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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #141
December 20, 2002
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Dear Subscriber:

We got our new computer today.

It's a Dell. I was a little disappointed when the tall skinny
kid with the big grin didn't deliver it. Just the same old
short balding Fed Ex guy.

Things have changed a lot since we got our last computer 5
years ago.

Back then, our hard drive held about 1 gigabit of information.

This monster has 100 times the brain power. That's enough
power to erase half the Milky Way Galaxy from the sky. I have
to be careful not to hit the wrong key or there goes Pluto.

The on-board computer that guided Apollo 11 to the surface of
the moon had less than 1 percent of the power. I remember
watching the landing on television back in 1969. As Neil
Armstrong guided The Eagle Lander to the moon's surface, I
remember Walter Cronkite referring to the on-board computer as
a "super-computer".

Nowadays we would refer to the same computer as a door-stop.

Computer technology is moving so fast. When I was in college in
the 70s, I would see computer science students walking across
campus carrying a 2-inch thick stack of punch cards.

Most youngsters today don't know diddly about punch cards,
except for the ones that caused all the stink in the Florida
voting booths in 2000.

I'm having a little trouble getting used to this new computer.
I was told by one computer expert not to get too attached to the
word "new". This computer will probably be outdated by next
Thursday.

For one thing, the keyboard is too quiet. I kinda liked the
claccity clack of the old keyboard. Made be feel like I was
doing something.

Back in the 60s, when I was around the office of the Morton
Tribune newspaper in my home town, I would watch Eddie Irwin,
the paper's owner/editor/sales rep/copyboy/janitor, type out
a news story on an old Underwood manual typewriter.

There he would sit...cigar clinched in his teeth...using his
two index fingers to slam down the keys hard enough to make an
impression on the paper. He probably had the two most
over-developed index fingers in the county.

I think they should bring back manual typewriting as an Olympic
event.

I don't care much for the audio features on this new computer.
All these dreamy sounds when you change program functions almost
put you to sleep. Even when you make a mistake, the warning
noise coming from the speakers makes you feel like you hit a
home run.

If it were me designing the audio on a new computer, I would
include a "hey, stupid" just to keep you on your toes.

I don't like the time-saving features, either. Automatic spell
correct, preprogrammed margins, auto-anticipated functions, etc.

If I finish my work in half the time, what do I do with the
rest of my time? Guess I could catch up on my reading, or...

...maybe I could go to the golf course.

I love this new computer.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. SPECIAL -- SEASONSCAPE, PHOTO 4
3. VILLAGE NEWS
4. INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE WESTERN RESTAURANT
5. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST
6. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
7. COMING EVENTS
8. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
9. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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Significant snowfall on Wednesday (more in the forecast as the
weekend approaches). Four-wheel-drive or chains are recommended
on unimproved mountain roads.

Highs in the upper-30s. Lows in the teens.
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SPECIAL -- SEASONSCAPE, PHOTO 4
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The SeasonScape photo experiment by Kit Richards continues:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/seasonscape.htm

Kit also provides a picture of sunset taken from Sunspot:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/sunspot.htm

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VILLAGE NEWS
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Both the ski area and the snow play area hope to open for
business on Friday (12-20). For updates contact the Chamber of
Commerce (505-682-2733).
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE WESTERN RESTAURANT
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Located on Burro Street in Cloudcroft, the Western Restaurant
has served locals and visitors for over 50 years. The Western
Restaurant (remodeled in 1997) features a family atmosphere with
a varied menu. We open early for breakfast with the best omelets
in the State. Always the best service and the friendliest staff.
In the bar, it's Karaoke night on Friday's, and locals and
visitors mix in a true local atmosphere. Call 505-682-2445 for
take-outs. Package store. For more information, contact
carolh@pvtnetworks.net.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST
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Celebrating its centennial this year.

http://gorp.com/gorp/resource/US_National_Forest/nm_linco.HTM

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - We need a "Yogi Update". Have you seen Cloudcroft's most
famous bear lately?

A - For our newer readers, Yogi is a full grown Black bear that
made itself at home around the Vanlandingham neighborhood during
the early summer.

The last time we saw Yogi was at the end of the drought this
summer (late June). He evidently found a fresh food source away
from civilization and moved back to a deeper part of the forest.
Hopefully he survived bear season. He wasn't a bad bear...just
a little pushy.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/bear.htm

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COMING EVENTS
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December 20 -- Twas the Night Before Christmas. Cloudcroft
Dance Theater. The Lodge. (505) 682-2566

December 19-21 -- Girls and boys basketball. Mountaintop
Tournament. Home.

December 21 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 21 -- Model Rocket Launch. Veteran's Park, Alamogordo.
9am.

December 21 -- Caroling in the Clouds. 4:45pm. Downtown.
Cloudcroft.

December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7pm at Cloudcroft
United Methodist Church

December 31 -- New Year's Eve torch light parade at Ski
Cloudcroft.

January 4 -- Nebulas and Super-Novas. Museum of Space History.
Alamogordo.

