marriages, their babies, their new careers in exciting fields — all things the girl's mom and dad had hoped for their daughter.

Too much heartache that in most cases is preventable.

What can we do? In recent years, several U.S. states (including Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Virginia and Washington) have introduced legislation to combat drunken driving, including issuing unique colored license plates to designate drivers with criminal records for driving while intoxicated. Ohio issues bright yellow tags that contrast nicely on the road with their normally white tags.

Opponents of specialized drunk driver license plates bemoan the apparent stigma associated with having to wear the "scarlet letter." But isn't that the point? Since a fine and some jail time doesn't seem to discourage drunk drivers, it's time we upped the ante. It's time for a change.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report on motor vehicle deaths, the Fourth of July is the second-deadliest holiday to be on the road. An estimated 53 percent of fatal Fourth of July crashes involve at least one drunk driver.

The top five most dangerous holidays to be on the road are:
1. Thanksgiving
2. 4th of July
3. Memorial Day
4. Labor Day
5. New Year's Eve

Please be careful out there today and get home early tonight. Be responsible. Be a defensive driver. And let there be no drunk driving deaths to report tomorrow.

Quote of the Week: "Road sense is the offspring of courtesy and the parent of safety." — Australian Traffic Rule.

Your Wanderlust is Calling You

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho and Westside sections 6/27/09

With summer in full swing now, vacation plans are being executed as families hit the open road in search of grand adventures, snow cones and suntans. Whether it is the biggest ball of twine, the Grand Canyon or the ambiguous "anywhere but here," it is summer and America is heeding the call of the wild blue yonder and escaping to new destinations yet unseen.

When I was young, I had a hard time falling asleep at night. Thinking music would help lull me to sleep, my mother bought me a Sony Digimatic Flip-Clock Radio for Christmas one year. This ultra-mod, state-of-the-art clock radio was white plastic, the coolest of the cool since all clock radios up until then came in black only. Four buttons on top; on/off, AM/FM, set/release, radio/alarm. The radio dial was backlit in space-age green and a soft amber-colored light lit up the black flaps with white numbers that flipped over one minute at a time. How can I recall such detail after all of these years? Because it didn't lull me to sleep. I knew every inch of that radio because I stared at it every night for years as I lay awake in bed carefully turning the dial ever so slowly in attempts to find the furthermost station in the tri-state area. It woke up the wanderlust embers that were smoldering inside of me from the bed I shared with my dog, in the bedroom I shared with my sister, in my little mid-Michigan town of Saginaw.

Wanderlust: A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel. We all have it and I think it is born within us, surfacing somewhere between adolescence and "get me out of here." Every night was like taking a trip and not knowing the destination. As the night grew longer, local stations would go off the air leaving the airwaves open for picking up the far away stations. The first time I tuned in to WJR in Detroit, albeit just two hours south of my bedroom, to me it was another world. I could hear the music the people in Detroit were hearing. I could hear commercials for local restaurants. I could hear their temperature and weather forecast for that night. Here was a bigger city for me to discover.

Soon WJR became an old friend. But when I found CKLW out of Canada, I thought I hit the big time. So what if it was Windsor, Ontario, just across the Detroit River, it was still another country for Pete's sake. Another big city I would eventually see.

My favorite discovery up until then had to have been hearing WLS in Chicago; a full 300 miles away. They had skyscrapers in Chicago, the Loop and the Sears Tower. But the coolest difference between Chicago and my bedroom? They were an hour earlier than I was. Another time zone. Score!

The greatest escape on my radio was finding WABC in New York City, 700 miles away. Talk about a big city. New York City made Detroit look like Saginaw, and I couldn't get enough. What did Broadway look like? Wall Street? Tunnels and bridges? And their summertime temperatures were so much hotter than mine. The wanderlust bug bit me hard, and I knew there was a world out there just waiting for me to discover.

If you haven't hit the road yet this summer and are in town looking for a little escape from your regular routine this weekend, head over to the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair at the state fairgrounds. On Saturday from 10a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. artists will be selling their glasswork, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, photography and much more.

Quote of the Week: "Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." — Jack Kerouac

In honor of Michael Jackson...

