Soy de Burque

Q-bags - hee hee

2009-07-15T13:34:00.001-07:00

Before I chime in on this, I must say I'm all for reusable bags. It's a good idea. Why not? But again, this Q thing upsets me. Pro-environment does not have to be synonymous with pro-Q. I refuse to accept it even though I'm forced to pay for it, see it on billboards, airport signs, street signs, city run television shows, radio ads, trash bins, etc.

On the other hand, if a business has a sticker saying "Soy de Burque", or "Support Local Business, Support Burque" I'm in. Anything but "the Q" or anything else city officials try and brand me.

The website says these bags are free. Nothing is free - we as taxpayers are paying for this campaign propaganda. Funny someone decided to get rid of term limits and announce his run for re-election this past weekend. Little did I know I'd be paying for his campaign. Maybe he could continue the green cliche to include "the Q - so green we got rid of term limits so we can now recycle our politicians". I can see the new billboard now...

Soy de Burque supports an environmentally fiscal city government. Not q-bags.

There are some bags on the website for sale - they're not free, though I wish they could be. Seems I can't find the magic tree that grows free durable recycled plastic bags for the general population. The bags on the site are made from canvas..

The article:

Reuse in the Q

Let's put a stop to wasteful plastic bag use!
plastic bags

The City of Albuquerque and local retailers want to partner with you to reduce a major source of pollution - plastic shopping bags.

According to The Wall Street Journal, people in the United States use 100 billion plastic shopping bags a year. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags. Unfortunately, only 12% of these plastic bags are recycled.

The rest end up filling landfills, littering streets, and -- even worse -- harming our wildlife, who often mistake them for food.

Click to vote for your favorite reusable bag design.
Skip the Plastic - Choose Reusable

There is a simple solution to this problem:

* If you're buying just one or two items, skip the bag altogether.
* If you're buying more, use a reusable bag!

The City of Albuquerque plans to provide free reusable bags to those who make the commitment to reduce their plastic bag usage.

But we need your help to make it happen - please pledge to do your part, and voice your opinion by casting your vote for your favorite reusable bag design. We'll tally the votes, produce your favorite, and distribute it to Albuquerque citizens.
Business Owners

If you’re a business owner, sign up to support this effort. We'll send you signs that will remind your customers to bring their reusable bags, and announce your involvement in the Reuse in the Q program. Your customers will know you're committed to protecting the environment and reducing our petroleum use, just like they are.

¡soy de burque!

2009-07-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

Announcing New Apparel Line - Pequeños Burqueños - Check them out...

2009-06-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

Soy de Burque is very excited to announce a new line of apparel for the little Burqueños around town.

It's never to early to teach them to say, "¡soy de burque!"

Orale...check them out.

Long live Burque. Down with the Q.

Be a Fan...New Facebook Page

2009-06-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

Soy de Burque

Viva Burque.

The revolution is reborn on Facebook. It never went away – it’s stronger than ever. Friends from around the world voice their support. The issue now occasionally gets discussed at city council meetings. The news channels have picked up on the current administrations wasteful spending on branding our city. Street lights being the main focus. But there is the underlying question, “why is there a Q on it…and why do we need this now?” I’m still wondering why, with something as major as branding our city, KOAT and KRQE haven’t said anything. I’d think that’d be big news….”Albuquerque – you’ll now be referred to as the Q”. It’s not the elephant in the room but rather the big Q.

Maybe they have said something – there’s only so much news I can watch. If anyone has seen it please let me know.

Q branding. You know there is a strategy. What is it? How much does it cost? As a citizen I want to know.

So here’s the bottom line – with the new facebook page – people need to become our fan to get the message out. There are a lot of new things on the drawing board today so stay tuned…

orale...viva burque.

Two Years Strong... Anniversary Sale.

2009-03-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

The revolution was born April 1st, 2007.

Thank you for your continued support.

Long live Burque.

All shirts on sale for the month of April - www.soydeburque.com

The cost of the Q...

2009-03-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

KOAT ran a story last night I found interesting entitled, "Are New Street Signs Wasteful Spending." It reminded me of a past post - "Your Q Dollars." - February 7th, 2008

I still remember the original claim by city officials -

It costs $1,400 to put The Q decals on the sides of new alternative fuel city vehicles. The logo is only being put on brand-new vehicles. "The only thing we're doing is switching the logo as new cars come on," she (Deborah James, mayor spokesperson) says, and no money was spent to switch out the logo of older vehicles.

