The past 100 years

From The Santa Fe New Mexican:

Sept. 27, 1917: The war has done more than teach Americans efficiency, fortitude, self-control; it is rapidly welding a nation; burning out the dross, clarifying, purifying, consolidating. Despite tremendous difficulties and discouragements, a miracle is being worked.

Sept. 27, 1967: The ceiling and floor and walls of the recreation room were charred and smelling like a forgotten oven. Through the smashed windows the tended emerald grass looked like a golf course advertisement. But it was the lawn of New Mexico’s only public mental institution. And on the floor about six patients had run confused in thick smoke last Thursday until their lungs stopped working and they died, three reportedly huddled back in their beds, one locked by himself in a rest room, two others cringing in a hallway.

Sept. 27, 1992: Depending on which political pundit is doing the talking, 1992 is supposed to be the year of change, the year of the woman, the year of Ross Perot, the year of the disaffected voter or maybe all of the above.

In any case, would-be voters who want a say in exactly how this strange presidential election cycle turns out have just a few more days to sign up as official electors.

The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 6.