New Year’s Day Was Chilly (Click “The Data Port” to read this post)

Here are some pics of the traditional ride to Windy Point. It seemed cold enough for icicles to form on the bikes. Or was there something wrong with the camera?

Icicles?

It was a fair turnout, with 35 bikes at the top. Not much in the way of riding chic as everyone was bundled up…many layers and a fair amount of heated riding gear.

Outside Mickey D's

Windy Point

Stephany Baldwin, a single cylinder fan, was there on her Honda.

Technical Note: My previous post appears on the Citizen website, but if you click on the post’s title nothing comes up. The link to The Data Port works, however, so you can get to the last post of the year by clicking there. Nothing to be done until our two editors return from vacation.

In the meantime it seems that no one is minding the store.

Happy New Year

(Technical Note: To read this post click “The Data Port.”)

No, wait a minute, Data Port has been absent and you guys—readers and colleagues—have been here right along.

I’ve pretty much avoided looking at TC.com, and most other favorite sites, during “the Season.” A good deal of time has been spent at rehearsals for the Rogue Theatre’s production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,”in which the Data Port’s  resident writer has a small, but engaging, part; about which more later.

It must be gratifying for the conservatives among us—for whom all change is anathema— to see that the TucsonCitizen.com format has not changed and is still shot through with its trademark “dismal blue.” Gannett does make a buck, through its TNI connection, with what goes on here. It might be nice of them to throw a bone in the Citizen’s direction and come up with some money for dedicated designers.

I’m sorry to see the “latest media” feature disappear. It was one way for those of us who bothered to use it to call attention to our blogs. Oh, well, that’s an editorial decision. I’m sure that faithful readers check in every day to see the latest Metro Mix results.

A really bad idea: The Hot Off The Press (Release) blog. This seems to smack of an act of desperation. (We can’t pay reporters to do business stories so we’ll simply let the flacks do it for us.) Even when newsroom droogs rewrite the stories they get published without criticism. Phooey.

We seem to have become a major sports reporting outlet. I don’t much follow sports but it seems to me that our guys are doing a pretty good job. Have to feel sorry for them, though. If you’re  writing about football and basketball it’s hard to wax optimistic about teams that ought to go “Mountain West.” Will Arizona get a mercy slot come March Madness time? An enquiring mind wants to know.

Attention Motorcyclists: There is a New Year’s day tradition of riding up Lemmon. Here’s the announcement the Southeast Arizona Touring Riders:

Every year for many years a group meets at the MacDonald’s in the shopping center at the junction of Catalina Hwy and Tanque Verde Road at 9 am. They ride to Windy Point. There are usually 30 or 40 riders. (they don’t ride as a group) Last year 3 of us went to the top too.

All motorcyclists are invited. (Pictures Friday.)

Press Release: The incisive and much loved Data Port returns after a protracted Merchants’ Day hiatus. The publisher has announced the regular appearance of The Data Port on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Happy New Year!

Busy times, eh? On the holiday side of things there’s been buying, wrapping, and mailing the necessary presents in celebration of our great collective festival: Merchant’s Day.

While all that was going on rehearsals for The Rogue Theatre’s production of “Our Town” heated up and we began the downhill run towards the January 7th Opening. Line rehearsals are just around the corner and everyone is expected to be “off the book.”

There really has been nothing new to say about the current political fiasco up at the state legislature. The Republican-dominated legislature continues to thrash about trying to balance the budget by ever more Draconian budget cuts.

Not surprising, though, since they have only one tool in their political tool box: The tax cut hammer. They would rather swallow their ties than admit that maybe they (and we) need to endure the pain of raising taxes if our state is not going to look like some particularly scruffy third world backwater.

All is not political gloom, however. The United States Senate has labored mightily and finally looks to be delivered of a legislative mouse: The Insurance Industry Preservation Act and Health Care Reform bill. Hot diggety!

It’s been a bit more than six months since TucsonCitizen.com was launched. There were  tears for what passed and a good ration of happy expectation for what was to come. We are still, I think, a work in progress but on balance I think we have done a remarkable job.

Sooo…

Season’s Greetings to all of you–including all our regular commenters, without whom these pages would have a good deal less snap and crackle.

Have a joyous Chanukah, a wonderful Kwanzaa, a rackety Saturnalia and a Merry Christmas!