July 2007 | Main | September 2007
RE: Haggard fund drive points to molester
It’s more disconcerting to me that he is asking for funds when he is setting on a 3/4 million dollar home in Colorado that he has NOT put up for sale. That is what the rest of us would be expected to do.
This letter has not been edited.
Who will be fired by the Democrats?
Since the Democrats have such a problem with Firings and selections from the president I say lets hear their list from the candidates. Are they going to fire anyone and who do they want in cabinet posts now not when they have already been elected. Bush fired 7 lawyers who serve at his discretion and selected people and judges that Democrats are making such a big deal about lets hear from Hillary and they rest on who are they going to fire and select now and let the lies fly.
This letter has not been edited.
Paul Campos and Paul Krugman
It is often amusing to compare the vitriol and bile of Campos with that of his compatriot and mentor , Krugman. I submit that Krugman outdoes Campos in invective because of Krugman’s psychotic hatred of Bush. However , Campos does an adequate job as an in house ranter. Must be bucking for a job at the N.Y. Times.
This letter has not been edited.
Energy conservation
The editorial in Wednesday’s RMN by Nicholas Kristof (Conserving energy is the key) was interesting to me, as a scientist in the oil industry, but I found some of it very disappointing. I agree with him about our need to conserve energy, especially hydrocarbons, and that improving efficiency is a big part of it. However, he makes several commonly made mistakes. He touts electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars. He seems to forget that the electricity and hydrogen have to come from somewhere, and apparently doesn’t understand the conservation of energy laws that apply. If we had a pipeline to the sun or to Jupiter, both of which are more than 90% hydrogen, then our problems would be forever over. But the only sources of hydrogen are through electrolysis of water or similar treatment of methane. Getting hydrogen from water takes more energy than we get back by burning it. Getting it from methane uses the very hydrocarbon we are trying to conserve. Unless we get the necessary electrical energy from burning coal or using uranium, we are losing out.
And Kristof nowhere even mentions nuclear energy as an option! The fear of CO2 has also distorted our thinking about energy conservation. The recent smear job by Newsweek in their cover article (ridiculed by Newsweeks own Paul Samuelson, in Newsweek and the RMN) did one service. They named several scientists with very good reputations in climatology research who are among the naysayers, thus disproving the oft-repeated claim of scientific unanimity on anthropogenic global warming.
(Subject for another letter). The real problem facing us is to extend the life of our hydrocarbon fuel. We should do that by burning plentiful coal instead of natural gas to generate electricity, or better yet, use nuclear generator plants! Is someone from the oil business advocating coal and nuclear instead of oil or gas? YES!
This letter has not been edited.
Alberto Gonzales
The Rocky Mountain News castigation of Attorney General, Alberto Gonzalez, is hardly surprising. The editorial is nothing less than a slapdash attempt to discredit the Bush administration at the expense of an honorable public servant. The Attorney General was, in essence, the victim of a rash of “scandals” created by the Democrats for their own political gain. Yet, he was a strong proponent of defending our national security and foreign surveillance program, in spite of the defeatist agenda of his Democrat opponents in Congress. In short, the editorial is a disgrace.
This letter has not been edited.
Lawrence Trujillo
I had watched with interest the interviews Lawrence Trujillo and his attorney gave recently when Mr. Trujillo decided to plead guilty to all of the charges against him relating to the accident that killed Frank Bingham’s family on November 10, 2006 (Rocky Mountain News 07/31/2007). In my opinion, his attorney was simply trying to influence Mr. Trujillo’s sentencing by making comments such as, “He’s a good guy with a good heart,” and “He wants to take responsibility for his actions,”
Good luck to you, Mr. Trujillo, and Godspeed.
This letter has not been edited.
Sen. Larry Craig
Apparently, many “concerned Americans,” are “deeply troubled” about the “latest” - or should I say - “most recent” misconduct “allegation” regarding one of our “esteemed elected officials” namely Senator Larry Craig. (My quotes are used for proper emphasis and, especially, for political correctness.) I am neither concerned nor deeply troubled. Frankly, I am totally baffled and bewildered! Where is our sense of fairness and good judgment?
If it is okay, for a Democratic President of the United States to engage in oral sex with a young female intern in the Oval Office of our nations revered White House, what is the big deal about a Republican Senator hitting on an adult male undercover cop in the stall of an airport men’s public toilet?
Have we lost all respect for “the right to privacy” for “our nations leaders” who are dedicated are to “properly represent their constituents” and to “serve with dignity and resolve?” Where IS the ACLU on this one? Do our legislators need a Fairness Doctrine?
God Bless America....and Let Freedom Ring!
This letter has not been edited.
Housing hassles
The American Justice System is not just.
A few years back I chose to buy a new home, but to do that I had to sell the one that I lived in. My realtor found a couple that were interested but couldn’t get the proper financing. They asked to rent the property for a year until the man was in the reserves and could get help from being a veteran. We sat down and to enter in to a lease option agreement. All the necessary paperwork was there and they held $5000.00 in earnest money to insure they would fulfill the purchase of the home.
When the time came for them to purchase the home it had lost value. I came up with a plan to make up most of that difference. When my realtor and I went to the meeting that we were to make our proposal we didn’t even get a chance to discuss it. They made the claim the house was in to bad of shape to live in and the wanted to breach the contract. They also requested the money back to which I said no.
Now a year latter they are suing me.
All that is not the in just part. These people are on welfare and because of there indigence They have found free legal representation. It cost them nothing. I on the other hand I am looking at paying the same amount they are suing for to defend myself. I lose either way.
To make matters worse the home continues to loose value. I cannot sell it and because I owe more on the note now that the home is worth. On top of that it is on a flex interest rate even rent that I get for it does not pay enough to meet the what I owe in interest.
Look I have never gotten help from anyone. I work hard and pay my bills but because someone that doesn’t have to pay for their attorney is suing me I have lost even before I step into the courtroom
This letter has not been edited.
legal and illegal immigrants
Yesterday’s Opinion/ Editorial needs some clarification: Ms. Salinas speaks about the “anti-immigrant rhetoric” of presidential candidates, but she does not cite a single example of their rhetoric. She cites examples of anti-illegal alien rhetoric, which reflects the views of over 80% of the American people. That Salinas does not make a distinction between legal and illegal immigrants is the root of her problem in failing to understand how American democracy works. No more criminal activity should be allowed by illegal alien invaders. People want laws enforced and the invaders status exposed. A perfect example is the execution of the three young college students with a promising future at the Newark massacre. Surely, she knows the meaning of the word ILLEGAL...she needs to use it!
This letter has not been edited.
Bill Johnson and New Orleans
Dear Mr. Johnson: Interesting column on the devastation that greeted you in Nawlins. This doesn’t surprise anyone and is in stark contrast to the progress made so far in Mississippi. NOLA was a corrupt crime and poverty infested Third World hellhole run by tinpot Democrats before the hurricane. This is what they face down there. A few bullet points, since you completely missed what we term “root causes".
Mayor Ray “Chocolate City” Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blnco were given millions in federal dollars to fix the levees. The cash was “diverted” to other purposes (perhaps stolen outright) and the city was left vulnerable Five days of warnings of a direct hit by a Cat Five storm were ignored. Hundreds of city school busses could have been used to evacuate the most vulnerable residents, many of whom subsequently died. Offers of federal help prior to the storm’s landfall were rebuffed by the “leaders” down there.
It’s no wonder the government is blamed for the lack of progress; many in the Crescent City have sucked on the government teat their entire lives. Nola remains the murder capital of the U.S. and the illegitimacy rate is 80%. Our home offices and plant are down there and employees from Colorado there on business have been robbed at gunpoint.
Icing on the cake: We have the amazing Barney Frank stating that President Bush has engaged in “ethnic cleansing” by allowing the levees to break and flood the city. I wonder why I moved from Massachusetts, let me count the reasons.... The gall of these folks is incredible and I believe that if they were Republicans you might actually read some of this in the paper.
This letter has not been edited.
Gasp! Jesus even had capitalists as friends
In answer to letter writer Pamela Blome (“CCU students misled,” Aug. 27), I think she knows very little of the history of Christianity.
I would like to know where these Christian communes she alludes to were located. It is true that they gathered, as did the Jews and those of other faiths, in conclaves of their own kind. But a “communist-style” way of life? Persecuted as they were for many years by the Romans and, later, Muslims and others, they tended to keep a low profile. Communes would have been, as they are today, rather high-profile and watched carefully by their neighbors.
And Christ certainly had a lot of rich, influential friends — like Zacchaeus and Joseph of Arimathea — and made use of their money and hospitality. Had he disapproved of wealth held from capitalism, he would not have made use of capitalists. Gasp!
Margaret Fox, Sedalia
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (339) | TrackBackCitizens, be vigilant!
Gov. Bill Ritter’s panel on transportation finance reportedly decided against using global-positioning system technology to track where and when Colorado drivers take to the road and tax accordingly (“Panel says no to idea for tax on miles driven,” Aug. 25).
Commission members referenced the fact that “it could take years for citizens to get used to the idea that the government could keep track of what streets they drive on and when they drive.” Apparently, such Orwellian policy ideas aren’t restricted to science fiction or conspiracy theories.
Citizens, be vigilant! We could find ourselves like the frog who, through desensitization in an ever-hotter pot of water, is no less dead at full boil.
Christine Burtt, Denver
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (16) | TrackBackCitizenship luck
I got a chuckle out of Mike Rosen’s Aug. 17 column in which he objects to “birthright citizenship” (“What makes a citizen?”).
I have a hunch that Rosen did not do anything out of the ordinary to earn his citizenship. I’ll bet he got it the exact same way that I and the vast majority of U.S. citizens did: by the blind, dumb luck of being born here.
U.S. citizenship is pretty nice, and I wouldn’t deny this opportunity to others, regardless of parentage. I might not have it if Rosen set the criteria.
Mike Heiny, Colorado Springs
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBackA DIFFERING VIEW: RTD nickel-and-dimed projections from the start
Contrary to the Rocky’s Aug. 27 editorial (“Taking the heat/RTD needs to resist requests for upgrades”), the Regional Transportation District’s budget problems are of its own making, not that of the communities that will “enjoy new rail service.”
RTD used overly optimistic projections, and poor — even invalid — assumptions as to the true cost of building new rail lines, including FasTracks. As early as 2000, when the West Corridor Environmental Impact Study was just getting under way, RTD received public comments identifying shortcomings in their proposed design — not simple amenities or a “wish list” as you say — but fundamental errors in judgment as to just what the true impacts will be of putting a light-rail line right through the middle of a mature residential community.
The final EIS document (2003) contains many warnings of insufficient detail of cost items, missing design elements and the lack of a sufficient contingency fund; warnings that RTD chose to ignore.
RTD has touted the rising cost of commodities as the main reason for cutting back on the design. The fact is, the design was inadequate from the start.
It is unfair and irresponsible for RTD to now want to hold local communities accountable for budget problems that RTD itself failed to anticipate, especially when given ample warning.
RTD sold this region a bill of goods with the FasTracks program — it has never acknowledged the true cost of building light rail in a sensitive and responsible manner, and apparently has not learned the lessons from the Alaska pipeline and Boston tunnel projects regarding the end cost of building a system on the cheap.
Paul Ditson is a resident of Lakewood.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBackTed Haggard is asking for monies to last two years. He earned 150K for ten months while in the church. I wonder how much heed needs. Why is it that Pastors, Ministers, any clergymen always need money. Why is it that nun’s live in poverty and their male counterparts live in luxury. Why do preachers have three piece suits and nuns have worn the same outfit for centuries. It is time that people stop giving to their leaders of the church money and give the church money that will help poor people.
This letter has not been edited.
Michael Vick
As if betting on animals to maul each other, and then drowning or strangulating the “loser” underperformers were something children would naturally do, and outgrow with age? My eye!
Thank you for you euphemistic apology, Mr. Vick, but you got it exactly backwards: you an your ilk were not “immature” but simply depraved, ethically unhinged. The only children who would engage in such bloody circus, would be those who learned it from “mature” adults as inhumane and lacking in conscience as yourself. Don’t try to “childwash” your guilt.
This letter has not been edited.
Organic food
Betsy Hart’s article, “The truth about organic food,” failed to tell the whole truth. We do, indeed, enjoy our favorite foods year round due to the liberal use of chemicals, fertilizers, expensive packaging and modern transportation, but we are not necessarily healthier as a result. Eating the same foods year round, rather than varying foods by season, wrecks havoc on our digestive system leading to well-documented increses in allergies and asthma and contributes to other digestive disorders.
Numerous studies have shown that organically grown fruits and vegetables have 10-100% more of a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
These studies are so well-documented that the most highly regarded companies in the field of nutritional supplements (Juice Plus, Vibe & Nutrilite, to name a few) derive their products from organically grown whole foods.
During a recent visit to Costa Rica, I learned that the major cause of disease-related death in the country is from stomach cancer, which is directly related to drinking water polluted by run-off from the large banana and coffee plantations. Local growers are switching to organic, but the larger, American owned plantations are resisting.
Closer to home, TIME magazine featured a story about the doubling in size of the “red tide” in the Gulf of Mexico caused by fertilizers and pesticides carried down the Mississippi River. This deadly pollution is killing off our local supply of seafood and destroying the ecosystem of the gulf for miles around the mouth of the Mississippi.
Betsy says she is thinking about what is best for her family. Too bad she doesn’t realize how inter-connected we all are.
This letter has not been edited.
Paul Krugman
Had the Newark officials reported the former crimes of the two illegal aliens to ICE their second horrific crime would have been avoided. In his need to be minimally credible Krugman acknowledges that “Tom Tancredo flew into Newark to accuse the city’s leaders of inviting the crime by failing to enforce immigration laws.” The only reason why Tancredo flew to Newark was to protest the failure to enforce our immigration laws. Nothing whatever “anti-Hispanic” or “racist” in his intentions or actions. In no sense is Tancredo “anti-Hispanic” or in any way an advocate of “racial fear and animosity"—as it appears Krugman would like us to believe. How dumb or illiterate does he think we readers are?
Later in his column, Krugman’s intention is confirmed when he openly accuses the GOP as having a “race-based electoral strategy.”
His final paragraph ends his partisan rant: “For decades it (the GOP base) has exploited racial animosity to win over white voters — and now, when Republican politicians need to reach out to an increasingly diverse country, the base won’t let them.” Hogwash! And, of all things!, by a columnist of none the less than The New York Times!
This letter has not been edited.
President Bush
P
President Bush has done some outrageous things in his two terms, far too many for me to list here, so, for me, the top three most egregous are: 1): The phony and misleading way he took us to war in Iraq and the incompetent manner in which he managed it and the so called peace. It would take more than a letter to relate the untruths and ineptness.
Two): Sending his White House Consul (at that time), Alberto Gonzales and a top presidential advisor to the hospital room of Attorney General Ashcroft where he lay sedated and seriously ill, then shoving a document in his face demanding he approve of questionably legal, surveillance actions.
3): Telling football star, Pat Tillman’s mother, that her son had been killed by the enemy in Afghanstan and awarded a Silver Star, when, in fact he had been killed by friendly fire, some say, murdered. This lie continued for five weeks and only after a national, televised funeral did our military tell his mother the truth. Worse yet, the president will not release the paperwork documenting the awful event.
All three of these acts were unconscionable and any man of honor would have apologized and resigned. Pity, that honor isn’t included in this president’s moral assets!
This letter has not been edited.
Michael Vick and abortions
Michael Vick will lose tens of millions of dollars and go to prison for a significant period of time for killing dogs. Planned Parenthood will be subsidized with taxpayer dollars and glorified for aborting (murdering) millions of human babies.
Isaiiah 5:20 condemns the calling of evil good and good evil. That’s right about where we are right now, and the leftist media is complicit in supporting that mentality. And, something to muse over is the fact that people in other parts of the world eat dogs and in a few instances people!
This letter has not been edited.
Yellow/red stoplights
Mr. Carter pulls out the physics excuse for not stopping at a yellow/red light. Here is a lesson in physics for him. My drivers manual states that you should have a 2 second interval between you and the vehicle in front of you. Using physics calculations: 30 MPH X 5,280 ft. (1 mile)=158,400 ft, divide by 60=2,640 ft./per minute, divide by 60 again =44 ft./per second. 2 seconds =88 ft. of space between you and the vehicle in front of you! Now could you not stop if you were not following too closely. It seems you could by his calculations, as he says he could stop in 75 ft. The Driver’s manual clearly states that on a steady yellow light you should stop unless you are in the intersection. When you approach a traffic light you should anticipate that it might change and be prepared. It should not take that much reaction time.
This letter has not been edited.
Front page stickies stink
Stop putting those ad stickers on the front of the newspaper! Please!
Previous letter-writers have correctly pointed out the inappropriateness and turn-off factor of having ads anywhere on the front cover. Additionally, when you peel the sticker off in order to actually see (imagine that!) what headline or picture the editor has chosen to put on the front page, it leaves an annoyingly sticky residue.
Bad choice to have started with these sticky ads in the first place; please now make the good choice to respect your readers and stop.
This letter has not been edited.
RMN shortcomings
The inconsistent delivery was the tip of the iceberg. It occurred to me in the dead of the night what it is that’s been bothering me and why I don’t miss taking the News. Not to insult another newspaper, but the News, has evolved slowly from an objective, informative gem of around 90 pages into the Colorado Daily, at roughly the same length but for a hundred bucks a year for the same number of Woodstock columnists. Who reads them? When I do it’s because I’m asked. The result is akin to a scene from the Exorcist I can’t get out out of my head. Gone are the news holes, replaced with groovy personal reflection. Reporters chase down sixties issues. How much racism-sexism-anti-war-nitrogen-in-the-water-and-the-evil-right can one take before the numbing. If I wanted all that, I’d play the same old Bob Dylan “tunes” every morning, but I’m 40 years over “Evabody muss git stoned.” There are a few good writers who don’t make me ill, April Washington plays it straight. I’m always drawn to Jean Torkelson’s work. Kevin Vaughan could be good, but he’s writing an esoteric history not a daily newspaper. His considerable talents would be better applied following up the disaster House Bill 1355 is creating for Colorado employers and employees, the people who supposedly read this newspaper. I wonder who dropped that ball? And if I want to read about global warming, I can find that on Al Gore.com, or Al Gore TV or Al Gore Satellite Radio or I can be reminded by looking at his face on the Al Gore silver dollar. This practice of so-and-so wouldn’t return calls, or was unavailable by press time reflects distrust of reporters who never follow up the story when the source is indeed available, maybe even fuming at the reporter’s desk.
This letter has not been edited.
Dialysis funding cuts
Our elected officials in Washington, D.C. are debating about cutting Medicare payments for dialysis patients. Dialysis is the only method of keeping patients alive whose kidneys have failed, apart from transplants. I have worked in dialysis for over 9 years and have seen firsthand the critical need there is to provide these lifesaving treatments, and the funding required to continue providing them. This is not optional!
This letter has not been edited.
Single-payer solution is a fool’s bargain
“Single payer cost-effective, viable,” Fran Ricker and Kristen Hannum’s Speakout in the Aug. 18 Rocky Mountain News, came across more like a huckster’s pitch than a serious policy proposal to cover the uninsured.
They offer to save the state $1.6 billion by turning every last Coloradan’s health-care coverage over to a government monopoly run by bureaucrats. And what do we have to do to take advantage of this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime offer? More than double our income tax! They want to raise our state’s 4.63 percent income tax rate to 10.63 percent — a 130 percent increase. That’s $7.74 billion in new taxes, more than the operating budget for Colorado’s entire state government!
They also tell us, “Every other industrialized nation on Earth has guaranteed universal health care.” What they and other advocates of so-called “single payer” coverage fail to mention is that those other nations typically also have a parallel, private system of health care. That way, at least some of their citizens don’t have to subject their families to rationing by government functionaries.
Our own system is far from perfect. We must see to it that those who want and need coverage can get it, and we must curb health-care costs for everyone else. Still, I cannot imagine that very many of my fellow lawmakers at the Capitol are keen on spending $7.74 billion in order to save $1.6 billion. That is a fool’s bargain.
Sen. Andy McElhany, Colorado Springs
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (41) | TrackBackCancer victim penny wise, pound foolish
While it is certainly tragic and frightening to have a disease like cancer at a young age, I strongly disagree with Rocky Mountain News columnist Bill Johnson’s assertion that it is somehow the fault of others that Kama Winter does not have the health insurance needed to help with the cost of her treatment (“Personal finance decision now haunts cancer victim,” Aug. 22). “We can and should do way better than this,” he writes.
I’m sorry — did I miss something here? Did Johnson not tell us in the beginning of this sob story that Winter made a conscious decision not to pony up for her employer’s health insurance plan?
I remember being fresh out of college, barely making ends meet with my first not-too-well-paying job, but even then I would have been hard pressed to find a reason to opt out of buying health insurance, which my employer did offer. Even at my young age, younger than Winter is now I might add, I never even considered not paying for the insurance, knowing that youth is no guarantee for perfect health.
I cannot think of a worse example of being penny wise and pound foolish.
Winter rolled the dice all right. And lost mightily.
Theresa Lane, Denver
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (36) | TrackBackFailing to invest in our future
Thank you, Rocky Mountain News columnist Bill Johnson, for bringing the plight of the young woman with operable cancer, but no health insurance, to our attention (“Personal finance decision now haunts cancer victim,” Aug. 22).
What compounds the tragedy of her situation is that if she were 66, 76 or even 86 instead of 26, a government program would pay for most of her surgery and follow-up care.
A little acknowledged fact is that we do have universal health care in this country for anyone who is 65 years old or older or who is disabled. It is called Medicare and has been in existence for 40 years. Unfortunately, for young adults, who have the potential for years of happiness ahead of them, years during which they could be productive, taxpaying citizens, we offer little or nothing in the way of health care should debilitating illness strike.
It seems that we have chosen to invest in our past but not in our future!
I will keep this young woman and others like her in my thoughts and prayers.
Diane Burridge, Aurora
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBackLiability protection needed in terror war
The recent legislation to authorize wiretapping of foreign calls is essential to track possible terrorist plots, but it does not go far enough.
According to The Washington Times, retroactive liability protection is still needed to protect cooperating companies from possible lawsuits.
Since most foreign calls are often routed through U.S. switches, the ability to intercept such calls is imperative. If the interception of a single call passing through U.S. networks would prevent a potential terrorist attack, that in itself is sufficient reason to update current FISA laws to maximize our surveillance capability.
I hope the president will square off with the Democrats when the Congress returns next month. Defending our national security is not an option, especially in time of war.
Brian Stuckey, Denver
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (32) | TrackBackOthers of note
I appreciate the attention paid to those making the Denver metro area a place where arts and entertainment thrive (“Denver’s Top 25 Movers and Shakers” and “Hats off to CEOs and volunteers,” Spotlight, both Aug. 18).
Yes, the Rocky Mountain News featured movers and shakers but, for my taste, not enough about innovative artists who bring very favorable attention to the Denver area through their terrific work. Here are two examples: Lonnie Hanzon of Lonnie’s World and Andy Dufford of Chevo Studios.
Take a look at what these brilliant people are doing, please.
Judith Blair, Boulder
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBackJones’ odd behavior
Personally, I have nothing against Mike Jones, the male prostitute who last year revealed he had plied the Rev. Ted Haggard with sex and drugs. However, I was under the impression that in the state of Colorado prostitution and drug dealing were against the law. It seems odd that Jones is running around writing books, acting in plays and taking advantage of his celebrity status. What’s up with that?
Barbara Winslow, Lakewood
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBackWise guy, eh?
In Gary Markstein’s political cartoon of Aug. 23 (“We’ve got some work to do”), the cartoonist equates the competency of the Iraqi army to The Three Stooges. This is highly insulting to the professionalism and reputation of Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard!
Richard Abels, Centennial
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBackThe Russian bare
Throughout the centuries, the Russian people have had to endure tyrannical leaders, from Ivan the Terrible to Vladimir the Voluptuous (“Shirtless Putin sets tongues wagging,” Aug. 24).
Larry Goldhirsch, Aurora
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBackHumpty Dumpty sat on the wall
Impeachment proceedings seems to be the only way we can get through to Mr. Bush.
This letter has not been edited.
Organic food
In response to Betsy Harts column on deflating organics.
About three quarters of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables contain small amounts of pesticides, usually more than one. The opposite was found by a study that looked at 94,000 samples of organically grown produce tested by the USDA.
Although it is very difficult to find a connection to cancer in humans caused by pesticides, mainly because we are exposed to tiny doses of hundreds of pesticides and other chemicals on a daily basis, a recent Agricultural Health study found that people who work with pesticides, such as farmers have higher rates of Parkinson disease, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cancers of the lip, stomach, skin, brain and prostate. In addition of the approximately 900 active ingredients found in the pesticides that can be legally used in the United States about 20 cause cancer in animals and are classified as human carcinogens.
Ms Hart goes on to elude that people who buy organic are touchy feely types on some sort of moral crusade to save the world, is she referring to the every day people who are buying organics in record amounts at WalMart and Safeway, who now have their own organic brands making organics more affordable. This is called supply and demand. America is paying attention.
Ms Hart can evoke the very photogenic Dr Sanjay Gupta to sheer up her weak claims that there is hardly any difference between organically grown produce and conventionally grown. And I will concede that the benifits of eating conventionally grown produce outweigh the negatives of consuming the pesticides you consume with them. However in May of this year a group of environmental scientists warned that babies exposed to pesticides could be more susceptible to ADD asthma and cancer.
Take away all the studies and cable news medical correspondents, and do your own research. The next time a large fly is buzzing around your kitchen Ms Hart, spray it with some raid and see what happens next, then tell me with a straight face that pesticides are safe. or you could kill it the organic way, by swatting it with a copy of your book. “It takes a parent”
This letter has not been edited.
Invasive technology
“...It could take years for citizens to get used to the idea that the government could keep track of what streets they drive on and when they drive.” (RMN, 8/25/07) Is this the appropriate governmental response to utilizing authoritarian technology? Waiting for public opinion to catch up to and embrace an infringement on its privacy?
If the past seven years has taught us anything, technology can be used to enhance freedom or facilitate authoritarianism. Sure, global positioning technology would certainly help the Colorado Department of Transportation levy taxes on drivers in proportion to their use of the roads, but is the trade-off in privacy and personal liberty worth it? Governor Ritter’s panel on transportation seems to think so.
They put off implementing the GPS tracking program not because of its invasive nature or for privacy reasons, but because they want to “wait until the system is more fully tested.”
The great debate for American democracy in the 21st century is not how much “the terrorists hate our freedom", but whether or not our government LOVES our freedom and is willing to safeguard it against all threats — both foreign and domestic — including implementing invasive, authoritarian-prone technology here at home.
This letter has not been edited.
Protesters at DNC
In your DNC: Countdown to Denver feature, under Security, you list “Find a suitable spot that can be set aside for protesters.” There’s no need to find a spot, or to set anything aside. A very suitable spot already exists. It’s called Auraria Parkway. Outside what should be a very small security zone around the Pepsi Center, protesters have a right to exercise their First Amendment rights to petition their elected officials within sight and sound of the DNC delegates.
Anything less—any “protest pens,” any fencing in or caging of protesters, or keeping protesters at a significant distance from the Pepsi Center—is a violation of the most basic of Constitutional principles, the right of the people to participate fully in the political process.
This letter has not been edited.
Ad stickies must go
I fed up with the advertising stickers covering the headline of the front page of my newspaper. Don’t you have enough space inside the paper to sell advertising? I am making it a point to NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM ANY FRONT PAGE STICKER ADVERTISER, and if you keep this up, I will cancel my subscription. I can get most of what I need off the internet anyway.
This letter has not been edited.
Dave Kopel
Re: “Surveillance tactic…”—On the Media, 8/25/07 This much is clear: Dave Kopel is all for promoting debauchery in publicly licensed nightclubs. Too bad he has so little acquaintance with moral principles. What is not clear, is why (other than wanting to get even) he badmouths talk-show host Dan Caplis, who suggested ways a neighborhood can legally go about protecting itself from what it believes to be an invasion of moral blight, when the authorities cannot or will not act.
Advantage this round: Caplis.
This letter has not been edited.
Lack of coverage on 8-16
Wait just a darn minute! Last August 16 (2006) we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. All Elvis did was die August 16, thirty years ago. I checked and we didn’t even get a single line in the Rocky last year. I request, no, demand, a double “oops” because I know that the exclusion of our event was deliberate.
This letter has not been edited.
Student’s homework
At a recent parent teacher night for Sheridan Middle School, a language arts teacher was asked why she doesn’t assign homework to students. Her response was simply that first of all, it put too much stress on students and also that she couldn’t afford the extra time grading any homework that would be assigned. There was a time when Sheridan schools had a reputation for grades and education but that has long passed. The students in middle school are doing homework from printed out worksheets, there are no actual research or studies being assigned and now a teacher says because too much stress for students and she has no time for it. I understand that there are good teachers that actually care and strive to get a student to learn. Part of that means doing homework, and in a society where video games, skate boarding, and other such free time is so readily available, how can homework be too stressful? Another teacher referred homework as an unnecessary “self study” activity. Middle and high schools are supposed to be a preparatory time for students before, hopefully college. If they can not handle it now, there is no hope for them for when college looms and careers are so interdependent on college education. With these comments, it is no wonder why American schools are failing in the world scope and with the unions, these teachers will get raises when they most assuredly do not deserve them.
This letter has not been edited.
Police union votes for pay raise
The police union voted 796 in favor and 28 opposed to an increase in pay. Tell me exactly, who were these 28 morons that voted against a pay raise.
Anybody I know would almost never turn down a pay raise. Seem that the police might need more money to hire a lawyer to defend them against many charges held against them when they do wrong and brake the law. Just look at the Rocky Mountain news front page on Aug. 19, 2007 and you will know what I am talking about.
This letter has not been edited.
Prisoners doing farm work
If there is a shortage of farm workers an ideal solution is to use prisoners. They would get paid the same as farm workers.
Also model prisoners who work steady in the fields can earn time off of their sentences for showing the inititive to work hard.
This helps everyone around. The farmers get their workers,
The state gets money to help the prison system.
The prisoner gets to earn money upon his or her release. The prisoner also learns what hard work really is and may figure out when they get out that getting an education is the way to make a living.They will also have money to get a place to live and find a job to learn to support themselves.The ones that stick with the program can earn time off their sentences for working hard and showing the prison system they are willing to work hard to get out and start a new life.
This is the way to fix the labor shortage without the State spending millions of dollars. Without the farms spending millions of dollars to house and to get visa’s etc...This is another solution to the problem of bringing more people from Mexico on work visa’s , only to have them disappear when the visa is up. Who is going to make sure they return?It also helps the State pay for prisoners and the prisoner’s to earn money to live when they get out.
I think this is a Win, Win, Win, situation that could solve a lot of problems with one solution.
This letter has not been edited.
Choir ban offensive
Banning the gospel choir at the Columbine Memorial dedication is not only offensive but insensitive and displays gross intolerance. Letter writer Milo Ramirez’s only thought is for his own feelings (“Choir at dedication would be offensive,” Aug. 22).
Why are atheists so intolerant? He claims offense. What about his offending those who don’t hold his views? He wants to force his “religion” or lack thereof on the rest of us.
It was not his child or relative who was killed at Columbine. If the choir singing a message of hope is offensive, God help us. Ramirez can put his fingers in his ears, close his eyes and concentrate on his navel if he chooses. Let the choir bring comfort and a message of hope.
Roger A. Faber, Westminster
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (50) | TrackBackSewer politics
So Dick Wadhams thinks Michael Huttner, director of ProgressNowAction, is a “sleazeball” (“Schaffer chided for school vote,” Aug. 9).
Yawn.
Maybe Wadhams should come clean with the people of Colorado and tell us why he’s not working on George Allen Jr.’s presidential campaign. Wadhams’ pathetic spin on Allen’s macaca moment (“It was a mashup of Mohawk!” etc.) would have been laughable had it not been so contemptuous and dishonest. We in Colorado can now brag of our skiing, mountain vistas and sewer politics.
Don Donahue, Loveland
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (24) | TrackBackLet market purge itself
I concur with professor Mohammed Akacem’s sentiment that — as his Aug. 20 Speakout column is headlined — “Fed’s markets rescue a slippery slope.” Going one step further, I would say that the Federal Reserve should not rescue the mortgage industry and banks for their financial indiscretions.
We should let this market fall and purge itself of the “bad actors” in the business whether large or small. The British purchased $125 billion worth of T-bills to prop up our markets. This is more debt. Those in our society who believe in “free markets” should have no problem accepting the fall of our markets because of “self-inflicted” financial wounds and not look for a government bailout.
We have replaced our manufacturing base with a housing-consumer base and as one can see, it is not self-sustaining.
