Everyone's a Lobo - Even if you don't have the mtn. network

In light of the Lobos starting off their season undefeated - I'm reminded why I don't like television. Since August 27, 2008 - UNM Lobo games have been broadcast on channel 616 on DIRECTV CHOICE or with a subscription to DIRECTV's Sportspack.

I'm a fan...grew up watching the Lobos on channel 13...listening to games on 770 KKOB...wishing I could go to Coop Camp - Michael Cooper was my first favorite NBA player as a kid. Anyone from Burque knows what Lobo basketball means to the city. We fans can be fickle. Harsh. Stubborn. Mean. But we love our Lobos.

The business decisions of cable and satellite television are beyond me. I'm sure there is some analysis out there that says UNM and the television company's make money on the deal - which in turn leads to better facilities - better recruitment - something about outreach to fans across the country - blah, blah, blah...but right now, I don't care. I can't turn on my television and watch my Lobos.

Lobo's are 19th in the country. Awesome job and congratulations guys. I'll see you at the local bar.

New shirt design -

Soy de Burque featured in Alibi Gift Guide

Orale...check it out.

soydeburque.com
pequenosburquenos.com

Long live Burque.

Q-bags - hee hee

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!

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

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

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.

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...

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

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!"

Thursday, January 08, 2009


Here's a Q Tip for You: ¡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