New Mexico is known for amazing local cuisine, Aztec ruins and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In the January issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, paleontologists Thomas Williamson of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Thomas Carr of Carthage College bring a new superstar to the state.

Bistahieversor sealeyi (pronounced: bistah-he-ee-versor see-lee-eye) is a brand new species of tyrannosaur discovered in the Bisti/De-na-zin Wilderness of New Mexico.

Tyrannosaurs include the famous meat-eating dinosaur movie-stars like T. rex, and their characteristic body and skull shape (not to mention that mouthful of ferocious teeth!) make them easy for paleontologists and kids to recognize.

The skull and skeleton of Bistahieversor were collected in the first paleontological excavation from a federal wilderness area, and the specimen was airlifted from the badlands by a helicopter operated by the Air Wing of the New Mexico Army National Guard.

“Bistahieversor sealeyi is the first valid new genus and species of tyrannosaur to be named from western North America in over 30 years,” says Williamson.

Tyrannosaurs are best known from 65-75 million year old sediments from the Rocky Mountain region of North America. Bistahieversor provides important insights into the evolutionary history of the group.

“Bistahieversor is important because it demonstrates that the deep snout and powerful jaws of advanced tyrannosaurs like T. rex were special adaptations that evolved around 110 million years ago, after the eastern and western halves of North America were separated by a shallow sea,” says Carr. Bistahieversor was different from other tyrannosauroids in having an extra opening above its eye, a complex joint at its “forehead,” and a keel along its lower jaw; it also had more teeth than its distant relative T. rex.

Bistahieversor skulls and skeletons collected from the Bisti/De-na-zin Wilderness and from the lands of the Navajo Nation are currently on display at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History.

Provided by Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

Southern Company announced yesterday that it formed a strategic alliance with environmentalist Ted Turner, the largest individual landowner in North America, to pursue renewable energy projects in the United States.

Southern Company CEO David Ratcliffe stated, “This alliance unites our common goal to explore and develop new renewable energy projects….We have said for some time that renewable energy should play an increasing role in this country’s energy mix and that Southern Company would seek opportunities to expand our renewable portfolio where it makes sense. This is evidence of that commitment.”

“I’ve always been passionate about developing renewable energy, and I’m excited to join forces with Southern Company to explore our renewable energy potential,” said Ted Turner, owner of Turner Renewable Energy. “Southern Company’s experience in power project development, construction and operations, and customer relations help make this a strong alliance, and I look forward to working together.”

According to the press release, Southern Company and Turner will focus on developing and investing in large scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the Southwest. Other renewable technologies may also be pursued.

Southern Company’s subsidiary, Southern Power, develops and owns generation assets for the wholesale market in the Southeast. Last November, Southern Power announced that it had stepped out of its Southeastern footprint and fossil-fired facilities to acquire a renewable project in Texas, the Nacogdoches Generating Facility, which will be fueled by biomass and start operations in 2012.

Turner is the largest individual landowner in North America and owns over two million acres. His Western properties consist of 15 ranches in seven states: New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Oklahoma. With the exception of Nebraska and Oklahoma, the five remaining states have passed renewable portfolio standards.

In New Mexico, where Turner owns three ranches totaling over one million acres and solar resources are plentiful, the Public Regulation Commission requires that investor owned utilities (IOUs) meet a 20% renewables target for retail sales by 2020. Last week, First Solar, which acquired Turner-owned solar firm in late 2007, announced that it has executed an agreement with PNM to build 22 MW of solar PV electric generating capacity at five (as yet to be named) sites within PNM’s service territory in New Mexico.

Free-wheeling Billy the Kid may have helped start the legend of Lincoln, but it is the tiny New Mexico town’s past and current residents who keep the legends alive through their preservation of the area’s history.

True West Magazine’s 2010 Top True Western Towns lists Lincoln as number eight. Virginia City, Nevada, won the top award. The True Western Towns are featured in the January/February 2010 issue, on newsstands now.

Volunteer groups are the key to Lincoln’s success. Partners in Preservation, the Lincoln County Historical Society and the Old Lincoln Days Pageant Committee work together to preserve the many circa 1880 buildings, including the courthouse (from which Billy the Kid escaped in 1881), the Tunstall Store and the Montano Store.

In addition, the private home of Sheriff James Brent and the Watson House were renovated in 2009. Volunteers are working to restore the interior of the Fresquez House; and the Torreon, a defensive tower favored by fighters during the Battle of Lincoln in 1878, is being re-plastered.

“For such a small town—only 50 people live there full time—Lincoln does some big work,” said True West Executive Editor Bob Boze Bell. “That’s the reason Lincoln is a True Western gem, one that hasn’t changed much since the time of Billy the Kid.”

True West editors determine winners for this annual award based on criteria demonstrating how each town has preserved its history through old buildings, museums and other institutions, events and promotions of historic resources.

True West magazine is in its 57th year of leading the way in presenting the true stories of Old West adventure, history, culture and preservation. For subscriptions and more information, visit twmag.com or call 888-687-1881.

A wind turbine marketed by Honeywell could make generating electricity a home-based business.

