CHASING PANCHO VILLA

Pancho Villa kicked-but quite handily in 1916 here in Columbus, NM after his payment for arms was not honored by a local "businessman." General Pershing pursued Pancho but had  little success.

Not much seems to have changed, in almost a 100 years, except the equipment.  Staring out over the border, high in the sky, just outside of Columbus is another piece of the "Billion Dollar Boondoggle," the virtual fence that doesn't function as advertised.  Who won this war?  Would you believe Boeing Corporation? 

Chasing Pancho Villa in a 1916 armored tank proved about as comically and costly ridiculous as our 2011 Virtual Fence.

Our neighbors Bob and Molly here at the Pancho Villa State Park.  Bob's from the Twin Cities of Minnesota where, as he says, "The snow was the only thing that kept rising, it sure wasn't the real estate market.  Prices were off by 40% and with miserable summer sales and no selling in the winter, me and Molly here just decided it'd be better to be poor in a warm place....so here we are."

Retired Professor Jacques from Quebec, Canada.  "I was the president of the professors union, taught classes for 8 months and vacationed the rest of the year.  We were paid well, respected as professionals honest to our trade and a no-nonsense approach to those in the union that did not perform. No fooling around, you violate your union oath and bang, you lose your job.  That is why the union is strong in Canada, both sides of the contract respect and live by the agreement," So says Jacques, retired at 53 with 75% of his working salary. 

Gambel Quail worry not about virtual fences, unions or real estate, they just keep pecking along, happy when they find a bit of food and a drop of water.