USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Nutz]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow:

I actually only went to White Sands National Park once...although I visited Hollomon quite a bit. My time in NM and where I visited was solely based on business. I regret that in a lot of ways. I got to see a lot....but never really was able to enjoy it. White sands is BEAUTIFUL....and just a bit f knowledge...sand that doesn't get hot.

 

[Nutz]

So Fox...are you the Mayor of the Coffeehouse?

 

[Gracie]

Ernie is happily married, Chris.
Mrs Ernie will kick yer ass.

Trying to insinuate something? FYI, we are joking.

If the shoe fits, by all means put it on.
And did you not see the smiley face I used? That usually means someone is just teasing. Lighten up.

 

[ChrisL]

Ernie is happily married, Chris.
Mrs Ernie will kick yer ass.

Trying to insinuate something? FYI, we are joking.

If the shoe fits, by all means put it on.
And did you not see the smiley face I used? That usually means someone is just teasing. Lighten up.

Given our past, you must understand that I am wary of you.

 

[ChrisL]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow:

Beautiful! Those are breathtakingly beautiful pictures. God, how I would love to be there right now. White sand is a hell of a lot better than white snow.

 

[Foxfyre]

So Fox...are you the Mayor of the Coffeehouse?

Naw. Just the general hostess I guess since I started the thread and others step up to assume that role when I can't. It is governed by the denizens who understand its purpose and intent and who maintain the peace here pretty effectively. But it is all you wonderful people who enjoy coming here who have made it what it is.

 

[Foxfyre]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

 

[Foxfyre]

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow:

Beautiful! Those are breathtakingly beautiful pictures. God, how I would love to be there right now. White sand is a hell of a lot better than white snow.

It does get very warm out there in the summer--can easily be 100 in the shade and, as you see, there is little to no shade available. But. . . .as Nutz said, the sand itself does not really get hot. And it remains a scientific mystery how all 225 square miles of the sand do travel a bit between two mountain ranges, but stay within that general vicinity, don't blow away, don't wash away.

The only real threat to this amazing white desert is if the climate should change to something significantly more wet than desert. They are pretty sure a lot of rainfall over a long period of time would dissolve the gypsum. That probaby won't happen any time soon though.

 

[Gracie]

Ernie is happily married, Chris.
Mrs Ernie will kick yer ass.

Trying to insinuate something? FYI, we are joking.

If the shoe fits, by all means put it on.
And did you not see the smiley face I used? That usually means someone is just teasing. Lighten up.

Given our past, you must understand that I am wary of you.

Being wary is a good thing. Never let yer guard down. I know I don't.

 

[peach174]

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow:

Beautiful! Those are breathtakingly beautiful pictures. God, how I would love to be there right now. White sand is a hell of a lot better than white snow.

I have seen the white sands and it is really beautiful, something you should try to see in your lifetime. While you are at it go and visit the Grand Canyon it is also something that is breathtakingly beautiful.
Go in the spring or fall to see both because it is way to hot during the summer.

 

[Foxfyre]

The concept in the Coffee Shop though is that if the folks can't put aside their differences elsewhere and just enjoy each other here, then the Coffee Shop is not the place to be. Lord knows I don't share the convictions or debate methods or ideology of many of my most favorite people in the Coffee Shop. But here it doesn't matter. Here we're just people and not members of a political party or religious group or promoting a personal cause or campaign or objecting to one or whatever. That's what makes the Coffee Shop so great.

 

[Ringel05]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

They've already regrown a missing fingertip on a guy who had lost his (the original finger print regrew also with no sign of scaring) and regrew muscle on a couple of wounded soldiers. Basically they set up the pig tissue as a matrix which as it deteriorates releases chemicals that attract the bodies natural stem cells and with some "nudging" tells the body what to do (what to rebuild).

 

[Nutz]

And people complain about the heat in NM....no humidity..100 degrees is nothing. A beautiful day. No humidity...I could walk for miles and not even break a sweat!

 

[Foxfyre]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

They've already regrown a missing fingertip on a guy who had lost his (the original finger print regrew also with no sign of scaring) and regrew muscle on a couple of wounded soldiers. Basically they set up the pig tissue as a matrix which as it deteriorates releases chemicals that attract the bodies natural stem cells and with some "nudging" tells the body what to do (what to rebuild).

Exciting stuff. And think what potential and blessings there could be.

 

[Montrovant]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

They've already regrown a missing fingertip on a guy who had lost his (the original finger print regrew also with no sign of scaring) and regrew muscle on a couple of wounded soldiers. Basically they set up the pig tissue as a matrix which as it deteriorates releases chemicals that attract the bodies natural stem cells and with some "nudging" tells the body what to do (what to rebuild).

Exciting stuff. And think what potential and blessings there could be.

Being the pessimist I am, I tend to think of the potential dangers and problems. Think overpopulation is a problem now? Just wait until everyone is living to be 200 with organs regrown whenever they wear down!

 

[Foxfyre]

And people complain about the heat in NM....no humidity..100 degrees is nothing. A beautiful day. No humidity...I could walk for miles and not even break a sweat!

At what I'm guessing your age is, so could I. I don't tolerate it so well now that I am older.