Jimmy Johnson, Colorado Springs
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (43) | TrackBackA DIFFERING VIEW: Saddam is gone, so our troops should leave Iraq
I take strong exception to the editorial of Saturday stating that Iraq could become a killing field if U.S. troops are withdrawn too quickly (“The value of the Vietnam analogy”). Surely everyone has seen or read that Iraq is already a killing field for its occupants, foreign or native.
I would like to see how many Iraqis have been killed by IEDs, insurgents and U.S. soldiers since the beginning of this war.
Saddam Hussein was a horrible ruler who, with the help of his family and loyal army, killed untold numbers of his countrymen, women and children. He is gone and unable to resume the position he once held. If the Iraqis truly want a democracy, let them fight for it as was done in the U.S. during our war for independence.
More of our troops have already been killed and maimed in this war than the total killed on Sept. 11, 2001. How many more must die or be maimed while President Bush maintains his transparent efforts to pass this entire mess off to his successor?
Let us get our troops and equipment out of Iraq at the earliest possible date and turn our eyes and efforts to other areas, such as Sudan and Darfur where genocide occurs every day. Perhaps I’ve been wrong that the war was more about the oil fields in Iraq than it is about genocide and despotism, but I seriously doubt it.
If the war really is about human rights abuses, far worse is going on in other countries than what is going on in Iraq, or what is likely to happen if we leave.
Cheryl K. Glenn is a resident of Longmont.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:00 AM | Comments (67) | TrackBackIn case you were wondering what the Democrats had in mind for the state now that they are in control and looking to the next election read the rocky article of 8/24 on the insurance plans for the state. Every one of them looks to take more money out of your pocket to give to someone else. They have plans to mandate health insurance for every Coloradoan as if that’s their job. Any one making a decent living will is required to pay more taxes much more taxes. Of course it will be for the children, which has been their catch phrase for years now or maybe the line will be the rich must pay their fair share. Well if the rich were to pay their fair share their taxes would have to be lowered as by the Governments own statistics show the top 50% of taxpayers pay 96.70% of ALL taxes. Who are the top 50% of taxpayers? They are any individual or couple filing jointly making $29014 or more a year.
These numbers come from the Internal Revenue Service for 2004 the latest year they have number for. Now don’t you feel much better knowing your part of THE RICH the Dems keep talking about? Remember that the next election
This letter has not been edited.
Sticky note ads stink
Stickie Ads
Frankly it feels to me like you are invading MY space. How long before you have a dozen companies who are willing to give you a bucket of money to get their message on your front page? Will the front page then appear on page 2? The ads now are fairly small. What happens when a good customer, say like Jake Jabs of American Furniture wants a 6 inch ad stuck on the front page and is willing to pay for it?
And how do you put the genie back in the bottle.
You have read several letters to the editor noting that the news content of the Rocky is shrinking, but certainly not the advertisng content.
I think I can predict where this is going. Each week I receive neighborhood “all advertising” papers in my yard or my mailbox. I soon expect one with a headline reading “The Rocky Mountain Ads".
Please reconsider this folly before it really gets out of hand!
This letter has not been edited.
CO labor-friendly not business-friendly
So Gov. Ritter and the Democrats have put the world on notice that a new labor-friendly day has dawned in Colorado, which means that Colorado has become considerably less business-friendly. Rest assured that the business world has received this notice and will pass on Colorado when looking for locations for new operations. As far as I have been able to figure, businesses create jobs, not organized labor. The adverse impact on the Colorado economy will be noticeable.
This letter has not been edited.
Immigration
Mike Rosen, Finally, some real math on the idea of Mexico acquisition.
Mexicans Remember the Alamo differently than the American John Wayne version. Texicans lost the first go at the Alamo, if my public education was honest. Eventually Southern Manifest Destiny was accomplished by the American Army.
I am not sure why our army invasion stopped at the Rio Grande back then. Possibly for the same reason Bush I stopped short of Baghdad in Gulf War I.
At what point does slogging become a quagmire? I know the Alamo is in America now because I attended Air Force basic training in San Antonio in 1969.
As a veteran, it bothers me that the United States provides security for illegal immigrants. As for California, their electoral numbers and congressional clout equal Pelosi for VP. Gottcha.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughtful analysis. Can you find your counterpart in Mexico to tell us what benefits Mexico might derive from “reconquista” of California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado? Some say these territories belonged to Spain before an unjustified war.
If we returned Mexico their water ("color-red-o” River flow) then perhaps harvest crops could be grown where harvesters are. Your political realities are frightening to think about, but the political reality of any path to citizenship (amnesty) for illegals is much the same if only the Democrats seem to know it.
Conservatives should champion “citizenship at time of conception” rather than time of birth. That way Mexicans violating our borders to take advantage of birth rights (anchor babies) would have Mexican-citizenship babies to take back home with them, and Americans who conceived during Cancun honeymoons would deliver Mexican babies, to then do the work Americans won’t.
Why do I have to do all the complicated math? Thanks for your report which should have been titled: Remembering Congressman David Crockett.
This letter has not been edited.
Sticky notes must go
If you don’t stop putting stickers on my newspaper, I will boycott each business involved and cancel my 30-year subscription.
This letter has not been edited.
RICO laws and gangs
If charged as a organized criminal enterprise
It’s time to start using these laws against all gangs,
Today
Traffic fatalities
What’s wrong with this pitcher when a tow truck driver causes an accident and killing a forty year old man, forty-three year old woman and a four year boy leaving their two year old with a broken leg. Cynthia Charlebois will only be charged with misdemeanors and a minor traffic infraction. So you can kill people and only be charged with misdemeanors and a minor traffic infraction?
This letter has not been edited.
RMN coverage of Judge Nottingham
Hey, John
To the Rocky’s credit, it published a few opinion letters which essentially opined same. Lord knows how much total flak it received but the paper’s credibility under your watch continues to suffer.
Reminder-don’t forget 12/10/07 and 1/10/08. Your people need to come out from under the covers on those dates.
This letter has not been edited.
Alberto Gonzales
I think Alberto knows who blew up the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 and then anthraxed Congress and the Press, but he just can’t recall who it is.
Maybe that’s why they went to see Ashcroft in the hospital, to see if he could remember. Perhaps the same people that told him not to fly commercial in Sept.
This letter has not been edited.
Barack Obama
That Barack Obama is not Black enough to relate to and represent American Africans is yet another distracting and transparent argument that no one needs.
I’m not certain where in the world this is coming from but hope it dissipates under closer societal scrutiny. It is simply not necessary for him or any other Black candidate for office to have had the exact same Black experience if that’s really ever even possible. He’s still as Black/Brown as I am. If he weren’t running for the Democratic nomination then believe me 300 million people in this country and in the world would continue to not mistake him for a White Anglo Saxon Protestant anytime soon if you know what I mean.
Yes his has been an extraordinary and remarkable biracial and bicultural journey but having lived and been educated outside of the country (this additional perspective) should only add to his resume and political attractiveness not detract.
A more for real and serious question would be how and if he would be willing to combine forces with Hillary Clinton instead of following this other nonsense.
Gracias por este.
This letter has not been edited.
Get dog out of there
I really want to comment on the Aug. 22 story about a man who shot his dog, Lucky, because the dog ate something from his plate (“Man charged in dog shooting”).
Does the dog still have to live with this man? This guy should not ever be allowed any responsibility for a dog or any other pet. I could hardly stand to read the article.
Nancy Solomon, Boulder
Current furor over toys ‘fits’ left’s goals
I am not really “big” on conspiracy theories, but it is hard to ignore the fact that the current paranoia about toys “fits” with other liberal goals (“China syndrome/Slipping confidence in the export colossus,” Aug. 16).
What goals? Big government controlling more and more of our lives. Guess what? Most “normal” people over the age of 55 or so played with toys containing small-parts and covered with lead paint. I am not aware of any greater incidence of “problems” associated with those horrible toys than are experienced now with the sterilized environment the left has diligently attempted to create.
We are told we must raise kids in plastic bubbles; it would be terrible if any of the little darlings should experience a scrape, cut or bruise.
Jim Sullivan, Thornton
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (49) | TrackBackLeniency for dogs
Having just read Rick Maese’s call for leniency for Michael Vick (Hot Topic, Aug. 22), I suggest the Baltimore Sun writer visit a few organized dogfights. Surely, Vick can direct him to the appropriate persons.
After viewing this heinous, bloody “sport” and the subsequent culling of the losers by hanging them, slitting their throats or beating them to death, I would hope Maese would issue a call for leniency for these animals.
Vick supported — and probably enjoyed — a to-the-death bloodsport and made a profit. So, leniency for Vick and throw the dogs in the garbage? Would Maese also support the legal revival of gladiatorial combat and then say, don’t mess with that rabid sect of humanitarians?
Michele Kilbourne, Golden
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBackNorthglenn’s unwise development
The city of Northglenn unwisely purchased 17 acres of land at the intersection of Interstate 25 and 120th Avenue in order to create a commercial development.
The amount spent is equal to half of the entire general fund.
After an inconclusive arrangement with two firms named Zing and Prime West in 2006, the City Council authorized a new agreement with them last May.
As part of the agreement, the city agreed to pay a large bill owed by them from the previous agreement.
At the July 26 council meeting, the staff called the two firms its development partners. The staff did not tell the council that the firms had not yet signed the agreement. Evidently, the $50,000 earnest payment is a problem. Another problem lies in the fact that should Zing and Prime West sign, they will trigger a development schedule they cannot handle.
The council should realize that the clock has been ticking on them since they foolishly purchased the land and buildings beginning in 2004. Their decision has cost us capital improvements and improved services. The fact the city is willing to sell the prime portion of the land at a loss speaks for itself.
Gene Wieneke, Northglenn
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBackCampos comparing apples and oranges
If there were such a thing as an “obesity denier,” Rocky Mountain News columnist Paul Campos would be the poster boy. His latest attempt to promote overweight as healthy (“Who do you trust?” Aug. 21) has a major flaw.
Since he’s a lawyer, perhaps he didn’t think of it. If you don’t work in health care, you wouldn’t understand the issues. Or perhaps he deliberately forgot to mention it: The whole point of all the expensive prescription drugs, surgical interventions and treatments used to treat lifestyle diseases in obese people is to keep the patient alive.
Comparing overweight people on multiple drugs to normal- weight people who do not have lifestyle diseases is a false comparison. Of course, this suggests the question: Is death the only adverse health outcome?
Comparing the “health” and quality of life of obese patients on drugs to non-obese active people is too fuzzy. It can’t be done in a statistically meaningful way, but it would be the only truly meaningful comparison.
Donna Feldman, Louisville
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBackState should stay out of union business
Letter writer Judy Cheatham recently wrote that it “was former Gov. Bill Owens who — in a tried-and-true union-busting tactic — gutted the long-standing practice of union dues being automatically withdrawn from paychecks.”
I obviously disagree with Cheatham in terms of what government’s role should be regarding unions.
I believe government should be neutral when it comes to organized labor — and that means that we shouldn’t use taxpayer funds to collect and disburse union dues.
And if it “busts” a union, as Cheatham alleges, to require it to collect its own dues the good old-fashioned way, then that says more about the failure of the union to meet worker needs than it does about the policy to end the taxpayer subsidy of its collection process.
Bill Owens,
Colorado governor 1999-2007
Denver
Organic grocers’ merger undesirable
Supporters of a Whole Foods-Wild Oats merger say it wouldn’t create a behemoth setting prices at will and crushing competition because large giants like Safeway sell organic food.
Recently, I stopped by a Safeway and observed.
Whole Foods and Wild Oats have large produce sections where a majority of the items sold are organic. The Safeway I saw had a large produce section, but only a small percentage of the produce available of a limited variety was organic.
Whole Foods and Wild Oats sell meat and poultry that is exclusively naturally raised. Only a small percentage of Safeway’s meat and poultry is naturally raised. Safeway has the occasional organic peanut butter, cereal, or tomato paste. Whole Foods and Wild Oats have shelves and shelves of a huge variety of canned, packaged and refrigerated organic foods.
Organic food at Safeway is a sideline for impulse buyers. Organic food at Whole Foods and Wild Oats is their reason for existence.
If Whole Foods merges with Wilds Oats, then they will dominate the market in Colorado for grocery stores committed to organic and naturally raised foods.
We didn’t want Rockefeller to dominate oil. I don’t want a tycoon to dominate organic foods.
Peter Gross, Denver
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBackA DIFFERING VIEW: Vick’s repeat offenses merit him no second chance
The Rocky’s “soft on Vick” editorial sets up a false premise — arguing that his punishment should be based on that for similar offenses against humans — to allow compassion for Michael Vick and a minimization of his sentence (“Throw- away-the-key critics wrong about Vick,” Aug. 23).
Vick’s felonious offenses stand on their own — not in comparison to others. Try as you may, you can’t put lipstick on this pigskin.
Second chances are meant to be given after first offenses — not two, three, four, eight murders. How can there be “second” chances for multiple infractions? Vick, it appears, went through the second all the way to the eighth.
Jim Schwartz, a resident of Centennial, is founder of the Next-to-Kin Foundation.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:00 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
Such has been done throughout our history. Recent intelligence reports have indicated that the next terrorist attack here in the United States may be the take over of a middle school after which the terrorist will kill all boys, then rape and kill all of the girls. I am sure that if the above writers had children in that school they would be screaming “why didn’t the government stop that attack by any means including monitoring their phone calls?” The hypocrisy of people who sit in their nice little house and criticize other people for trying to protect them is beyond outrageous. One can only hope that such people are never in a position of authority where they can implement their warped ideas of what it takes to protect us from the viciousness of the radical Islamist.
This letter has not been edited.
High speed chases
high speed chases/innocent victims. Wed 8/22/2007
I
This letter has not been edited.
Housing vs. wildlife
Logan Jones, no home town given, writes:
This letter has not been edited.
Health care decisions
This letter has not been edited.
Health care decisions
When will we realize that we are responsible for the decisions we make in our lives? How can we teach our children to accept this responsibility when we read columns like this one in which the author argues his case by manipulating our emotions? This young woman had access to health insurance, which she chose to turn down. Of course I am sorry for her health troubles, but she made the decision to gamble that she would stay healthy. In today’s world, with the cost of medical care, anyone who turns down insurance is certainly not being realistic or practical. She chose the short term monetary gain over long term security.
When Johnson says “we can and should do better than this,
This letter has not been edited.
CCU firing of professor
This letter has not been edited.
Deterioration of parks and roads
Therefore, remediation requires adequate standards as well as inspections that assure the work is being done in a quality manner in conformance with specifications.
Furthermore, funding for special use facilities such as the State Parks and for high use public roads requires the imposition of adequate user fees.
This will necessitate the preparation of specific revenue and expense budgets for each major asset and effective management.
In the absence of such procedures, the continued deterioration of our infrastructure is assured!
This letter has not been edited.
Do the right thing: Save the drive-in
Thank goodness for citizens like Kati Alcock who have the sense to fight for the things that are important (“Sheridan citizens make plea to save drive-in theater,” Aug. 16).
In an area that competes with the mountains for attention and seems to grasp at any opportunity to find its unique offerings, this seems like a no-brainer. I find it hard to believe that there could be anyone left in the metro area (who isn’t a developer) who believes we need to add more housing to an already bloated market.
The city of Sheridan needs to do the right thing. Stop bowing to the powers that have already turned many parts of this beautiful area into a wasteland of faceless homes and chain stores. Does this area really need another Villa Italia?
Since Sheridan seems to be so open to proposals, I submit that we enlist a little vision and a relatively small amount of money to renovate the drive-in and make it a clean, safe community gathering spot. Maybe a comfortable seating area for those beautiful Denver summer nights?
Based on the popularity of Film on the Rocks, this may be worthy of consideration. Based on the number of foreclosures in this area, more housing is not.
Matt Hawley, Golden
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (27) | TrackBackPhysics plays a role at traffic signals, too
While agreeing with letter writer Norma Link that “Red-light cameras OK” (Aug. 15), I must disagree with her statement that “Only the person who is in the intersection when the light turns yellow is supposed to go through. All others are supposed to stop.”
That is impossible to achieve. There is reaction time and braking distance to consider.
A car traveling at 30 mph travels 30 feet during the time its driver reacts to the yellow light. The car travels another 45 feet after the brakes are applied before it comes to a stop (state of Colorado rules for driving booklet). That’s a total of 75 feet.
A car within that space which has its brakes applied will continue through the intersection, or come to a stop in the middle of it! (Figures assume average reaction time and brakes in good condition.)
Think of it this way, Ms. Link: You’re going 30 mph and are 10 feet outside an intersection when the yellow light comes on. You can’t possibly stop your car before getting into the intersection. Same is true at 20, 30, or 50 feet, right on up to 74 feet.
Yellow is not red.
Thomas L. Carter, Louisville
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBackLegislators wanting
I question how Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. Mark Udall can represent us adequately in Congress when they are reluctant to allow citizens and constituents — their employers, since it is they (and we) who pay their salaries — to congregate quietly in their offices while awaiting time with them. (“Udall disingenuous in lauding protest rights,” letter to the editor, Aug. 16.)
Any other employees would be fired for ignoring their bosses! How can we trust them to defend the Constitution when they’re ignoring free speech? (And Salazar has already proven he thinks he can ignore the Constitution with his wiretapping vote!)
Do these employees deserve to be rehired?
Kathy Glatz, Denver
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBackPrepare students for manual arts, too
It is always good to hear of the changes anticipated for a new school year and many of those were mentioned in the Rocky Mountain News article of Aug. 8, “Aurora opens schools, says failure not an option.”
My initial reaction was that each one was innovative and exciting, but surely each of these should be incorporated in all of the schools not just in each of these individual schools. If they are good for one, are they not appropriate for all?
Certainly all should be following Aurora’s top-to-bottom overhaul of curriculum and teaching methods which, I might add, should also include not just preparing students for college, but for the world of work. We absolutely must be making training available in the skillful arts of plumbing, brick work, carpentry, etc., along with the academics, and giving the students those choices.
Dee Bauer-DeVries, Littleton
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBackSCHIP about doctors, not children
In his letter of Aug. 9, “Reauthorize, expand kids' health coverage,” Thomas Kopfensteiner wrote in support of SCHIP, “Children are among our most vulnerable citizens and we have an obligation as a society to take care of them.”
SCHIP isn’t really about taking care of children. Doctors have been doing that since long before SCHIP even existed.
SCHIP is about taking care of doctors.
Health insurance is not health care. It is not a method of treatment; it is only a method of payment. Its sole function is to ensure that people in the medical profession get their fees paid.
I am not opposed to their getting paid, but it’s absurd to believe that it’s the obligation of society at large to pick up the tab, and that putting that burden onto taxpayers is the morally responsible thing to do.
Dave Olson, Westminster
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (31) | TrackBackCCU students misled
I just read “Firing of prof at Colorado Christian puts focus on Christ and capitalism” (Aug. 13) and I’m shocked.
I’ve been a Christian my whole life. I’ve read Jim Wallis and other Christian writers. I’ve studied political science and, in my humble opinion, the early Christians led an idealistic communist-style economy with all their goods in common, sharing with each according to their needs.
I believe that capitalism is good, but imperfect because of greed and corruption, but for a Christian leader of a Christian college to say that Jesus Christ would have preferred capitalism over communism is ludicrous and shows a lack of scholarship!
I feel sorry for the students at this university who are getting such a one-sided view of the world!
Pamela M. Blome, Lakewood
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (20) | TrackBackA DIFFERING VIEW: Agency officials are available for quotes
It is unfortunate that the Rocky Mountain News failed to check before devoting an editorial to a tantalizing, but ultimately untrue, New York Times blog entry regarding our agency (“They’d rather not tell you anything,” Aug. 24).
Had your editorial writers conducted a cursory review of recent news coverage they would have learned that many of our dedicated employees are frequently quoted on the record. They would also have learned how frustrated blogger Christopher Jensen took a pass on writing a story about a life-saving technology simply because he did not get the information he wanted in the exact manner he wanted it.
The bottom line is that while we work hard to accommodate every one of the media requests we receive, our dedicated researchers are busy doing lifesaving research that oftentimes takes precedence over engaging in detailed conversations with every person posing as a journalist who calls.
That’s why we offered to make Administrator Nicole Nason available, or, if Jensen preferred, provide him with on-the-record responses to each and every one of his questions. But apparently he is more interested in dictating the work schedules of government employees than getting the facts about highway safety.
Heather Hopkins is executive director for public affairs at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington, D.C.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
How enlightening to hear that a 39 year old adolescent by the name of Steve Morris wears a T-shirt reading “Draft Young Republicans” because, according to Morris, “its their war, let them fight it". Apparently the intellectually challenged Mr Morris has conveniently forgotten that the overwhelming majority of Democrats, in Congress, voted authorization for the war. I thought our men and women, in uniform, including my son, were fighting for all Americans regardless of political party affiliation. Sadly, some are making the ultimate sacrifice so that fools like Morris can demonstrate his ignorance.
Bill Jones had time to attend the gathering and identify himself as a"precinct activist” but failed to identify himself as a transit union official from the Transportation District. His insightful comment, completely unsupportable by facts, of course, was that “Democrats support working families more than Republicans do.” I hope the Rocky Mountain News acknowledges the fact that a majority of registered voters in Colorado (Republican registrations outnumber Democrats) do not want to read this drivel for the entire year before this event happens.
It’s bad enough that I’m forced to pay for it with charges from Xcel, Qwest and the rest of the Corporate sponsors who will, of course, pass on all expenses associated with their contributions to the DNC in rates charged to their consumers, but the local media overkill might be too much to take. Add all this to the ranting’s of your far left wing nut, Mike Littwin, and it’s little wonder that more and more people are turning to the Internet for their news.
This letter has not been edited.
Pit bulls
I’m gasping for air after reading the 8/22 News article, “Guest worker plan floated, lawmakers want state to recruit laborers in Mexico". State Sen. While watching the Denver TV news on Tuesday, Aug.21, there was a woman that had just earned her U.S. citizenship, and it was heartwarming to see how happy she was and how excited she seemed to be to be a new U.S. citizen. I loved watching her. Quoted from your article today: “She (a former student) found solace in the shared struggle with students from Jovenes Unidos and from West and Manual high schools. Her frustration turned to anger at DPS.” The tempest in a teapot about Bob Schaffer’s vote on a charter school issue demonstrates how desperate Democrats and teachers’ unions are to denigrate him...and how they can find nothing substantive with which to attack him. What would Bob Schaffer propose educators do with students during the “non-essential” passing periods? (“Paying for hall time causes stir/Changing classes not part of school day, official says,” Aug. 14.) The students are in school; they have to have time to go from one class to the next, especially in the high school environment. Not counting passing time as a real-time, in-school activity is not feasible and a ridiculous issue to address. Larry Langley, Elizabeth Thanks to letter writer Linda Duhon for her disclosure (“Failure to disclose,” Aug. 14) of the relationship between The New American magazine and The John Birch Society, the proud parent of it. Don Kennedy, Littleton Denver’s popular mayor has made convincing citizens to vote for a package of new bonds his No. 1 priority before the November election. Joe Gallegos, Denver Everytime President George W. Bush tries to defend the Iraq War he is simply repeating history that we never learned. Earlier this AM, when I was listening to CNN and how the President was going to address some vets in Kansas City, it never ceases to amaze me that he has the nerve to say that “if we were not in Iraq the insurgents would thrive” (and I am paraphrasing him). President Nixon used the the same lines of rhetic in Vietnam, and it didn’t bring our troops home sooner — when will we remember Vietnam mistakes. The truth of the matter is the longer stay the stronger the insurgency is gaining in strength, the civil war in Iraq rages on, and only more of our precious young men and womens lives are dying for a “War of Choice". Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Rosen is finally waking up (“Republicans face tough road,” July 27), but only slightly. He concedes a possible loss in 2008, but is concerned about the survival of our nation under an upcoming Democratic administration. Many people are expressing this concern for our nation, its laws and the Constitution under this administration. Mary Morris, Bailey Iraq is the current battle, and failure — that is to say, retreat — is not an alternative. At the same time, we must also remain mindful of a larger problem — the war on terror. James Jones, Littleton Thank you, George W. Bush, for all you’ve done for us. Greg Burdick, Westminster Regarding the Rocky’s Aug. 2 editorial, “Single-payer baloney”: A. Lentz, Denver Thanks for your thoughtful comments about the progress of the Darrent Williams case (“Slow but steady progress on gang murders,” Aug. 14). Although No. 27 was not a “patient person,” being rather one of the “feistiest” football players in Denver Broncos history, I think Williams would appreciate the steady ongoing efforts to use his tragic death to solve 11 murders and more. Steve Schweitzberger, Littleton I am so upset by this proposed initiative (“Proposed abortion ban clears state ballot hurdle,” July 19 and “Initiative foes file suit against personhood,” Aug. 9) that it is hard for me to find the words to express myself. Michele Nobriga, Denver The Rocky’s coverage of the massive volunteer effort to resurrect Manual High School made me swell with pride (“Like a Thunderbolt, sparkling Manual to boom again/Volunteers work to get high school ready to open anew,” Aug. 10). But I felt a twinge of regret too, because, with memories of feeling awkward and uncomfortable as a high school teenager in mind, I rejected an offer to take part. Adam Oderberg, Denver Perhaps Karl Rove should be replaced by Michael Vick, since neither of them has a conscience. Peter D. Wulfsohn, Aurora While I completely disagree with the content of Jack Palmer’s recent letter (“What about Dems benchmarks”), I had an revelation about the messages we can expect from such steadfast conservatives. Kerry Neuville, Highlands Ranch I read the article about Columbine shooting victim Isaiah Shoels’ aunt wanting her choir to sing at the dedication ceremony for the Columbine Memorial (“Columbine victim’s aunt upset choir not part of dedication,” Aug. 13), and I would have to disagree with her. Milo Ramirez, Fort Collins If traffic lights were synchronized, drivers would seldom have a yellow or red light to run (“Red-light crackdown,” Aug. 6). Derrill Tarbutton, Thornton I read with disdain the Aug. 15 Rocky Mountain News story “Colo. studies Calif.’s tough energy rules” (Business). John M. Berger, Lakewood Those who saw the recent 60 Minutes segment about Timothy Sanders will know that it concerned a mentally ill inmate who died of neglect in his jail cell. Psychiatric help was not available at the time. Video equipment in his cell showed Sanders dying on his cell floor. Graham Witherspoon, Aurora Dr. Fearmongering is unbecoming to a large newspaper like the Rocky Mountain News. In its Aug. 2 editorial, “Single-payer baloney,” the Rocky warns, “Out-of-staters who have medical insurance but don’t want to pay their out-of-pocket costs” and “immigrants” will storm our borders “to get medical care at Colorado taxpayers’ expense” by obtaining “a fake Colorado ID” or checking in “at an emergency room” ... and the bogyman is going get you! Leslie Albin, Denver Now that Ward Churchill — world famous fake Indian and fake scholar — is no longer professor fake Indian and fake scholar, the people of Colorado should begin to find a way to get rid of the University of Colorado doofi who tenured this hybrid delusional to begin with. What an embarrassment to the school and the state. Where is Darwin when we need him? Terri Thaler, Denver Paul Campos, in his column of Aug. 14, “The Cult of 9/11,” reinforces the fact that there is, among the educated elite, a true indifference for the well-being of the United States and its citizens. Denny Cannon, Littleton The Democratic Party is celebrating its presidential candidates in forums across the country. I ask that a new baseline of behavior be offered to the candidates. Kris Hager, Pueblo West Another fat rat is leaving the foundering ship of state. Karl Rove was often described as “Machiavellian,” but he actually wasn’t that smart — just cynical. Scott Mock, Boulder If my experience taking cabs is any indication of what Democratic National Convention attendees might experience, I believe there should be some orientation programs before they arrive. Corinne Hunt, Denver Ponder this incontrovertible fact: The best friends al-Qaida has on this Earth are the American left and its lickspittle lap dogs in the Democratic Party. Kent B. Lemon, Englewood I am responding to the Aug. 16 Rocky Mountain News editorial “China Syndrome/Calls for trade barriers or product bans are irresponsible.” You have got to be kidding! We know that the federal government inspects only 1 percent of all imports entering this country, that corporations let the Chinese manufacturers monitor their own product safety, that China changes paperwork to show a different country of origin for mushrooms and garlic (and who knows what else) imported to America to avoid tariffs and so on and so on. And yet those who call for trade barriers or product bans are irresponsible? My family will not be buying anything from China, even if we have to go without. Since the Bush administration and Congress refuse to require food labeling that lists the country of origin, my family is buying produce, dairy, beef, pork and chicken from local Colorado farms. I can’t count on our government or big corporations to enforce health standards for my child and family members. Our government needs to start caring about the people that elect them. D. Arseneau is a resident of Highlands Ranch. In less then a month, the University of Colorado has taken two needed steps toward rebuilding its reputation for being a preferred college of choice. Tom Gleason, Lakewood I think it’s unfair to blame Gov. Bill Ritter for his stand on not drilling in the Vermillion Basin (“Governor takes heat for stand on drilling,” July 26). Dawson DeFord, Castle Rock Enough already! I am tired of reading all the mumbo jumbo from “art experts” who lavish praise on grotesque and bizarre abstract paintings. John Cardie, Westminster It seems that Dick Wadhams picked up a bad habit from his former boss, George “Macaca” Allen. Instead of responding to Michael Huttner’s legitimate conflict-of-interest complaint, he resorted to juvenile name-calling (“Schaffer chided for school vote,” Aug. 9). Janet White, Lafayette Do you suppose Congress would improve its standing in the eyes of the public if its members did something besides try to destroy George Bush? L. Fish, Englewood The New Jersey execution-style killings of 3 young, promising black students and the shooting of another young girl, turns my stomach. Is anyone in government finally going to do something about sanctuary cities? What are we doing to our own people? It’s been bad enough trying to read the Rocky Mountain News with all of your production quality problems, such as misfolded and ink blurred pages, coupled with the smaller font size. Now you’ve given me just another reason not to renew my subscription when it expires: front page stick on ads that obliterate part of the printed page, and destroy the print if you try to peel them off. In a time of declining subscriptions and readership, why don’t you try to improve the reader experience and hold on to the readers you have, instead of driving us away? Frank Galmish This letter has not been edited. The Aug. 13 This letter is in response to Bill Johnson’s article entitled “Knife that killed pit bull finds way to owners heart.” Your news report, “GOP irate at union access” outlines an epic division much larger than the spectrum of labor management relations. Why should giving state employees basic collective bargaining rights cause a dispute? Most others states and the federal government already have dues withholding and formal access to employees. To prevent this is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act which makes it illegal to intimidate employees for union activity. Attacks on collective bargaining are unprecedented in modern history. Mike Rosen belabors the obvious by repeating for the umpteenth time that market economies are superior to socialism (“Dre Earns His Pay,” 8/10/07). “The fact is that if you, like me, are one of those 99.9% of Americans who doesn’t know anyone who was killed or injured in the 9/11 terror attacks...then 9/11 was at bottom a very disturbing thing that you saw (over and over again) on TV.” I’m stunned, but must admit that Campos’ psychotic rant stopped short of calling the victims “little Eichmans.” We have been sold the idea of less taxes and minimal government. This has resulted in politicians being elected, but the outcome has been “less effective government". It appears that we have not had a halt in the growth of programs, but a decrease in the quality of many necessary government services. With a growing awareness that government is “broken” as we observe falling bridges, the Katrina mess going on and on and waits of many hours for getting a drivers’ license. The theory of strangling government through cutting taxes has strangled necessary services, while we continue to have bridges to nowhere! It is time we took back our government from the “lunatic fringes” of both parties. Most moderates, who Lightly lean left or right of the middle are not pleased with Sean Penn, Rosie O’Donnell, Anne Coulter, Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell speaking on our behalf. We are not pleased that neither the republicans or the democrats have concerned themselves with the internet as a cesspool in which our children are drowning. We are not pleased that neither the democrats or republicans have concerned themselves with our health and especially that of our children. We are not pleased with the divisive approach of both parties and the loss of respect and manners in the political dialogue. We are not interested in the insertion of religion into politics and want our constitution to be the only basis of our government. This is a free country, so people can write a lot of trash. Such was the case in your Rocky Mountain Mews article “Another funds source” of August 14, 2007. Robert Rodefeld wrote that there are at least 25 million illegal aliens in this country. Who knows where he got that figure from. Mid air perhaps, perhaps from Congressman Tancredo, who does like to hype things up a bit when relating to illegal aliens. Perhaps with his nasty attitude Rodefeld is including all the brown faces in this country legal or illegal. As I read “Judge admits