New Mexico Mercury

The Journal, Guatemalans and American Exceptionalism

Atop their dusty perch, the Albuquerque Journal’s editorial board adjusted their monocles last week, put on their flag attire, and took a stab at defining patriotism.  The piece was entitled, “Why celebrate the Fourth? Try asking a Guatemalan.”  While the piece neither quoted, referenced, or made any attempt to include the voice of an actual Guatemalan, it did spew forth a surreal, Bush-esque view of American Exceptionalism that equates to ‘Shut up and wave the flag'...

NM Twittersphere: APD, King & Martinez, WIPP

This week we have lots of coverage of the APD march to end police brutality that happened this past Saturday in Albuquerque. Martinez and King both make gaffes in the early stages of the governor's race. Also, concern, funding and the future of WIPP. In NM Twittersphere we curate the firehose of information coming through on Twitter where you can see media, links to informative articles, and viewpoints that happened through the week... 

“Digital Latin America” artists in their own words

516 ARTS is bringing together artists from across Latin America, as well as some locally based talents, for their Digital Latin America exhibition.  The exhibition opens today with a block party from 5pm-9pm. We got a chance to capture a few of the artists speaking about their works in the exhibition and some of the themes involved in their work...

Christie’s troubles and history go unnoticed while stumping for Martinez

A glowing Susana Martinez stood at the side of Chris Christie this week as the scandal ridden governor of New Jersey stopped in Roswell to assist Martinez with her re-election bid. Christie has been recently implicated in wreaking havoc on the citizens of his state while enacting political payback and is currently involved in a brewing public pension scandal whereas he raided teacher’s and other public worker’s pension funds to balance his state budget, while giving away $1.5 billion in corporate welfare to corporations like Pearson.  Surely noteworthy to most New Mexicans, yet the story by local news outlets covering Christie’s visit centered around the two’s “unique chemistry” and the already tired speculation of the pair running on a presidential ticket in 2016...

‘Heart of the City’ Gets a Grande Opening

516 ARTS' opening reception for their "Heart of the City" exhibition was a huge success.  The Mercury was there to capture the festivities in a short video.  The exhibition takes place in a variety of locations in Albuquerque from Feb. 1st - May 3rd.

Trickle-down PR in the Journal

You have to give it the corporate elite in this country for their crafty effectiveness in convincing a large percentage of the working poor and the debt-ridden middle class to parrot economic talking points that work in direct opposition to their best interest.  A marketing coup made possible with the support of much of the mainstream media establishment at the national and local level.

Winthrop Quigley gives us the latest supporting example this week in an Albuquerque Journal column, “Minimum wage hike won’t fix income inequality”...

The Invasion of Corporate Education Reform - Part 2

In this second installment we look at education reform in New Mexico and how outside interests are dictating our policy and narrative. 

Mercury Q&A: Darryl Wellington on the African American Experience in NM

Poet, author and social critic Darryl Wellington discusses his recent article that examined the African American experience and history in New Mexico.

The Corporate Sleight of Hand and the ACA

According to the illusionist team Penn and Teller, one of the main principles in sleight-of-hand stage magic is "misdirection," whereas an audience's attention is lead "away from a secret move.”  The distraction is necessary to make an audience believe something is happening when in fact it is not.  On the current American political and economic stage we have a myriad of hucksters selling us a collective diversion from systemic inequalities and institutional injustices to the ‘reality TV’ baseness of political parody...

Art Collaboration Brings “Quantum Bridge” Mural to ABQ

Warehouse 508, 516 ARTS and The City of Albuquerque Public Art Urban Enhancement Program are celebrating the completion of a 180-foot long mural as part of a collaboration called Heart of the City.  The mural was created by a team of youth apprentices from Warehouse 508 under the direction of lead guest artist Aaron Noble.

A celebration for the unveiling of the mural will be on Sunday, November 24, 2-5pm with refreshments and a chance to meet the artists...