Uncategorized | paulhunterjones

New Mexico: Revisiting the Land of Enchantment.

It’s been a very long day. As the day dragged on my desk become covered with more work than I could handle in two days. I am glad that today is fast coming to an end. I have to do a million things before Thanksgiving Day arrives. No need to ask me; I am not looking forward to visiting with relatives with whom I never enjoyed a good relationship with.

In order not to arrive home without “an attitude” I decided to take a few minutes to search the internet for something interesting and enjoyable to read. A good article, I thought, would get me in a New York frame of mind. Your post was exactly what any decent therapist would have recommend as a mood up lifter.

I have travelled through New Mexico on a few occasions. The raw beauty of the land had always impressed me. The few people that I did interact with were friendly and open to conversation. From the roadway I could see for miles in any direction. I often imaged what wonders laid beyond my visual range. The tourist brochures and pamphlets that I picked up and read piqued my desire to really explore the state. Unfortunately I have not been years.

This post is not only well written in the literary sense, it is a beautifully told story of a respect for a land and its people. After reading the first paragraph of this post, I turned off all electrical devices, told the staff that they could leave (with pay) and dimmed the office lights. I did not want to be disturbed while I continued to read. The post allowed me to see the state as you did; perhaps, as I might never have been able to. The post’s pictures are beautiful and complement perfectly the story line.

I am so grateful that you choose to share your experience of New Mexico with me. To be perfectly honest this post has given me one of my best Thanksgiving getaways without having to spend a dime. Your post allowed travel back in time and join you as your co-pilot while you lived, worked and travelled about the state. I visualized myself standing with the sounds, sights and smells of New Mexico pressing against my every sense.

Great post!

Happy Thanksgiving and keep on writing.

Parlez-vous français, NSA?.

Regardless of the debate over the classification or characterization of Edward Snowden, his unauthorized collection and release of top secret information and documents about the NSA spying program has damaged American interests. Some say that espionage might be the world’s oldest profession. I have no doubt that all of the European nations, especially France and Germany, are engaged in spying on each other and other targeted nations. From what I have read they have similar programs to those used by the NSA. I cannot image a nation passing up a chance to spy on its neighbor or it its leaders based solely upon an egalitarian right to privacy. The only cardinal rule is; don’t get caught. Today’s terrorists melt into the general population and become unassuming, one of us. Nations have learned a lesson from America’s scandal; don’t get caught spying and take precautions against the “Edward Snowdens.” What nation wants its spying activities to be front page news? Bernard Squarcini, former director of France’s DCRI, said that spying on allies is all in a day’s work. We should acknowledge the fact that the spy business has gone super hi-tech. It now takes full advantage of the Internet, an open and free highway of information. CBS’s hit TV show, “Person of Interest,” serves as a stark reminder of what today’s “machines” are capable of doing. Let’s shed the facade of indignation and accept the fact that all nations engage in eavesdropping on each other.