They say traffic safety. I say Q propaganda and wasteful spending.

Apparently, the Q "cures global warming" (note the enormous billboard by the Big-I) and enjoys being spotlit all night for everyone to see. I wonder if the signs are run on solar energy. I would think.

Now under the guise of other city projects, I wonder if we'll ever know how much they're spending on branding us.

Moo.

Not a Fair Weather Burqueño

2009-03-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

Orale...que frio ¿no?

Glad I can start wearing shorts.

According to the photographer, this was taken near Tahoe.
Great pic. ¡Viva Burqueño ex-pats!

Albuquerque Journal - "Here's a Q-Tip for you: ¡Viva Burque!"

2009-01-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Here's a Q Tip for You: Â¡Viva Burque!

By Leslie Linthicum
Journal Staff Writer
The city of Albuquerque's official nickname — The Q — has been a thorn in the side of a growing revolution of city dwellers since it was rolled out a little more than a year and a half ago.
The revolution has been led by the anonymous subject of today's column. The Q drives him mad. Not because he's got any particular beef with the 17th letter of the alphabet, but because of what it represents: "We as citizens were never asked what we wanted to call ourselves," he says. "It was brought upon us. I think it's strange, this whole idea of branding a city."
Since Mayor Martin Chávez's desire to come up with a city brand resulted in the official Q logo, billboards have advertised Albuquerque as The Q; the mayor's radio show is called "The Q Hour;" local shopping cards are Q Cards; the annual Downtown music fest was named the "QJam;" and the new bicycle borrowing program is being named Q Bike.
The mayor is a happy early adopter of the Q. "I just like the heck out of it," he said when the logo was rolled out.
Outside of official channels, The Q isn't exactly spreading like the flu. Ever heard anyone say, "I'm spending the weekend in The Q"? Or, "I just moved to The Q and I'm lovin' it"?
Ever heard anyone outside official channels use The Q in any context, ever?
Spending about 30 seconds on Google reveals what we all suspected: The Q did not spring from the loins of originality.
The Q is an arena in Cleveland (still time to get Monster Jam tickets!); a gay dance bar in Lincoln, Neb.; a hard rock radio station in El Paso (and a host of radio stations elsewhere); the subway train that goes to Coney Island in Brooklyn; and the nickname of Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Mass.
(It is also the odd devotion of a librarian at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, who has a trippy Web page devoted to "facts and fancies concerning the seventeenth letter of the alphabet.")
So back to our anonymous hero, who fought back and launched the Burque movement. With a Web site and T-shirts and bumper stickers for sale — and a You Tube video showing how to make your own Soy de Burque shirt — he has reclaimed some control over what he wants his native city to be called.
He opts for Burque because that is how he grew up shortening Albuquerque. While his shirts have shown up in shops and on chests around town, he has remained unnamed through it all, opting for Burque to get all of the attention.
"I'm just a guy on the street. I'm just another regular old citizen," he says. "It's not about me and I don't want it to be about me."
The Burque movement has spurred quite a little nickname war — one that Burque is winning on the streets.
Or was winning.
Then came the dark day late last year when the city's new blue curb side recycling bins were delivered. It's hard to do battle with a city-funded blue army.
"I was driving down the street and everybody had their canisters out and I just saw Qs everywhere," he says. "I thought, 'What can I do? It's this thing that's just being pushed on us.' "
What happened next will help explain why Mr. Burque likes to remain anonymous.
"I stared at it for a little while. Then I got some vinyl and cut out some stencils and went out and put my own little mark on it."
And the official Q became BurQue. Seditious or delicious, depending on your point of view.
The Duke of Burque is excited about the possibilities for all those Q's as Albuquerqueans receive their recycling bins. He points out that those without stenciling skills can use a "Soy de Burque" sticker to amend their Q.
"I think people can go crazy with it," he said. And then added judiciously, "I'm sure it's city property, so I'm not encouraging anybody to do anything with them."
He's also not pushing Burque — that would be as bad as what the city is doing.
"You can call it Albuquerque. You can call it ABQ or Duke City. You can call it The Q. You can call it Burque," he says. "It's about where do we live? Who are we? Shouldn't we have a voice in this?"
If you've never had any trouble spitting out "Albuquerque," all four pesky syllables and two Q's, feel free to continue. If you want to be the first in the city to actually say you're "from The Q," well, good luck. If you're thinking of joining the Burque Brigade, please, some words of advice. Practice rolling your r's. And, remember, Burque does not rhyme with turkey.
You can reach Leslie at 823-3914 or llinthicum@abqjournal.com. Read all of her columns at www.abqjournal.com/upfront. Copyright Albuquerque Journal.