strip club visits were human ‘foibles,’” the Aug. 11 Rocky Mountain News article concerning the visits to a Denver strip club by U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham, I couldn’t help but wonder why this was regarded as newsworthy. Thomas B. Johnson, Aurora I’m absolutely incensed with the Rocky Mountain News for trying to squeeze out the last ounce of publicity about Judge Edward Nottingham. Betty McFerren, Lakewood I read “Broncos overload,” letter writer Neil Nowak’s rant against Broncos coverage in the Rocky’s Aug. 11 Talk Back to the Media section and felt the need to respond. Thor Johnson, Arvada On Aug. 2, the Rocky Mountain News prominently featured this quote from Chris Roush, a business journalism professor at the University of North Carolina: “I would call (business journalism) the last growth industry in the media world. In 1970, only 10 percent of households owned stock in the market. Today, it’s more than 50 percent. There’s greater interest in wanting to know what’s happening in the business world. We’re more and more affected by it.” Anne Don, Littleton Many thanks to Rocky Mountain News media critic Dave Kopel for his immigration-related column of Aug. 11, “A plus and a minus in the Post.” William A. Matheson, Denver Why does the Rocky Mountain News still put adult “sex advertisements” in its fine newspaper? Adult material and content is difficult enough for grown-ups to handle responsibly, so why does the Rocky make this available to our youth? Danny Trujillo, Lakewood Rather than a full-page photo of Barry Bonds on Aug. 8 after he hit his record-breaking home run, wouldn’t the young and impressionable youth of our city have been better served with a blank front page on the Rocky? Jim Sage, Denver Frank Shuchat snidely suggests ("Show me the Dem money, 8/11/07) that Recreate 68 wants to recreate the “assassinations, riots and invasions.” I say snidely because no one seriously believe that’s what we want to recreate. Nothing could be more absurd. What we do want to recreate is the spirit of the 60s, of a mass political movement in which millions of ordinary people took politics seriously and worked together to make the system work for them. That movement ended legal segregation against African Americans, and improved life for millions of other people of color as well; opened up tremendous new opportunities for women in many areas of life; brought gays and lesbians out of a very deep closet; in short, forced America to at least try to live up to its own credo of “liberty and justice for all.” Anyone who lived through that time realizes how profoundly, and almost all for the better, that movement changed this country, and people’s lives. Anyone who has now lived through the Bush administration’s invasion and occupation of Iraq, and its assaults on civil liberties and human rights—with the complicity of most Congressional Democrats—surely realizes how necessary it is to recreate a movement that can restore government of, by and for the people. Ward Churchill and his ilk are not the only wierdos ever encamped at C.U. This school has been a haven for odd-balls for quite some time. Back in the middle 80’s the little company I worked for went “down the tubes". I had taught night courses at D.U. some years back and was presently teaching nights at a local community college, so I approached C.U. with the possability that there was something there that I could do. I agree with Nacchio, he and America both deserve a new trial. Nacchio’s key complaint, he didn’t get to submit his federal gov’t “classified” DoD military telecom contract, as evidence in his previous criminal trial. This contract can’t be entered as defense evidence, because the contract is an illegal sole-source contract, that has the malodorous odor of Halliburton. If Nacchio is granted another trial, then I want to testify in court as a friend of Front Range Vietnam War disabled military veterans. Judge Nottingham previously ignored my request to exercise my constitutional right in “free speech". Reading the Rocky Mountain news this morning According to a story on page 2C in the August 12, 2007 Sunday edition of the combined The Denver Post / Rocky Mountain News, “An openly gay Lutheran minister is happy his church’s largest governing body decided that clergy in homosexual relationships should not be defrocked.” A significant amount of media attention recently has been devoted to the issue of climate change, thanks in part to celebrities like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio. Many people profess a desire to make changes, whether significant or small, to help the cause of future generations. Yet what is possibly the greatest action that one can take to reverse climate change trends receives little attention from the media. The United Nations reported in 2006 that animal agriculture and the livestock sector has surpassed the transportation sector in greenhouse gas contributions. Rearing animals for food is responsible for a staggering 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions as measured in carbon dioxide equivalent, including 37 percent of human methane release and 65 percent of nitrous oxide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Methane has 23 times and nitrous oxide an incredible 296 times the Global Warming Potential of CO2. Yet even knowing that switching to a plant-based diet is a greater contribution to reversing climate change trends than changing my standard vehicle in for a hybrid, it still is not the reason why I personally converted my diet. I did it as a way of keeping my ego in check- every day- through my perception of entitlement. I believe that it is healthy and humble for me to maintain a belief that I am not entitled to take a life or offspring-intended secretions from that life for my own perceived benefit(s). “We will bring you to justice". WANTED: Dead or Alive". Karl Rove just announced he is resigning at month’s end. Rove, Bush, and the rest of Bush’s senior Gestapo minions, should all be charged with war crimes. They collectively started this senseless and barbaric war in Iraq. They fabricated lies, called those lies WMD intelligence, and hood-winked the world. We intended to execute Hitler for exterminating Jews and the Bush Gestapo crowd have already exterminated more than 100K innocent Iraqi citizens. The American people as a whole, are guilty of using chemical weapons (white phosphorus projectiles-WILLY PETER) and Rx drugged troops (PTSD mind-altering suppressors) on Iraqis. copy to: Editor of the Newspaper whose photo of 15 crosses will live in infamy. “ It’s the 14% for Tancredo who worry me", says Mike the Lip. in the Rocky, (Aug 13).” Whoa There. I say it’s the 65% of the Colorado voters who put Tom in office you should worry about Mike.” Please remember the 65% I’m speaking of are the ones that want illegal immigration stopped, not just talked about, but stopped. And, continue your hate Colorado motives and you may go the way of Ward Churchill; out the back door screaming racism, you’re unfair, I’m innocent and anything else a minority screams when their sub- mediocre talent has been challenged. Both of you are nin-com-poops of the first rate and both of you are examples of no talent cry-babies. Come to think of it you could even enter a look-alike contest and come out winners. If it isn’t bad enough that we have so many ideologically obsessed professors, we now have an ideologically-based school that dares call itself a university—even a CHRISTIAN university. How pathetic! The great “saints” of the church (Augustine, Calvin, Wesley, etc.) read and quoted an immense diversity of literary sources, including numerous pagan ones. While interesting and well-written, Mike Rosen’s piece of Aug. 10, “Dré earns his pay,” misses the point. Sure, Dré Bly will earn every bit of his multimillion-dollar contract. What many in America are saying is, however, where are we placing our values? Roger Karny, Denver In his letter of Aug. 8, Chris Hotz decries Michael Moore’s movie Sicko, saying it shouldn’t be taken seriously, and goes on to say that Spider Man 3 was an eye-opener for him as to how the country should battle giant sand-monsters. Andrew J. Patt, Lakewood Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all spend other people’s money for what we wanted? Frank Galmish, Denver You would think the editors of the Rocky Mountain News would understand more about the “will of the people” regarding the use of Great Outdoors Colorado funds (“Pay to fix parks with GOCO ‘timeout,’” Aug. 12). Citizens strongly voted they wanted a funding mechanism put in place through GOCO to acquire and preserve deserving Colorado lands from development and sprawl through the purchase of such lands. They did not want GOCO to provide a convenient way for state legislators to avoid their responsibility to properly fund the operation and maintenance of our state parks. One does not have to look far to see how rampant leapfrog sprawl along the Front Range (and into the foothills) is eating up large swaths of land with low-density sprawl — land that should and needs to be preserved as open space and vital habitat for a variety of diminishing kinds of wildlife. Edward Talbot is a resident of Arvada. Mr. Churchill is hoisting the red herring flag of 1st Amendment rights, hoping that his plagiarism and dishonesty will be overlooked. His left wing supporters are glad to do so. But I would like to ask Mr. Churchill some questions about his ideas. If he were successful in dismantling the United States into the 500 tribal areas that he advocates: * I’m copying this letter to Mike Rosen re his opinion piece in today’s Rocky ( 8/10/07 Dre earns his pay) for two reasons. Mr. Rosen’s column of 8/10/07 citing the scarcity of athletic performers such as Dre’ Bly justifying elevated salaries compared to typical teachers’ salaries is logical. However, precluding his logic is a foregone thought: athletes, actors, even some radio commentators (celebrities, et. al.) are only entertainers. They provide no public service which could not be provided otherwise, no public service which if erased from public consciousness would constitute a crisis. In-state tuition a must for all citizen residents, regardless of parents’ citizenship status. When is Mike Rosen going to give us a break? Once again, his public school-bashing typewriter can only repeat ( ³Dre¹ earns his pay,² 8/ 10/ 07 ) his biased and hypocritical theme of how much teachers are overpaid. Is this the same Mike Rosen who foams at the mouth about the virtues of private enterprise while he is Booster Cum Laude for publicly-financed stadia ( stadiums ? ) Is this the same Mike Rosen who so loves Colorado that he insists that the taxpayers make it like New York for him? Why should he live in a cow town, when he can influence ( through his columns ) Front Rangers to to finance the big time sports that he likes so well? Welfare is really not all that bad, is it Mike - as long as it¹s corporate welfare? Last week the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $160 billion entitlement bill as its version of the reauthorization of the SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program). Bill Johnson’s August 3 column and Thomas Kopfensteiner’s August 8 letter to the editor both affirmed the critical need to pass such a bill to cover additional uninsured children. Wrongheadedly,The House has expanded the reauthorization far beyond its original intent of providing health care for uninsured children. The House version allows coverage for families in certain states who make as much as four times the federal poverty level and can afford private insurance, lures these higher income families from their current private coverage to the government program (the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 2.1 million people who have private insurance will be forced into this nationalized health care), partially underwrites the new entitlements with $37.1 billion in cuts to Medicare providers, removes the current safeguards meant to keep illegal immigrants from accessing SCHIP and establishes $400 million for translation services for non-English-speakers. Re: Anglos no longer majority in Denver Thomas Kopfensteiner, Catholic Health Initiatives Denver, wrote a remarkable letter (8/09/07 Reauthorize, expand kids’ health coverage) telling us that support of State Children’s Health Insurance Program transcends ordinary political concerns and is in fact a moral question. The failure to reauthorize SCHIP would be a “national disgrace” for Americans who would even “question and debate coverage for children.” There are one or two items Mr. Kopfensteiner did not get around to mentioning. Subject: Blue Ribbon Commission’s Options. I have to respond to letter writer Dennis Hammond’s definition of liberal arts as nothing more than “opinion and memorization,” aka “brainwashing.” (“Math, science are key in education,” July 24). Cathy Calder, Denver On July 27, in a Westminster courtroom, Carolyn Bninski was sentenced to a month in jail for protesting the Iraq war “peacefully and respectfully” in U.S. Rep. Mark Udall’s office. It is my understanding that Udall’s office pressed trespassing charges and issued a carefully worded public statement, covered by the press, in support of and in sympathy for Bninski’s right to protest the war, on the day her sentencing took place. Does this sound disingenuous to anyone else? David Ferlic, Wheat Ridge For those who haven’t read Christian author Jim Wallis, whose writings are apparently at the center of the firing Colorado Christian University global studies professor Andrew Paquin (“Firing of prof at Colorado Christian puts focus on Christ and capitalism,” Aug. 13), a few things need to be pointed out. Joan Jacobson, Lakewood Why do we have to make simple things complicated? It is my understanding that a student pays in-state or out-of-state tuition dependent upon where the parents have legal residence (“Fee break for kids of illegals sought,” Aug. 3, “A citizen is a citizen,” Aug. 9 and “Changing course on tuition,” Aug. 10). Jane E. Lupp, Lamar What has happened to manners? Dusty Maslo, Parker The Rocky Mountain News story on how angry state GOP leaders are regarding the Ritter administration’s clarification of union activities (“GOP irate at union access,” Aug. 11) left out one very important fact: It was former Gov. Bill Owens who — in a tried-and-true union-busting tactic — gutted the long-standing practice of union dues being automatically withdrawn from paychecks. Judy Cheatham, Evergreen I’ve been in England and Italy where I’ve seen bridges that are more than 2,000 years old and are still strong and sturdy. If the Romans can build a bridge that lasts 2,000 years, why do our bridges only last less than 50 years? Jim Petraglia, Denver I am so pleased that Denver is considering a makeover of Civic Center. Park occupants could use a new cesspool. Randall Livingston, Littleton There was a common sense IQ test in Congress recently, and the Democrats failed it. Jim Kutsko, Denver I think letter writer Ken Willis (“A yellow light on red-light cameras,” A Differing View, Aug. 9) needs to go back and study the laws for driving. Norma Link, Lakewood Kudos to Bill Gonzales and his team for doing their jobs by issuing the (small “p”) policy that clarifies the existing rules (“GOP irate at union access,” Aug. 11). As the director of personnel and administration, Gonzales is responsible for ensuring that all state departments are complying with State Personnel Board rules. Monisha Merchant, Lakewood I’m not troubled by Judge Edward Nottingham’s personal problems, despite having witnessed him berate attorneys for the smallest of errors when I’ve represented clients in cases before him. John Zodrow, Denver I have some questions for the Rocky Mountain News regarding its Aug. 4 editorial “Bombs over Mecca, the sequel.” Rep. Tom Tancredo repeated that if it were up to him he would explain up front to Iran, et. al., that a nuclear attack on U.S. soil would be followed by attacks on Mecca and Medina. Such pronouncements are not unprecedented in American history. In our own Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was widely condemned for declaring that he would do whatever it took to preserve the Union. Teddy Roosevelt repeatedly reminded the world of his big stick. FDR and our allies in WWII said they would give no quarter and demanded unconditional surrender. Yet Tancredo’s statement has the Rocky tut-tutting that such a response would trigger jihad. Hello? This is jihad, and the U.S. is the number one target. Eugenie Roscoe is a resident of Golden. Once again the mainstream media has its priorities reversed. Wiretapping is an essential aspect of tracking potential terrorists, especially in view of the fact that overseas calls are often routed through U.S. networks. It is imperative that such calls be intercepted to avert a possible terrorist attack such as 9/11. The temporary reprieve is essential, but it does not go far enough. The 1978 FISA statute effectively hamstrings the President by requiring needless warrant to intercept such calls. In addition, liability protection is needed to protect telecom firms from potential lawsuits for cooperating with the National Security Agency. Yet, liberals will stop at nothing to discredit the Bush administration, even in time of war! Aleksander K. Aloel This letter has not been edited. Chuck West This letter has not been edited. Military service of Romney and Alito No shame in his game. Mitt Romney flat-out lied about his NAM military draft status, in the 8/9 Rocky Mountain News article, “Romney defends sons’ decisions not to join military". Mitt stated, “I didn’t serve in Vietnam because of my Mormon missionary work and a high draft lottery number". The air is finally clear on his views regarding separation of church and state. Unintended Consequences. Contaminated goods from China have caused prodigious fears among our populace. The solution is to ban all foreign-made products, but that would perhaps create even greater problems. The United States Constitution and its Preamble makes no references to a God or any Supreme Being. It is primarily a secular document, yet the State Constitutions and Preambles of all 50 states refer to a God or Supreme Being. To the small town of Fredrick. Why are people making light of the fact that a catholic priest is jogging around a school naked. This is just another priest getting away with anything they want to do. If this were any other person, they would be in jail and hopefully, go to jail. Being a catholic priest. I think that he would know better. From what other priest are doing. Send him to jail and stop making this a circus. In a recent article in the paper it quotes Senator Allard saying “a bigger Pinon Canyon Financial boon for the region, but ranchers who sell land for the expansion won’t see much he admits.” This targeted area will take my home, my mother’s home (of 50+ Years) and my brothers’ home, when the Comanche National Grasslands that is right across the fence from them, goes unused, WHY? The government already owns it; the grabbing of private property like this is what communist countries do, not America. Oh, please! The mayor calls for “restoration of the local republic” and the media, without skepticism or review, passes the message along as if it meant something. Re: Tancredo outlines his amnesty-free immigration proposal, by Chris Barge, July 11, 2007 Congratulations to the Rocky Mountain News for being right-on concerning the state wishing to tax us all to death for the wants of a few (“Single-payer baloney,” Aug. 2). Any single-payer government-run health-care system is bound to die a slow death, as is happening in Canada and the United Kingdom. Terry W. Donze, Wheat Ridge The Rocky’s editorial of Aug. 2, “Single-payer baloney,” nails government-monopoly health care on the head. John R. Graham Mark Silverstein of the ACLU is not an advocate of Tasers (“Concerns aired on Tasers in schools,” July 20). He has made that perfectly clear time and time again by distorting data and implying that Tasers actually kill people. Dan Montgomery, Rocky Mountain News wine columnist Jennifer Rosen made a comment in her Aug. 8 Spotlight column, “Go with the flow: Enjoy that wine,” that should be read by every divorce attorney, every divorce judge, every child advocate, and every couple going through divorce. Larry Sears, Centennial I read with eager anticipation the Aug. 9 Rocky Mountain News article that whites had become a minority in Denver (“A majority of none”). I have watched how the mayor and City Council have crafted contracts — for work within the City and County of Denver — that created everything from mandates and set-asides to affirmative action programs for minority contractors doing business with the city. All this in an attempt to level the playing field and achieve parity and equality for minority contractors. Bob Watters, Westminster On the heels of the Interstate 35 West bridge collapse in Minneapolis, some readers have suggested we should invest more in our own infrastructure instead of Iraq’s. Robert Rodefeld, Centennial In letter writer Loren Swick’s response (“It’s not Clinton’s sex that make her suspect,” A Differing View, Aug. 8) to Rocky columnist Paul Campos’ question of “Does gender matter?’ (July 31), he cites a Conservative/Freedom Index in The New American as evidence of Hillary Clinton’s failure to follow the Constitution. Linda Duhon, Aurora Glad my alma mater got rid of its “white Indian” (not politically correct, but neither was Ward Churchill). People can say that he was fired for what he said, but he was fired for plagiarism. Robert Plick, Denver The Rocky Mountain News has scripted an ill-conceived editorial blasting a proposal by a committee of the American Bar Association that would have sealed the records of those who were merely arrested but never convicted of any crime. It claims that this would somehow violate the sacred right of the public “to know” (“Keep court files public,” Aug. 10). The Rocky believes, erroneously, that “arrests and convictions have already usually been reported in the media and in documents that would not be suppressed under this proposal.” I have represented countless individuals who were wrongfully arrested either based upon their race or because they have engaged in that old off-the-books crime of “disturbing the police.” Charges are dismissed with no convictions yet these completely innocent people are constantly forced to justify themselves to employers and landlords when they have done nothing wrong. The average employer or landlord rarely bothers to distinguish between an arrest and a conviction. These people simply don’t hire or rent to someone who has a “record” as opposed to someone who is “clean.” If the government can’t come up with a conviction, there is no justification whatsoever for an innocent citizen to have his or her name smeared with the baggage that a mere arrest carries. The Rocky is completely off-base in arguing that somehow it is in the public’s interest to pillory innocent people and not automatically have their arrest record sealed when it resulted in no conviction. David Lane is a Denver attorney. We hope that anyone with questions about this situation will call and speak with us at The Denver Foundation. I am a third-generation dairy farmer and currently working the the dairy field as a equipment install/service technician. Donald Monroe is misguided in the accusations he makes in his online letter of Aug. 2, “Think about all the other animals.” Frank Rossi, Hudson The Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform has some nerve. Its favorite plans involve funding government programs by taxing you when purchasing snacks, alcohol and cigarettes (“Healthy living may pay off/Sin taxes could fund statewide medical coverage,” Aug. 1). Yet, as shown by FAIR, my proposal at the commission’s Web site, such meddling in our private choices has crippled health-care markets. Brian T. Schwartz, Boulder What better place to start a single-payer plan than in a state with top-flight medical facilities? We would attract corporations happy to get great employees without the excessive expense of buying health insurance coverage, thus improving the company’s competitive advantage and Colorado’s economic edge. Maria Guerra, Denver Why is it that no one trusts government? Does your monthly Medicare or Medicaid check not arrive on time? Does your Medicare policy not cover necessary drugs? It likely does a great deal better than the private sector ... and studies from Canada suggest that the fear of waiting lines in single-payer systems is a myth. Michael Neil, Denver The mockery and corruption of our balance of powers, rule of law, Constitution and democracy in seven short years is truly frightening. Although, an organization always reflects its leader and that must be dealt with as well, our Justice Department must be protected with all of the rigor we as a country can muster. Daryl Shute, Littleton Dr. Joel Leventhal (letter to the editor, Aug. 6) found Sicko to be “eye-opening,” and uses the film as the basis for his criticism of the U.S. medical system. Chris R. Hotz, Greenwood Village A f This letter has not been edited. This letter has not been edited. It appears that Rocky Mountain News editor John Temple is still soliciting comments from readers regarding the changes in the newspaper, so let me add a few thoughts. W.R. Hardy, Englewood Rocky Mountain News columnist Bill Johnson has a rare opportunity in his work; by bringing problems of unfair treatment of people into the public eye, he can really help. Kathy Grant, Golden Why did the Rocky Mountain News choose to put the Denver Broncos starting their training camp on the front pages of both the main paper and the Sports section on July 30? Neil Nowak, Denver The Aug. 3 Rocky Mountain News headline reads “White House cool to ethics bill OK’d on Hill.” The second paragraph tells us “Bush received it coolly.” A first-year journalism student could tell you that, having made these statements, a newspaper must then report why these things were so. But that occurs nowhere in the article. Why is that? Is it because of incompetence? Greg Kelly, Lakewood News about the New Life Church in Colorado Springs is, I am sure, of burning importance to members of the New Life Church (“New Life Church picks pastor to replace Ted Haggard,” Aug. 2). Margaret Cross, Evergreen I usually disagree with the Rocky when it changes comic strips, but it chose well to get rid of Diesel Sweeties and The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee, replacing them with Brevity and Little Dog Lost. Definitely a step up. Doug Karhan, Pleasant View This letter has not been edited. With everything going on in Minnesota this week and last, my guess is those drivers who travel on Denver’s Evans Avenue over Santa Fe Drive have had some heart-stopping moments. Sherrie Ferdinand, Littleton Interesting picture on Page 3 of the Aug. 1 Rocky Mountain News Business section (“DIA to deploy liquids scanner”). Ralph Jones, Aurora Want to know how much we are paying to reinvent the wheel? The U.S. House recently voted to give the Big Three automakers $500 million to look into the electric car. James Warner, Denver I’m surprised at the not-so-subtle implications in the Rocky’s Aug. 7 editorial (“Wiretapping program gets a 6-month reprieve”). It suggested that Congress should not have sent a rewrite of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on to the president to enable us to continue to monitor (for the next six months) communications between the United States and overseas entities without the need for bureaucratic, time-consuming, court-approved warrants. Previous editorials have supported steps the administration has taken to keep us safe. It seems to me that the ability to monitor conversations between the United States and those overseas has been and will continue to be a key in doing so. Islamic extremists want to destroy us — anything we can do to stay ahead of what they may be planning is OK in my book. Tom Rowley is a resident of Parker. This letter has not been edited. Moral outrage is the only appropriate response to the statements of individuals in Congress and the administration who oppose reauthorization and expansion of the successful State Children’s Health Insurance Program. The first paragraph of Bill Johnson’s column on Aug. 3 (“Caring for poor, sick kids is the very least we can do”) says it all: “Do you sometimes read the newspaper and, like me, just want to scream?” Thomas Kopfensteiner I was disappointed with the angle the Rocky Mountain News took in the article about a group of horsemen riding in the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area (“Rich horsemen get special ticket to ride,” July 21). Tom Munson, Littleton Throughout the Ward Churchill saga, Churchill and his supporters have been demonstrating the first rule of leftist hatemongering: Never assume a benign motive when a suspect one will do. Eric Krein, Lakewood The environmentalists decry the drilling of any wells for gas or oil, yet every one of them continuously consumes the products from these wells, such as electricity, natural gas, plastics and gasoline. Where do they think it comes from? Maybe, like Gov. Bill Ritter, they have had a “spiritual experience.” Sounds like blatant hypocrisy to me. Karl Kappler, Northglenn It’s a given that Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard will unquestioningly follow President Bush’s dictates when it comes to undermining the Constitution, but one would expect that Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar would be a freedom fighter for civil liberties. Cathy Cloepfil, Erie Referring to syndicated cartoonist Henry Payne’s cartoon on July 25, the one about the Democrats wanting to quit because they’re behind 3-2 in the first inning of a baseball game of the surge against the insurgents, my question would be: If we’re in the first inning in Iraq, does this mean we have about 40 more years for our glorious leader’s reign of error to play out? Steve Olson, Broomfield I was just starting to yawn as I heard the news of Rep. Tom Tancredo’s regurgitation of his threat of retaliatory bombing of Mecca and Medina, and, to be honest, the news didn’t stop me from completing it. Taj Ashaheed Sen. Ken Salazar’s vote for President Bush’s illegal wiretapping program was an act of absolute cowardice. James Bowen, Boyero Rocky Mountain News columnist Paul Campos is at it again, painting Hillary Clinton as a “mainstream” politician (“Does gender matter?” July 31). Stan Byers, Arvada A DIFFERING VIEW Humans beings are fallen creatures. Economic incentives are powerful forces that are hard to resist, especially when tied to the power and immunity of government. These cameras pose the threat of being used more for revenue than for safety. In other cities, such as Washington, D.C., and San Diego, the officials who make policy decisions have been accused of tampering with the timing of the yellow cycle in order to increase the number of citations. The shorter the yellow cycle, the more cars passing through will be unable to stop before the light goes to red and the more citations will be issued. Do you think our politicians and bureaucrats are so pure they won’t be tempted? There is a way to remove the temptation, and that is too have all the revenue generated go the state’s general fund and not allow any municipality to have any part of it that exceeds the actual cost of acquiring and operating the cameras. If that were the case, you wouldn’t see these cameras anywhere and we would know for sure that the desire for the revenue to be had is the real motivation, and that safety is simply a red herring. A better and more honest way to reduce collisions at problem intersections is to simply increase the yellow cycle. But there is no revenue to be had, so that’s not even considered. Ken Willis is a resident of Denver. The Minnesota bridge failure is a symptom of a problem that started more than three decades ago when Congress decided to rob the Highway Users’ Trust Fund for transit and other modes. The idea was to promote alternatives to the automobile, but it failed miserably. During that time, the percentage of trips taken on transit has decreased nationwide while auto travel demand has skyrocketed. Chuck Erwin, Colorado Springs The July 28 Rocky Mountain News contained an interesting (and somewhat ironic) amalgam of messages. M.J. Rita, Denver So U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Gov. Bill Ritter want to put the energy-rich Roan Plateau and Vermillion Basin “out of bounds”? That’s fine, but I’d simply love to hear their plan on how they will keep $5 at the pump “out of bounds” too. Hank Riehl, Lone Tree In Paul Campos’ column of July 31, “Does gender matter?” he writes: “It’s almost impossible to find a more mainstream politician than (Sen. Hillary) Clinton.” He says the reason people foam at the mouth is because she is a girl! The Conservative/Freedom Index in The New American rates lawmakers on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, national sovereignty and avoiding foreign entanglements. Do we have any reason to believe that Clinton would follow the Constitution more closely as president? Loren Swick is a resident of Greeley. Doesn’t somebody at RMN realize that the next thought of virtually any musician looking at the two pictures of kids with musical instruments (8/2, p. 2 News, p. 8 Spotlight) would be “I wonder what else in the paper is a fake"? If you had to take pictures of kids who obviously never had Lesson One on those instruments *), couldn’t you at least have somebody show them how to hold them? Or should we get them credit for not trying to blow into the wrong ends? With regard to the Rocky Mountain News article in the August 1st edition, all I can say is here we go again! Let’s find a way to take money from some to pay others; this time it’s for “near"-universal health care. There appears to be a conglomeration of, somewhat bizarre, schemes designed to raise taxes imposed on income, consumption of: cigarettes, liquor, beer and” food with little nutritional value"; also fines imposed on those who “can’t show that they have insurance” (I have no idea what the latter means). One thing you can bet on, however, will be that those who pay the most will receive the least. We noticed the Amy Goodman column was missing in the July 29 Rocky Mountain News opinion page. Goodman, as an investigative journalist, does report the naked truth — bluntly — and penetrates where others fear to tread. If some readers want balance in news reporting, Amy gives the rest of the story. I hope her column will continue to be included in the mix. Dean Farringer, Denver Online letter writer The Rocky Mountain News reported on a backhoe that had tumbled partway down a hill in Black Hawk (“It’s a real balancing act, all right, as backhoe slides against house,” July 26), and the article mentions that the accident occurred a week-and-a-half earlier. I can’t recall ever seeing a story of the incident in the Rocky earlier, and I’m sure that had there been a photo printed before I would have marveled over it. I’m left with the impression that the accident wasn’t news then but the removal of the backhoe is now. Why is that? The only answer I can come up with is that Lindsay Lohan wasn’t the operator. Harry Puncec, Lakewood I feel this country has worked hard to overcome discrimination through laws and awareness, but the media have set us back with their reporting of a study that says when one person gains weight, their close friends tend to gain weight, too (“Packing on pounds? Blame it on a pal,” July 26). There are many studies that are done, some proven accurate while many down the road are proven invalid. Studies also distort information to arrive at the desired outcome. There are probably parents out there that may have seen the report on this study and will encourage their child not to associate with another child that may be obese — in their eyes — afraid that their child will also become obese. The media reporting this study has possibly set a new low for discrimination. Dave Usechek, Northglenn Lately, the Rocky Mountain News’ cover photos have been mutilated by stick-on advertising. Professional photojournalists (I was one for the Colorado Statesman for a few years) know the upper right area of any illustration is where the eye reaches a conclusion about the quality of a photo. Why, then, don’t you reconsider making that location the place where visual clutter interrupts the great work of your photographers? Peeling off the sticker ads only removes some of the ink, yet I am sick of peeling advertising to see the photos on your covers as they were intended to appear. Why doesn’t the Rocky leave a blank spot where the headlines appear for the sticky ads if it insists on allowing them rather than allowing tacky advertising randomly slapped over the cover photos? Steve Schweitzberger, Littleton The Associated Press story on marijuana usage (“Pot usage linked to greater risk of psychosis,” July 27) didn’t end where the Rocky Mountain News cut it. The Rocky must have left a sentence out of the story that would make all the difference the world, since it would reveal that the study is yet another piece of pseudoscience from parties making a profit from marijuana’s illegality. That sentence in the original story reads: “Several authors reported being paid to attend drug company-sponsored meetings related to marijuana, and one received consulting fees from companies that make antipsychotic medications.” Jack J. Woehr, Golden Hear, hear to the two letter writers who recently wrote to complain about finding the advice given more and more to readers in the Rocky Mountain News to go to Web sites if one desires to read more about certain news items. (“Give us the news,” July 14 and “Letters belong in print,” July 21). Just because I own a computer does not mean that is how I prefer to get my daily dose of what is going on in my neighborhood or in my world! Terri L. Thaler, Denver On July 30, a syndicated political cartoon appeared on the commentary section naming Barack Obama as “Obama-Man” and Hillary Clinton as “O-Bombastic-Girl.” Why not a parallel construction so that Clinton is portrayed as “O-Bombastic-Woman,” following a superhero tradition including the Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman? I do not yet have a favorite candidate in either party, but I am sorely tempted to vote for Clinton in order to express my discomfort at the uneven media treatment she is getting, from comments on her clothes to referring to her as Hillary while the male candidates are described by their last names. Judith Cohen, Denver The cut-and-run liberals are moaning and groaning about Iraq coming up short on the benchmarks that were laid out for them. Jack Palmer, Denver I was most disappointed to not find any mention of the Harry Potter release celebration held by the Tattered Cover on Colfax in the July 21 paper. Teresa G. Sheehan, Denver We are used to seeing entertainers like rock stars, sports stars and Hollywood stars grabbing America’s attention from the front pages of our newspapers. Michelle Nichols, Arvada When Education Secretary Margaret Spellings comes to Denver to discuss modern education with local business leaders, she speaks as a politician (“U.S. ed boss hails ‘No Child’ act,” July 31). Robert Gunnett, Morrison The article about Gov. Bill Ritter’s plans to end the state’s track record of buying computer systems that don’t work was welcome reading (“Governor seeks to bring order to computer chaos,” July 23). My compliments for the in-depth reporting. Francis M. Miller, Parker Mexico has an abundance of resources: oil, gold, silver, copper, agricultural products and human laborers. Greg Tate, Denver The restoration of America’s good name and standing requires the exercise of the process to eject abusers of official power. Pete Klammer, Wheat Ridge Forty-one cents? For one letter? Ken Maetzold, Denver Regarding the July 20 column by Vincent Carroll about ozone in Denver (“Ozone surprises,” On Point): The math for ozone has not changed since I studied it in the 1970s. Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight produce ozone in urban environments when the air is stagnant. What if the Front Range smog basin had a new regulation to encourage vacuum systems at our gasoline filling stations? Pollution specialists now request that we fill our cars after sunset. Fumes forced out, as gas goes in, are less of an issue when no sunlight is present to cause the synergistic creation of ozone. If Colorado wanted to move gently toward hydrocarbon recovery at the pumps, we need the guts to say any station without a “California-style vapor recovery system” would not be allowed to pump gas during daylight hours on ozone alert days. Steve Schweitzberger is a resident of Littleton. No matter what happens with health care reform in the state, the diagnosis for the editorial staff of the Rocky Mountain News will remain the same — short sighted! The Aug. 2 editorial objecting to the Colorado Health Services Program (“Single payer baloney”) on the grounds that it would result in a tax increase demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of health care financing in our country today and no vision for what steps might be The editorial is so focused on what the plan might do to tax rates that it ignores the fact that no matter how money is spent on health care, it is money that can then be used for nothing else. So the question should be, not what does this plan do to my taxes, but what does this plan do about health-care costs? Unlike programs which mandate that you buy health insurance, the Colorado Health Services Program reduces costs by removing most of the administrative fees. The average family in the United States pays around $10,000 for health insurance if they do not get that insurance through the workplace. Households in Colorado with the median income of just over $50,000 would pay less than a third of that amount for coverage through the Colorado Health Services Program. It would do so much more for the common good, because everyone would be covered. The other concern I have is the notion that people from other states would flock here to abuse our system. In reality when those people flock here, they may find abundant employment here, because businesses from around the nation would leap at the chance to set up shop in a state in which they were no longer burdened by health insurance costs. Your “boondoggle” would be Colorado’s bonanza. Richard Gingery, M.D., a resident of Montrose, is president of Health Care for All Colorado. This letter is in response to the column written by Dusty Saunders about CW2 (“CW2 fights to stop ratings slide,” July 14). While we appreciate the notion of the article, we are compelled to point out several factual discrepancies and to expand upon the premise of what was written. James D. Zerwekh, VP/General Manager, KWGN-TV CW2 Denver We should connect the dots between lower CSAP scores (“Disappointing scores by Colorado students,” Aug. 1) and the flight to the suburbs. Fran Miller, Parker We all want to go to college in Colorado. Immigrant students have been fighting for their right to attend colleges or universities for the same price as documented students. Cesar Gomez, Denver Whereas many federal, state and local governing bodies regularly proclaim “gun-free zones” for the ostensible protection of the public, and Dave Petteys, Roxborough Park As a resident of Cambridge Park, I agree with our homeowners association’s decision not to fine the Hammers for their disgraceful display of the American flag (“No penalty in flag flap,” July 14). Lange D. Schultz, Wheat Ridge See the Michael Moore movie Sicko. It is a real eye-opener. Clearly we need to join the civilized world with preventive and other health care for all. Now! Dr. Joel Leventhal, Denver Over the years, I have discounted my efforts to support only candidates who would strongly support the Constitution and their oath to defend it against all enemies, exchanging it for a political party’s pledge to represent my personal convictions. John Thurman, Denver We have spent millions of dollars to build bicycle paths for the safety of both bicyclists and motorists, and to prevent traffic backups. Shane Mount, Lakewood Putting a Rockies double play with dirt flying on the cover of the July 26 Rocky Mountain News was OK. Arlyn L. Tolzmann, Westminster It is not difficult to see why someone who makes his living as a writer, such as Bill Johnson, might be overly sensitive to another writer’s fate, in this case Ward Churchill’s, and tend to ascribe it to what he wrote (“Freedom of speech took a hit along with Churchill,” July 27). Martin Barlau, Loveland For those people who are in favor of pulling out of Iraq, I would ask the following three questions: Donald D. Vogt, Morrison There is no point in gun control to deal with such shootings like the one in the Capitol because violence with a handgun depends on the character of the individual (“Tux, gun raised suspicion,” July 17). Richard Becker, Broomfield The Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform would like to clarify two things in the Rocky’s editorial of Aug. 2 (“Single-payer baloney”). First, the commission is statutorily charged with providing analysis and recommendations regarding three-to-five plans to the legislature next year — not one. The commission chose to analyze four very different health reform approaches from the 31 submitted to us. These approaches range from no requirements on individuals and employers to the single-payer plan discussed in the editorial. The commission is also developing a fifth proposal that will incorporate elements from many of the plans submitted to us. We decided to evaluate the single-payer proposal because it is an idea that we believe policy-makers should better understand. We chose the other plans we are evaluating for the same reasons: They reflect approaches to health-care reform that many people are talking about and policy-makers need to understand. Second, bear in mind that this evaluation is not yet complete. The information reported earlier this week in the Rocky is preliminary; the final evaluation of cost and coverage from each of these approaches will not be finished until later this month. The commission’s work is far from done, as is the work of health reform in Colorado. We are evaluating options; ultimately, the legislature will decide which direction to go. William N. Lindsay III is chair of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform. In response to Paola Perez, who is complaining because she can not afford a college education because she and her family are undocumented, I have this advice. Paola, go back to the country in which you ARE documented and petition your own government to provide you with a quality, affordable education. Problem solved, for All of us! I think she won. Lies about the war in Iraq, abuse of the system of checks and balances, approval of illegal spying and torture, signing statements that improperly arrogate legislative powers to the executive branch, schemes to punish political foes and refusal to cooperate with congressional inquires are judged as high crimes and demand the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Daryl Carroll Talk about controlling the news! This letter has not been edited. Jerry R. Gibson PROFESSOR Churchill HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD I am happy to see that the Rocky Mountain News has printed Professor Ward Churchill's life's mission statement, "I am Going Nowhere," on the front page. It is gratifying that he has come to terms with his life's failure. His falsifications, frauds, misrepresentations and plagiarism add up to misconduct; and he should he fired for them, This letter has not been edited. Our national media have had a field day reporting on allegations that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick sponsored a brutal dog fighting operation(“Vick one of four who gets indicted,” July 18). Donald Monroe, Denver I just read about Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani’s health care plan. Tod Gilmore, Parker The July 29 Speakout column “Don’t get optimistic about ending the war” paints an accurate picture of the quagmire that is Iraq. George Brazill, Colorado Springs Well, the citizens of Colorado are now reaping what they sowed when they voted in a Democrat-dominated government. Lowell Whitney, Arvada The big news out of Iraq lately is that some 8 million people there are in dire need of help to just simply survive. Because of the strife there, they are in need of water, food and shelter. Ernest E. Valdez, Thornton Having just returned from a trip to Peru, I would agree Machu Picchu is a spectacular sight and should be included in the new seven wonders of the world (“List of marvels — revised,” July 6). Art Pacheco, Denver Mike Littwin’s column about Ward Churchill is so very wrong (“Rock-star Churchill holds court before heading there,” July 26). Candy Sanford, Brighton Well, we have had lots of time to think about old Ward Churchill, and I have come to the conclusion that we have all misunderstood the man. Carol Allen, Arvada It was with great gratification that I read The Associated Press story concerning Aquafina bottled water and where it really comes from (“Aquafina just aqua-phony,” July 28). It’s about time this fraud was exposed. Stan Broyles, Idaho Springs I must admit that I am frequently in agreement with Rocky opinion editor, Vincent Carroll, so it is with surprise that I find myself at odds with his recent columns on urban sprawl (On Point, July 31 and Aug. 1). It isn’t that I believe his points to be false, rather that he is simply ignoring the larger issue. I understand Carroll’s irritation with the elitist crowd proudly patting themselves on the back while condemning non-urbanites from their (literally) lofty perch. Yet does that pompous attitude negate the fact that poorly planned suburban communities do, in fact, wreak havoc on our natural resources and clean air? Devoting much of his time to debunking popular myths of sprawl’s global history, Carroll fails to address real concerns such as the vast amounts of water that the massive lawns and the adjacent golf clubs of these developments devour. Carroll slams sprawl critics for their ardent claims that the automobile can be blamed for our Woes while, he argues, the trend to move outward began long before America’s love affair with cars. Yet again, this does little to trump the reality that, currently, it isn’t the “steam railroad, the cable car, the streetcar, and the interurban rail system” that suburban residents are using to reach their jobs in the urban core — it’s the automobile. Carroll goes on to cite statistics which show cities that have the most dwellers per square miles also host the most congested traffic; however, not only is this an issue of abysmal transportation planning, but it is also a result of suburbanites choosing driving over mass transit. I think Carroll may be trying to prove that we cannot dupe ourselves into thinking that by demonizing and outlawing sprawl that our societal problems will be solved, to which I would agree. There must be a multi-pronged approach that, when we do need to grow, incorporates ample public transportation options and self-sustainable communities comprised of retail, shopping, dining and (very importantly) job-providing commerce centers, as in the case of Stapleton’s development. David Huff is a resident of Denver. "We must remember that the reform is just starting,” said former Mayor Federico Peña, among the city leaders heading A+ Denver, a citizens’ advisory group to DPS. “We’re at the very early stages of radically changing and improving the Denver Public Schools, and that must continue to be our current priority and our long-term focus.” Did I really read this in today’s online edition of the Rocky? Reform is “just starting?!!” No wonder DPS never goes anyplace, reform has been “just starting” for the last twenty years. Bill Johnson seems to be in high dudgeon over the firing of Ward Churchill (Freedom of speech took a hit along with Churchill, 07/27/07).He says Churchill was “flat out fired ...for what he had written as opinion.” I suppose Johnson may be right insofar as observing that, if he had not written that essay, Churchill might be doing lesson plans for the fall term right now, instead of huddling with his lawyer, planning strategy for the legal action he’s bringing over the issue. But Johnson is wrong on one thing: Nobody on the faculty at CU has to be careful to hide their real feelings in their writing for fear of disciplinary action- so long as they are not guilty of plagiarizing and fabricating their scholarly product. Because, in the end, after Governor Owens, Hank Brown, and whoever else chimed in to say Churchill should not be teaching, they still had to find misconduct on the part of Churchill before they could fire him. In his letter of 7-31, Paola Perez says h When your editorials criticize acts of congress, why not mention how Senators and Representatives voted on those acts? Red turn arrow lights, in 90% of the cases, are there to ‘nanny’ an intersection, to treat ALL of us like the worst driver on the road. Hearing Tony Snow saying “that members of Congress are trying to create controversies about highly classified matters, some of which cannot, should not and must not be discussed publicly...” is a bit hard to swallow. I don’t like any government worker saying that government work, paid for by tax payers, shouldn’t be discussed by said tax payers. But maybe he has a legitimate reason, like the intelligence gathering, that is working everyday to thwart America’s enemies and subverting imminent terrorist attacks from those freedom hating foes, shouldn’t be discussed in order to maintain its functionality. Or maybe it is because Tony and those he fronts do not want their dirty laundry aired out for all law-abiding American citizens to see. Concerning the recent OpEd piece by Daniel Pipes suggesting that the United States withdraw into defensible military bases along Iraq’s borders in order to continue protecting our strategic interests in the region, he at least does not shirk from the ultimate objective of the neocons in promoting the invasion of Iraq. Pipes is a well-known islamophobe who is not overly concerned about Muslim peoples, so his attitude toward Iraqis isn’t particularly surprising. His suggestion that Americans should withdraw into secure bases has also been espoused recently by Max Boot, suggesting that the neocons in general have given up on the idea of a democratic Iraq. (Pipes, to be honest, never placed much stock in this concept, although he was a very active promoter of the invasion of Iraq.) It appears that the difference between George Bush’s approach to securing permanent bases in Iraq and Pipes is that Pipes would simply take them as right of the conqueror. Bush, on the other hand, wants to establish a stable Iraqi government with which to negotiate a bases agreement, as we have done the world over. Pipes concept is that we should essentially wash our hands of the Iraqi sectarian conflict while attempting to keep outside influences (Iran and Syria) at arms length. We would then, I assume, negotiate with the winner, which we would try to assure would be our man. Pipes probably know that this is a pipe dream, unlikely to unfold as we would like - another gamble in a long string of gambles. Keeping bases in Iraq, under such conditions will surely only increase Muslim distrust of the United States in the extreme. There is, unfortunately, no good solution to our Iraq quagmire. But this concept of maintaining permanent bases in Iraq to secure our strategic interest is one that should be actively debated. The whole “human caused” global warming is nothing more then an attack by green econuts / media / neo scientists on western culture’s lifestyle and eventually forcing us into using rationed energy while they continue to live extravagantly using purchased “carbon credits". It just infuriates me to think that Mike Littwin (“Rock-star Churchill holds court before heading there,” July 26) and Bill Johnson (“Freedom of speech took a hit along with Churchill,” July 27) think that all Americans are stupid when they wrote their columns about Ward Churchill. Barbara A. Steward, Littleton To those who lament that Ward Churchill will be paid another year’s salary, $96,000, take solace in the wisdom of the real Churchill — Winston. Richard Eggers, Niwot I’m an eighth-generation Hispanic, having served in the armed forces as have countless members of my family. Joseph T. Espinoza Sr., Denver I absolutely hate watching the evening news and learning of the ongoing deaths of American soldiers in Iraq. It breaks my heart to see their loved ones suffer. Marie Goedert, Fort Morgan Since President Bush has seen fit to ignore congressional subpoenas for some of his underlings, it seems master Will Shakespeare said it best: “Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he is grown so great?” Hurlburt Anderson, Arvada Regarding the July 29 editorial “Express toll lanes prove their worth”: Well at least the Rocky sticks to its guns in continuing to promote tolling in spite of the facts. Despite letting all first-time violators of the high-occupancy toll lanes pay only 10 percent of the fine — a $7 “administrative fee” rather than a $70 fine — violation revenues are three times higher than what was initially anticipated. I’d be willing to bet the Rocky is wrong and the majority of toll users have an annual income far above the American average. Unfortunately, we can only guess at this because the people that should be studying this issue — tolling operators and their state oversight agencies — continue to refuse to do the research that would undoubtedly prove their unsupported assertions wrong. As to allowing single-occupant vehicles to pay tolls and use the same lanes as mass transit vehicles, shame on you. Mass transit, whether trains, buses or car pools, increases the efficiency of our roads and reduces pollution. Single-occupant tolled vehicles do neither and in this case provide a more polluting alternative to lanes built and paid for with the express intent of encouraging mass transit. I urge all Coloradans to insist on accurate reporting from public officials and the press so that we can make informed decisions that will affect our state for years to come. Joe Metzger is a resident of Englewood.
We, on the other hand, knew him from babyhood since he stayed with our family til his owner, Ben Johnson, could move to a safer location for Mac outside Denver.
Mac grew up with our 3 German Shorthair Pointers (hunting dogs) and never knew he was a pit bull. He did everything they did right down to “pointing” birds in our backyard. Our female pointer did a great job watching over “little” Mac and he loved his new canine family.
Mac watched over his sibling, Jersey, (a mutt saved from a shelter) with the same loving care he’d received while with our family. He was not a vicious trained fighting machine, he was just a much loved pet.
The law of “self-preservation” has ruled in this case. .
The vet who tried to save Macs
If you own a pit bull you have no rights in this present justice system.
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM
| Comments (22)
| TrackBack
The Rocky
This letter has not been edited.
Globalization
Meanwhile, peasant soldiers are slogging away valiantly at the Mid-East mission. One month from the Petraeus Report, the President urges patience.
He (like us) allegedly waits to hear what the Generals have to say. Yet, Capitol Hill sources tell us the White House is actually writing the Report.
One might deduce, therefore, the President will not only know well before any of us what David Petraeus will “say,” but it also amounts to the General reading aloud what the policy writers have already approved. Visions of Colin Powell’s finest hour at the United Nations?
Somehow, I’m betting the surge will be dubbed a provisional success requiring more time to manifest its inherent wisdom. PROGRESS will be the buzzword (without a satisfying sense of what the word really means).
Critics will point to failed benchmarks and how we ignored the Iraq Study Group. Most of all, a haunting voice will rise from our subconscious
EGRESS from Iraq: that’s the heart-felt desire of 99% of Americans.
From Michael Moore to Bill O’Reilly (with all us reasonable people in between), everyone truly wants the war to end; excepting, of course, the visionary 1% who conned us into the mess. Again, they will have their way: no apologies, no timetable, no listening to what say the people of Iraq or America. Honestly, how comical is that?
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
Once again all of the options take an “insurance-centric” approach. .
When are you going to dig for a story? When are you going to interview or talk to experts that aren’t part of some association or interest group with a stake in the game? Is there no interest on RMN’s part or any reporter in this city to ask hard questions to people with the experience and inside knowledge of the health care “game” for unique insider information?
By example, haven’t you ever wondered why you rarely hear from doctors, hospitals, or other providers on these insurance proposals? Have you ever asked yourself why the American Medical Association would formally come out in a statement (as they did a few weeks ago) and condemn the flat-rate care structure on common procedures at being offered at Wal-Mart clinics when it’s such a good deal for consumers?
All this Colorado health care reform and its various proposals ignore (and actually accept as unchanging fact) the cost side of the equation. .
The real story is elsewhere. Don’t believe me? Let me provide a simple example that illustrates the primary problem in the health care system today and relate it to today’s newspaper story.
What if you went to your local Grease Monkey or Jiffy-Lube for a common oil change? And they wouldn’t tell you how much it would cost for the oil change. As a matter of fact what if they had no prices posted at all for any of their services? And then they charged you $200 for that oil change.
But instead of billing you, they billed your car insurance company who was responsible for payment.
Would you still be writing stories about how to fix Colorado’s auto insurance system to make sure everyone could have their auto insurance pay for $200 oil changes and the “rising cost of car care?” Or would you be asking why they were charging (and getting) $200 for such a simple procedure?
I rest my case.
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 12:01 AM
| Comments (5)
| TrackBack
Tapia and State Rep. Looper are “floating” this amnesty idea. Their idea is just another tactic being used to by the pro-illegal crowd, to gain amnesty for criminal illegal Mexicans. I would like to know from Tapia and Looper, if they own farms. CNN recently reported, U.S. Sen. Salazar (skipper, S.S. Amnesty - just another slave ship) and his brother, U.S. Rep. Salazar, received “$484K” in federal farm subsidies (welfare). Did they vote for this cash-cow? Do they employ criminal illegal Mexicans to work on their farms?
Blacks in Northeast Denver are experiencing an unemployment rate of 15%. Therefore, I want to know state legislators Groff, T. Carroll, Marshall, and Jones “take", on the proposal being made by Tapia and Looper. Rev. Al Sharpton was recently employed as a pro-illegal “lobbyist” by Wal-Mart. He was asked by the media, “how can do this when blacks have such a high rate of unemployment"? Sharpton replied, “we had double-digit unemployment before they got here, and we still have it". This guest worker plan is nothing more than another scam to illegally displace qualified American workers, and to line the Vatican and Mexican gov’t pockets, with federal gold. A key tenet of being in business, is the ability to pass the costs of doing one’s business, on to one’s customers, and if this can’t be done, then one shouldn’t be in business.
I am “invisible” to my congressional representatives. Rep. Tancredo is bogged down with his “prez” aspirations and stamping out illegals. Sen. Salazar is signing his $484K (my family’s blood-loot) farming welfare check. I applied for the PATRIOTS EXPRESS business loan program. This is a federal backed $150K business loan program for combat disabled military veterans. I served in 3 deployments to Vietnam. The Denver SBA and Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF), “decided", I should only get a loan of “$25K", then they next “decided", I shouldn’t get a loan of any amount. I don’t recall seeing either Denver SBA CEO DeHerrera, CEF CEO Ceyl Prinster/Alan Ramirez, Tancredo, or Salazar, during any of my visits to Vietnam. I proudly join U.S. Rep. Murtha (USMC Vietnam War hero), “I wouldn’t serve in today’s armed forces with these guys and their draft-deferments".
This letter has not been edited.
Earning U.S. citizenship
But then, reading the Rocky the following morning, Aug.22nd, I noticed the photo that showed some of those same new citizens taking the oath of allegiance and wondered why there were several of those in the front row that did not place their hands over their hearts, as most did.
If those in the photo were silently protesting the oath of allegiance to their new country then their citizenship should be reviewed and perhaps annulled.
It is a privilege to become a U.S. citizen and pledging one’s allegiance to this great country should be a requirement, not something that can be just skipped over. My opinion.
Becoming a U.S. citizen out of some sort of circumstance or convenience (other than a desire to become a fully vested U.S. citizen) should not be a reason for granting citizenship. There are plenty of people around the world that want to come here for a better life and opportunity and out of a desire to contribute and be a part of history’s most successful nation.
Those coming here and silently protesting their allegiance should not become a part of our great society. If protesting is what they were doing.
This letter has not been edited.
Denver Public Schools
What can be said about a school district that doesn’t educate its most needy children? Saying it makes us “angry” or “frustrated” doesn’t really tell the story or express the extent of Denver’s anguish that the State’s main school system acts as it does.
Has anything changed at DPS? When Del Pueblo closed this last week, DPS announced it had “suspended its academic program.” This is not reform, it’s more of the same old nonsense.
I wish DPS admins and BOE members would understand just ONE THING, if nothing else: Denver Public Schools’ credibility is already in the toilet. Please STOP putting a spin on the facts, stop worrying whether you will get your nice pension, and TEACH SCHOOL.
This letter has not been edited.
Bob Schaffer
Does anybody doubt that Schaffer, a long-time strong supporter of charter schools and competition in education, would generally oppose efforts to kill charter schools? To be clear, the vote in question was not on the charter school contract, but simply to require Denver Public Schools to reconsider their original determination to close the charter school. And if the vote was so questionable, why did it pass, given that Schaffer was just one of 7 votes?
Far more questionable than Schaffer’s vote are the anti-charter school votes of members of the Board of Education who were either members of the DPS Board (such as former DPS President Elaine Berman) or who received campaign contributions from teachers unions and other public school establishment organizations. If any vote seems corrupt, it is those votes.
The Rocky does itself and its readers no favors by letting itself be used by a partisan web site to attack Bob Schaffer instead of doing quality reporting and asking the important questions.
This letter has not been edited.
It’s Schaffer who’s wasting taxpayers’ money
As an educator, I urge Schaffer to consider increasing funding for major issues, e.g., improving reading scores in the areas of analysis and comprehension and improving students’ ability to write coherent responses to questions and prompts given in class and on CSAP tests.
Educators are not wasting the taxpayers’ money. However, legislators sniveling about minor issues do waste the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. Give us a break!
Constitution matters
Unique interpretation of the U.S. Constitution? Hardly. For example, the society agrees with economist Milton Friedman that the Environmental Protection Agency should be abolished. Perhaps Duhon should learn that the agency was established without constitutional authority.
The society encourages everybody to interpret the Constitution by reading it, and learning of the original signers’ intent. It strongly recommends that more politicians pay attention to it. Perhaps Duhon might want to read the Constitution.
Fix roads first, mayor
I think fixing the potholes around town would be advisable before he asks property owners for a tax increase. Alameda Avenue from Cherry Creek Drive to Lincoln is a good place to start. And Federal Boulevard from Evans to Florida avenues is a travesty.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
This letter has not been edited.
Mountain property owners
At the Hwy. 6 junction I saw few cars take that exit, so I thought traffic might be better there, so I drove Hwy. 6 down Clear Creek Canyon, where I immediately encountered torrents of yellow mud from the rock quarry running across hundreds of feet of the road, which turned “Clear Creek” into yellow mud for a dozen miles downstream. At least the casino traffic was steady at about 38 mph to Golden.
It’s now official. Colorado is dead. The only thing special about Colorado is the mountains, and now they are totally besmirched by the proliferation of disgusting yuppie condo slums and ranchettes. So many people have built homes in the mountains that they are now spoiled. It is apparent that every bit of private land in the mountains is now doomed to be a housing development. I-70 eased access and enabled the ruination, and then became clogged itself. What to do? This horrible problem requires drastic action. Colorado needs to raise gas taxes to $4.00 per gallon, so that gas costs $6.00. Mountain homes require long polluting commutes, and have expensive year-round heating costs which aggravate CO2-induced global warming. Every mountain home should be property-taxed 20% of its resale value every year, which would result in the closure of many of those abominations, and would cause a drop in home values and equity of those evil homeowners who have despoiled our mountains. Mountain homeowner parasites now receive huge subsidies in federal forest fire protection. Every forest home must post a huge $bond$ to the U.S. Forest Service for forest-fire expenses. As a result of these government actions, the highways would become less clogged, and many homes would be removed. Forest fires would be left to burn and clear out the massive unnatural infestations of worthless Engelman Spruce and Lodgepole Pine that currently clog our higher mountains. Those infestations have been protected from fires by a hundred years of misguided expensive federal fire-fighting efforts, and grow so thick that nothing can grow in their understory. Our mountains would slowly return to the special wonders they were, or at least their conversion into urban slums would slow.
This letter has not been edited.
Dept. of Justice
This letter has not been edited.
Evangelical Lutheran Church
This letter has not been edited.
Hurricane Dean and Howard Dean
This letter has not been edited.
Michael Vick
This letter has not been edited.
Dangers of nuclear warfare
These are needs that challenge this world in arms.” “We are ready, in short, to dedicate our strength to serving the needs, rather than the fears, of the world.”
George W. Bush and many of his conservative supporters believe that the United States as the preeminent power in the world should use its military supremacy to eliminate real or potential enemies in this “War on Terror.” It worries us that the strategic and tactical nuclear weapons in our arsenal have not been ruled out for potential use. Now, before it is too late we, Republicans and Democrats alike, should heed President Eisenhower’s wise and cautionary words about the dangers of nuclear warfare, and aggressively seek diplomatic solutions to international disputes.
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
I answered, “I have been harmed because I do not like the government dictating what I should or should not do with my life.” Though an entirely appropriate answer; the government should not be telling people how to live their lives or what they should be spending their money on, I still felt dissatisfied.
Here is what I should have added.
The state passing laws protecting you from yourself are ultimately not beneficial for the following reasons.
1) Such laws are harmful to the individual because it prevents him from getting the feedback necessary to learn how to make better decisions.
2) Laws forcing any kind of market transaction, such as buying auto or health insurance, harm us all because they distort the true value of such products. Without freely-made buying and selling decisions the market is denied the kind of information it requires (and uses wherever the market is free) to develop and provide the best product possible for the best price.
3) And finally such laws are terrible as fundamental philosophy because they diminish the respect people have for freedom. For humans, who rely on their ability to reason to survive, the freedom to use that reasoning ability is as necessary as air and water.
If you truly want to improve the health care industry in the state of Colorado, the only way it will happen is if you re-introduce the concept of freedom into the whole process. Forcing people to buy health insurance is the last thing you should be doing.
This letter has not been edited.
Ending the Iraq war
The longer the Iraq War lingers on — its only consequences for Americans will be the lose of their sons and daughters. We need to bring OUR TROOPS BACK HOME, NOW AND NOT LATER ON —— The only other way to end this nonsense is for Congress to STOP FUNDING THE TROOPS — so that President George W. Bush cannot continue this insanity — we need the monies from the Iraq War to strengthen our infrastructure, have better health care for everyone, and to teach our children well so that they can survive in the 21st century we a great education. THIS MADNESS MUST COME TO END —-
This letter has not been edited.
Rosen restless, but not yet fully awake
In his column he acknowledges that the Republican Party can “use their power to royally screw things up.” He actually used this phrase to describe what the Democrats will do if they win in 2008, probably not even realizing that his party is doing it right now.
He has been carrying the water for this Republican administration since its beginning. When you do this because they are Republicans, regardless of what their policies are, you deserve what you get.
He accuses the Democrats of not wanting improvements in Iraq, when, what they actually tried to do, is bring our troops home while they are still alive and in one piece. President Bush vetoed this attempt.
Rosen is such a party hack he has even adopted the misspelling of the word “Democratic,” using instead the grammatically incorrect noun form “Democrat” as an adjective. Anything for the party!
We must stand tall in Iraq, war on terror
This war is not waged simply between al-Qaida and the United States. It’s a larger fight that Muslim religious fanatics are waging on modernity. The entire civilized world is threatened by the terrorist savagery.
A U.S. victory in Iraq means a stable, pluralistic government in the heart of the Middle East. Success in the war will then come with much less bloodshed.
A U.S. defeat means further instability and bloodshed in a dangerous part of the world. The price for winning peace in the war then becomes even more human suffering.
Gen. David Petraeus’ strategy has been in full implementation for only a short time and is reportedly showing signs of success. It is essential — to win the peace in the war — that Petraeus be allowed the time required to win the battle for Iraq.
Both in the short term in Iraq and, more important, the long term in the war, this is not the time to go wobbly.
Thanks, Mr. Bush
On second thought, thanks for all you’ve done to us!
Single-payer care would save us all a lot
Single-payer health care would permit us to avoid a primary effect of private, high-deductible health insurance: high individual out-of-pocket medical bills that rose 59 percent between 1995 and 2005, while unpaid medical bills nationwide increased 60 percent (reported by the American Hospital Association).
One effect is that some hospitals now require up-front payments for individual high-deductible insurance. The “uncompensated care” to hospitals and providers is shifted right back to individuals and taxpayers.
The truth is, taxpayers now pay more than 60 percent of all health costs, enough to cover everybody with greater benefits under a single-payer program if we eliminate the administrative waste of more than 1,500 private insurance carriers that amount to more than 30 percent of all health-care costs.
The Williams case
Without a doubt, the Williams murder brought Denver gang activity to the attention of many people who previously had been inattentive. Most of us looked the other way so long as gang members were perceived as victimizing one another. Thanks for the perspective.
Outraged by initiative
The proposed inclusion in the Colorado Constitution of an amendment that would define any fertilized egg as a person is clearly a move based on religious beliefs, not the betterment of the lives of Coloradans, nor protection of religious freedoms, nor based on any kind of proven science regarding human consciousness and development.
Pride and regret over work at Manual
Still, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have been educated and acculturated at this urban underdog among Denver schools. What many of our students, teachers, and staff lacked in resources and privilege, we made up for with a commitment to excellence unique to Manual.
It’s also nice to know that Gladys White is still there, helping to enforce that commitment.
Mix ’n’ match
This letter has not been edited.
Father Donald Armstrong
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
Mr. Rosen wants us to believe that there is some controversy over U.S.
citizenship as defined by the 14th Amendment. There isn’t. The amendment provides that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” This is a direct and plain statement.
Not to Mr. Rosen, though. Mr. Rosen believes that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” means that a person “owe[S] no allegiance to another country.” Wrong, Mr. Rosen. Horribly wrong.
Jursidiction has nothing to do with owing allegiance to another country.
Jurisdiction means that the person is subject to the laws of the U.S. Those who have diplomatic immunity are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. Otherwise, pretty much everyone born here qualifies for U.S.
citizenship. Simple. Mr. Rosen believes that this concept is “in dispute,”
but even a lazy search of U.S. Supreme Court opinions finds no such “dispute.” Mr. Rosen cites one statement by a U.S. Attorney General in 1862 as proof of his dispute. That official could not have been referring to the 14th Amendment, because the amendment was not ratified until 1868. He also cites a statement made by an Ohio congressman to support his novel claim, but the amendment is clear on its face, no matter what contortions Mr. Rosen goes through to get it to mean something else.
“Born in the U.S.A."? If the answer is yes, and your folks aren’t diplomats from another country, you’re a U.S. citizen. Obviously, Mr. Rosen doesn’t like this. Tough. Go amend the Constitution. Otherwise, Mr. Rosen, please do not invent “disputes” where none exist. And look up the meaning of “jurisdiction” while you’re at it.
This letter has not been edited.
More discretion with war info.
If we reveal to our enemies what our intentions are, they will make their plans accordingly. When the plan for the surge was originally announced, the enemy made their plans and moved most of their operations outside of Baghdad (witness the massacre that occured in the Kurdish territories the other day). These murderers are like cockroaches; when you turn on the floodlight of information, they scatter to the four corners and wait until the lights go out so they can move right back in and I am sure that is what is going to happen in this case. We need to be a bit more discreet in our mission if we truly want to be successful.
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
This letter has not been edited.
Sick of sticky notes
Many moons ago, I was a morning paperboy for the Austin American-Statesman.
Every month, while in junior & senior high school, I was told by my route manager that the paper, especially the front page, was sacred to both the newspaperman and the customers. “Sack ‘em, wax ‘em, porch ‘em . keep ‘em dry!!!", he would admonish me. Man, I didn’t do all of that work forty years ago to see it fall apart like this. Brothers and sisters at the Denver Newspaper Agency, you are flirting with danger here, sliding down the path of self destruction and shortening the precious amount of time left until you are fully obsolete. That would be sad, especially for the thousands of people along the Front Range who rely on your product to house train their puppies.
This letter has not been edited.
Housing concerns
There was a time, not that long ago, when indeed, low-income families, especially minorities, were purposely segregated and kept away from the mainstream. There were projects built all over the city, mainly on the west side.