One time I was running a week long communications training event in Pasadena CA--my first visit to California. The conference was not hosted by the Roman Catholics but was held in a Catholic monastery/conference facility. One afternoon I had a couple of hours free time and decided to go for a walk. I took off down the hill in a lovely residential neighborhood as all Pasadena neighborhoods are. I had walked maybe a mile to the bottom of the hill, bought a coke at a small service station there, and then started back up the hill. I hadn't gone far when I knew I was in trouble. It was a very hot day but I stopped perspiring--my skin was cool and clammy--and I felt very light headed. I was in serious trouble.

This was before the era of cellphones so I gradually worked my way back up the hill, going through yards, lawn sprinklers, trying to stay under the trees as much as possible. When I finally made it back to the monastery grounds, I had about 200 yards across open terrain with no shade to get to the building and I knew if I tried that I would die. A car was coming up the hill. And out of desperation I stuck out my thumb. The driver was a Catholic priest on his way into the facility and he picked me up. And lectured me sternly the whole way as I was out in 104 degree heat with a 5-stage smog alert. What was I thinking?

Anyhow I survived, but I have never tolerated being out in the sun for prolonged periods since that time.

 

[ChrisL]

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow:

Beautiful! Those are breathtakingly beautiful pictures. God, how I would love to be there right now. White sand is a hell of a lot better than white snow.

I have seen the white sands and it is really beautiful, something you should try to see in your lifetime. While you are at it go and visit the Grand Canyon it is also something that is breathtakingly beautiful.
Go in the spring or fall to see both because it is way to hot during the summer.

Gorgeous. All of these beautiful and warm-looking pictures make me crave springtime. I would love to see it for myself someday.

 

[Nutz]

And people complain about the heat in NM....no humidity..100 degrees is nothing. A beautiful day. No humidity...I could walk for miles and not even break a sweat!

At what I'm guessing your age is, so could I. I don't tolerate it so well now that I am older.

One time I was running a week long communications training event in Pasadena CA--my first visit to California. The conference was not hosted by the Roman Catholics but was held in a Catholic monastery/conference facility. One afternoon I had a couple of hours free time and decided to go for a walk. I took off down the hill in a lovely residential neighborhood as all Pasadena neighborhoods are. I had walked maybe a mile to the bottom of the hill, bought a coke at a small service station there, and then started back up the hill. I hadn't gone far when I knew I was in trouble. It was a very hot day but I stopped perspiring--my skin was cool and clammy--and I felt very light headed. I was in serious trouble.

This was before the era of cellphones so I gradually worked my way back up the hill, going through yards, lawn sprinklers, trying to stay under the trees as much as possible. When I finally made it back to the monastery grounds, I had about 200 yards across open terrain with no shade to get to the building and I knew if I tried that I would die. A car was coming up the hill. And out of desperation I stuck out my thumb. The driver was a Catholic priest on his way into the facility and he picked me up. And lectured me sternly the whole way as I was out in 104 degree heat with a 5-stage smog alert. What was I thinking?

Anyhow I survived, but I have never tolerated being out in the sun for prolonged periods since that time.

Humidity will kill. Dry heat...not so bad.

 

[Ringel05]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

They've already regrown a missing fingertip on a guy who had lost his (the original finger print regrew also with no sign of scaring) and regrew muscle on a couple of wounded soldiers. Basically they set up the pig tissue as a matrix which as it deteriorates releases chemicals that attract the bodies natural stem cells and with some "nudging" tells the body what to do (what to rebuild).

Exciting stuff. And think what potential and blessings there could be.

Being the pessimist I am, I tend to think of the potential dangers and problems. Think overpopulation is a problem now? Just wait until everyone is living to be 200 with organs regrown whenever they wear down!

The head of the program did acknowledge we would eventually get to a point where we will have to address the moral issues as he believes we potentially could end up regrowing entire bodies.

 

[Foxfyre]

The wife is watching the science channel, Worlds Strangest, Inventions. The University of Pittsburgh is using pig bladders to regrow human tissue (muscle, skin and organs) and possibly bone on/in human subjects. It looks very promising but there's lots of work to be done.

Given the research into DNA and growing human tissue, don't you think it is just a matter of time before they will be able to grow a human bladder or kidney or pancreas or whatever that is of our own dna so our body won't reject it to replace an organ they have to remove? I find that concept very exciting.

They've already regrown a missing fingertip on a guy who had lost his (the original finger print regrew also with no sign of scaring) and regrew muscle on a couple of wounded soldiers. Basically they set up the pig tissue as a matrix which as it deteriorates releases chemicals that attract the bodies natural stem cells and with some "nudging" tells the body what to do (what to rebuild).

Exciting stuff. And think what potential and blessings there could be.

Being the pessimist I am, I tend to think of the potential dangers and problems. Think overpopulation is a problem now? Just wait until everyone is living to be 200 with organs regrown whenever they wear down!

The head of the program did acknowledge we would eventually get to a point where we will have to address the moral issues as he believes we potentially could end up regrowing entire bodies.

Yes. I know that is a significant concern. But when I see what people go through with transplants, dealing with auto-immune issues, rejection, additional surgeries etc., and how wonderful it would be for medical science to be able to bypass all that with healthy organs the body will never reject, I think it is worth the risk.