The compact turbine resembles a 6-foot in diameter bicycle wheel that sits on a suburban roof. It can function at wind speeds as low as 2 mph, doesn’t make loud noises or vibrate excessively – two objections to competing turbines.

The average U.S. household uses about 10,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year. WindTronics, the Michigan firm that developed and manufactures the turbine, says their turbine on the roof of a close-in suburban home can be expected to generate about 20 percent of the electricity a household needs.

The installed cost of the turbine, including a connection to the local electric grid, averages about $8,000 to $9,000, WindTronics estimates, but that cost is offset by a federal tax credit of 30 percent. It may also be reduced by state and local tax credits.

Source: Washington Post, Katherine Salant (01/30/2010)

McLean, VA – In the fourth quarter of 2009, 33 percent of borrowers who refinanced their loan lowered their principal balance according to Freddie Mac’s quarterly Refinance Report. This is the highest “cash-in” share since Freddie Mac began tracking the characteristics of refinance transactions in 1985. The next highest share of cash-in refinancing occurred in the fourth quarter of 1993 when 23 percent of borrowers lowered their mortgage debt during refinance.

Consistent with the cash-in share, the report showed that the share of borrowers who increased their loan balance by 5 percent or more during the fourth quarter was at a record low of 27 percent. The previous lowest cash-out refinance share was 33 percent and occurred during the second quarter of 2003.

“Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages set a new record low during the first week in December at 4.71 percent and over the quarter averaged just 4.9 percent in Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey®,” noted Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. Freddie Mac’s weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey® began in 1971. “One-half of borrowers who refinanced their conventional loan during the quarter lowered their annual mortgage interest rate by at least 0.9 percentage points below the old rate. In aggregate, the lower interest rate translates into about $2 billion in payment savings for these homeowners over the first 12 months of the new loan. For families that paid down their mortgage balances when they refinanced, the monthly payment savings are even greater.

“This transformation from a cash-out refi market to a cash-in refi market is consistent with other data we’ve seen on households reducing their overall debt burdens, particularly revolving credit like credit cards. From September of 2008 to November of 2009, consumers cut $100 billion dollars in revolving debt from their obligations, according to the Federal Reserve Board.”

“In the fourth quarter, about $11 billion in home equity was cashed out by homeowners when they refinanced their conventional prime-credit home mortgage, the smallest quarterly amount in nine years. Over 2009, the total amount of equity cashed out was just under $70 billion, the lowest annual total since 2000, when $26 billion was extracted,” said Amy Crews Cutts, Freddie Mac deputy chief economist. “The main causes of the decline in cash-out refinance are declining home prices in many areas of the country that have eliminated equity that could have been extracted and tighter underwriting standards for loan-to-value ratios. Among the refinanced loans in our database, the median appreciation of the collateral property was a negative 2 percent over the median life of the prior loan of 3.6 years.”

These estimates come from a sample of properties on which Freddie Mac has funded at least two successive loans. Transactions are further screened to verify that the latest loan is for refinance rather than for home purchase. The Freddie Mac analysis does not track the use of funds made available from these refinances.

McLean, VA –Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.99 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending January 21, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.06 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.12 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.40 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.45 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.80 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.27 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.32 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.24 percent.

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.32 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.39 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.92 percent.

(Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)

“Fixed mortgage rates followed bond yields lower for the third consecutive week, pushing 30-year mortgages below 5 percent once more,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Similarly, ARM rates eased along with shorter-term rates, as the federal funds futures market indicates no increase in the Federal Reserve’s target rate following its upcoming committee meeting on January 26th and 27th.

“Because of reduced sample sizes and work disruptions that occur with severe weather, housing starts tend to be more volatile during winter months. And, indeed, housing starts declined 4.0 percent in December, falling short of the market consensus of no change. Building permits, which are less vulnerable to weather interruptions, unexpectedly jumped 10.9 percent.”

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation’s residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million renters.

Big Game Football Bash

Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino – Watch the big game on our four big screens, and enjoy the tailgate food, football contests and prizes. Don’t miss the performance by Jimmie Van Zant! Tickets are $25 at the door (space is limited). Tailgate starts at 1 pm, kickoff at 4 pm. More Info:  1-877-277-4577  www.innofthemountaingods.com

Billy’s Super Sunday Party

Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill at Billy the Kid Casino – Great food and drink specials, biggest and best TVs in town.  Billy’s Killer Hot Wing Eating Contet with $100 prize.  Door prizes and party favors.  Info:  575-378-4431

Bring the heat!

Introducing the first-ever New Mexico Magazine Salsa Contest

To qualify:

– You must manufacture a ready-to-eat salsa that is either made in New Mexico or made with New Mexico ingredients.

– The salsa must be available for purchase online or in retail outlets.

As the GRAND-PRIZE Winner, you’ll receive:

– Prestige as New Mexico’s best salsa for 2010

– The New Mexico Magazine Salsa Contest winner’s seal for your product

– Exclusive coverage in New Mexico Magazine

Click Here For The Official Salsa Contest Rules!