Lincoln Park comes to mind. Just one of many. These projects were built in areas that were either already depressed, or substantially industrial. Out of sight, out of mind. What’s changed? While the attitudes of society in general have softened, there are still many who view these people as a scourge and an embarrassment. And if it was possible, they would have them “quarantined” in distant parts of the city where they would permanently remain out of sight.
The fact is, there is no place left to send them. The formerly down-trodden areas of the city have been discovered in the last two decades by people (Yuppies) who have moved here from similar cities across the country, and who started purchasing low-priced housing in depressed areas, remodeling and upgrading them, and selling them at decent profits to others moving to the area.
And so it has gone on, over and over again. There are very few areas left that haven’t been gentrified, or soon will be. And there are no neighborhoods left anywhere in the city that would welcome the building of a new housing project. So there are no places left for those of low income to move. What to do?
Why, build them nice looking houses to move into. Houses that aren’t offensive to the Yuppie mentality. Houses that denote a “proper” neighborhood.
Sort of like false fronts on the back lot at Universal Studios. Pleasant facade, nothing inside. To say that this effort is to help these people move into the mainstream of society is an insult to the intelligence. It is to make them more invisible - pure and simple.
The same with the city’s efforts to find something to do with the homeless, come time for the 2008 Democratic convention. The city fathers are in a panic racing around trying to find a place to hide these people, until the whole thing blows over. Then it’s back to business as usual.
I wouldn’t be so offended by the article if it wasn’t so dishonest. It’s grandstanding at its worst. Please, tell it like it is.
This letter has not been edited.
Consumers pay the cost
We accept all of the possible effects of pollution, Global Warming/ Climate Change, because it is expensive and inconvenient to change our profligate habits - at least, in the short run. Again, it is the consumer, who pays the ultimate high cost of abusing the environment. The purveyors of internal-combustion vehicles and fossil fuels get paid to perform activities that ravage the Earth, to steal its riches (which supposedly, belong to the people,) to pollute our air and water, and to sabotage efforts encouraging the use of alternate energy sources, but they pay for nothing - in fact, they receive billions in subsidies and tax-breaks!
What
Whatever happened to
This letter has not been edited.
Democrats debate
I actually watched the Democrats debate in Iowa Sunday. The highlight was of course the softballs thrown by George Stephanopoulos of ABC, who ought to “announce".
M.E. you should have mentioned the reason for the Kucinich joke, about praying for a chance to participate in the Democratic debate. The “reason” was because Stephanopoulos gave the liberals a chance to portray themselves as God fearing, asking if they thought prayer worked.
I thought “D-candidates” answered in herd-mentality. Saying prayers can’t stop tragedies like a bridge collapse or a New Orleans flood, I waited patiently (I am not a patient person by reputation) for any Democrat to speak of God’s “free will", as it relates to humanity. They did not.
Free will lets humans build cities below water-level and bridges over water. If we fool with Mother Nature (one of God’s constraints) then we are responsible for failures of our construction. Praying to God that our architects do a better job with levies and bridges might be a good idea. It was funny though, when Kucinich said he had been praying to be called upon by Stephanopoulos. I think though, if you were going to tell us Kucinich’s punch-line, you should have explained the question.
I have been a candidate often enough to understand herd mentality at campaign forums. The only candidate to distinguish himself among the Democrats is Obama. He is probably too different. The “big tent” concept has been fraudulently advertised by both parties. I hope the Clinton legacy does not tarnish Obama. I would like to see both parties put forth their best.
This letter has not been edited.
Joybubbles
I met Joybubbles as he was planning to move to Minneapolis in the early ‘80s.
That city’s downtown skywalks offered easy walking in the winter. He was a featured speaker at a Mountain Bell meeting and fascinated the audience with his tales of whistling and chirping into a telephone handset. His perfect pitch fooled the phone switches and he was able to place free calls anywhere in the world.
It dawned on me that, Joybubbles was a renowned “phone phreak,” one who self-incriminated himself to get a job with the phone company.
At the meeting, Joybubbles said one night he routed a renegade call to a US Army sentry outpost in the DMZ separating North and South Korea. I guess the guard and Joybubbles had a delightful chat as the soldier invited him to call again.
Other calls made were completed inside the White House.
His love of telecommunications networks was evident – when Joybubbles described these shenanigans, his smile lit up his face and he became joyfully animated, like a wondrous person telling you how a magician accomplished an astounding trick.
Joybubbles completed his story with a demonstration on how to play a touchtone phone pad. He asked for a popular tune and promptly ripped off the melody, pressing the phone’s keys individually and simultaneously. What a version of “Happy Birthday”!
I offered to buy lunch and Joybubbles accepted.
As he was blind,I took his arm to guide him through the lunch crowds on 17th Street. He quickly and firmly uncoupled my grip and put his hand in the crook of my elbow.
Joybubbles told me that holding me was the right way to help.
Over lunch of bbq ribs, I asked him why (at the time) they called him “Highrise Joe”? That same beatific smile appeared on his face as he told me that he loved living in apartments that required an elevator trip and put him in the sky.
Rest in peace – sometimes holding others is the right way to help.
This letter has not been edited.
Conservatives set to blame war on libs
For instance, I figured out the expression “cut-and-run liberals” will be the expression used to frame liberals as the architects of the loss of the war in Iraq, despite the fact that these same liberals were marching in the streets in 2002-2003 warning of the catastrophic cost of an Iraqi invasion and how it would result in a bloody quagmire due to sectarian violence.
Back then, these pacifists were marginalized as terrorist sympathizers, yet now that their predictions have come to pass, they are being rebranded “cut-and-run liberals.” See how that works?
I fully expect to see many more conservative missives about “cut-and-run liberals” even though the war in Iraq, for better or worse, is absolutely and completely the work of the modern conservative movement.
Choir at dedication would be offensive
When this tragedy happened, I went to Columbine to pay my respects and have contributed money to help with the memorial.
I am an atheist and I would find it offensive if a gospel choir were to perform. I don’t believe in any god but I am still a good husband and father. I have a son who was a student at Columbine.
We can love and remember Isaiah without making it a church service.
Synchronize lights
I can’t imagine why the most automated nation in the world can’t do this. I do not believe that anyone is seriously interested in traffic safety until all of our traffic signals are consistently and reliably synchronized.
California dreamin’
I have a solution: Compel everyone who wishes to emulate California to move there. And while they are at it, they can take the California-inspired smoking ban with them! Thank God Colorado is not California ... yet!
Isn’t it sensible to add beds at Ft. Logan?
The aftermath of the death was a million-dollar settlement.
The 60 Minutes account indicated that because of a lack of hospital beds, many individuals suffering mental illnesses end up in jail cells.
In the state of Colorado, the mental health-care facility at Fort Logan has been downgraded from 250 beds to only 153. Isn’t it prudent to restore beds at Fort Logan?
Fort Logan provides the economy of scale not available in so-called alternate facilities such as nursing homes and alternate treatment units. Fort Logan provides the proper treatment and security not possible in alternative facilities. Jails and prisons provide security but no treatment and are a form of cruel containment.
To prevent the sort of tragedy suffered by Timothy Sanders and the resultant legal costs, isn’t it of utmost importance to restore beds cut at Fort Logan?
However, business, especially big business, uses such activity whenever it perceives a pending problem. They are certainly not called unions, they are called groups, associations, affiliates, councils, etc., but they are absolutely unions with the express purpose of strengthening the power of the members to raise prices or lobby government or whatever their current cause might be. A perfect example of this is the threat perceived as bias by the energy companies in Colorado. The moment these companies didn’t get exactly what they wanted they want to form a “union” so that they can have a larger voice in what happens to them.
Isn’t this exactly what labor unions are trying to do? Their express purpose is to improve the lives of their members. Someone would have to come up with some strong new reasons why unions are bad for America and for our economy than the flimsy ones we have heard in the past to convince me—and many others that union activity is unacceptable.
I can’t believe there is a conspiracy among conservatives to hold working people down, but it surely seems that way when issues like labor unions or worker rights come up. Yet these same people feel that for business to use such devices is perfectly proper and ethical. Could this be hypocrisy in action?
This letter has not been edited.
Tom Tancredo
During a recent republican debate he was bashed by other republican nominees regarding these comments. Who is this guy speaking for? Clearly not the American people, clearly not for me and clearly not for the people of Colorado. Why is this guy running for President and it makes me wonder why is he even opening his mouth. Do us all a favor Tom, shut up and exit the stage. Your comments are old and tired and they can cause us all harm if you dont shut up.
This letter has not been edited.
Motor scooter safety
As a seasoned motorcycle rider, I appreciate what you do and what you ride.
But, you are doing it wrong.
Wrong and dangerous, whilst a lot of people think when they see a motorcycle is that Lucifer himself is riding it, they think that scooters are cute and innocent, they are not.
The point is, that seeing scooter riders wearing tank tops, shorts, and flip flops while riding is not cool. In my eyes, there should be something with a helmet. Should you take a spill and slide on that hot asphalt dressed like that, if your not dead you are going to wish you were.
So Please, at least put on pants, a shirt, and shoes, it could spell the difference between being slightly shaken up, to having asphalt scrubbed out of your road rash.
Your Call.
This letter has not been edited.
Islam and Muslims
Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a religion of justice.”
It astounded me that this imam would contradict the most common assertion made by Muslim propagandists in Western nations — that Islam is a religion of peace. Perhaps he felt that claim would no longer wash. I wasn’t surprised, however, when he carefully avoided defining what “justice” means in Islam. Such information would not be well-received by most Americans.
In the years since the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, numerous books have been published about the religion that motivated the terrorists. Unfortunately, most have followed the “politically correct” view that Islam is a tolerant religion and that terrorist acts are an aberration. I wish these claims were true, but they are not.
Such writers and commentators portray a sanitized, idealized Islam with no semblance to its actual teachings or history. By excluding important details, they leave the average person with no idea of the enormous political, military and social perils militant Islam presents to our nation and the Western world.
The average American knows very little about this major religion; and many who assume they do have such knowledge have been woefully misled.
Muslims themselves have a vested interest in presenting the “good side” of their religion to us; and multi-culturalists in the media generally filter out what doesn’t accord with their own foolish prejudices.
I have lived among Muslims and have no desire to incite animosity toward them. My concern is that many of my fellow countrymen are being taken in by a constant stream of fairytale nonsense about Muslim tolerance.
If our politicians swallow the “politically correct” line, we’re all in trouble.
This letter has not been edited.
Gangs
Denver is a sanctuary city, by official policy signed off on by Mayor Webb and Mayor Hickenlooper. Disrespect for the law spreads like an aggressive cancer. Bangers, especially juveniles, know that exactly zero happens to them when caught. Ergo, they run wild with impunity. Neighborhoods are under siege. Law abiding citizens in these areas need to arm themselves; the “Homeowner’s Protection Act” is still on the books (not “make my day", I wouldn’t want to kill anyone unless it’s him or me). The cops cannot protect you. They call the coroner and do the paperwork after you’ve been murdered.
Life is much cheaper than it’s been in a long time. Speaking of the “M” word, news outlets don’t use it. Someone is “Killed” as if he missed a curve on Berthoud Pass instead of being snuffed in cold blood like a Lucky butt by some heinous lowlife.
Why is life so cheap? We could ask the 40 million victims of abortion, but they never got the chance to be born. Lotta brains and talent down the drain there. From abortion it’s a fast leap to easily murdering after birth as well. Why is abortion not considered racist when most of its victims are black and Hispanic? Why is fatherhood no longer valued in our society, when Uncle Sugar will raise one’s brats (to become gang bangers) and 70% of black births are out of wedlock? 50 years ago, blacks had it much harder than they do now, but families stuck together and fathers raised their children. They raised men and women who could function as upright members of society rather than the dysfunction seen today.
Finally, why are guys like me, who dare ask these questions, considered to be wing nuts and loose cannons? Things are very much upside down today and as long as that holds we’ll see a lot of dead children and young adults.
This letter has not been edited.
Gun ownership
Having gotten out of World War II with my personal 7.65mm semi-automatics, I had absolutely no desire to shoot at anything ever again, including paper targets. But in the allied country where I lived, keeping it even if only as a souvenir required a police permit. Like any citizen without a criminal or mental illness record, I, a 20 year old medical student, could have that permit for the asking and a small fee. It entitled me to carry the gun any way I saw fit — including concealed — anywhere in the country at any time, with no restrictions. And there was virtually no violent crime. I could walk a mile across a darkened city park at 2 a.m., alone and unarmed, with no risk. The gun was, unloaded, in my clothes drawer at home but no punk wanted to take the chance that a potential victim might be both better armed and a better shot than he was.
The gun stayed in that drawer until the time after the communist coup when the red cops only had to follow the registration lists to disarm the population so it could be enslaved for forty years.
The “progressive” “liberals” (even the self-descriptions are a fraud) will never get it through their heads that arms owned by the law-abiding population, even in their holsters, are the best protection ever invented against violence. Today’s anti-gun fanatics are just as deluded as the late Neville Chamberlain.
This letter has not been edited.
ACLU
This letter has not been edited.
Inflated snow removal bill
This letter has not been edited.
Financing snow removal
This letter has not been edited.
Roan Plateau
In your editorial of August 15, 2007 you say that “reliable estimates suggest it (the Roan Plateau) sits atop probably the largest untapped natural gas reserves in the lower 48 states".? This wildly unsubstantiated (and poorly expressed) claim cannot support your underlying belief that the State of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West must shoulder the burden of continuing to prop up unsustainable lifestyles with non-renewable fossil fuels.
You also suggest that the “old energy economy” should trump the benefits of other state income generators, namely tourism, agriculture, hunting, hiking and fishing — and even a technology economy that would help to develop alternative energy sources.? I believe that drilling the Roan Plateau will result in a host of disastrous consequences including the loss of tourism dollars, the eradication of what could be an important strategic reserve for future generations and the elimination of a culture and lifestyle that has been part of Colorado for generations.
Finally, you state that the natural gas underlying the Roan Plateau is “enough, by itself, to heat 4 million homes for 20 years".? This assertion is extraordinarily short sighted.? If we continue to burn fossil fuels at our present rate with the consequent impact on global warming, we may well wish that we had to heat homes.? Cooling homes will be a bigger problem than warming them.? Air conditioning a home requires substantially more energy than does heating.
I fully support U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and U.S. Representative Mark Udall in their efforts to encourage a reluctant President Bush (and the Rocky Mountain News) to fully examine all of the consequences of fossil fuel extraction and usage.? Those of us who call the Rocky Mountain west home can be grateful for their diligence.
This letter has not been edited.
Health-care fearmongering
Echoing George W. Bush’s false statement that to obtain health care, one “just has to go to an ER,” the Rocky asserts that “Federal law requires ERs to treat any patient who arrives at their doorsteps, or refer patients to another facility if they don’t have an ‘emergency condition.’”
Wrong! The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (the federal law governing assessment and transfer of patients seeking emergency care) requires only that a hospital emergency room get the patient to the point where he can move out the door. It is not unusual for patients with serious conditions to be discharged from ERs with no follow-up or appropriate medications, etc.
Contrary to the Rocky’s assertion, nonresidents can’t “demand care” unless they present a true emergency.
‘Doofi’ who tenured prof embarrassing
Whether or not fake Indian and fake scholar loses his fake lawsuit, which will likely drag on for as long (or longer) than it took for the aforementioned doofi to finally vote (but not unanimously) to get rid of him, he will travel the world as a tragic hero of the loony left and earn huge speaker’s fees entertaining demented androids for years and years to come — all the while trashing the country that gives him the absolute right to do so!
However, for those of you who believe, as his lawyer will attempt to convince a jury, that a tenured university professor was canned simply for uttering offensive views — do not despair. I have learned of a group of outraged pro-First-Amendment-rights citizens who are attempting to establish a fund to help pay for said former tenured university professor’s legal fees! This group, however, hasn’t yet selected a name for the fund, so just make your check out to “Cash” and mail it to me. I’ll make sure that they get it.
For most, 9/11 was no ‘overblown’ event
He actually says that it’s high time that we stop wallowing in our obsession with 9/11 and that he considers it an “overblown” event (his words, not mine). He also says that since most fellow Americans didn’t actually know anyone killed on that day, that it is, at best, merely a very disturbing incident that we endured watching over and over again on TV.
I have news for Campos about how most Americans feel: We all knew personally the 3,000 who were killed. They were our neighbors, co-workers, family and friends. They were fellow Americans.
I see where Campos teaches at the University of Colorado. I would think that these statements would give pause to all of those who will soon be writing checks to CU for their kid’s tuition.
Dem hopefuls should offer condolences
My son was killed in Iraq on Feb. 22. I have never been called by any of the Democratic candidates to express their condolences or support. They all claim to care about the troops; they all say they want what is best for the troops. But, having called Sens. Clinton, Obama, Dodd and Biden (as well as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid), none of them will speak with me. In July, 79 soldiers paid the highest price. The leading candidate of the Democrats should be able in a month to call the families of those they claim to support.
Leaders in Congress should be speaking to every dad and mom of every son or daughter who has sacrificed for this great country.
Call me! Please. Is that too much to ask?
Rove simply cynical
Rove assembled the infamous Republican “base,” composed of the rich, the racist, rifle nuts, and the so-called “Christian right,” this latter being a classic oxymoron due to the obvious impossibility of being both right-wing and Christian.
The obvious question is Rove’s next position. I’m betting on lobbyist, but there’s always a fellowship at Stanford’s Hoover Institute or the American Enterprise Institute. These corporate propaganda mills are a sort of halfway house for recovering Republicans.
Cabbie orientation
Cab drivers need to know the layout of the city and not depend on the rider to tell them if the street they’ve requested is east or west, north or south. Nor should the older or handicapped passenger be expect to access or depart a van that is higher off the ground than that passenger can comfortably step. Not all our visitors are going to be young and spry.
Al-Qaida’s best friends
All the head-sawing murderers have to do is wait, and their best friends will hand them their victory with a big sappy grin and slap on the back.
Absolutely despicable.
A DIFFERING VIEW: China cannot be trusted to enforce product safety
Our new motto is “if in doubt, don’t buy.”
As one who finds strength and simple common sense in Tancredo’s get-tough, no-nonsense positions on illegal immigration and the war on terror, I worry about America’s chances of success in securing our borders and keeping terrorists at bay with people like Littwin in our ranks of “concerned”
This letter has not been edited.
Paul Campos
This letter has not been edited.
Caring for livestock
Now, as far as calves are concerned, I’d agree that a baby cow is, indeed the dairy-farmer’s future, and such farmers would obviously not consider “tearing” a calf away from its mother. On the other hand, my dictionary says that “veal” is a calf “used for food"; in other words, that’s a baby cow that has its life taken away prematurely for the benefit of some human’s appetite. Well, they have to come from somewhere. And I’d say that the term “tearing” is just a semantic detail.
Pitting animals against each other to fight - and “drowning, strangling or beating them to death” - aren’t the only ways that animals can be tortured.
This letter has not been edited.
Illegal immigrants
The United States is our family.
States, cities, municipalities are our spouse, sons, and daughters.
Legal immigrants are our extended family.
Illegal immigrants represent those things that hinder our ability to take care of our family financially - whether that be alcohol, drugs, gambling, illicit relationships, etc.
Services (health, education, welfare, etc.) provided to illegal immigrants at tax payers’ expense equates to denying our family in order to support our bad habit. The bad habit becomes everything - nothing else is important.
Eventually the money is gone, the family is gone. Addictions don’t go away - people will typically seek help only when it’s too painful not to.
I believe if we want our nation to remain the wonderful place it is - we need to put pressure on Mexico to implement changes that will support their citizens in their country.
Legal immigrants; guest workers - welcome! America is a wonderful country.
I wish you all the success you deserve.
Congress - don’t ask me (the tax payer) to support your addiction i.e.
This letter has not been edited.
Political & social observations
It (the excitement) comes from the challenge of attempting to communicate political and social observations within the most culturally, racially,and intellectually mixed and economically powerful platforms, countries and peoples in the world -and definitely in this hemisphere- America and Americans. Or more specifically the US. Hey, BOULDER, Colorado!
This country has the potential for having some of the most advanced Progressive and creative people on the face of the Earth. I believe this. I’ve met some. I often feel privileged to have even been born here and now living here today among Americans in America. I’m able to speak freely, frankly about what I think is happening to, in the country. And I certainly appreciate this.
In that spirit I would like to ask if you think it’s fair to say that we all begin politically at Center- a basic, neutral, fair, objective and completely open-minded and unassuming political Center? Education, personal experience and observation, culture, close family and friends, oh and our own personal preferences then have the tendency to draw us towards Center Left or Center Right. This isn’t the worst place (either one) in the world to be (though I am more the former myself.) Some may say that this is all rather obvious.
I say not so fast. Where language has been hijacked, manipulated, subverted and/or otherwise distorted by extreme, inflexible and uncompromising diehard ideologues from any and all directions they (staunch, limited die-hard ideologues) can become dangerous obstacles to internal and external peace and diplomacy.
Someone once said something about combining or integrating ‘the finest elements /components of Socialism and Capitalism which would result in a system that could sustain the planet.’ When ideologues discuss, debate or argue we generally have the proverbial irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Scientists say the result is disintegration.
I would much rather see our government representative’s compromise and integrate the superior components of various political and economic thought rather than disintegrate before my eyes. Surely you agree, no?
This letter has not been edited.
Sealing records
I cannot believe David Lane’s insulting, anti-police comment of August 14 ("Innocent too often smeared by an arrest"). He stated, “I have represented countless individuals who were wrongfully arrested either based upon their race or because they have engaged in that old off-the-books crime of disturbing the police.” On behalf of cops everywhere, I feel compelled to say that Lane’s comment is just plain dumb and totally illogical.
First of all, “countless” is defined as “more than can be counted,” or, “innumerable.” Second, there is no crime on the books that makes it illegal to be a certain race, and third, there is no crime on the books for disturbing the police. If indeed there are, “countless” false arrests out there for race violations and crimes that do not exist, David Lane could be filling his pockets even more than he is now by simply representing these, “countless” downtrodden victims of overzealous law enforcement personnel in the civil courts. He could even double-dip by representing these, “countless” numbers in records expungement proceedings in court, filling his pockets even more, and laughing all the way to the bank.
Shame on you David Lane. Your statement is just plain dumb and totally illogical. It’s about as authentic and genuine as a Mattel Toy made in China.
This letter has not been edited.
Colo. Christian Univ. firing
Dr. Walter Owensby, a former public policy official of the Presbyterian Church (USA), once wrote, “We are obligated by faith to stand in judgment of capitalism and all economic orders, insisting always that they produce a society as nearly in accord with the biblical vision as possible. There is no Christian economics. But there is a Christian critique of all economics.”
According to scripture, Jesus said much about the dangers of acquiring wealth. Jesus told the rich young ruler it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Bible also tells us the love of money is the root of all evil. If Jesus were alive in America today, his radical teachings would clash with our materialistic, capitalistic culture. Like Martin Luther King Jr., Jesus would probably be assassinated.
Socialism is not all bad and capitalism is not all good. Both have a place in meeting the needs of all our people. I believe Jesus would approve of fired Professor Andrew Paquin’s teaching and teaching methods.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
This letter has not been edited.
Bring troops home from Iraq
The only way that we can get out of this horrific tragedy is to STOP THE FUNDING OF THE IRAQ WAR. President George W. Bush trumped hand must be called. At the present rate of spending on the Iraq War, each person in the United States owes Uncle Sam more than $500 in taxes to cover the cost of this insane War. Congress must not allow this injustice to continue on. Only when the funding of this war ends, will we begin to see an end to this “War of Choice” — its’ President George W.Bush’s War — more than 60% percent of the American public are not in favor of this war, and they want to end. BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW — STOP FUNDING THE IRAQ WAR
This letter has not been edited.
Columbine memorial dedication
The memorial dedication ceremony is to remember all the children and the teacher killed
While having the choir perform would likely not have offended anyone, her attitude does.
CU takes 2 big steps toward rebuilding rep
First, in firing Ward Churchill, CU delivered the message that stealing research and other material from fellow historians is unacceptable; also, rewriting American history to better fit one’s given agenda cannot be the mark of excellence required of a CU professor.
Second, in hiring Sallye McKee as vice chancellor for diversity not only is there hope that more minority students will choose to make Boulder their home but McKee’s goal of providing real diversification during classroom discussion leaves a person feeling a bit optimistic as well.
Truth and diversity are two important measuring sticks for any university. The future will tell if Chancellor Bud Peterson and McKee are serious about bringing diversity to the CU campus or if they are just merely providing us with the usual lip service.
But for now I think props are in order.
Ritter not to blame
I think the Colorado voters should take the heat. What did we expect? We hired a person who worked most of his adult life in a government job, never owned a business or served on a corporation’s board, and we made him CEO of the largest corporation in Colorado, so to speak.
It’s no wonder he looks for spiritual feelings to make decisions. However, someone should warn him there are good and bad spirits!
Tired of abstract art mumbo jumbo
To me, it’s all just “vain babblings.”
To prove my point, consider this: Years ago, some pranksters exquisitely framed an ordinary house painter’s canvas drop cloth and entered it into a prestigious art show in Chicago. This commonplace, ordinary “floor covering” took second place.
I rest my case.
All the superlatives written by pompous art critics lauding the wonderful works of Doris Laughton, Andrew Long (“Return of the Splats,” Spotlight, July 27) or Clyfford Still aren’t going to convince me that “abstract art” is an aesthetic endeavor. I’m not buying it!
Don’t think that because I mock “abstract art” that I am not artistic. I am. In the summertime when I’m hot and sweaty from cutting the grass, I’m very good at “drawing” flies and mosquitoes.
Wadhams’ antics
People are tired of these cheap tactics and expect the GOP state party chairman to behave in a more professional manner.
Stick to the issues, sir.
An idea for Congress
Has anyone informed them that Bush is not running for re-election in 2008?
This letter has not been edited.
Rocky woes
This letter has not been edited.
Gov. Bill Ritter & Sen. Ken Salazar
After all, these people had not just started working on this issue last week, last month or last year. Where is the “Let us all work together for the good of Colorado” now that the election is over? How soon the politicos forget. Would they rather fight costly wars to obtain oil and gas and energy from countries where some people hate us or develop our own energy sources? Are two Democrats the gods of our state that can tell everyone else what energy can be looked for and what cannot be looked for and where? Interesting to say the least!
I loved old Kermit. And I think he knew that he wasn’t the toughest critter on the block. Colorado is a huge state and even a governor and a senator ought to know that jobs and money and living counts to some of the critters living in it. In fact a lot of the hard-working people don’t have jobs where they can fly around in helicopters to out-of-the-way mountaintops and squash other people’s livelihoods. Aren’t we impressed? I sure am!
Insensitive comic strip
Pit bull ban
I have spent my career working in the fields of human and animal behavior, both as a therapist for violent offenders and as a veterinary technician. I am also an owner of a rescued pit bull.
I will take the risk of being politically incorrect by saying that those who are often attracted to the breed acquire them to receive a “bad ass” status amongst their community. These are the same group of people who participate in back yard breeding, they do not believe in the idea of spaying and neutering , they chain them, they starve them, mistreat them and as if that is not inhumane enough, train them to fight and be aggressive. Pit Bulls are subjected to extreme acts of abuse and neglect to make them fighting dogs Just as it is true in humans, monsters are made, not born.
There is an under represented group of pit bull owners who do not fall into the category of a hyper- violent, irresponsible, stereo type that is fueled by the media. There is a community of pit bull owners that the media doesn’t seem motivated to represent: those who provide our dogs love and attention spay and neuter them, provide them with food and shelter, and keep them in our homes. When I fostered my pit bull, I kept her illegally, and walked her at night. My love for “Bridget” facilitated my move from Denver. It remains evident that there is little tolerance for the pit bull, and less knowledge about their softer side.
This ignorance leads to unspeakable acts of cruelty, which was demonstrated by the man that slit Mac’s throat twice, and stabbed him five times. If this dog were aggressive, he would have attacked this man before he had the opportunity to pull the knife from his pocket.
The killer of “Mac” has demonstrated an extreme act of violence towards an animal. His propensity for future violent behavior is evident, and his next victim may not be a pet, but a person. What an injustice that this dog’s killer is allowed such liberties while our judicial system CONSIDERS prosecution.
This letter has not been edited.
Unions
Right wing politicians like those mentioned in your article are often the first ones to blame “union bosses” for declining union member membership while simultaneously making every effort to bust unions for purely political reasons.
Their actions are effective, divisive and serve to undermine the democratic principles this country represents. Collective bargaining is about a lot more than economic justice. It is about recognizing the importance of work. Our jobs are a critical part of our overall personal health and well being.
Removing democracy from the workplace is a form of economic and social elitism.
Those who attack unions in the name of competitiveness, efficiency and economic royalty do so at the sacrifice of equal justice, checks and balances and due process. All of which define our democratic system of government and way of life.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
He leaves unsaid the more salient point - there are markets and there are markets, competitive and non-competitive. Competitive markets benefit consumers and give the most value. Non-competitive markets on the other hand rob consumers by restricting output thereby allowing higher prices for their reduced yield.
Two hallmarks of a competitive market are presence of many buyers and sellers, and low barriers to entry. Per Rosen’s numbers, the market for teachers meets these, and the compensation teachers receive is easily within competitive limits (1-3 times the median income of $30,000). The market for NFL players obviously fails both tests – there are few slots (due in part to the NFL’s monopoly) hence there are few people who will fill them. That is all we need to know to realize that those who are able to make the cut will be handsomely rewarded, not because of any innate productivity they deliver, but because the high barriers to entry shelter them from having to compete economically with a large pool of applicants. That alone is what translates into serious “ka-ching.”
Rosen embraces theory over reality by stating “[the Broncos expect Dre] to generate revenues in excess of his pay.” As if it were ever possible to disentangle any one player’s contribution to the bottom line from that of the team as a whole. This is as true for athletes as it is for everyone else. Dre is paid what his agent negotiated, based on his marketing of Dre. Often the most important factor in a player’s pay package is not his own skill, but that of his agent.
Incomes hundreds of times greater than the median are prima facie evidence of anti-competitiveness. They are made possible not by feats of unilateral Herculean productivity, but by the magic of income redistribution via anti-competitive markets. While free markets are infinitely better than socialism, they pale in comparison to the wealth a truly competitive market would yield.
This letter has not been edited.
Paul Campos
I didn’t know any of the 6 million victims of the holocaust, a crime against humanity that occurred generations ago. Does that make it less real, less significant or less meaningful? Karl Rove must have been thinking of Campos when he said that many liberals don’t want to recognize the new post-9/11 world. Failing to recognize the new reality in which we all must live puts into question the very sanity of people like Paul Campos.
This letter has not been edited.
Less taxes & minimal government
Finally, we detest OUR legislators selling out to either unions or corporations and the ignoring of the moderate majority. Unless all politicians move away from their current extremes, there will be new political parties arise to serve our needs.
This letter has not been edited.
Inflated illegal alien numbers
Perhaps he has been counting every one that has crossed the border from Mexico from day one 500 years ago.
His biggest exaggeration is the $125 billion that he claims are disbursed for these 25 million illegal aliens each year. Pulling figures from mid-air is easy to do. I would venture to say that the amount paid by illegal aliens every year for state and Federal income taxes easily goes beyond $125 billion. I could not even venture to mid-air guess the benefits that are accrued year after year by farmers and ranchers, construction companies, tourism, religious institutions, restaurants and about every other business in this country. However, I can assure Mr. Rodefeld that if he eats fruits and vegetables, if he drinks liquids, if he brushes his teeth with tooth paste and cleans his butt with tissue paper every day he too accrues untold benefits from illegal aliens that are in this country.
This letter has not been edited.
Story about judge sensationalist
Nottingham’s actions appear to be legal and, as a statement released by the judge states, “private and personal matters involving human frailties and foibles.” The Rocky, as a reputable newspaper, should be above this sort of gossipmongering.
By the way, the involvement of 9News in reporting this salacious drivel shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Rocky should be able to find more newsworthy items (e.g. Iraq, health care, etc.) to run in its pages instead of a lurid story of this nature.
It should be noted that I do not know Nottingham or his family; I want just want a paper that reports real news, not sensationalist nonsense.
Judge’s troubles NOYB
Has the Rocky no sense of decency? Here is a man who has given his level best to adjudicate the crucial Joe Nacchio case while at the same time dealing with immense personal issues. In my opinion, this falls under NOYB (none of your business).
Nottingham deserves the highest praise for his dedication to his job performed under difficult circumstances. The Rocky doesn’t know a hero from a coward. How any one of us chooses to unwind after a lengthy period of stress should not be reported as “news.”
Broncos history lesson
Nowak obviously isn’t aware of the Broncos’ history in this town, so his ignorance is understandable. Let me educate him.