Should We Know Where Dangerous Dogs Live?

As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 06/20/09

Angel's Law is an Albuquerque city ordinance established to protect the public, especially young children and others unable to protect themselves from vicious attacks by dangerous dogs.

The City Council found that owners who allowed their dangerous dogs to run loose in the city or fail to safely and humanely restrain those dogs on their property are criminally and civilly liable for the harm those dogs cause.

The ordinance focuses on three items: potentially dangerous dogs, dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners. The ordinance sounds like a good one, a protective one that will help safeguard the public by fining dog owners who allow their dangerous dogs to run loose.

But when I heard this week that the city had posted a list of actual dangerous dogs in the city, their breed and their home addresses, I wasn't so sure anymore. The idea seemed too invasive, seeing those addresses published right out there for all to avoid. I almost felt like a peeping Tom.

But after giving this some thought, as a mother, I have to say I appreciate a list that lets me know where dangerous dogs roam wild and can potentially harm my children. It is much like registered sex offenders' lists that show actual addresses of these criminals and the harm they have caused innocent children.

The dangerous dogs list, which is available online at cabq.gov/pets/dogs/dangerous-dogs shows nine pit bull or pit bull mixed breeds and one German shepherd. Does it seem that "mean dog" and "pit bull" are synonymous, or is it just me?

To get a better under-standing of why the pit bull always seems to be categorized as a dangerous dog, I called Rick Dillender, dog trainer and owner of A Fresh Perspective Dog Training in Rio Rancho who, with his wife, Heather, work with individuals, humane societies and animal rescues in New Mexico, Arizona and Washington.

"It's breed discrimination," Dillender said. "Pit bulls may seem to be meaner than others because they are a powerful breed. Any dog, big or small, can be mean and aggressive if neglected."

I was skeptical as I listened to Rick explain that pit bulls get a bad rap these days because they are simply a more commanding dog.

"Do you know which dogs we see that are aggressive and tend to bite the most? Lap dogs," Dillender said. "This immediately reminded me of the Animal Planet show, 'It's Me or the Dog' and those little Pomeranian type dogs who sit on the wife's lap as the poor husband cowers in the corner with inconsolable rejection."

According to the Web site A Fresh Perspective Dog Training, dogs are first and foremost socially oriented pack animals. They are not meant to be isolated outside for long periods of time. Watermelon Mountain Ranch, New Mexico's largest no-kill animal facility, is one of the only animal facilities that does not kennel their dogs separately. In the "dog cottage" at the ranch, dogs are grouped in small numbers to foster sociability, which makes them friendlier pets to those who adopt them.

Robin Moskowitz, manager at Watermelon Mountain Ranch, said the occupancy rate right now is just about at record levels.

Many of the guests will be going out today to the satellite adoption site at the Rio Rancho Wal-Mart parking lot at Southern and Unser from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

But the fun doesn't stop there; Moskowitz proceeded to tell me "we just took in 20 bunnies, too."

Quote of the Week: "Like the reason a dog has so many friends, he wags his tail instead of his tongue." "The Reason a Dog" by Aerosmith.

The ants have pushed me too far this time...

The bag of Ruffles was on the center island! How they got over there, got the chip and got back to camp is beyond me. Well, I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore.

Advice for the Tough Times: Just Keep Swimming

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho Section 6/13/09

My father always told me, "Listen to your elders. They may not have as much education as you have, but they are older than you and have experienced more in life and therefore are wiser than you are."

He also told me I would never be as close to anyone as I would be to my brother and sister. That no matter if I grew up and got married, the fact that the three of us shared many of the same experiences together under the same roof for so many years and were there for each other most of the time makes that a unique and special bond no one can compete with.

At the time — my teenage years, as I recall — I thought I understood what he meant, but of course I didn't entirely.

I didn't understand how important it was to spend as much time as possible with my grandparents, because I would surely miss them when they would be taken far too soon.

I didn't understand the heartbreak of losing a parent and the instant maturity that comes with it. I didn't understand the humbling experience of losing a job or the confidence gained upon landing a new and better one after rounds of fruitless interviews and relentless searching.