For more information regarding Soy de Burque, visit www.soydeburque.com

The New Recycling Program - Bin Modifications

2008-11-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

It's a good start to the neighborhood recycling program here in Burque, but I couldn't have my property tattooed with that f n "Q". They keep forcing it on me and I had to make the modification. Spray paint or vinyl work great. There are also some bumper stickers on the website that would cover that thing up. (click here for bumper stickers.)

Q-card - Another Bad Idea

2008-11-25T07:44:00.000-08:00

I continue to wonder why?...

The City partners with Walgreen's for a $5 discount when you purchase the $25 card. Once again, city doing it's job to support another box store. I understand the money you pay will allow you entrance to sites around town, but do I really need a plastic non-green friendly "q-card" to cover my entrance fees?

Marty rolling-out another idea...

Chavez said, " (the card) gets them (we Burqueños) in the door at Walgreens because they're a great payer of gross receipts for the city of Albuquerque".

Sure they are...they're on every other street corner.

Besides, I'm still pissed Walgreen's took over "La Hacienda" on Juan Tabo and Montgomery. Funny thing is there was another Walgreen's across the street, but they felt it necessary to knock down one of the best local drive through burrito places to put up another Walgreen's in it's place. For a couple days before the "grand opening", there were two Walgreen's juxtaposed to each other. Is it just me, or does it seem Walgreen's are taking over?

Here's an idea...go to the museums, parks, zoo, gardens, etc. and pay cash or use the other plastic you already have in your wallet.

New Public Service Announcement for momentAM radio

2008-10-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to PAC505 for offering air time on AM 1350. For full version...with bits and pieces from chopping block...check out soydeburque.com.

Viva Burque. Go vote.

Last day to register to vote!!!

2008-10-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Click on above link to see if you are registered to vote.

How to Make Your Own Soy de Burque T-shirt

2008-07-30T16:04:00.001-07:00

Soy de Burque voted Best of Burque by the Weekly Alibi.

2008-04-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

Click to visit Weekly Alibi's Best of Burque edition.

This is an incredible honor.
Thank you again for your continued support.

Viva Burque.

One year ago, we started to take the power back.

2008-03-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

Still hoping "the Q" is an April Fools joke.

Greenwashing Burque

2008-02-16T11:07:00.001-08:00

Dealing with the effects of poorly planned urban sprawl and natural resource depletion won't be as easy as cleaning up the mess of a poorly planned marketing gimmick.

Read the frontpage story from the Albuquerque Journal...

Click image to read more.

Featured in New Mexico Business Outlook

2008-02-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Albuquerque Journal, N.M., Everybody's Business column: All riled up over that Q

(Albuquerque Journal (NM) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 23--Leave it to Mayor Marty to get Albuquerque all riled up over a letter.

No, not a document from someone to someone. Just a single member of the alphabet. The Q.

Since March, when ad agency Rick Johnson & Co. announced with the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau the Q as the proposed "omnibrand" for the city, the O with a tail has taken a yanking from some of the city's most vocal residents -- bloggers and Alibi readers.

In articles and blog posts, the Q brand has been called "generic," "annoying," "superficial" and "robotic," mostly by backers of an anonymous resistance group hyping the phrase "Soy de Burque!" or "I am from Burque." That's not to say all of the comments are negative, -- one blogger says the Q has "'memorable' potential" -- but the overall tone from this albeit small segment of the community is that the Q is a corporate attempt to label the city as something it's not.

The idea behind the branding was to capitalize on Albuquerque's distinctive spelling -- two Qs -- and the letter's contemporary style. "It's not just a logo or an ad campaign," said Debbie Johnson, CEO of RJC, during the Q's spring coming-out event. "This would be the graphic focal point of the branding."