At one time, the only major sport in Denver was Broncos football. We had Bears baseball, but it was a minor-league team. Until the Denver Rockets were established, an ABA team, the Broncos were the only game in town. And for years we suffered with a losing team. From 1960 until a Monday night in 1973 in a tie ballgame against the Oakland Raiders, the Broncos never had a winning season. Denver fans remained loyal, but on that special night, we saw a turn in our fortunes.
Then came 1976 and the Orange Crush. Broncomania was alive and well and continues to this day. Two Super Bowl victories have little to do with it.
The Rocky Mountain Empire belongs to the Broncos. That’s how it is and that’s how it should be!
Misses stocks tables
That’s a good reminder that many, many of us are focused on the business pages which, in the case of the Rocky, are sadly lacking the most needed information: the stocks tables. Having them back in the paper would save a great deal of time running to the computer!
Stay tenacious
Articles that help relatively naive, well-meaning readers and voters like me critically analyze sensitive issues are much appreciated. Stay tenacious, Mr. Kopel!
I also really appreciated the Margaret Carlson commentary, “Ethical dilemma,” that ran the same day. I sure wish we could increase the transparency of our elected representatives in Washington, D.C.
Sex ads unnecessary
Stories that involve sexual activity and sexual crime abound in heartbreak and tragedy. Any person who seeks adult material can probably obtain it with ease. It is not necessary for the fine paper that is the Rocky Mountain News to contribute to this.
Not Barry Barry good
This letter has not been edited.
Ward Churchill
The nice young lady at Human Resources accepted my resume and while I was waiting there a tall, stoop-shouldered, individual entered. His hair resembled a multi-colored balloon, he wore a tie-dyed tank top, torn-off jeans and flip-flops. I quietly asked the young lady if they really allowed students to dress like this and she informed me that he was not a student but a professor. I took back my resume and, feeling that I didn’t belong in that kind of environment, went home.
This letter has not been edited.
Joe Nacchio
Qwest CEO’s like Nacchio, and past executives Trujillo, McCormick and Notebarte (history of only serving themselves), vaporized our federal job and contracting preferences. Nacchio added insult to injury, when he imported (TWTC too) criminal illegal Hindu-Indians and Pakistanis into Littleton, CO, for the sole purpose of stealing our job earmarks, and these illegals performed the contract work with low-balled wages. Nicole Bush introduced Rush Lim"P"baugh to doctor-shopping for RX drugs. Nacchio and Trujillo introduced Front Range federal gov’t contractors to illegal outsourcing to Indians and, head-hunters.
Silly me! I thought the US Congress had only chartered USDOL/OFCCP Secy. Chao, to hire and contract with foreign nationals. On a mission to maximize Qwest’s profits in this DoD contract, and in reckless violation of national security laws, Nacchio physically sent sensitive military telecom computer databases to India for cheap maintenance. Trujillo was Qwest’s drum-major for outsourcing and illegally delegating their federal veteran procurement, contracting, and hiring requirements, to head-hunters. If Nacchio is granted a new trial, then Trujillo, Notebarte, McCormick, and Qwest’s entire board of directors, should be enjoined as named defendants.
This letter has not been edited.
Flag respect
I served my country at the end of WW 2 and again during the Korean conflict. I spent some of my army time in the hospital in Japan and came home in one piece, it’s really sad because some of my buddies weren’t so lucky, some stayed there and you can see them if you travel over there, others are still coping with their disabilities here at home.
I stand up when the American flag passes by and remove my hat, hold it over my heart when we sing our anthem and I feel ashamed when someone desecrates my flag by flying it upside down and I don’t care what the reason is. When some one installs my flag under another and parades it around no matter what the reason, I feel ashamed for them, for they are maligning my Country and Old Glory when they sing their national anthem instead of ours. This aggravates me.
These people want every thing we fought for and they want it for free. They are insisting we Americans owe them. Like free medical care, food stamps, free education, social security, job security, housing, etc. and yet they show no respect for our country, our laws or our way of life.
We DO NOT owe them. If they are legal they should not participate in any anti American program and if they are illegal they should go back to where they came from. I’m sure their country will GIVE them the things that they demand from us.
This letter has not been edited.
Gay clergy
Jesus indicated that the Latter Days or the End Times would be “just as they were in the days of Noah.”
But what exactly were those days like? We know that God looked upon the world in the days of Noah and saw a world filled with evil and wickedness.
But the world was probably not 100% Satan-worshippers.
The world was probably filled, much like it is today, with the assorted murderers, thieves, rapists, drunkards, liars, cheats, those who committed sexual immoralities (of which homosexuality is just one), atheists, false-god worshippers, and just “everyday regular folks” — all or most of whom thought that they really were “good enough,” or at least not “that bad enough,” and that God, if God existed (atheists didn’t think so), would judge their “goodness” against their “badness” on some kind of scale...and everything would be fine.
In the meantime, Noah and his sons were building an ark that was so huge and required so much time that the building of the ark couldn’t possibly be hidden. Some of Noah’s neighbors and relatives may even been used as hired hands to help construct the ark. But when it came down to it, even those who may have helped build the ark really didn’t believe the Word of God. They laughed, they joked; they probably referred to Noah as being a knucklehead, a fool, a liar, and intolerant — and they went on with what they considered to be a “valid alternative lifestyle.” And the end result in the future will be the same end result as in the days of Noah.
This letter has not been edited.
Climate change
This letter has not been edited.
War crimes
Brown and black skin, burns just like white skin. During my 3 deployments to Vietnam, we used WILLY PETER on Vietnamese, and it burned through both their skin and bones (LBJ). FDR used the Atom Bomb on Japanese. Bush used WILLY PETER on Iraqis, which must be more potent than the stuff we used 40 years ago. Our military officers in Iraq-NAM, who ordered the firing of chemical weps on Iraqis, should be charged with Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) war-crimes, and court martialed. They recklessly and knowingly fired these weps into residential areas, under the guise of them “rooting” out insurgents. USA Capt. Medina (NAM) pulled this same trick (126 body-bags).
Just as a military justice throw-in, we should also court martial (manslaughter) those white US Army Corps of Engineers (NOLA-Katrina) senior officers, that GOP water-boarded and lynched 1500 black folks. It seems to me that former US Rep. Cynthia “the pugster” McKinley, is the only politician, regardless of “hue", with the requisite backbone, to start the impeachment ball rolling. Thankfully, she is again seeking a congressional seat and she should be the political “torch-bearer” to correct these global wrongs. It is past time that we hold the Bush Gestapo responsible and accountable, for these atrocities, and other war crimes against humanity. Their grand GESTAPO overall plan, was to push the Middle East Plantation into even deeper involuntary servitude, and for our oil companies owned by white folks, to steal the Iraqis’ oil. The whole lot should face a firing squad.
This letter has not been edited.
Columbine dedication
If Foothill Parks and Recreation, lessee of Clement Park from Jefferson County Open Space, has been consistent about anything, it is their resistance to any religious remembrance of Columbine.
I don’t think any church choir would have been allowed to participate at a dedication of the authorized memorial. I can’t blame racism, only political correctness, for their denial of the request of Betty Schoels to have her church choir sing. Remember also two crosses were destroyed because of religious intolerance, of the 15 original crosses erected by Christian Greg Zanis of Illinois, in the days after the massacre at Columbine High.
If I owned a newspaper, and also wanted God to know I believe all life has meaning, I would run a front page photo showing the 15 original crosses erected on the dirt ridge to the East of the new memorial, superimposed on a fresh photo of the dedication ceremony for the memorial it took eight years to define. Of course that photo would have to be “photo-shopped” to combine aspects of the April 1999 spontaneous public memorial with aspects of the new memorial, designed by committee, in the peaceful valley below Rebel Hill.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Littwin
In all seriousness however, your anti-Colorado words and motives should not go unchallenged, Mr. Littwin. It’s beyond me why the Rocky, who has in the past been more fair and balanced, keeps such a leftist on the payroll. There are plenty of those on the Rocky’s sister’s newsprint and you would be in choice company if you could be transferred there.
This letter has not been edited.
Jim Wallis
As to Jim Wallis, I have known him for thirty years. We have disagreed and argued with each other. But how much the poorer would I been, both spiritually and intellectually, if I had not been exposed to him and his writings.
And those poor students at “Colorado Christian University” have to be protected against such thinkers? I hope that they will some day discover that professor who spout ideology, whether on the Right or the Left, are really propagandists at heart.
This letter has not been edited.
Rosen misses point about society’s values
Is it more important, of more lasting value, to be able to catch a football in all different positions under adverse circumstances or to shape young minds to face the challenges of the future, to learn from the past storehouse of knowledge available to them?
What we emphasize for our youth now by our actions and choices will determine — to a large degree — their future and ours. Will we sit in colosseums watching gladiators and end up as the Romans did or will we seek to right the injustices of our society?
Take ‘Sicko’ seriously
Without having seen Spider Man 3, and using the same logic and lack of knowledge as Hotz, I would have to say Spider Man 3 was nothing more than entertainment. So it occurs to me that Hotz must not have seen Sicko and was braying about something he knows nothing about.
I saw Sicko and believe that every American, regardless of political affiliation or religion, should go to the movie and judge for himself whether it is just entertainment or exposes the increasing health-care crisis in this country.
P.T. Barnum’s heirs?
It must be fun to be Denver’s mayor or a City Council member and spend $27 million and $550 million of other people’s money. And I suspect the majority of the people who will vote in Denver on these issues will vote them all in, as they seem to have a history of loving to give tons of money to the city government to fritter away and, in return, get little or nothing to show for it.
Makes one wonder if the men and women running our city are related to old P.T. Barnum.
A DIFFERING VIEW: GOCO funds not meant to aid state parks
*
*
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
Reason no. 1: Even if you should decide to publish this on your Letters page, I doubt he ever reads it so he’ll never know how his words, in plain, simple language, that even a dumbo like me can understand, have opened at least ONE person’s eyes to finally understanding why it is that an athlete, no matter how good he may be in his particular area of sports, can be given a five-year, $33 million contract to play in a ‘game’, while the men and women who have jobs in the various “service” industries” (teachers, nurses, policemen, firemen, etc) in this country, earn such relatively paltry sums in comparison! There have been many, many times I have asked that question silently to myself and righteously outloud — especially in more recent years, when the amounts of money that the MVPS in the sports world are pulling in almost makes the dead want to rise in protest!
However, until today, when I read Rosen’s column, I’ve never gotten a reasoned, rational answer —and suddenly a huge light bulb went on in my noggin!
Reason no. 2: Because when I occasionally have seen letters printed on your LETTERS page from various readers concerning Mr. Rosen’s rather ‘in your face’ commentary, they usually are of the negative, name calling variety! So I just want him to know that there are a few of us out here, at least, who appreciate being enlightened — even if the enlightenment comes from an admitted diehard conservative Republican... He’s a very SMART diehard conservative Republican.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
Entertainers (opposing to artists) contribute nothing to public good except a diversion of attention. Their apparent essentialness is an illusion occasioned by industry advertisement. Yes, those industries move money around, maybe stimulate an occasional consumer’s ambition, and certainly absorb an entire afternoon or evening, but beyond that, what? Teachers, policemen, firemen, street tenders, miners, contractors ... these professions and unnamed others are critical. Surely, many can do these jobs, but they’re none-the-less essential. Subtract one, we’ll all notice.
So, on a scale of importance, Dre’ Bly isn’t. His salary is only driven by those many apparently incapable of entertaining themselves. If all citizens read a text game day, or practiced a personal skill, or devoted spare time to civic needs, or tended animals, or crops, or invented, or perfected, or exercised themselves, or did anything but pay hundreds to sit, watch, make noise and wait in line for wash room time, Mr. Bly’s salary would drop to reflect his relative uselessness. Additionally, many common folks might realize personal self-esteem via accomplishment. Mr. Bly might even discover a talent beyond playing a child’s game.
So, as an experiment, let’s advertise the joy of pothole filling at a six figure salary. Betcha’ we’d get some stars serving us all. Entertaining? I might pay to see that. At least I’d know the drive home would be smoother.
This letter has not been edited.
College tuition controversy
Editor: The Bell Policy Center endorses this week’s move by David Skaggs to seek a legal ruling on granting in-state tuition to U.S. citizen students whose parents lack legal documentation.
Skaggs, the state’s higher education chief, has called on Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to issue a legal opinion on the policy, which has not been consistently applied by Colorado colleges and universities.
Allowing these motivated young people to attend college at the more affordable in-state tuition rate is the right thing to do, and it’s the smart thing to do.
Making college more affordable means these students are more likely to earn degrees and qualify for higher-paying jobs. The taxes paid on their higher lifetime earnings will more than make up for the lower tuition payments. In addition, raising the quality of our workforce boosts the economy, and that benefits everyone.
The Bell also applauds the policy change by Stephen Jordan, president of Metro State College, to allow U.S. citizen students whose parents lack legal documentation to pay in-state tuition. Metro previously required such students to pay out-of-state tuition. For a student carrying a full load of 15 credit hours, it’s the difference between $1,520 a semester and $5,495.
I urge Attorney General Suthers to come to a reasonable, common-sense ruling on this question. All Colorado residents who are U.S. citizens should be allowed to pay in-state tuition, no matter the immigration status of their parents.
This letter has not been edited.
Mike Rosen
Mike complains that if every teacher were paid ( like all-pro cornerback Dre¹ Bly ) 6.6 Million big ones, it would be unaffordable. Wow, that¹s some profound analysis, but does anyone remember such a request? If teachers got ( a lot ) more respect from the public, and from hypocrites like Rosen, it would help more than a pay-raise, and public education might have fewer ( and less serious ) problems. How many teachers could have been paid, and how many schools could have been built in Colorado, with the hundreds of millions of tax dollars that built our professional money-making baseball and football venues? Mr. R. would say about schools that if they can¹t make it on their own, they should be closed - or privatized. Would he say the same thing about Invesco Field - and the Broncos?
Now here¹s Mike¹s ace-in-the-hole: ³By contrast ( with professional sports, I assume he means, ) public schools aren¹t net revenue producers; they consume tax dollars.² Well, I got news for the Great Guru of Private Enterprise. While our capitalistic economy is based on profit, our government, in contrast - from municipal to federal - is designed to be a nonprofit public servant - paid for by ( ugh! ) taxes. The roads Mr.
Rosen drives on, the ³public airwaves² that carry his broadcasts, the EPA that tries to keep his air clean, and the troops ( including his kids? ) fighting to protect us against the Iraqis, are public services, designed to help the public - Mr. Rosen included.
This letter has not been edited.
Health care for children
Ironically, some families at the high end of the proposed income scale would receive support from SCHIP while being subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax! What a shame the House has jeopardized the immediate passage of this most worthy reauthorization by loading it up with costly and extraneous baggage.
This letter has not been edited.
Anglos no longer majority in Denver
Mayor Hickenlooper can also be thanked for many of the city’s changes. He caters to the city’s illegals and publicly supports day labor sites over hiring legal American workers. But then again, that isn’t surprising when we remember that Raul Garcia-Gomez, the illegal alien who killed Denver Police Detective Donnie Young, was working at the Cherry Cricket (co-owned by Hickenlooper).
Kallenberger can say Denver is “all grown up.” But one thing Denver cannot boast anymore is being the un congested, safe, desirable “cow town” it was in the 70s and 80s.
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
For instance, the House SCHIP re-defines “children” as anyone under 25 and “low income” as up to 400% of the poverty level, or $82,600 for a family of four. Mr. Kopfensteiner also failed to note that in order to fund this expansion; the house bill proposes to cut the Medicare Advantage program serving 8.3 million seniors by $50 billion over the next five years. What’s the problem with Advantage? It allows for competition from the private sector.
This legislation is a clear attempt by the Democrats to expand middle class entitlements while eviscerating the successful Advantage program which might be used as a model for reforming Medicare. Passage of this bill is not a “no-brainer.” Contrary to Mr. Kopfensteiner, legislation should always be considered carefully. That is especially true when draped in the “do it for the children” logic. There is never a moral obligation make more Americans more dependant on government support.
This letter has not been edited.
Health insurance
Medicare is not considered socialized medicine. Medicare for all would likewise not be socialized medicine.
This letter has not been edited.
Fix America first
This letter has not been edited.
World functions on both art and science
I am a graphic designer. I have been successful because I can use my left brain for the business and accounting side of my business (thanks to my math education) and because I use my right brain for my creative solutions to complex graphic problems (thanks to my art classes).
What I find most disturbing about Hammond’s letter is that he feels our children will receive an adequate education if they receive mostly just math and science education.
I don’t understand the contempt he has for teaching art, drama and music to enrich the lives of students. He also says, “Math and science help students understand the world in which we live.” Look around, everything you see has been designed by someone who probably took art classes in high school!
I think the iPod illustrates how we should approach educating our kids. Not only is the iPod a technological marvel (science), but it is aesthetically pleasing (art), too. It would not be so successful if either of those two factors were missing.
Udall disingenuous in lauding protest rights
On Aug. 22 Raphael Egger, Merrill Carter and Sue Gomez will appear before Judge Claudia Jordan in the criminal court for trial.
They are charged with honorably and respectfully protesting the Iraq war in Sen. Ken Salazar’s office.
It seems that another powerful Democrat in Colorado has seen fit to press charges for protesting the war. Proceedings begin at 8 a.m. in Room 117M in the Denver City and County Building. The public is welcome. I would imagine Salazar is carefully readying his press release on the proceedings right now. Let’s hope justice and the American people will be better served in Denver, and not manipulated, this time around.
Christian author won’t kowtow to GOP
Wallis is not opposed to capitalism. Wallis does proclaim Jesus to be his Lord and savior.
Wallis’ teachings are based on the Bible, so he is evangelical.
Therefore, if Paquin was fired for assigning readings by Wallis, such a decision would be flawed.
On the other hand, Wallis takes the first commandment (“You shall have no other gods before me”) very seriously and, as such, refuses to worship the Republican Party. It is more likely this, and not any imagined “anti-capitalism,” that is the real reason Jim Wallis is banned at CCU.
Tuition tied to parents, not student
By definition, parents who are in this country illegally are not legal residents of Colorado. Therefore, a student who is a U.S. citizen and has parents who are not legal residents of Colorado should pay the same rate that any other student who has parents who are not legal residents of Colorado.
The issue is the legal residence of the parents, not the citizenship of the student. Simple!
If the student is an adult and has established appropriate legal residency in Colorado, then the student should pay in-state tuition. Again, simple!
Had it with no-shows
We have our house listed for sale. The last two days we have been called by a booking agent making appointments for different real estate agents to show the house. Not one of them showed up, and there were no calls, no cancellation calls — nothing! They could at least have had the courtesy to make a simple phone call!
This is very inconvenient for us. We and our dogs have to be out of the house for two to four hours while waiting for someone to show it.
All I want them to do is show some manners and call the booking agency to tell them they canceled.
I’ve had it with no-shows.
Owens’ role ignored
Thanks to Gov. Ritter for the executive order reinstating this practice. In the future, let’s be responsible journalists by telling both sides of the story.
When in the U.S. ...
Time we copy the Romans.
Hear no evil?
In the Senate, 39 Democrats including our own Sen. Ken Salazar voted to remove immunity from lawsuits if you report suspicious behavior at the airport or on an airplane, while in the House the Democrats managed to strip that provision from a homeland security bill.
The Democrats are trying to tell us they will protect us by hearing no evil, speaking no evil and seeing no evil.
Red-light cameras OK
Only the person who is in the intersection when the light turns yellow is supposed to go through. All others are supposed to stop, not see how many can get through on the yellow light!
I have no trouble with cameras to stop red-light runners. I think if you have the privilege of driving, you should obey the law. We should enforce the law in whatever way possible, since people do not seem to be able to know it or obey it.
GOP legislators object to GOP-backed rules
Without actually naming it, the Rocky’s story refers to Board Rule 1-18, which was part of Republican Gov. Bill Owens administration’s approved rules (April 2005).
As usual, young Republican lawmakers Josh Penry and Cory Gardner show their passion for GOP political rhetoric and their ignorance about Colorado state laws and regulations. What a waste of Colorado taxpayer dollars that we pay these inexperienced legislators’ salaries.
Judge facing ‘justice of the highest order’
Nor do I agree with legal analyst Scott Robinson who said Nottingham’s actions were contrary to the code of conduct for federal judges (“Federal judge ‘ashamed’ of actions,” Aug. 10).
Nottingham is accused of only three things — all of which probably present more embarrassment than grounds for judicial misconduct charges — as follows: having spent a lot of money at a strip club while possibly being inebriated; having visited and paid for access to a pornographic Web site; and having shown his wife images from the porn site while in his chambers.
Given what we know at this time, there’s little direct implication for his role on the bench. But what I find most disturbing is that it always seems to be the conservative and seemingly righteous whose pornographic and sexual peccadilloes become public. Maybe that is justice of the highest order.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Tancredo’s rhetoric mirrors other presidents’ talk
What does the Rocky think 9/11 was all about, with “peaceful” Muslims celebrating in such locales as Dearborn, Mich., and Cairo? What does the Rocky think it means when “peaceful” Muslims stand by while al-Qaida exports terrorist cells and suicide bombers to Iraq from neighboring states? What does the Rocky think it means when “peaceful” Muslims stand by when al-Qaida straps bombs to children and beheads captives on live television?
This letter has not been edited.
New laws
Tina Griego’s column
Imagine, Ms. Griego, 25 to 30 million Italian speakers. Imagine, Ms. Griego, these Italian speakers insisting, nay, demanding that our courts, our ballots, our social services, our government, etc. be altered to accommodate their language. Then, Ms. Griego, you would have a problem.
Military service of Romney and Alito
Romney lied to this reporter through omission. He didn’t tell the reporter his father was a cabinet member in the Nixon administration, and his daddy cut him a NAM sanctuary deal, just like Cong. Bush did for “W” (racially segregated Texas Air National Guard). Mitt got a “whites-only” religious draft deferment, and Muhammad Ali is sentenced to 5 years in prison (overturned by Supreme Court).
Ali lost hundreds of millions, Mitt earned $300 million.
Supreme Court Justice Alito opted to just maintain a low-profile. Affirmative Action (AA) Alito joined the U.S. Army ROTC program, where he was blessed with 7 years of “free” college education (JD/undergrad degrees), courtesy of American taxpayers.
Alito incurred a “11” year active duty military obligation, as a result of these “gifts". It “appears", based on his on-line “bio", like “W", Alito never completed his military obligation. It isn’t known if Alito is familiar with the trappings (rule of law/spirit and intent) in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
This letter has not been edited.
Stopping goods from China
Consider: Jobs brought back to the U.S. would necessitate re-opening of closed-down steel, furniture, clothing, and communication industries (to name only a few). Costs of re-starting would be staggering. Companies would have to pay higher wages to American workers, accustomed to comfortable lifestyles. CEO’s would be forced to take huge cuts in salaries and perhaps forego bonuses to get businesses up and running and to meet payrolls! While American-made merchandise would certainly be superior to and safer than imported goods, consumers would undoubtedly have to dig deeper in their wallets to pay for them.
And who will take those newly-created jobs? (Let us assume in this imagined idyllic economy that all illegal aliens have gone home.) Previously laid-off middle-managers might not stoop to manual labor. Brains and bodies of young Americans have turned to mush from lack of activity. Unable to find work, the only muscles that have remained fit are those in their thumbs. And college tuition is so expensive they can ill afford higher education. These young folk, once so full of promise, would be totally incapable of taking on high-paying jobs which require strong backs and/or good old-fashioned intellect. Once again, employers would bear the brunt of supplying an adequate labor force. Their only option: provide financial assistance to students in order to bring them up to speed for the abundant positions. Another hit for those poor CEO’s! Plus burdensome workloads for college professors!
This solution, with its built-in dire consequences, would have the further disadvantage of leading to a resurgence of our dwindling middle class. And what a shame that would be. Are we ready to pay the price?
This letter has not been edited.
Christianity
Are all there states defying the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights which states that no one religion shall be held in favor over any other religions?
The Preamble or the United States Constitution does not assign any powers to any entity within the United States other than “We the People of the United States!” Our founding fathers were primarily Christians but did not come to the new land seeking to begin another Christian nation - this strictness is what they were fleeing from, they came to start a new nation based upon religious freedom.
The United States was not constituted in any way to form a Christian nation and never was meant to be, although many allowances have been made in the name of Christianity!
This letter has not been edited.
Catholic priest jogging nude
This letter has not been edited.
Pinon Canyon expansion
We have no place to go; the rich and famous own all the ranches that are not in the hands of developers for urban sprawl. What are we supposed to do with our dogs and cats, our horses and what about all the wildlife? Recent articles have expressed concern about the bird numbers being down because of urban sprawl; we have them by the thousands here on the ranches the military wants, what will happen to them? We also have a lot of animals that have been pushed down here from the mountains because of over-development in the mountains. Why make these peaceful prairies a tool of war when the government already owns millions of acres they are not using?
The service jobs gained in Colorado Springs and Pueblo will not offset the loss of many times that number in Southeast Colorado that these ranches support. There are several power companies looking at putting wind farms here, so think about how many jobs they could create and bring lasting prosperity to the region with the added power for sale. We have let almost all our manufacturing jobs go to other countries, do we want to keep importing questionable food too. With the loss of food and power, how good will your money taste in the dark?
Please don’t be fooled by a few bucks being waved in your face, think of the long term consequences of our governments’ actions on this one. Please call your Senators and ask them to stop this insanity now, while we still have the chance.
Thanks for your help!
This letter has not been edited.
Parking problems & rezoning issues
I have a grass-roots portfolio extending back over forty years and I find the mayor’s call to be yet another loss leader in the continuing flim-flam.
As a three-year participant on one of the mayor’s “restorations,” I must express my deep skepticism
When it came time to write the regulations implementing the plan, the burden of parking for Colfax development was not only assigned to the adjacent neighbors it was vastly increased. A vote of local residents rejected the implementation language by a three to one margin. At the urging of Peter Park, the city’s then new planning director, city council rejected local concerns.
When a developer proposed a project for the corner of Colfax and Madison, The city rejected a four story project with one and a half parking spaces for every residential unit and implemented a rezoning which allowed a five story building with less than one parking space per unit in return for saving a single house. When nearby residents rejected the substitution on a two to one vote, council ignored local concerns and approved the rezoning. The unbuilt project is now known locally as “the hole” or “Robb’s Heckuva Job” in recognition of Councilwoman Jeanne Robb’s intervention in the project.
A recently passed rezoning on Buchtel Boulevard was passed by council despite universal opposition from all nearby neighborhoods, the lack of any support for the project from any neighbors and the enthusiastic support of the planning office.
Grass-roots are more than a willingness to let neighbors offer ideas.
It is also the necessity of recognizing consensus which does not agree with the insiders.
This letter has not been edited.
Tom Tancredo’s amnesty-free bill
Certainly not the majority that flooded their Senators’ offices with angry telephone calls, faxes and visits to defeat a bill that would have granted amnesty to the 20 million-plus illegals squatting in the United States. Mr. Tancredo is one of the few politicians who is in touch with the American people. He has consistently put Americans first. Kennedy, McCain and Bush have sold us out to big business interests that bemoan the loss of a cheap labor source. And Ken Salazar consistently votes in favor of the illegals and completely ignores his Colorado constituents.
The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition stated, “It is sad and tragic that Mr. Tancredo continues to play the politics of fear and hate, rejecting the values of family unity, civil liberties and diversity that are the cornerstone of our democracy.” I am one of the thousands of Americans who has been a victim of crimes committed by illegals. Why are our rights as American citizens swept aside, while illegals are judged by a separate set of rules and laws that pander to their “civil liberties and diversity?” Rules and laws that don’t hold them accountable for crimes an American citizen would be imprisoned for.
The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition does not support immigrants, they support criminal trespassers. Illegals and the groups that support them blur the immigration issue by leaving out the key word, “illegal.” They use trigger words such as “fear”, “hate” and “racist” to blur the fact illegals entered the United States illegally and continue to break our laws to remain here. The majority of senators who opposed the Kennedy/McCain bill said it “lacked enforcement.” I don’t think that will be an issue with Mr. Tancredo’s bill. Thank you Tom!
This letter has not been edited.
Get government out of health care
As for Tod Gilmore’s letter in the same issue criticizing Rudy Giuliani’s market-based approach, did Gilmore really grow up in the United States? He definitely needs a lesson in Milton Friedman’s Econ 101 class (i.e., his book Free to Choose).
Single-payer proposals by governments are yet another government solution to a government-imposed problem, designed to fail.
Get the government out of the way and let the free market work in health insurance as it has in auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance and myriad other businesses.
Let people pay for the coverage they want instead of paying for mandated coverage imposed by the state.
Allow businesses to opt out of providing health care coverage and wages will go up, allowing people the increased income to pay for their fully portable plans.
With competition in the health insurance industry, Gilmore need not worry about costs dropping; they will. He will be able to get the coverage he needs or desires at an affordable price, and so will you and I.
Single-payer lessons
As a Canadian recently emigrated to the U.S., I can assure you that the harmful consequences of single payer the Rocky describes are accurate.
However, I disagree that nonresidents will flood the state for “free” treatment. Instead, the flight of doctors and starving hospitals of capital will ensure that there is little health care to be received by anybody within a few years.
Americans don’t go to Canada for surgery. Rather, Canadians come here for treatment that their government denies them at home.
Director, Health Care Studies
Pacific Research Institute
San Francisco
Police in schools provide great service
Now, even worse, comes Cathryn Hazouri of the ACLU whining about having police officers in our schools.
Most all police departments have school resource officers in the high schools, but Hazouri obviously does not care for this. She was quoted recently as saying, “What we are doing as a society now is ... treating what we would have sent someone to the dean of boys or the dean of girls for as being something that police need to be involved with.”
Is she kidding? Is she in a fog? Has she forgotten about Columbine and the many other tragedies throughout the United States where kids have fallen prey to psychopathic wackos?
I have a 14-year-old granddaughter in high school, and I thank God that there will be a school resource officer present when the new school year starts.
I would suggest that Hazouri accompany an on-duty school resource officer one of these days to really see what they do and how valuable they are.
Retired Westminster chief of police
Westminster
State’s divorce laws a mess that hurts kids
Jennifer said, “A child of divorce, I spent 12 years shuttling between two households, two sets of values, two realities. When pressured to take sides, I was paralyzed. How could I choose when I loved them both?”
Having run divorce recovery workshops for 13 years, I am always saddened to see how many couples further victimize their children by polarizing their thoughts and structuring unhealthy custody arrangements. Quite often those issues are compounded by court-appointed child advocates who pit husband against wife instead of seeking healthy solutions.
Having helped nearly 1,000 people process their divorces, I can tell you the legal system in Colorado for divorce is a mess. More often than not, it is a lose-lose situation for both parties and the children suffer the most.
Now that he’s in the minority ...
However, I’m wondering what parity actually is. Is it 50 percent? Is it some convoluted calculated percentage based on population?
Anyway, now that I’m a minority contractor, when will the mayor and City Council revise the contracting procedures to establish goals for white contractors?
Another funds source
An alternative source for such increased funding for our infrastructure is the many billions that local, state and the federal governments are disbursing for the benefit of illegal aliens in our country.
It has been estimated that this amounts to more than $125 billion each year. This is 500 times the $250 million of federal funds that have been authorized to reconstruct the Minneapolis bridge.
This $125 billion is for the welfare and social services, food assistance, Medicaid and education for what by now are at least 25 million illegal aliens in our country.
Failure to disclose
What Swick fails to mention is The New American is the magazine of the John Birch Society, an organization with its own unique interpretation of the Constitution.
Good riddance
I have been a college instructor for 15 years, making half of what Churchill made. We have fired instructors and punished students who have plagiarized; why should Churchill think he is above the law?
Goodbye and good riddance.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Innocent too often smeared by an arrest
While this is true of high-profile cases, a minuscule number of total arrests are reported in the media. The vast majority of arrests are never in the public eye. It is only when a potential employer or landlord run people’s criminal justice records in order to screen them for housing or jobs does the arrest show up.
However I question Smith’s statements about animals being unable to empathize with others. During my volunteer work at a no-kill cat shelter I have seen sick cats be surrounded by other cats, kept warm and groomed by them. I have seen cats exhibit severe depression (not eating, just staying curled up in a corner) after his or her feline friend dies.
How about my own dog sensing when I am not feeling well and staying much closer to me?
Is this not empathy?
Although I do not believe that empathy is a uniquely human emotion, I do agree with Mr Smith that it is an insult to the human race when we seem to loose this emotion as was the case with Mr Vick. Personally I see tremendous lack of human empathy when people abandon their pets at our local animal shelters. Often the reason for giving up their best friend is so callous: the owners are moving, the girlfriend does not like the pet .. . Often I wonder who has more ability to feel the abandoned animal, now depressed and curled up in the back of the cage or the human walking out of the shelter. Perhaps the animal can sense the hopelessness of his or her situation — in some shelters sensing potential death via euthanasia, in other shelters sensing the lonely, crowded existence.
