Today's Opinions

Last month, we talked about Gov. Susana Martinez being selected by President Barack Obama as one of four United States political leaders to represent the U.S. at the new Pope's installation activities. We also talked about her seeming to get her way with the Democratic Legislature this year.

Now the talk is about the governor being selected by Time magazine as one of the world's 100 most influential leaders.

I'm surprised at there was so little chatter about it in the media, or from the Governor's Office. Let's hope she uses that notoriety to promote our state to the world.

And now we hear that our governor polls three percent in a Massachusetts presidential primary survey of possible 2016 candidates.

That's without even trying. Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson travelled that state relentlessly in 2011 and didn't score any better.

And to top it off for this month, Gov. Martinez was invited by Vice President Joe Biden to his Cinco de Mayo party. The two evidently became good friends while on their trip to Rome.

With better than a 60 percent popularity rating within the state Susana Martinez is leading a charmed life. Will that bubble ever burst?

Spaceport

One of my favorite scenes from “Crocodile Dundee” is where the New York City reporter is asking Dundee whether ownership of some land should be returned to the aboriginals.
Dundee says, “See those rocks? Been standing there for 600 million years. Still be there when you and I are gone. So arguing over who owns them is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on.”
Ownership is a bizarre concept, but not singularly peculiar to humans. Dogs will tussle over who owns a piece of rope and wild animals mark “their territory.” But does anyone really own anything?
I think it’s more about control than ownership. When we use the word “own”, we mean the right to control.
Perhaps that’s what separates humans from civilized animals. Animals claim ownership and then exercise control over what they claim. Humans identify what they want to control, then claim abstract ownership to justify that control.
 OK, I admit it. I like control. Some pitch man on TV starts screaming at me, telling me why I can’t live another day without buying some superglue that will allow me glue cinder blocks to my kitchen ceiling.

Year after year, mining and petroleum operations and motor vehicle manufacture steadily improve their methods, tools and products. These advances do not happen by whim or by chance.
Behind the steady climb in efficiency are colleges that develop curricula and supply trained mining engineers, petroleum engineers and automotive engineers. The course work begins with the fundamentals of applied science and proceeds to the technologies of the named industries.
In their fields, the schools also do original research projects that produce new knowledge and tools. Efficiency is driven by basic disciplines, application of basics and inventions from applying basics.
The same path is the way to make regulatory systems efficient.
The steps are clear. We need schools to supply regulatory engineers trained in the basics of engineering, with a major in regulatory applications. We need schools doing research to develop new regulatory knowledge and more powerful tools.
This column examines new products of research that build efficiency in tasks of all kinds. Imagine if tools were created so regulating was done more surely in less time for less money. Surprising things are possible.