The last, and possibly only, time the Q got this much attention from the press was 2005, when the often overlooked letter (even the college dictionary gives it only 8{ pages) found itself at the center of a trademark infringement lawsuit between automakers Nissan and Audi. Nissan claimed exclusive right to the Q after years of use on its Infinitis when Audi decided the letter would add flair as a prefix on its new SUV line. (The case was settled out of court.)

It's exactly this type of legal battle that the city is trying to avoid, why the mayor et al. have appeared rather quiet on the subject since the announcement. It's not that the Burquenos have gotten to the administration. Rather, the city lawyers have been at work making sure Albuquerque isn't about to step on the toes of anyone who already has license to the letter.

"And to have some competitive protection ourselves ... (pause) -- from other cities that have two qs in their names," Johnson said wryly during a conference call with the Journal and city officials after the powers that be met about trademark issues last week.

"We're worried about Quebec," Johnson said.

Mayor: "I hear they're changing their name."

Seriously, the mayor said, "We're still Albuquerque, or Albuquerque, if you prefer. People can call us whatever they want, use whatever Q they want. They can use the whole word, half the word, or Spanish slang if they want to."

While the Q is designed to be a marketing tool for business development and for the ACVB to promote city tourism, some local business people are already seizing upon the letter's potential.

Carl Baca just earned his real estate license this summer and immediately secured the Internet domain name theQrealty.com for a future residential real estate business. He's currently focused on a commercial endeavor in the North Valley.

"That's like free marketing for anybody who essentially drafts off of that name, or identifies themselves as something having to do with the Q. It really doesn't matter what business you have, but something with the Q will sound familiar to people with the city and within the state and even in the nation.

"I couldn't afford as an individual business owner to obtain that kind of marketing."

Mayor Martin Chavez says Q-lovers and Q-haters and those who just don't care are welcome to e-mail him their opinions or statements of ambivalence at martinchavez@cabq.gov.

Copyright (c) 2007, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Response:

We are writing in response to Autumn Gray’s column in the Business Outlook (“All riled up over that Q,” Thursday, 8/23/07). Soy de Burque was not contacted for this column and, as a result, we feel that our movement has been misrepresented by the author. For that reason we
are compelled to respond in this uphill battle to sustain our identity and culture. We do not have the resources nor the contacts that the Q or Rick Johnson have to be asked our opinions on this continuing merry-go-round.

As for the staff of the Albuquerque Journal, the largest circulating newspaper in
the state, we feel it is your responsibility to present both sides of the
story in order to maintain any sort of journalistic credibility. We are not difficult to
contact and would enjoy being included in discussion regarding this important issue.

We feel the comment, but the overall tone from this albeit small
segment of the community, is careless. Are there statistics or
reports validating this claim? Ask anyone of the many people who have
responded to our movement if they feel alone in their support for
Burque. To simply claim that it is only a small “anonymous resistance group” that cares about its culture and identity, without verifying your sources, seems to be quite negligent. As far as we're concerned, the reaction to this government-inspired cultural branding and our movement Soy de Burque is not small. Unfortunately, neither is the amount of money that the city is spending on this branding effort as a “marketing tool.”

This is tax payer money. Since when do we allow the government to
define us? As a democracy we are responsible to define our
government, not the other way around. Recent moves by the city’s top elected official fall nothing short of politicking, and a branding effort is just as transparent as other statements and initiatives. It is obvious to us Burqueños that he is simply packing his resume for political aspirations beyond his service as mayor.

Soy de Burque is an organization attempting to raise the profile of
Albuquerque as a cultural hub, distinct from other cities around the
world. Our focus is promoting social responsibility in local business operations
and awareness to social justice issues impacting the people of
Albuquerque. We want to preserve the rich culture and identity of Albuquerque’s residents.

Our purpose is to raise the issue that people care about regarding Burque,
not just as a name, but as a metaphor for citizens resisting decision-making without their consent.

We respect all opinions for or against branding our city. Those are
words from the people. The Q,” on the other hand, is something forced
upon us.

But again, I digress; our primary issue is not what we're called. Call
Albuquerque what you want. This isn't any politician's city to name. That's the
point.