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 02:27 PM
| Comments (18)
| TrackBack
Health care
Here are the “reforms” the 208 Commission is modeling: forcing every individual in Colorado to buy health insurance, forcing employers to buy health insurance for employees, enormously expanding Medicaid, and forcing every person in Colorado into a single-payer health care system. But you have a moral right to decide which doctors you go to, which treatments you get, and how much you will pay.
Each of those “reforms” would violate your right to make those decisions for yourself. If government controls health care financing, then government decides how much you will be forced to pay, which services you will get for that money (or who gets those services instead of you), and who may perform those services.
For more on how government interference in health care financing limits your choices, and for more on the free-market alternative, visit www.WeStandFIRM.org .
This letter has not been edited.
Environmental education
Environmental education (EE) is good education. Guidelines for excellence in EE mandate students learn how to think, not what to think.
An unintended yet common consequence of NCLB has been loss of instruction in subject matter that is not tested-including the environment. These ‘lost’ subjects are often of greatest interest to students. For students to succeed, learning must be relevant and interesting – and the environment is.
Today’s students will soon become adults responsible for making increasingly difficult decisions regarding Colorado’s natural resources. Environmental education will help ensure they are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. To learn more about the call to include environmental education in reauthorization of NCLB visit: http://www.eenclb.org NWF’s mission is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.
This letter has not been edited.
Mortgage loans
Sowell states in referring to the usual bogy man- Sub Prime and interest only loan products- that “Such risky mortgage loans were rare just a few years ago” but misses the forest for the trees when omitting the dirty little secret that most foreclosed properties are insured by YOU and ME in the form of FHA and VA insured mortgages. For the most part privately insured loans require a factor rarely present in government loans: EQUITY and folks with equity and credit worth saving don’t go into foreclosure, they SELL. With regard to government insured mortgages- TRANSLATION: subsidized housing for the poor, such EQUITY is RARELY present. What was RARE just a few years ago was the non existant qualifying criteria and “underwriting” offered by GOVERNMENT INSURED mortages. Effectively, ZERO DOWN government products, Grant programs, Community homebuyer programs, relaxed/non existant credit history and cash reserve requirements and other tricks or flat-out taxpayer subsidized give-a-ways, to allow borrowers, who in the past would NEVER have qualified for a mortgage, to BUY. And subsequently to go into to foreclosure— many without EVER MAKING A MORTGAGE PAYMENT. And who picks up the cash on the taxpayers dime? Realtors and lenders who “CHURN” the local inventory utilizing every person with a pulse (which also happens to be the requirement for qualifying for an FHA loan) with an inclination to be a homeowner. The Forth rail of politics is the notion that EVERYONE should own a home, even if the taxpayer has to finance it for them. The Subprime industry absolutely misjudged the market and hense decided to cut and run and preserve their significant profits, VA and FHA don’t have to cut and run- they have the full faith and honor of the American taxpayer who has NO choice but to pick up the tab for these endless foreclosure deficiencies. That’s the REAL story about residential REAL estate finance that nobody wants to talk about and as usual the taypayer takes it in the shorts.
This letter has not been edited.
Barry Bonds
This letter has not been edited.
Jail death
Deputy sheriffs see thousands of inmates pass through the city and county jail each year and most of them complain of something during their stay.
According to the reports, a jail deputy contacted the nurse on duty and informed her of Ms. Rice’s complaints. This deputy did exactly what she was trained to do. In my opinion, the medical staff at the hospital and at the city jail are responsible for the death of Emily Rice, not the deputy sheriffs.
The lack of rounds by the deputies is not the reason Ms. Rice is dead, the lack of medical attention is. To discipline or even fault the deputies in this tragic death is wrong. The probe clearly shows a deputy contacted the medical staff about Emily, which is protocol. For the nurse not to act on this information, is criminal. Deputy sheriff’s have been taking the brunt for the medical staff for many years. It is time for the Denver Sheriff Department stop protecting the medical staff when they clearly are responsible for the death of Emily Rice.
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
“Imagine how things would be different if President Bush hadn’t taken us to war in Iraq.
“Thousands of Iraqi civilians would still be alive. Three thousand American servicepeople would also be alive.
“Sunnis and Shiites wouldn’t be savaging each other in what some call"sectarian violence” and others call “civil war".
“Parents would still have their children. Children would still have their parents.
“There’s more. Saddam Hussein would still be alive and in power. He would still be killing anyone who looked at him funny. Kurds would be gassed again, their bodies left in the street where they had fallen, as a reminder to troublemakers the price of dissidence.
“Other “dissidents” would be rounded up by the truckload-men, women, and young children. They would be blindfolded, have bullets put into their brains, and be bulldozed into mass graves.
“Saddam’s “special agents” would still be raping Iraqi women to extract information from their “traitorous” husbands.
“Rest assured, Iraq would be rushing to build a nuclear bomb. Saddam could never sit back and let Iran have the only Muslim bomb in the Middle East. The U. S. would then have two Muslim nations with nukes to contend with. Yes, the world would be a different place if we never went to war in Iraq
This letter has not been edited.
Culture of greed
‘
This letter has not been edited.
Denver Foundation
A few important points:
This letter has not been edited.
Farmers, ranchers care for their animals
As dairy farmers, we have a responsibility to care for our animals, as they provide us the means of our way of life. We do not “tear” the calves away from their mothers at birth. We do not leave them in tiny crates to be sold for veal. Those calves are our farm’s future, and they are well cared for. Our cows eat better than many people in Denver, and have the best people caring for them.
Pigs are kept in metal cages to protect the piglets from being eaten or crushed by their mother. When we transport our animals, the trucks stop on long shipments to provide the animals with food and water. We do not pit our animals against each other and make them fight to the death. We do not drown, strangle or beat to death animals that lose or perform poorly.
Every dollar consumers spend for dairy and meat products helps family farms like ours, and helps keep Colorado’s economy strong. Farmers, dairy producers and cattle ranchers should not be mentioned in the same breath as “Michael Vick.” They aren’t even close to being the same.
Free markets key to affordable health care
First, because the tax code deeply discounts employer-paid insurance, you’re essentially stuck with your employer’s comprehensive plans. These discourage doctors from competing on price and service. As a captive customer, insurers can afford to mistreat you. Changing insurers requires your finding another job or paying taxes on dollars spent on an individual plan.
Second, mandated insurance benefits significantly increase premium costs, hence making it a crime to purchase affordable insurance. Further, ineffective Medicare and Medicaid programs drive up insurance costs.
Instead of further eroding our freedom, the commission should repeal legislation that prevents free markets from delivering affordable, quality health care.
Time has come for single-payer care
Colorado workers might face a tax increase, but that will easily be offset by relief from the burden of high-cost health insurance premiums for themselves and their families, whether the employer pays part (a situation rapidly dwindling) or through private insurance.
Health insurance companies already decide what doctors get paid and what procedures will be performed. They already “deny or delay expensive procedures and medications to patients” if it will cut too deeply into their profits. Translation: Patients with chronic illnesses who now depend on costly treatments are already suffering.
The time has come for a health plan that covers all citizens.
Fed health care is best
Get rid of Gonzales
I call on our representatives to do their duty to preserve and protect our Constitution without regard to political cost. Please impeach Alberto Gonzales immediately.
Michael Moore not to be taken seriously
Using the same logic, I found Spider Man 3 to be eye-opening because of its take on law enforcement, and I think we need to make some serious changes in how we battle giant sand-monsters.
Michael Moore is an entertainer, and a very wealthy one at that. His films are propaganda pieces that are so far from representing reality they might as well be pure fiction. Some of them are very funny (I particularly liked Roger & Me), but none of them can be used with any credibility to support an argument one way or another on any issue.
It surprises me that letter writer Leventhal, who claims to hold a doctorate, fails to see this. I would be equally unconvinced by a letter from a conservative citing Rush Limbaugh or Michael Savage to make their point; these people are all entertainers that pander to their constituents to line their pockets; just don’t take any of them too seriously.
The American public has to have an uprising and have multitudes of people out in the streets protesting the Iraq War ( just what happened during the Vietnam War) before anyone in Congress will truly get the message we WANT THIS IRAQ WAR TO END —— NOW AND NOT LATER ——- There are some days when I am protesting at my favorite corner of W. 52nd Avenue and Wadsworth Blvd., I wish I could wave a magical wand over all of the cars that pass by and HONK FOR PEACE and magically have them join us .
Lastly, I am tired of the rhetic on both sides of the aisle in Congressl. I am tired of hearing about the needless lives lost each and every day the Iraq War continues on, and I am tired and someday’s truly feel war fatigue ( mental,physical, and on a spiritual level also). All I know from my own personal history, we didn’t learn the lesson in Vietnam — President George W.Bush is feeding the American public the same lines that Nixon did — so stop playing the pollitical games in Washington,DC — and BRING OUR TROOPS NOW — NOT LATER AND NOT NEXT YEAR OR BEYOND
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
If this process obtained in the world of software.... Americans would pay three times more for software and Canadians would pay much less than they do now, possibly many times less. And we’d have far fewer people getting paid to write new software for all of us.
With TB getting more drug resistant, with SARS and avian flu possibly becoming epidemic in the next decade, with the Rocky’s recent article describing the staph superbug as ten times more prevalent than we had known; can the world afford to loose the last place where a relatively free market meets the world of medicine? Where is the liberal’s employment of the “precautionary principle” when we most need it?
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq & the U.N.
An encouraging example is offered by developments in Haiti, which has had a U.N. peacekeeping force in place since a violent 2004 revolt. An Associated Press article of August 2, 2007, by Stevenson Jacobs noted that “peacekeepers this year concluded a fierce crackdown on armed gangs that has led to a dramatic reduction in violence.” Similarly good results are surely possible in Iraq. An independent study by the Rand Corporation issued in February of 2005 confirmed the effectiveness of U.N. nation-building missions, due to “the U.N.’s comparatively low cost structure, high success rate, and high degree of international legitimacy.”
More cooperation with our allies and the United Nations could reap a huge savings in American lives and money during the reconstruction of Iraq.
This letter has not been edited.
Women & government
We (men) cannot continue to be afraid of what a female dominated government and policy might look like. Kevin Cos
This letter has not been edited.
Bikers sharing the roads
In a battle your car will always win over my bike, I trust that you will continue to be careful as you approach and pass the bicyclists you share the road with. We are trying to get along just like you are.
13493 falls drive broomfield colo 80020 303-261-6829
Catering memories
All these years later, it would be interesting to know if there are better facilities available for Epicurean to serve food in Denver venues than were available for the Henry Daniel Co. staff at Currigan Hall.
This letter has not been edited.
Public education
Later this evening I wondered about who set expectations that Superintendent Bennet could salvage a deeply damaged system in one year?
I began to think instead about all the dedicated parents, teachers, students, staff, and administrators I know who make up DPS. And the business leaders and graduates of DPS who are so committed to our communities. I would ask that parents of young children not give up on the goal of having their child be well-educated in the Denver public school system.
Rather than relying on one number, please go and visit your local schools.
Please call your principals. Please attend a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Collaborative School Committee (CSC) meeting. Please visit www.aplusdenver.org and understand what your fellow citizens are doing to ensure that Denver’s urban school system becomes the best in the nation.
Please join the effort to save the strongest bastion of equal opportunity that exists on our country today - public education. Take heart in the fact that many people, volunteer and paid, are working their tails off to ensure that Denver’s public schools will be the best in the nation.
It will not take one year. It will take many years, and many of us as dedicated participants - parents, volunteers, students, teachers, business partners - to turn the course of the ship. Rather than lambasting those in charge, let us work together to help the course improve. If our children need additional hours of schooling, volunteer to get them the tutoring they need. Work with the union to understand why the school year and day can’t be longer, to give our children the additional hours of schooling they so desperately need. View this as a problem we can affect vs. one we cannot affect. This is our community. These are our children. Denver is our city, and our economy.
It will take time. It will take all of us. We can do it, and we owe it to our children.
This letter has not been edited.
Illegal immigration
The root cause of people illegally entering our country is the vast amount of work available for unskilled laborers. Without seasonal field help, much of our existing agricultural product would simply rot in the field for lack of human hands to gather it. The farmer’s complaint that they can’t get Americans to do this menial kind of work is valid. If we could only satisfy their real labor needs from within our country, the great magnet would be turned off.
As it turns out, we have this resource the farmers are pleading for, and we’re paying a lot of good taxpayer money to maintain it. It’s called prison, and the folks inside it. The Colorado Department of Correction (DOC) reports 22,519 inmates as of June 2006, 47.5% of whom are eligible for parole. We have provisions in law to allow the use of State inmates for disaster relief and commercial labor. I propose we draft legislation extending this notion to authorize similar use of eligible inmates for any industry that would otherwise use illegal aliens. A lot of the silliness of 40 hour weeks and structured environments would need to be reviewed and revised to accommodate the reality of farm work.
Part and parcel with the enabling legislation should be enactment and enforcement of severe penalties for knowingly employing an illegal alien. We will have provided a solution to dramatically reduce the attraction of illegal labor, so now let’s put the hammer down on employers who would continue the travesty.
This idea would work well anywhere in the country. The above numbers for a small state like Colorado are impressive. Think what this idea would do in California. As the jobs dried up for illegals, the flow across the border would diminish and reverse itself. Then the federal government could then get really serious about watching the border. Anyone caught coming across would be presumed to be a real bad guy, and the kid gloves would be off in dealing with them.
This letter has not been edited.
CEO compensation
This letter has not been edited.
Wiretapping bill
and being held without habeus corpus rights indefinitely at Guantanamo, the only piece we’re missing is the equivalent of the Stazi or KGB and we’ll have duplicated the Soviet Union’s reign of terror piece for piece. The “war on terror” is actually on us.
157th Infantry Regiment
The Colorado History Museum has a very good 10th Div display. The 10th was made up of men from every state in the Union and trained in Colorado.
The 157th was Colorado born and bred. Trained in Colorado, recruited in Colorado, and its backbone was Colorado men. Look hard but you won’t find Colorado’s own 157 in the Museum.
The 157th went on active duty in September, 1940, entered combat in Sicily in 10 July, 1943, and from there to the end of the war they fought. The 157 made 4 beach assaults including Anzio where the 157 was “the rock of Anzio", fought in eight major battle areas, liberated the infamous Dachau, its own Van Barfoot was decorated with the Medal of Honor. The 157 from Colorado spent 511 Days in actual combat.
They 157th is never mentioned in the news to say nothing of having not even a little picture in the Historical Museum. Yet, this was Colorado’s very own.
Coloradans raised in Colorado, recruited in Colorado, and carried Colorado into combat in Europe in their own being. But you would never know it if you go to the Colorado History Museum or read the Colorado Newspapers.
I wonder why? (No I am not now a member of the 157 nor have I ever been nor has any member of my family.)
A few comments for the Rocky
First of all, the Rocky just seems substantially smaller. Obviously, a lot of things have been taken out of the paper and several of the regular columnists have left. I think this is a mistake and certainly detracts from the value of the paper. Also, the changes in TV Week are just totally unacceptable. To have to go to a totally different page to find the numbers of the channels is untenable. And, of course, the Rocky stopped publishing the TV schedule in each day’s paper.
Also, the Rocky has some really dumb comics that are not funny and really pretty stupid. All the political cartoons in the comic pages should be got rid of. Put them in the editorial pages. Start with Doonesbury, which has been in there for years and definitely should not be.
Columnist loses his way
I always read the articles that address such issues; and even if I don’t agree with them, I believe this format serves the public good.
Unfortunately, especially as of late, Johnson has taken to opining instead of informing, and his obvious prejudices only serve to divide, not unite, the community he serves.
I believe he means well, but he has lost his way. He needs to come back to the people and organizations who really need him. Useless people on their grandstands who give nothing already have a voice (“Freedom of speech took a hit along with Churchill,” July 27).
They use Johnson to give them a wider platform for grinding their personal axes. It is a waste of his gift.
Broncos overload
I realize that the Broncos camp just started, but it’s still baseball season!
Is it to sell papers? Are people really that interested in how some third-string rookie is performing when, at the same time, the Rockies could make the playoffs?
It boggles my mind why the Broncos are so revered in this town. They won two Super Bowls — so what? So have several other teams, and those other teams don’t dominate the news in their cities like the Broncos do here.
Please spare me the Broncos headlines until at least the season starts, and let’s get some real news on the cover. These Broncos training camp stories belong buried on Page 4 of the Sports section and beyond.
Hammering Bush
Possibly, but in this politically divisive time, not probable. Is it that the writer, the AP and the Rocky would like us to think that our president just has to be a bad man to disagree with a bill that legislates what is good? Is it part of the effort to continually undermine this administration through innuendo, calculated omission and investigation?
Step away from your politics for a moment and you decide.
Church news is no news
However, I suspect they keep up with own news. Why does the Rocky Mountain News use valuable space reporting on churches and religion? These are private matters. Perhaps better coverage about public affairs would raise the level of discourse about matters that affect all of us, not just a few churchgoers in Colorado Springs.
The Rocky’s recent coverage of Iraq, congressional subpoenas, the scandals in the Justice Department and international news in general is pitiful.
Is it time for the Rocky to reconsider its priorities?
Comic switch a step up
Now the Rocky can work toward eliminating some of the other lame strips such as Pajama Diaries and Over the Hedge. May I suggest Curtis, Stone Soup or 9 Chickweed Lane? There are many quality strips out there to choose from.
If I didn’t scan the paper from cover to cover I would never have seen it
I wonder what the people on the Gulf Coast, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas feel about the conservative court. How many Republicans will switch over to the bleeding heart liberals now? At least liberals have a heart.
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq
1. Millions of Iraqis are going to die whether U.S. troops are there or not. Until Iraqi factions want to stop their slaughter of each other and form a unified country, Iraqi deaths will continue to pile up. Only they have the means to stop it.
2. If Bush is correct, the terrorists are fanatics who are spread around the world with no thought in mind but to kill Americans and anyone who is not an Islamic extremist. Terrorists did not exist in Iraq in any numbers of any significance before we attacked Iraq. Our withdrawing would not affect their motives or their plans for new attacks anywhere else in the world. Fighting such a small contingent of AQ in Iraq does not in any way keep them from more 9/11s here.
3. If the insurgents in Iraq are capable of fighting to a standstill the most powerful military nation in the world because their government will not resolve their problems, but also because they do not want us to occupy their land, they would not accept Al Qaeda’s occupation of their land either. AQ in Iraq represents about 1% of those we are fighting there according to the Pentagon. It seems to me that the Iraqis have proven they are capable of removing AQ from their country as well.
This letter has not been edited.
Social Security
Even a casual viewer of the 2007 report from the trustees of the Social Security system (www.ssa.gov) can see that Social Security is fully funded through 2041, 34 years from now. After that, revenue is projected to fall below estimated expenditures, so that Social Security by itself will “only”
Additionally, this Social Security “crisis” assumes future economic growth far slower than what the US has enjoyed for the past century. If we instead assume growth similar to what we experienced in the 20th century, the Social Security deficit disappears and all beneficiaries will receive full benefits.
The repeated laments that “the sky is falling” come from naysayers like Mr Samuelson and other conservatives, who do not like to see a low-cost, successful government program like Social Security. Wall Street firms smell billions in commissions if Social Security is privatized.
We must cut through the propoganda and do what is right for the tens of millions of elderly, disabled, and younger widowed families who depend on Social Security to keep them out of poverty.
This letter has not been edited.
Energy
This letter has not been edited.
Minneapolis vs. New Orleans
The fact th. .
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 02:00 PM
| Comments (18)
| TrackBack
CSAP testing
He then makes an unbelievable statement about “. .
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 02:00 PM
| Comments (2)
| TrackBack
No Child Left Behind
A further basic problem in the program is that there has been no effort to identify what we are attempting to rectify. “Our schools are failing” does not define the problem.. We should start with the fact that only some schools seem to be having difficulty helping some kids to learn all we would like. Then we should ask how those schools differ from those that are succeeding. We would discover factors like those described by Alana Smart in her article “Doorbells to schools bells” on the editorial page, i.e., “..a stable, healthy home must be in place in order to succeed at school
Our politicians love to jump into situations with grand schemes as solutions. Often those schemes are hatched before the problem is identified. It almost seems as if someone decided that it would be good to create a system where the schools could not succeed so that some other system could then be instituted. After all, if some of our obviously outstanding districts are having trouble meeting the goals, there must be something wrong with the solution and not the schools!
Thank you for calling for an overhaul of the program. It is long overdue
This letter has not been edited.
Nancy Pelosi
Last Sunday night on the Fox
Can “political honesty” challenge political correctness?
God Bless America!
Public education
There is a kind of “white flight” taking place in the City of Denver that’s impacting CSAPs. But it’s not the sort Miller seems to believe is going on. The well-to-do are not fleeing Denver for suburban and exurban areas like Douglas county. One need only look at real estate listings in what were once “poor” areas of town such as Five Points, Highlands and West Highlands, Northwest Denver, City Park, etc. to discover that you can’t even look at a small, Denver Square bungalow in decent shape for under about $400,000. Poor people are not buying these houses. Given, there are still a lot of rentals available in these same areas, and indeed poorer families live there and send their kids to Denver’s public schools. But those who can afford to buy a $400,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000 home can also afford to opt out of Denver’s miserable public schools and send their kids to the one of the many exceptional private schools, either the older ones like Kent and Dawson, or the host of n ewer ones that’ve sprung up in recent years to take advantage of this reverse “white-flight” going on in most of America’s core cities, including Denver.
The white flight is not one of the well-heeled high-tailing it for the ‘burbs as they did in the busing days. The “white” flight is not from Denver’s wonderfully diverse and beautiful old neighborhoods, just from Denver’s lousy schools, and you don’t have to be white, these days, to take wing.
This letter has not been edited.
Energy
Colorado is a leader in renewable energy and is poised to benefit greatly from a national renewable energy standard. Colorado also has many more energy issues to work out in the next couple of months.
Under the energy bill that passed the house this week drilling on the Roan Plateau would also be barred. Westminster based Tri-State Generation and Transmission is continuing plans to build at least two new coal burning power plants (one in Western Kansas and at least one in Eastern Colorado), what are they thinking with the current political shift? Although they are exempt from the current RES, one could see the federal government following Colorado’s lead again and incorporating the Rural Electric Cooperatives in the near future. In a state where our economy is directly linked to older fossil fuel technology and the “New Energy Economy” more coverage of federal energy legislation would be appreciated.
This letter has not been edited.
Evans over Santa Fe downright scary now
Anyone who has ever sat through a light on that particular bridge has felt the bridge move and shake as a large vehicle passes by in the next lane. It is very disconcerting.
However, now that we’ve seen an actual bridge collapse due to structural deficiencies, the drive across that bridge has become downright scary. From the reports on TV, this is not the only bridge in the metro area that raises concerns.
It seems that our priorities in this country are skewed. We spend billions on going to war, and then billions more on rebuilding the infrastructure of what we have just destroyed, and neglect the needs of the infrastructure of our own country.
How many times must history repeat itself before we learn the lesson? My Mom used to say “charity begins at home.” Maybe there was some wisdom behind those words.
No blow-up, please
It shows the hands of a Transportation Security Administration airport screener who has just confiscated a bottle of liquid from a passenger, because it could be an explosive. And what is he doing with this possibly explosive substance? He’s dumping it in the trash.
Did it occur to the Rocky photographer that if the screener’s suspicion was correct, both of them would very likely be dead? Or did they both take for granted that they’re taking part in a meaningless bit of political theater?
Of cars and Congress
The first Detroit Auto Show was in 1900, 107 years ago. Most of the cars at that show were electric. Now you know why Congress is at a 23 percent approval rate, and trending lower.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Rocky’s stance on wiretap bill surprises
If jobs for illegal aliens were no longer available, because of strict penalties and enforcement of laws requiring employers to verify the legal status of workers, and we no longer provided free education, free medical care, welfare benefits, etc., to illegals, we would solve the illegal immigration problem in short order. We wouldn’t need border fences. If we take away the incentives to be in the U
This letter has not been edited.
Energy
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
For-profit insurers ration by disease
No question that financing health care is expensive. But forcing people to forgo care or pushing them to bankruptcy because their private insurance is not meeting their needs is no solution. And, while no insurance will be perfect, at the very least, giving people currently unable to get private insurance, along with everyone else, a public insurance opinion, should be a no-brainer for the states and for the federal government. If every other advanced nation can cover their citizenry, we should be able to as well.
This letter has not been edited.
God, guns, gays & Dems
Just a couple years ago, Democrats in the General Assembly lambasted Republicans for an agenda of “God, guns and gays.” Since gaining control of the majority in the General Assembly, those same Democrats have not only expanded gay rights, but also have sought, many times successfully, to restrict firearms rights. With two out of three taken care of, I guess all that’s left on the Democrat “God, guns and gays” agenda is the restriction or abolition of any reference to religion in the public sector.
This letter has not been edited.
Beetle & forest reporting
Colorado’s 19th century gold rush began in about 1859. The silver rush followed in about 1864. Those years are so nearly 150 years ago that it doesn’t matter.
If a bark beetle infestation and forest kill-off occurred in the Front Range c. 1860, little is made of it in the history of Colorado’s early mining, and it is surprising
Were all (or most all) the trees involved in mining the reddish beetle kill trees we see today?
Perhaps the then-primordial forest was largely spruce and fir, with little or no lodgepole pine, and therefore was not susceptible to beetle kill. If so, it would have been nice to learn that in the article
Further, it is widely held that in our Front Range forest most of the trees are the same age, the result of the mountains being virtually denuded during the 19th century mining boom. Does that account for the prevalence today of lodgepole? If so, how and why?
Come to think of it, a paragraph might have been spent on discussion of the science behind the assertion that there IS a 150-year cycle, and on further exposition of what the phrase means exactly. Since the beetle kill seems to be dependent on an extended warm, dry spell, is the 150-year cycle a weather cycle, and only incidentally a beetle cycle?
And finally, discussion of the implications of a blight (canker, is it?) affecting aspen seems to me important. Commonly, when a forest dies, whether from fire or disease, the aspen rebound first, holding and mulching the soil and providing shelter for the later growth of coniferous trees, which ultimately supersede the aspen. I believe there is scientific concern that the aspen may be fatally diseased throughout their current range. That may well affect the prospects for renewal following the beetle kill.
I realize that generally reporters are required to report what somebody says, rather than to investigate and challenge with deeper questions what they are spoon fed
This letter has not been edited.
Neglected horses?
Then, I saw the picture and caption in the Post. There were three apparently healthy mares with foals with the AP short story about the same “starving” horses.
So, the question is: Which pictures are real? When were they taken? Why would the AP send out a story with two sets of pictures? Why didn’t they verify? Who made the decision to publish the chosen pictures? Is there a hidden motive? I’m sure others are wondering the same thing.
Bottom line, what is the truth?
Alberto Gonzales
The troops call it ‘Groundhog Day’ in reference to the movie with Bill Murray where he wakes up only to relive the same day over and over. The people of this country need to take notice and insist on change. I think that public opinion, especially for Gonzales, favors impeachment. The Ashcroft hospital visit alone speaks volumes as to Gonzales’ character and moral compass. Then he lies repeatedy to congressional committees. We the people deserve true justice.
This letter has not been edited.
Roads & bridges
Where is the money. SHOW ME THE MONEY.
This letter has not been edited.
Clinton & health care
The lessons from Canada, Cuba, England and France have yet to be learned by the dolts in Congress who are pushing this. If we destroy our health care system as you and my idiot Congressperson Degette suggest, where will folks in the aforementioned countries go for health care? I recently heard of a pregnant woman in Canada who couldn’t see an obgyn until her seventh month. People are dying for lack of care in these countries, regardless of what that lying lardbutt Michael Moore says. Oh, but it’s all free! I’m on board (not!).
Illegal aliens must return to their home countries for medical care, and according to some, it’s a no brainer since the care is so much better when the taxpayers are covering it. So what if the extortionistic level of taxation leads to double digit unemployment? Who cares about waiting months for the most basic services? The Utopia of collectivized medicine is well worth the trip home.
Government health care: the cost effectiveness of the Pentagon, the compassion of the Internal Revenue Service and the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service. Think for two minutes about what we’re looking at doing here. There’s no hope for the likes of Degette but many of us know what they’re trying to do (again) and we will stop it.
This letter has not been edited.
Muslim violence
This letter has not been edited.
Reauthorize, expand kids’ health coverage
The column, which focused on the contentious debate among our lawmakers in Washington over passage of a law that could provide health insurance to more than 6 million more low-income children, also makes another strong point when Johnson writes, “If there ever was a noble, morally sound, let’s-get-this- done-NOW, no-brainer piece of legislation, this one was it.”
Children are among our most vulnerable citizens and we have an obligation as a society to take care of them. Providing health-care coverage to children is not an economic or a political issue — it’s a moral issue. If we question and debate coverage for children, the issue of universal access becomes even more remote.
It’s time to put aside politics and reauthorize SCHIP to continue coverage of those currently enrolled in the program and to extend coverage to children who are eligible but not yet enrolled. To do any less would be a national disgrace.
Senior vice president — Mission, Catholic Health Initiatives
Denver
Horesemen should be lauded, not jeered
The paper calls the riders a “secretive fraternity ... conducting swanky rides.” And one Montana-based “advocate” accuses them of “breaking the rules,” as if they were a bunch of good ol’ boys out to destroy our wilderness areas.
The truth, which was buried in the article, is that “little harm was done to the environment,” they were “very aware and sensitive to wilderness ethics” and when their ride was over it was “hard to tell they had even been through” the wilderness area.
It sounds to me like this group should be applauded, not vilified.
I think the real reason why the Forest Service allowed the Roundup Riders of the Rockies into the wilderness area, yet allegedly would disallow access to a large Boy Scout troop as wilderness advocates argue in the article, is that the Scouts would most likely be unable to scrape together the $15,000.
It seems the Rocky would rather ignore this issue and instead take undeserved pot shots at a private group lawfully enjoying our public lands.
There’s a benign reason for the firing
The Churchill camp’s claim that he is suffering retribution for expressing unpopular political views is dubious for two reasons.
First, in a university environment, hateful, leftist venom such as Churchill’s is not particularly unpopular.
Second, and more importantly, there is a benign explanation that fits the facts.
Churchill was investigated not for expressing his views but because his attempt to support those views suggested an inclination to ignore inconvenient facts and to make up self-serving “facts.”
The University of Colorado administration therefore asked itself the completely fair and reasonable question: Is the rest of his research, and his teaching, for that matter, equally shoddy? The subsequent investigation revealed that it was.
Churchill’s contempt for reason and integrity continues to this day.
Petro-hypocrisy
No freedom fighter he
After all, he’s a lawyer, right?
Wrong. Once again, in his desire to be “one of the boys,” Salazar has turned his back on the Constitution with his support for amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to allow warrantless surveillance that could easily be used by Bush against U.S. citizens.
It’s time that the Colorado Democratic Party begin looking for Salazar’s replacement.
One long game
It’s been more than four years, and things are worse. Listen to the majority. Bring our troops home.
Among Muslims, Tancredo an old joke
As the Aug. 5 Rocky Mountain News headline suggests — “Tancredo’s bombing a dud with fellow Republicans” — this threat is a dud too among Muslims, too, even in his own state.
Reaction has been critical to be sure, but many of us know that Tancredo is more Republican sideshow than a serious political figure — a male version of Anne Coulter.
Not surprisingly, among Colorado Muslims, Tancredo has become the bad joke that is told once too often. I for one am glad that Tancredo’s deterrent program is prefaced with, “If I am president ... ,” a precondition that I have a better chance of meeting than he does.
Director, Colorado Muslim Council
Denver
Salazar’s craven act
I consider the senator to be my friend, having known him since his campaign in 2004 when we met several times on the campaign trail in eastern Colorado. I have had conversations with him many times since then at various meetings and at his town hall meetings. The idea that he would vote to allow Bush’s past illegal wiretaps of U.S. citizens’ phone calls to become legal and absolve the president of responsibility for all those felonies is quite stunning to say the least.
Now Bush can say with certainty, “I am above the law that applies to everyone else thanks to those spineless cowards in the Congress.”
Political positions matter more
He attempts to shame the voting public by stating her gender may be a factor in the upcoming 2008 presidential election.
While Clinton is a brilliant tactician when it comes to publicly taking a position on issues that would damage her chances of winning a nationwide election, on the Senate floor she nonetheless votes a straight liberal ticket.
While trying to reconcile her views with others, my feeble, unsophisticated mind came up with something startling: Her political positions matter far more to me than her gender. I must be the only one.