January 6 -- Cloudcroft girl's and boy's basketball in Tularosa.

January 10 -- Cloudcroft girl's and boy's basketball in Loving.

January 16-18 -- Cloudcroft girls basketball. Cliff Tournament.

January 16-18 -- Cloudcroft boys basketball. Dexter Tournament.

January 23 -- Cloudcroft boys basketball at NMMI.

January 25 -- Cloudcroft girls basketball at Hatch.

January 31 -- Cloudcroft girls and boys basketball vs. Tularosa
at home.

February 1 -- Cloudcroft girls and boys basketball vs.
Lordsburg at home.

February 3 -- Cloudcroft girls and boys basketball vs.
Tularosa at home.

February 6 -- Cloudcroft girls and boys basketball vs.
Capitan at home.

February 8 -- Cloudcroft girls and boys basketball vs.
Hatch at home.

February 14 -- Cloudcroft girls basketball vs. Tularosa. away.

February 14 -- Cloudcroft boys basketball vs. Tularosa at home.

February 15 -- Cloudcroft girls basketball at Lordsburg.

February 21 -- Cloudcroft girls basketball at Capitan.

February 28 -- Mardi Gras in Cloudcroft. 5 days of festivities.
Call 682-2733 for more info.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-2494
for more information.

Mountain Garden Club meets every third Monday of each month.
Call (505) 682-2910 for more information.

Senior Van from Timberon to Alamogordo leaves the Timberon
Lodge promptly at 8:30 every Tuesday morning.

Free Vitals Clinic. Cloudcroft Senior Citizens Center, every
Wednesday. High Rolls Senior Citizens Center, first Thursday
of each month.

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For an online calendar of area events, click the Events Calendar
link in the left column of our home page:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/index.html

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

Well, I just got home from work here in Lubbock and I'm just
exhausted, sad and somewhat angry.

I'm a nurse, I like being a nurse, but being a nurse these days
is heavy hearted, tiring, scary, but also rewarding and
exciting. Well anyway, I was so upset, I just wanted to cry and
get on the road to the mountains.

We are building a home in Ruidoso, but visited your town a
couple of months ago and found it very charming! My husband
hooked me onto your newsletter and I can't wait to read it
every week!

So...there it was when I got home, so I wiped my tears and
smiled. Thank you for making me smile! You are such down to
earth, God fearing people, I can't wait to move out there.

We have planned for 15 years to move to the mtns, so when the
kids were gone, we moved to Lubbock and started on the house
to retire to next year. There's nothing more peaceful and
comforting than the mtns and I thank you again for making me
feel like I'm there every week! See you soon!

Donna
Lubbock

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Dear Newsletter:

I can't recall why the hamburger place,west of Las Cruces was
mentioned in an e-mail to you, but the person that mentioned
it was very right.

The place is between fifteen and twenty miles west of Las 
Cruces and is owned and operated by Bret and Ida Houser and
their daughter Melissa.

Their greenchile cheese burger is really something else. The
wife and I were on our way back from Phoenix and remembered
the letter it was mentioned in, don't recall the date, but do
recall the letter.

There are numerous places and things about New Mexico that are
mentioned in your weekly letter that we really enjoy and have
visited. Keep 'em coming.

Phyllis & Shelby Dugas

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Dear Newsletter:

I really enjoy reading your newsletter, although I have only
received three of them so far, since my visit over
Thanksgiving!

Your pictures are spectacular also! 

I was aghast to read the letter from Al Denard discussing all
of the changes that are going to happen to your beautiful
mountain! Is this what you really want? If you don't, you must
do something about it before it is too late.

Once the changes are made you can never go back to the beautiful
pristine mountains that you now have; they will be gone FOREVER!

I am that "lady from Florida" that Mr. Denard referred to in
his letter. I live in Orlando, about a half hour ride down the
interstate from Walt Disney World. Before Disney came to Florida
we had orange groves as far as the eye could see, single-, maybe
an occasional double-lane highway and beautiful scenery of our
own.

Now we are a "tourist town" full of hotels, "tourist-traps",
black asphalt, and traffic like you wouldn't believe! We even
have a bumper sticker that says: "I-4 Hostage" (I-4 is the
interstate that runs east/west across our state.)

Our "country" setting is all but gone. We have fewer orange
groves, fewer country roads, and higher crime. 

Don't get me wrong, I am still a "kid at heart" and I love
Mickey & Minnie, but growth was inevitable once they came to
Orlando. You still have a chance to "control" how much growth
you want before it is too late. 

Please! Don't go for the money! if, indeed, that is what it is
all about! You have no problem attracting visitors just the way
you are! That IS the attraction! If your guests wanted traffic
jams, wall-to-wall hotels and the like, most of us could just
stay home! It is your beauty and serenity that attract us there.

I think I speak for many of your visitors when I say again, 
"Please don't ever change!" Remember, once it is gone, it is
gone forever!

Sincerely
Nanci,
from Florida

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