We have also been featured on KOBTV with Jeremy Jojola and interviewed
with the Weekly Alibi. Visit our web page, www.soydeburque.com, for these stories as both sides were able to present their opinions.

Viva Burque.

Sincerely,

Soy de Burque

Your "Q" Dollars

2008-02-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

Remember when the city had Joan Osborne and Kenny Wayne Shepard come play for "free"? Remember the "Q" Jam?

I keep asking myself, why would a pop music star, who has no tie to Burque, come play music for free? Then let Marty play his guitar...

I can only imagine Marty jamming on stage while Osborne played her "What if god is one of us?", and Marty requested the spotlight shine down on him.

And as I recall, when they forced this whole "Q" thing on us, they said they were only going to use the environmental "Q" logo on "new" "hybrid" vehicles.

Something tells me they're lying to us...

Ahhh... our green "Q" trash cans...

Something more innovative and environmentally friendly would have been to at least make them composting bins.

Have you noticed the billboards going up everywhere? I recently got a quote of $4100 from Clear Channel to have a billboard. Marty must know someone if all these "Q" tattoos are costing taxpayers less than $1500 (as quoted by city officials).

I dream of the day, we can have a Soy de Burque billboard.

Tattooed Cars = World Peace and the end to Global Warming.

New "Q" Street Signs

2008-02-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

Please be aware, we are being subliminally brainwashed. Notice the subtle "Q" underneath two of our most cherished street signs.

How much are we paying for this?

Radio Ad from SWOP

2008-01-28T20:34:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest ad from the Southwest Organizing Project referencing "the Q".

Local Burqueño Hero...

2008-01-26T12:18:00.000-08:00

I receive many images from supporters around the country. Here is one image from a proud supporter. They said that the image was shot in "Uptown". I don't know who he/she is, but to me, they are a local hero.

Whoever you are...
Thank you for your continued support.

Down with "the Q".

Soy de Burque.

New Claims for the Creator of "the Q"

2008-01-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

I recently received a “reality check” from a concerned “Q”. (not sure if that’s how they want to be called, or if there is something more hip they call themselves, but for me I’ll refer to those who love their homogenous “Q” as “Q’s”, “robots”, “tools”.

The email was titled “Reality Check”. Little did I know, I was living a dream.

It reads:

Soy de Burque Staff,

Happy New Year to the crew. We hope business goes well, and that merchandise is taking off. I just wanted to clarify one minor point that your website misrepresents - the City of Albuquerque's 'Q" logo, (the ubiquitous green Q with the extra-long tail that is found everywhere from city buses to trashcans at the Sunport) is not the product of some soulless corporate advertising machine, but rather a homegrown product from right here in Albuquerque.

The agency responsible, TKO Advertising, (not Rick Johnson & Co. as often misquoted) is a shop based in the heart of downtown ABQ, a three-man operation headed by James Walker, a New Mexico native. The design was actually commissioned by a City department, which was noticed by the Mayor's office and took off from there.

We appreciate the "Soy de Burque" movement, but please know that Albuquerque's "Q" was created by and for 'Burqueños, and is coming from the heart of the city. Thanks for your time.

-Joaquin
--
Joaquin Falcon
Account Executive
TKO Advertising, Inc.
823 Silver Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Of course I was very concerned. I lost sleep. I couldn’t eat. I found my self pacing my garage, questioning how I could be so dense. According to this guy, “the Q” represents me. It was created for me! Us! We Burqueños! We should feel lucky and proud to have “the Q” replace our Burque! We don’t need to think anymore…we have guys like this to think for us and give us gifts of culture.

Joaquin put a lot of work looking through his fonts deciding what letter truly symbolizes the city’s essence. Thank you Joaquin for the wonderful reality check!

I digress…

If I did need a reality check, I’d need to place myself in Joaquin’s shoes.

I opened Microsoft Word. I scrolled through the fonts.

Turns out, the font something similar to Arno Pro, was the eleventh font on the list of hundreds! How lucky! I didn’t have to go through hardly any fonts. Surely there had to be something more involved and creative in coming up with something so ingenious.

Q….then I thought, “wait a second, that guy…(giggle)”…”he changed the color to green!”…. Q …

WOW!
Wait it looks skinny…I’ll bold it….Q….I DID IT!!!!

