Michael Morris - In Focus

After having endured several weeks of read-only participation on the events of the day you can imagine I had to be ready to simply explode. This, while having some basis in truth, comes second only to my new fondness of the Alamogordo Daily News. The most fortunate coincidence occurred recently. During the time I had not time for fun with Alamogordo's least lucid news delivery system they apparently made a contemporaneous editorial change aimed at trashing their own credibility while leaving their readers to wonder just what kind of shrooms are on those late night pizzas.

Before we can have any fun at all I have an apology to my Socorro readers. I missed Judge Naranjo's wife finally pleading to five felonies. Cynthia Naranjo is on probation and the El Defensor Chieftain is still excelling at what they do best - confuse. For instance EDC reports that the factual basis of the case is she forgot to deposit some checks that were found in her drawer. Couple that with the probation condition of nearly $3000 in restitution - for what? Bank charges? It is a good thing no one is looking. Otherwise such incompetence would hardly ever be rewarded. The moral of the story is if you can keep the story in the minds of the decision makers you can even obtain justice for a judge's wife despite years of delay and the EDC butcher job reporting it.

Now back to Alamogordo's own "National Lampoon's Newspaper". It appears Editor Michael Becker or those who write his job description have decided that their role is to shape public opinion rather than report news. From the ridiculous ADN incited and orchestrated campaign to paint any person questioning the World Heritage site designation for White Sands National Monument as dullard toothless goobers in overalls living in "compounds" to Karl Anderson's wonderful satire of a reporter who, without any clue of the BBB operation reported some press functionary's words as a basis for news. This play is chocked with outrageous humor. I must admit that at times I felt sorry for the character even though we know this was all spoof - wasn't it? If you missed that act you missed a fine explanation of why features reporters are such.

Picture for me Michael Becker pouring over the letters to the editor. Now he gets at least 1 letter a day spouting UN good Opposition dog poop or something just about as 7th grade. Michael's decision is whether to publish the same old insulting inciting rhetoric from the "supporters" of the WHS over and over again or say, "Hey, this stuff is like bathroom wall stuff. I'm not printing that." But, then again, perhaps editors of small town desert papers are not all that easy to find. There really has to be a reason. Does anyone remember the story where Anderson ran with the unverified remarks of 2 citizens as the basis of his tale? Requiring less verification than re-entry into the county fair Anderson and Becker blathered out what amounts to gossip trashing the Mayor and City Manager then trying to pull a Sam Donaldson/Alex Jones barking out questions in a Commission meeting. And they call me irresponsible?

Oh no folks. You will never find better entertainment than the pages of the ADN. It is certified 97 percent fact free. While I am certain there are some hard working dedicated individuals at the ADN it appears the General's hat has landed upon the head of Scooby Doo. Look for this to get better. Slides like this are hard to recover without a house cleaning which, unfortunately, hinges on finding someone who wants Becker's position.

There has been some buzz that one of the other OCEDC/City of Alamogordo projects has changed course. Precheck, tasked and funded to produce jobs, has gone into office leasing. Best of all they used your tax money to build the space they will now lease to the US. Even better than that is that they are not from here. Economic development tax funds were used to construct a building to house workers doing work at the grantee. This is now joined with a small office leasing component. Apparently expansion plans for Precheck are not on the fast track. But of course you jest. This is an OCEDC success story - right?

The question of the day is how John Blansett will do without his former lap dog Michael Shinabery. Placing a lid on the ACLU allegations will be a pretty good piece of work. It appears Laura London has managed to do something Shinabery could never manage - leave an interview with a shred of dignity. While the NM ACLU is without much credibility they do have enough name recognition to get us 20 minutes on a news magazine. This place gets all the good press.

I'm going to try harder to keep this fresh. We have just been so busy 16 hrs. a day. Please! I implore you! Don't get your facts from the ADN unless you like being the Cliff Claven of your circle. Read a tea leaf or consult your horoscope for superior accuracy. Enjoy Alamogordo. There are some great places to eat. The weather is great and the mountains beautiful. Where else on earth do you have a city so active that it presents the Muppet Show Tuesday of every other week right inside City Hall?

To keep up with the ADN one could die of writer's gout. The material a critic can reach out and grab makes it hard to choose from the bountiful buffet they set. It keeps sucking me back like a giant magnet.

Besides, if Don Carroll wants to usurp the “Friendliest Place on Earth” from the USAF for the rubber chicken circuit then we need to encourage him to take ownership of it and make it happen. So far just words. Make it so Mr. Mayor.