My best friend of 35 years offered up her words of wisdom recently in a care package she sent, along with tokens of love and encouragement to lift my spirits and get me through a rough time. She included some trinkets, the book "Swimming to Antarctica," some microwave popcorn and a packet of green Kool-Aid, just like the kind we used to make on our sleepovers in seventh grade. All meaningful items she knew would brighten my day and give me the encouragement I needed. Inscribed inside the book were the words, "Jenny, just keep swimming."

Advice is everywhere, and I feel the more we can share with each other to make the journey a little easier to understand, the better. So when I came across Regina Brett's 45 Life Lessons, it was something I just had to pass along, to maybe help ease someone else's load today. Given space restrictions, I offer 20 of her life lessons here. Visit my blog for the full list.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

I would have to agree with every one.

Quote of the Week: "So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit — It's when things seem worst that you must not quit." — "Don't Quit," author unknown

The ants are back....

They are at it again... I am going to calk their path and put an end to their bon fire party. (cursor down the page and see their first attempt on May 30 post)

Watch the World with Webcams

As seen in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho and Westside sections 6/6/09

Are you bored and maybe have a touch of cabin fever because the economy and high gas prices have kept you homebound? Your vacation is just a click away, my friends. Seems the webcam industry has exploded all over the globe, and every interesting (and not so interesting) spot on the planet is inviting you to click on them and enjoy a virtual vacation for virtually no cost — except the monthly Qwest bill.

The animal cams are a great distraction. You can find kitty cams, wolf cams, dog cams, hamster cams, elephant cams and many zoo cams online. Board your pets at Zoey's TLC Bed and Breakfast in Rio Rancho and while you are away swimming, snorkeling and seashell hunting, you will be able to watch your pet via the Zoeycam to make sure your furry friend is taking his naps and playing with his toys just like he does at home.

Earthcam.com is an Internet site that, you guessed it, has webcams from all over the world. In one click you can watch the yellow taxi cabs form a gridlock in New York, or see buses roll though the Plaza Mariano Moreno in Buenos Aires or even glace at pedestrians on a bridge in Ho Chi Minh City. But remember, Vietnam is 13 hours ahead of us, so you won't see much on camera if it happens to be night there. Everything is in real time.

Another very interesting — if not eerie — webcam is the Dealey Plaza Cam, a live streaming video of traffic flow in Dallas, Texas, as seen from the sniper's perch in the sixth floor window of the former Texas School Book Depository. Talk about standing in the footsteps of another. You won't find a better lesson in any history book written.

The fun never ends. Check out the weather and a bird's eye view of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Or see the majesty of Niagara Falls on one of their many webcams and relive the time you snuck off for the weekend with your college boyfriend to the popular honeymoon spot and, upon your return, having to convince your father you really, really did not elope. I think it took my dad all summer that year to believe that I was still single.

If you can't make it to Las Vegas, Nev., just click on one of the strip's numerous webcams and follow the excitement right in the people watching capital of the world. The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel even has a webcam where you can watch Elvis officiate over couples tying the knot in theatrical-themed weddings; there is no lack of eye candy here.

A little closer to home, New Mexico has its fair share of webcams too, including downtown Burro Street in Cloudcroft, a Santa Fe Plaza cam, an Angel Fire ski cam and now a City Center cam in downtown Rio Rancho. Thanks to Oxblue and Edit House Productions, instead of driving all the way out to the City Center to see our downtown develop, simply click on www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/citycentercams and watch your tax dollars at work as Hewlett-Packard's new customer service and technical support center and the first building of UNM's West campus progress over the summer.

Speaking of webcams, why can't we put cameras along the river as to be able to watch our babies if the deadly current should take them away from us. God bless you, Hayes family. The whole community weeps with you. We all lost one of our own the day Corbin went missing. We wish we could sit in your kitchen, hold hands and cry together to get through this horrific time. May the love and support of the rest of us help comfort you now.

Quote of the Week: "Every move you make, every step you take, I'll be watching you." — "Every Breath You Take" by the Police

Top 100 Movie Lines in 200 Seconds