Man I wish I got paid the big bucks to come up with this shit. Hundreds of years of cultural evolution, summed up in 2 minutes. Depressing.

I’m feeling better about my reality check. I feel like I’m really trying to connect with the Q and understand how and why Joaquin is adamant about taking credit for worst idea in the history of the city as recently reported in the Weekly Alibi.

The report:

Worst of 2007: Albuquerque Branded “The Q”

The branding of New Mexico's largest city as "The Q" wasn't voted on in the 2007 local elections. There was no public comment period for residents to have a voice about reducing Albuquerque's name to one consonant. There was just a man ( Mayor Martin Chavez) and his hype team (Rick Johnson & Company) looking for a catchy logo to throw on buses, billboards and brochures to pull in some tourist dinero. Mayor Chavez got his Q-clad buses, and we Burqueños got stuck with a catch phrase we didn't choose (and don’t much care for).

Silver Lining: A grassroots movement of residents formed a group to promote the nickname most locals already approve: Burque. The group, Soy de Burque, is using a website ( www.soydeburque.com), T-shirts and word of mouth to promote Burque and stop "The Q." (AD)

Once again, I rethink why I need this reality check. Why it is Joaquin is claiming credit when the Weekly Alibi is claiming Rick Johnson & Company is behind it? Even the CEO of Rick Johnson and Co., Debbie Johnson, is confused. She thinks Rick Johnson & Company came up with “the Q”.

One of the original reports run by local blogs: http://abqrising.com

The ABQ Q Journal is running a story on the Duke Q City’s latest brand: Q. This marketing gold came from Rick Johnson & Co. and the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau during the Destination Master Plan review at the National Hispanic Cultural Center last Friday, March 23.

Let’s see what Mayor Chavez has to say:

In the vein of “Sesame Street” sign-offs [Sesame Street—well played.], the letter Q was sponsored by the mayor: “I just started seeing it around town— at ABQ Uptown, the Albuquerque Studios, or the Q Studios, the Q Bar, you name it,” Mayor Martin Chávez told the Journal. “It’s a wonderful way to express modern-day Albuquerque. … I just like the heck out of it.”

Debbie Johnson, CEO, Rick Johnson & Co.:

“We’re encouraging all of Albuquerque to be creative and have fun with the Q. We want it to represent a variety of organizations and features and characteristics of the city.”

Thanks Debbie for the encouragement to be creative.

This whole report was initially run by the Albuquerque Journal. They claim Rick Johnson and Co. are behind “the Q”. Maybe Marty came up with the dumb idea, but Rick Johnson and Co. was given the go ahead to promote and create it.

Why the confusion Joaquin?

I did notice TKO advertising on some of the fliers, so I understand you’re involved somehow. Being based out of Texas,(http://www.tkousa.com/main.swf) makes me question your claim to truly understand Burque. Nobody from Burque would come up with "the Q", and think it was a good replacement for Burque.

There is only one Burque. There will always only be one Burque. Nobody can take Burque away from us.

Here’s how I see it…

Marty needed some hot topic to make him look good for any political office that opened up. He called up his buddy Rick and said “what do I need?”
Marty had already received his cosmetic surgery, so Rick said, (in my make-believe world)

“The environment is sexy now. Talk about how you’re the solution to global warming. We’ll need a campaign to put your name on even more podiums, billboards, streets, commercials…everything. You know, make me more money. Eventually your name will be on everything, and rather than bankrupt the city removing your tattoo from everything, people will be forced to re-elect you for whatever office you can win. If that doesn’t work, try and get rid of term limits for mayor. If that doesn’t work, claim everything is unconstitutional.”

Either way, Rick gets his money. Being incredibly expensive, the deal made sense to Marty. (Side note: City Officials are quoted saying “the Q” will cost an estimated $1500. Something tells me, stickers, websites, Q vehicles, marketing firms, balloons clothes, commercials, billboards, luncheons, golf fees, putting Marty’s signature on everything, etc. is costing tax-payer’s much more that $1500.)

So Rick with his money, doesn’t actually do the work. Like any good business in today’s world, you outsource your labor to sweatshops…in this case, TKO advertising. (In other cases unrelated but along the same lines…Hollywood outsourcing to New Mexico. A topic for another day.)

