Romney accepts GOP nomination for president

Creating word clouds gives a whole new meaning to "wordsmith."

President Obama's DNC2012 Speech

My artistic interpretation of President Barack Obama's speech to Democratic National Convention delegates last week in Charolette, North Carolina. Word Cloud prepared using Tagul.com.

Michelle Obama remembers military families at DNC

Data visualization is quickly becoming a required skill for new media journalists. Here's my word cloud using text from the first lady's DNC2012 speech in Charlotte.

Clinton rallies Democrats in North Carolina

Another word cloud featuring text from former President Bill Clinton's DNC2012 speech in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Gov. Martinez delivers artful RNC speech in Tampa

I used Tagul's word cloud generator, a picture of Governor Martinez, and text from her Republican National Convention speech in Tampa, to create this poster. Word size is determined by how often its used in a speech or written document.

Geotagged: New Mexico Photos

Top Stories

Honk your horn if you love New Mexico!

If you're like me, you're still planning your Top 10 New Year's resolutions. But, it's also time to mark January 6th on your brand new 2012 calendar.

That's the day set aside to honor New Mexico's Centennial.

At 11:35, New Mexicans are being encouraged to honk their car horns for 30 seconds to wish the state Happy Birthday. That's the approximate time President William Howard Taft signed New Mexico into statehood a century earlier.

We just found out that ABQ RIDE plans a birthday ceremony at the Alvarado Transportation Center. It will feature a Rail Runner locomotive horn, a whistle from a vintage locomotive, horns from ABQ RIDE buses and air and car horns sounding the approximate moment New Mexico became a state one hundred years ago.

“In 1912, President Taft signed statehood papers a few days earlier than expected, so most New Mexicans didn’t find out about it until a day later," said Bruce Rizzieri, Director of ABQ RIDE. “Now, we want to give the occasion the fanfare it deserves at the site of what was once the jewel of Albuquerque, the Alvarado Hotel.”

The ceremony will feature 1912-era songs from the New Mexico Territorial Brass Band, which will also play New Mexico’s state song, “O Fair New Mexico”, during the ceremony. Commemorative Centennial ornaments designed and assembled by students at Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque will also be given out to participants at the celebration, as well as cake and hot chocolate.

After the ceremony, Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry plans a ribbon cutting to inaugurate a permanent display of photos at the Alvarado Transportation Center. They will depict the storied history of the Alvarado Hotel, along with a history of public transportation in Albuquerque. The public is invited.

Johnson's fundraising lackluster

Campaign contributions are trickling in for former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's 2012 presidential campaign as he plans his 13th trip to New Hampshire in the last 18 months, but he'll need to raise more money if he wants to be competitive.

Campaign treasurer Chet Goodwin reported Johnson raised a little more than $180,000 between announcing his campaign in mid-April through July 15, and spent nearly all of it. The campaign reported $6,000 cash on hand.

Johnson, an avid outdoorsman, may want to consider touring on his cycle, pitching a tent or making reservations with a budget hotel along the campaign trail, because the report indicates he has racked up more than $227,000 in debts and other obligations.

Johnson lags behind Republican front-runners Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Michelle Bachman and Ron Paul.

Romeny reported raising $18 million...well ahead of Paul's $4.5 million, Pawlenty's $4.3 million, and Bachman's $3.6 million.

President Barack Obama raised more than $46 million.

In New Hampshire this weekend, Johnson said he plans to compete in the 38th Annual Stratham Fair Road Race, speak to students at Dartmouth College, and attend campaign events in Keene, Freedom, Dover, Conway and Exeter.

Johnson's probably wishing CNN would have invited him to the first big GOP debate, where he might have been able to reach more potential donors.

Great New Mexico photographs