So maybe that’s the story. Either way, I don’t really care. “The Q” is insulting.

It represents everything I hate about people who don’t have any cultural sensitivity, social awareness, and have no vision for a prosperous future that doesn’t include strip malls, Botox, gated communities with no natural resources to be sustainable but make quick money for politicians and their friends, SUV’s and wars to fund them, schools funded by corporations, book burning, health insurance that class-discriminates, beliefs like building walls will resolve conflict or keep out immigrants, or most important…scripted history.

To conclude my “reality check” Joaquin, I’m sick of people like you telling me who I am. I don’t care if you were paid to come up with something you expect me to embrace. I don’t embrace “the Q” even if you or your bosses are from Burque.

What gives you the right to come up with anything meant to represent my culture? Nothing was ever voted on. Just Rick outsourcing a font to a local sweatshop and the city spending the cash to give Burqueños strategic culture. Something easy, planned, sterile, vain, arrogant, anesthetized, concocted, bogus, and forced on a culture to embrace, because “they” hold the power.

That’s the “reality check”. “They” hold the power to inflict any haphazard policy “they” want. TKO is just a pawn in the game. The point is proven not just in this case, but seen around the world. To me, this exemplifies the corporate take-over of the governments of the world. Policy designed to subordinate anything that may cause reaction or revolution.

We don’t need the Q. We don’t have to embrace it even if you claim you’re from Albuquerque and claim you came up with it…I wouldn’t embrace it if my Burqueña grandmother came up with “the Q”…

Your arrogance and brain-washed supposition does not surprise me. Many of your tasteless attitudes are apparent in much of today’s senseless and apathetic movement. It is evident in our sale whore, me, me, me, self-righteous and superfluous ill justice imposed on the under represented, impoverished, and exploited. I raise no glass to you.

Where does it stop if we can just hire a marketing firm to re-brand hundreds of years of culture so it’s more palatable and saleable?

We need to fight for things like Burque. Burque is a philosophy. Burque is a metaphor. This concept of Burque represents change. The fact that we the people have the power to shout “NO!” to the puppet masters who pull the politicians strings. The fact that we can appreciate our culture and see through these scams can lead us to a new renaissance. I believe that profoundly.

I’m reminded of a Bob Dylan song:

There's been rumors of war and wars that have been
The meaning of the life has been lost in the wind
And some people thinkin' that the end is close by
"Stead of learnin' to live they are learning to die.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

I don't know if I'm smart but I think I can see
When someone is pullin' the wool over me
And if this war comes and death's all around
Let me die on this land 'fore I die underground.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

There's always been people that have to cause fear
They've been talking of the war now for many long years
I have read all their statements and I've not said a word
But now Lawd God, let my poor voice be heard.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.
Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

We Burqueños are not pioneers in this revolt. But we Burqueños recognize when the wool is being pulled over us.

So there it is, my “reality check”, and even a song for you to hum.

Joaquin, you were ruled by “the Q” even before it was a twinkle in your eye. It existed long before you or I existed. You just gave it a different name and font. There is your credit. Deserved or not.

That being said…

I’m keeping with Rick Johnson and Co. as chief creator and marketing firm responsible for “the Q” until the Albuquerque Journal, the CEO of Rick Johnson and Co. Debbie Johnson, the Weekly Alibi, and any respectable blog in town retract their statements. I feel they are more verifiable sources than some tool from the toolbox.

To reply:

Down with the Q.

Soy de Burque.

"the Q" Ranked the Worst Idea of 2007 by the Weekly Alibi

2008-01-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

Those who make hip...so hip.

2007-12-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

All questions have been answered...these are the guys who say what's hip.

Asshat of the week brought to you by the Alibi...

2007-11-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

Asshat of the Week
"I am not seeing the reduction in accidents that justify the headache and the controversy."
--Mayor Martin Chavez in a Sunday, Nov. 11, Albuquerque Journal article about the task force he appointed to study the red-light cameras.

All year, Chavez staunchly supported the cameras and was quoted saying such things as:

"These cameras are not a cash cow for the city. I've tried everything to cut down on speeding and red-light violations, and this program is the first thing that has worked." Feb. 15, 2007.

Something's changed. Chavez announced last month that he will run for Domenici's Senate seat. (MD)