A DIFFERING VIEW: A yellow light on red-light cameras
The Rocky Mountain News’ praise for red-light cameras (“Red light crackdown,” Aug. 6) fails to take into account the probability of abuse by government.
Conventional farming is merely a substitute; it is easier, faster, and cheaper. The farmers who wish to farm ethically preside over the land, making their living by being good stewards for land, water, and the creatures.
No difference in organic food? Are chemical fertilizers and pesticides natural? No chemical residue in our food from conventional farming? Where does it go? Does it all just evaporate? How do chemical substances in our medicines, personal products, and all other manufactured goods stay in place, ready to harm us, while cleverly disappearing from fruits and vegetables after being harvested? Why does conventional farming produce so many sick animals? Could it be because they are overcrowded and fed unnatural food? I can tell you about pain and suffering. I’ve seen turkey farms that cram thousands of birds inside steel buildings, dairy cows chained in barns who are never allowed outside. And don’t even get me started about the dairy industry. If you care about animal compassion, try shopping at Whole Foods Market, or become a vegetarian.
This letter has not been edited.
Politics
The line has been drawn in the sand; you are on one side or the other side. If you are in the middle then watch out; the political war machines are out there trying to figure out how to manipulate your mind to vote for them. They desire power and will do almost anything to get it. Helping the people of this country is the farthest thing from their mind; the vote is top priority. You don’t believe me, then why did they start the push for the 2008 elections the day after the 2006 elections?
Personally, I am sick of hearing it and have shut out all of their trite little comments and childish babble. Someone please tell me that I am wrong and this is all a bad dream! Bush bad, Clinton good; Clinton bad, Bush good; I don’t want to hear it.
This letter has not been edited.
Gonzales, Bush & Cheney
This letter has not been edited.
Bridge collapse
This letter has not been edited.
Sins at a discount
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq & terrorism
Mr. Valdez points out the suffering going on in Iraq, and the cost in lost lives. It would seem he thinks it would’ve been better to have ignored the growing threats and left Hussein in power. Then everything would be peachy-keen.
All the Iraqi citizens would be living their lives with no war and no suffering. Hmm, I believe that’s exactly what Europe did while Hitler invaded country after country before waking up. You know what Ernest?
I believe you should thank your stars we entered WWII while we did, otherwise you and I would be speaking German or Japanese.
You should also thank your stars President Bush decided to do something about this global terrorism problem instead of ignoring it for 8 years like Clinton did. Instead of worrying about what your children and grandchildren will have to do without, please pull your head out of the sand. This terrorism problem didn’t begin with 9/11. It has existed and grown for DECADES!
This letter has not been edited.
Charter schools
Educators know parental involvement is key
Charters are inherently racist because they reject undesireables. We are reverting to separate but unequal as before l954. Remember that decision led Southerners to establish elite white schools. Charters descriminate against the handicapped
This letter has not been edited.
English in schools
Each class at all levels have a large number of students that does not speak, read or understand English How is any teacher suppose to teach in this environment? Take the Aurora public system as an example. According the superintendent of public schools the schools have 49.55 percent of Latino students.
A large amount of these students do not speak English. According to the Rocky Mountain News in an article just before the past school year ended, 62 percent of the students in Aurora Central High school could not speak English.
The teacher did not speak Spanish. The students were reading from children books. How are the other 38 percent suppose the learn any thing if the teacher while the teacher is trying to get thru to those who does not speak English? Colorado must pass laws the state that all students must be proficient in English before the can be placed in a main stream class. If this means the they must be placed in English immersion classes until they are fluent in English so be it. Those student that can speak English must not be held back! If a student cannot perform at a grade level he or she must be held back until they can do so. Parents with student that are not being taught the basics because of those who do not know or want to know how to communicate in English should contact their representatives and demand these changes. Your children future is at stake.
This letter has not been edited.
Government & big business
Using diplomatic and financial pressure, the United States pushed for this strict over-reaching law. America’s “freedom for corporations” policy has contributed to the curtailment of these people’s rights. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is an example of Corporations putting profits ahead of justice and morality. We understand and accept this because their allegiance is to their shareholders. Corporations needn’t be moral.
To restore America’s international good standing, we must sever the ties between big business and government. We must take control of our own government or witness further El Salvadorian episodes, more degradation of America’s reputation, additional optional wars, and continued violations of human rights.
This can be done by passing Clean Money/Voter Owned election laws. Colorado can choose to do its part or not. Fish or cut bait. It’s your choice.
This letter has not been edited.
Public education
The problem with most thinking by education policy makers is that they see low performance by children from low-income households and conclude that spending more money on them is a sensible solution. But, like it or not, many low-income households contain single parents, poorly educated parents, or parents who work night jobs. In other words, low-income parents are less likely, whether due to ability or interest, to be able to help their kids learn or appreciate learning. Spending more money on schools does not fix poor parenting.
Education Commissioner Jones said they have “invested a lot of money” and Governor Ritter said even the few test score gains were “statistically insignificant". It would seem obvious that the answer is a real change in the way schools work, including vouchers to allow competition, merit pay for teachers and the ability to fire bad teachers.
But what are we really likely to get? More Nanny State calls by Democrats for tax hikes to fund their masters at the Colorado Education Association. As they say, when you find yourself in a deep hole, stop digging. My guess: Jones and Ritter have their shovels at the ready...prepared to dig deep into our wallets.
This letter has not been edited.
Bridge failure tied to abuse of highway users’ fund
After three decades of this approach, now witness the result: Our infrastructure is crumbling, and we are stuck in ever increasing amounts of congestion, while the number of VEBs (virtually empty buses) has skyrocketed. When are we going to wake up? When are we going to stop spending 20 percent of transportation funds on modes that carry fewer than 2 percent of Americans? The absence of funding resources to fix tens of thousands of decaying bridges nationwide is a direct result of sapping the Highway Users’ Trust Fund for transit. Until we change our approach to transportation funding, I am afraid this is only the tip of a very big iceberg.
Which message do we heed?
The front-page headline decried — or at least reported — “‘Overarching greed’” by former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio. The story in the Wall Street West section relayed U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham’s statement that Nacchio’s “entire presence in Colorado was occasioned primarily by greed.”
And yet, those who proceeded to the Spotlight section could read of how, “The Mile High City has plenty of outrageously priced indulgences to keep the affluent from running to the coasts.” In this free country, we each must choose which message to embrace — and to impart.
Unserious about energy
Until America gets serious about energy independence, I suspect that we will continue to be a nation of bottled water-guzzling and latte-sipping whiners and complainers.
A DIFFERING VIEW: It’s not Clinton’s sex that make her suspect
For 40 votes in the 108th Congress, Clinton’s score was 28 out of 100. The average for the whole Senate was 44, and 39 for the House. For 40 votes in the 109th Congress, Clinton’s score was 23 out of 100. The average score for the whole Senate was 36, and 38 for the House. For 10 votes so far in the 110th Congress, her score was 10; the average for the Senate was 38, and 40 percent in the House.
Each plan creates new state bureaucracies, anticipates increased federal health care subsidies to Colorado, and call for new and/or increased taxes.
Moreover, these plans assume that government’s role is to ensure that each individual has a doctor (a medical home) and that the patient is forced to seek medical care from that doctor as controlled by the plan.
Many today, even with insurance, choose not to go to doctors until they are so ill they end up in hospitals. The answer is force?
These plans assume that people cannot be informed about healthy lifestyles and alternatives. They assume that people must be forced to limit consumption of junk food, coffee, alcohol, or cigarettes
Civilization began when people used reason rather than force in human transactions. The mark of a developed civilization is the extent to which people are free and are not compelled
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
We have caused a huge upheaval in Iraq since invading. Their economy is in tatters, jobs are almost nonexistent, Iraqi oil extraction and distribution continues to be far below what it previously was, electric power and water are in short supply and the medical capabilities are far below par. And maybe worst of all is that the Iraqi public and our troops are in continual fear of being either blown up or put into captivity.
This does not sound like a war that has been very successful on any count, yet Bush continues to beat the same old drums that we heard many times during the Vietnam war
The latest PR campaign by the Bush White House is back to the old theme of “al-Qaeda in Iraq
It is time to begin moving our troops out of all combat areas in Iraq and turn the fighting and patrolling over to Iraqis, period. We are going to gain nothing by continuing this fight, we had little to gain in 2003 and there is even less now. This war was the biggest mistake this country has made internationally since Vietnam and gets worse daily. The losses being sustained by both Iraqis and Americans is no longer acceptable from any standpoint.
The worn out theme that we are fighting terrorism by being in Iraq no longer washes. The terrorist threats are in many places and we certainly should continue to go after them, but by fighting in Iraq we are neither scaring al-Qaeda or winning over terrorism, we are simply wasting resources that would be more useful in other places—places where al-Qaeda is actually building up and doing harm that could effect America. Two words that are antithetic to the Bush people are diplomacy and political settlements. Yet these are the way that things such as Iraq should get settled, let’s use them!
This letter has not been edited.
Diversity at CU
Just how do the University’s nine regents define the word “diversity
Is our national population
Was Martin Luther King, Jr. not right in wanting all Americans to judge one another not on our “skin color but on our character
Our Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal.” That means that though we all differ in natural gifts or talents we are to have a level playing field on which to compete with others.
Was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 not clearly designed to secure equality of opportunity for all, not equal results for all?
Our national Constitution guarantees rights for individuals, not for groups?
Should all CU faculty members
Is the overwhelming obligation of any University to be “politically correct, or is it to educate ( pass true knowledge onto the next generation), and to discover (test
This letter has not been edited.
Get the picture right
( FYI: Trumpet: Left hand in the wrong place. Flute: Right hand wrapped around the instrument from the wrong side. Clarinet: reasonably close except for clarinetists (left hand). Saxophone: Ouch: Left hand should be above the right hand (the guy must have had a hard time to keep the sax from dropping od the ground). Also: a player would normally use a neck strap attached to the ring at mid-length.
Yes, we do notice. What a glaring fake.
This letter has not been edited.
Taxes and health care
And if this comes to referendum it will be couched in a manner that will imply that a certain minority will fund the majority, to assure passage. Don’t forget: “robbing Peter to pay Paul will never get an objection from Paul".
The plans outlined in the article seemed to me to be unstable and unsustainable if you consider expected, declines in consumption of taxed (sinful) products and loss of employment creating other tax issues. But once such a program takes effect there will be no turning back and when the tax base changes, some of those who thought that they were getting something for nothing may be in for a surprise!
If we have to implement this why not do it in a more equitable, sensible and sustainable manner? Every one uses water in some form. While water usage will continue to increase so should efforts to conserve it. To this end I propose that a tax leveled on residential, commercial and, perhaps on new taps, would accomplish some real positive gains in conservation and efficient usage while spreading the funding burden in a stable and sustainable direction.
This letter has not been edited.
Education
This letter has not been edited.
Education
This letter has not been edited.
Ward Churchill
If lesser penalties were handed down for similar infractions, there may be reason to believe that that Churchill was singled out for his extreme political views.
As a former economics honorarium instructor at the University of Colorado, I don’t profess to know-and we may never know for sure-if the firing was politically motivated, unlike News columnists Mike Littwin and Bill Johnson, who’ve wept crocodile tears for Churchill.
I agree with Littwin that Churchill’s social activism played a decisive role in his termination. But it’s a fact of life that professors who grab the political spotlight to advance radical agendas can expect to be scrutinized down to their last footnote. (Public figures of all political persuasions are dissected just as rigorously.) Academic fraud is nothing short of intellectual theft, and when academic ethics are breached and subsequently exposed, the University-any university-simply cannot tolerate such misconduct, either from the student body or the professoriate.
Johnson laments the chilling effect that Churchill’s departure will have on freedom of speech. Having served on faculty selection committees, I can attest that applicants for teaching jobs are extremely circumspect when it comes to admitting even a hint of conservative sentiment.
If your views are to the right of the academic mainstream, freedom of speech is also a luxury that relatively few can afford, especially for someone with Churchill’s flamboyant personality.
This letter has not been edited.
Ward Churchill
How naive a person is if they believe that our government has not, does not, or will not lie to us. Is the only history, that is truth, the history that is “documented” by acceptable sources? There are many lies spoken in Native American history. There were many lies spoken by our government. Treaties were made, treaties were broken, lies were told. Show a white flag, fly the American flag and we will not attack or kill your people. That was spoken to the people at Sand Creek. They were murdered anyway. Isn’t this a lie? Couldn’t it be that blankets infected with small pox were given to the people? The stories are there, told from one generation to another. Oh, the stories were not documented by an acceptable source. .
Ask the elders. The lies are truth. And. .
This letter has not been edited.
Posted by denver-admin at 10:33 AM
| Comments (11)
| TrackBack
Kudos to Goodman
Health care
The reality is that the government does not have the ability to provide health care to anyone. All the government has the ability to do is take money away from one person and give it to another. That is a necessary evil for common needs such as national or local defense.
As medical science advances, we live longer and, inevitably, require more care. That is a good thing.
This letter has not been edited.
Why is backhoe news?
Study discriminates
Ads mar cover
Not the full story
I prefer my news in print
Uneven Clinton treatment
What about Dem benchmarks
In case nobody has been paying attention, these moaners and groaners have been doing a pretty lousy job themselves of meeting the benchmarks they laid out for themselves when they took over the Congress a little over six months ago.
As a matter of fact, the earmark debacle that Democrats railed about and vowed to stop not only continues to flourish, but now they are trying to hide earmarks.
The corruption that they were going to abolish immediately apparently didn’t include corruption in their own ranks, and the list goes on.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid’s highly touted first hundred days “benchmarks” evaporated with a whimper.
As a matter of fact, this Democratic-controlled Congress has a worse benchmark-completion percentage than Iraq does, and they aren’t being threatened, bombed and shot at. Had the Democrats had a benchmark for silly, money-wasting showboat hearings, they would be kings of the hill. No wonder they have the lowest poll ratings in history.
Missing out on some of the magic
The story (“Night of magic,” July 21) instead featured a rather too detailed account of a Boulder family’s evening and photos only from the Boulder Bookstore and the Highlands Ranch Tattered Cover.
It is too bad the media in this city still fears Colfax after dark; they missed out on quite a party, a collaborative effort between Tattered Cover and Twist & Shout, where a great time was honestly had by all.
The Rocky also missed out on some very promising interviews: half of the East High School Class of 2007 seemed to be gathered on Colfax that night.
Being a member of that class, I can say that my peers and I grew up with Harry Potter. We were the first era of children to discover and enjoy the books. Most of us picked up our first copy of Harry’s adventures when we were 9 or 10 years old, and we have been hooked ever since. Some of us read them in school, others on our own — racing through them as quickly as possible to be the first to find out how the story would end.
It would be nice if the Rocky would consider representing more perspectives, particularly those coming from the heart of Denver rather than the suburban regions.
Churchill is no star
Stories often involve someone re-enlisting in a drug rehab center multiple times or maybe some bizarre gambling scheme resulting in abused dogs.
Now we have Ward Churchill, academia star, catching our attention from the front page of the July 25 Rocky Mountain News.
Churchill has entertained us with his fraudulent lies and insidious behavior, resulting in the media attention that he, like so many other of these so-called stars, seems to revel in.
The problem here is that Churchill’s chosen profession is that of educator, not entertainer. He was entrusted by the University of Colorado and paid by the taxpayers of Colorado to teach with the integrity and respect expected from an educator.
Churchill has failed at his responsibilities to uphold the standards of excellence at CU, only for his own selfish desire of some brief media attention.
He is no star to me, and I am not at all interested in seeing any more front-page stories dedicated to such a person of deceit and repulsive arrogance.
Education secretary more of a politician
Can she explain how she led a school district in improving education, recent developments in dropout prevention, or current trends in teaching reading? No.
Why is that? Well, principally, she lacks the proper education and experience. Her biography on the Department of Education’s Web site showing that she has only a bachelor’s degree in political science tells us she would not meet the basic qualifications to teach in Colorado.
She can say the No Child Left Behind Act is “good and strong and hawkish,” but what does that mean? She can recite statistics, but what does she suggest from her lofty position that will improve schools and education?
If you want to teach children to succeed in an increasingly technical world, talk to the best, successful teachers and educators. If the question is politics, consult a political science major.
Computer woes reflect on Owens
This article shows that Ritter is systematically dealing with chronic issues that have plagued the state for years, and that is encouraging. But, it also speaks volumes to the poor management and lack of accountability of the Owens administration.
If it had been just one failed system, that would merely tarnish his legacy; instead, it reveals the Holy Grail was made of tin.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Owens administration was a dog that couldn’t hunt. As a lifelong Republican, I am disgusted with the tendency of officials to get elected and then act like a confederacy of dunces.I am convinced the Republican Party is not long for this world. It will go the way of the Whigs and the Know-Nothings. I am declaring myself an independent.
A plan for Mexico
Obligate Mexico to place vouchers, or some other form of currency, totaling a trillion dollars or more, into the World Bank.
This money would pay any country, particularly the United States, for services it provided to illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Such services would include, but would not be limited to, school tuition, medical and health care, and other taxes paid by U.S. citizens.
Mexico can show its humanitarianism and love for its poor by agreeing to do the above, and then the illegal immigration problems would be resolved.
America’s good name
Corruption is inevitable but not incurable. Liberty and democracy are not inevitable but rather require deliberate action.
Government can be clean and healthy only if the people have — and exercise — the power to purge self-serving, warmongering, secret-keeping deceivers.
Those who take roles of public service to serve private ends have no place in office and must be removed. Impeach!
Price break for bulk mailers is unfair
At least 75 percent of my daily mail is “junk mail” (advertising) or letters from charities wanting money. I can’t help notice that much of this excess mail has a postage cost of only 11 cents or slightly more. That’s unfair! And I keep getting more all the time, even from charities I have never heard of before ... some of them every week, and even two from the same charity in the same day.
I feel that all of these advertising people, charities and campaigners should pay the same rate for postage as we the average citizens do. We are obviously paying the major costs for their mailings ... most of which we don’t want, and throw in the trash.
Please! Shouldn’t the Postal Service make them pay the same as us? That would also eliminate the burden all of this excessive mail needed to be sorted and delivered that we don’t want to receive anyway. They would have to pay more, and we could pay less (probably much less) to meet the budget of the nation’s Postal Service.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Vapor recovery mandate would ease ozone pollution
Their unilateral action sounded like a double cross. So, I wondered, how many other of the governor’s constituencies has he double crossed so far in his first term?
Let’s see, first it was the Catholics, with his eager approval of a bill to restore funding to Planned Parenthood for the promotion of abortion. Next it was the business community with his on-the-fence attitude about a bill that would have restored a union-shop bias to Colorado’s labor market. Surprisingly, he could not bring himself to such a blatant betrayal so early in his term; but another opportunity will come next year. Then it was the oil and gas industry with the expansion of the state oil/gas commission and the packing thereof with anti-industry activists.
Now it’s the people of Colorado who, suffering from high prices for all forms of energy, are being told by Ritter/Salazar that the solution to high prices caused by supply shortages is - stop drilling. I’m thinking - how stupid is that? Then I notice the caption under the photo of Ritter and Salazar strapping themselves into a helicopter, which says that Ritter had a “spiritual experience” while looking over the Vermillion Basin. Remember Jerry Brown, Governor of California back in the seventies? Well, we can now lay claim to our own Governor Moonbeam. A true visionary. But don’t try to heat your house next winter with any of his visions.
This letter has not been edited.
Paul Campos & terrorism
This letter has not been edited.
Freedom
Freedom is not a gift. To quote conservative bumper stickers, “Freedom is not Free.” It comes only from the most dear of costs. It is bestowed only reluctantly after much bloodshed. It is by all real definitions, earned. I thank goodness, that the religious delusion of our current president can last for 18 more months.
My only hope is that the next occupant will in fact be a President; one we all can be proud of; clear of mind and reasonable.
This letter has not been edited.
311 system
The state still has this problem.
Personally, I solved that problem by calling agencies at random and asking whoever answered the phone to help me. I still have to do that with state agencies. Understandably, this annoys staffers who rightfully feel that they shouldn’t have to deal with this particular problem. Staffers at the state and city level have been uniformly helpful; that is, whenever they answered the phone in the first place. Agencies dealt with the problem by leaving the answering machines on so that they could get some work done.
Whether the proper solution was 311 or simply having a city operator to call, I leave to the council. But something had to be done by the city and something should be done by the state.
This letter has not been edited.
Capitol shooting
They stated that it was not their place. Too bad they did not speak up. Maybe Mr. Snyder would be alive today had they did speak up.
This letter has not been edited.
Guns
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
This letter has not been edited.
John McCain
Too bad about John McCain because he seems like such a decent person in so many ways, but then I’m talking about that great guy I knew in 2000 before he sold out or is it in to Bush and his Conservative Extremists.
This letter has not been edited.
Health care
It’s long past time we join the rest of western civilization and pool our resources to provide all citizens with free medical care along with the other free services we consider important in this country: schools, fire departments, police protection, highways, roads, homeland security, and libraries.
To those of you who don’t think we as a nation can afford free health care for all, I’ve got a war in Iraq I’d like to sell you.
For those of you worried about putting the health insurance companies out of business, and cutting into the profits of the drug companies, don’t be.
Once the folks in charge can no longer pick our pockets for the outrageous administrative costs (compared to Medicare’s administrative costs) and the inflated drug prices associated with for-profit health care (check out how much the Canadian government pays versus what your insurance company pays for the drugs you use,) they will be free to do the jobs that other Americans aren’t willing to do. And they won’t have to worry about health care, it’ll be free for them-same as the rest of us.
Those of you who think we should extend Medicare to all citizens, not just those over 65-years of age, call or write your congressperson and senators to tell them to vote yes on H.R. 676 if they expect you to vote yes on re-electing them. It’s as simple as that.
Five cents, please.
This letter has not been edited.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Single payer would be a bonanza for Colorado
necessary to provide affordable health care tomorrow.
Some clarifications to column on CW2
Saunders wrote, “Locally, Channel 2 News registered a 4.3 audience share in the 9 p.m. hour — its lowest in years — compared to Fox 31’s record high 9.4 share.” This, combined with the headline, “CW2 fights to stop ratings slide” implies that there has been a steady downward erosion of the 9:00 p.m. ratings and has no context.
On the contrary, the number posted by News2 at Nine in May 2007 was consistent with the number posted in the November 2006 and February 2006 ratings period and within a share point of May 2006 and February 2007. If anything, the audience profile for News2 at Nine is one of consistency.
To write a column about the birthday of Channel 2 but to dwell only on the 9:00 p.m. news product, discounts both News2 This Morning and News2 at Eleven. In fact, News2 This Morning is the number one ranked local morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m. both in household ratings and in key demographics. The popularity of News2 This Morning is a significant part of Channel 2’s overall operational growth. News2 now produces as much if not more news each weekday than any other Denver television station with the exception of KUSA.
We are forced to question the shortsighted nature of Saunders’ column with regard to Channel 2’s overall operation and growth in light of the station’s 55th birthday.
Connecting the CSAP dots
Having been a Douglas County planning commissioner, I listened to a great deal of public testimony. Undergirding all of it was the desire of parents to live in an area where their kids could get a good education and participate in extracurricular activities that are safe and healthful.
And it is those same kids who perform well on tests and go on to college.
As a city, Denver is hemmed in and cannot grow horizontally; it must become more dense and grow vertically. It cannot do this with convention centers, stadiums, airports and museums. Right now, light rail is providing an escape route out of the city.
What must be done is fix the school problem and create a reason for people to move back to the urban core. Otherwise, Denver is going to look like a black hole.
Transforming the current school system is going to require nothing short of the transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly.
Nobody should be denied education
In some states that right has been denied because students do not have legal status in the United States or just because a lot of people are against it.
Colorado is one of the states that has a strong immigrant population. Thousands of students graduate from high school every year and can’t go to college because they don’t have legal status and they can’t afford the out-of-state tuition.
A lot of students, including me, want Colorado to be one of the states that charges in-state tuition for all these students that already have lived here a long time.
All students in this country deserve an education in order to have a future filled with good opportunities.
Let’s resolve to protect ourselves regardless
Whereas tragic incidents such as Virginia Tech and Columbine have demonstrated beyond doubt the inadequacy of such proclamations to actually protect the public,
Be it resolved: That if any federal, state or local governing body does proclaim a “gun-free zone” at any public facility, then that governing body will be required to fund and provide for the establishment of entry checkpoints, complete with metal detectors, and the hiring and training of full-time screeners to assure the public that these “gun-free zones” are in fact gun free.
Be it further resolved: That if any such governing body is unable or unwilling to provide such security and screening, then those who possess lawful and valid concealed-carry permits will be exempted from the restrictions of these alleged “gun-free zones.”
Glad flag flap is over
The cost of defending their threatened lawsuit would have to be borne by all of our residents, whereas the Hammers would be defended pro bono by every far-left, anti-American special interest group around.
We can only hope that at some point the Hammers realize that respect for their neighbors should trump their juvenile protest.
‘Sicko’ an eye-opener
We need to stop giving the insurance companies 30 percent overhead and profit on health care. Drugs need to be reasonably priced. Record profits for pharmaceutical companies are not right when they come from the poor and middle class.
Fie on political parties
I will no longer be a good Democrat or a good Republican; in the future I will be a very good American and vote for the candidate who will run as an independent. They seem to be dedicated to upholding our Constitution and not some special-interest lobby. I’ve had enough of the party illusion game.
Use bike paths
Then, the bicyclists don’t use them because they complain that the paths are too gravely. If cyclists would use the paths, they themselves would be knocking the gravel off. The city would also be more likely to send out path sweepers as they do snow plows to clean off the paths.
Many times I have been caught in traffic backups caused by bicyclists who refuse to use the nearby bike path.
For everyone’s safety, I propose that bicyclists should be required to use bike paths whenever available.
The joy of reading
But what belonged on the front page was seen on NEWS 28, where four Colorado first ladies obviously find joy by reading to children. What a great photo of the fun of reading and the response of children!
But Johnson’s perspective is somewhat skewed on this one.
It may have been the hyperbole and the shock value in Churchill’s writing that gave the regents the impetus to pursue firing him, but it was the fraud that gave them the leverage.
Churchill got stopped for careless driving, but on closer examination they found he was driving a stolen car, so to speak.
Without the plagiarism and fraudulent claims, Churchill could still be beguiling students with his slanted views, his hyperbole and his shock values.
Furthermore, this is not a “hit” on free speech but a victory for free speech. It will go a long way to help assure that speech that’s free is also speech that’s truthful, at least in academia.
It’s been too long in coming.
Questions on Iraq
How many Iraqis will be murdered because of the U.S. withdrawal? In Vietnam that number was close to one million people.
Won’t the withdrawal of U.S. troops provide a huge boost for the continued use of worldwide terrorism?
Are you willing to accept the very real possibility that terrorists will take over Iraq and use its resources to fund terrorist acts against us at home?
It’s not guns, it’s people
For example, drive-by shootings are perpetrated by people lacking character who choose to settle differences with a gun.
On the other hand, thousands of people that have handguns to use for sporting purposes will never use them illegally.
Health-care proposals are still being evaluated
This letter has not been edited.
Sen. Hillary Clinton & Sen. Barrack Obama
As an American African I don’t want to be perceived as the least bit traitorous to any of those that would accuse me of such, but I think Senator Hillary Clinton was correct in her argument with Senator Barrack Obama. OF COURSE there must be some preconditions for American diplomats to engage, such as when, where and above all why we are meeting if nothing else. What kind of diplomatic issues are we to discuss? Obama could not have so spontaneously recognized this as he has no where near the grip of Realpolitic experience that Hillary possesses. It’s argued that people don’t want politics practiced in the same old way. Well yes, maybe not but when it comes to International diplomacy IN PARTICULAR one must observe, absorp and know what protocol (intricacies, subtlties and all) have been established for centuries before one simply disregards them. That’s how we got in so much trouble in Iraq in the first place. Some seriously greedy people disregarded the world and have now made Americans unsafe targets everywhere in it except maybe some poor parts of Eastern Europe and Rupert Murdochs’ Australia.
I’ve believed from the beginning in the optimism and promise of a new and profoundly different America if either one or both of these people were to be elected. I still do.
I’ve also believed from the beginning that Senator Obama was too inexperienced in Foreign Policy issues.
Finally I’ve suggested numerous times that if indeed he was not successful in winning the Democratic Presidential nomination then Hillary should immediately appoint him to an essential and important foreign post (Africa? Asia) where he can have an opportunity to ‘do his years’ in diplomatic and geopolitical observation and digestion and THEN perhaps the American Presidency. And that of course is all dependent on if Hillary can actually win this thing as well.
In another way it almost doesn’t matter for him personally because at this point and from now on until forever this man (Mr. Obama) can have anything reasonable that he wants. There is a very certain and very broad responsibility in that fate as well but I do think he understands this part well. AND he can run a second race in 2012.
P.S. Did anyone besides myself almost honestly break down and quietly cry about the fate of the Wall Street Journal today?
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq, Bush and Cheney
If the crimes of Bush and Cheney go unpunished this corrupt administration will hand off instruments of power greater than any president has ever held—- more authority concentrated in fewer hands than the Founding Fathers of our great Nation could have conceived or would have allowed.
Should Bush/Cheney leave the presidency without limit, accountability or punishment (impeachment) they will have forever changed our country for the worse.
This letter has not been edited.
America’s problems
This month, a bridge fell apart in Minneapolis. Katrina was a perfect measure of how much the United States helps its own people. We have two million people in prison and another two million homeless. A third of us have no health care. Our schools are some of the most dangerous places in America. Our suicide and murder rates are approaching the rates of countries that are fighting civil wars or experiencing genocides. Our president tells the world to bring it on while he spends all of our resources to protect us from terrorism. But any attempt to solve real problems for real people results in legislative gridlock. None of this is an exaggeration. What have we allowed our nation to become?
This letter has not been edited.
Low reading scores
Why would anyone be perplexed with low reading scores? Reality check, anyone?
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq War
Kazerooni dismisses these facts, however, and attempts to place the blame on the Bush administration. As a Muslim, he might have condemned the Islamic terrorists for the deaths of nearly 3000 Americans on September 11. 2001, but he does not. Neither does he condemn al-Qaeda for its brutal reign of terror in Iraq. In short, there is reason for optimism in Iraq, but it will not be achieved by the abandonment of our mission. Our forces are winning in Iraq and will not be easily deterred in that endeavor. That is indeed reason for optimism!
HR 3221 & protection of wildlife
This past session, the Colorado General Assembly worked with industry, sportsmen and conservation groups to improve the protection of habitat as well as provide a better balance between landowners, industry and other interests during gas and oil development on private land. It is now time for the U.S. Congress to bring back some of those principles of balance to Federal lands that were lost in the 2005 Energy Bill.
HR 3221 would do that and temper some of the most extreme provisions of the 2005 Energy Bill. Leasing is already well ahead of even the much increased drilling rate in Colorado. HB 3221 would neither raise prices nor limit leasing. It would allow a better opportunity to assure that we are doing this right. After all, what are we going to leave to our children and grandchildren for mountains, streams, wildlife, remaining energy?
This letter has not been edited.
Jason Salzman
Jason Salzman’s article on Tom Tancredo’s appearance before the NAACP on immigration was a poorly disguised act of patronage of black politicians.
The audience applauded Tom’s remarks and according to Salzman, it had to be because of reasons other than approval of Tom’s message. Salzman’s spin included quotes from the Detroit News, not exactly an objective source.
Wasn’t it convenient that the Post’s wire editor ran out of space before he could confirm that the applause was for Tom’s message rather than the fact that he was the only Republican candidate present?
Could it be that those “political slaves” have minds of their own and are quite able to think for themselves? Now!
Ward Churchill
He could use this opportunity to start a new self-help group - Plagiarists Anonymous. He's not only a member, but he has my vote for president.
Christian Science
It will be helpful for your readers to know that Christian Science, a system of prayer-based healing, as discovered by Mary Baker Eddy, over a hundred years ago is derived from the Bible. Much research and thought go into publishing the weekly Bible lesson sermons which are the basis of the Sunday services and daily study around the world. Each lesson focuses upon profound Bible teachings. Beyond that regular Bible perusal is the norm for most adherents.
While Christian Science may best known for physical healings of all types, based on an increased understanding of man as inseparable from an all-good God, students of this religion also learn that now, as in Biblical times, their prayers enhance their total experience. Perhaps this is the “good part” for which Jesus commended Martha’s sister Mary when, instead of meal preparation, she “sat at his feet and heard his word.” (Luke 10:40-42).
This letter has not been edited.
Think about all the other animals
Yet no one ever reports on the brutal slaughter every hour of every day of every year of a million cows, pigs and other innocent, sentient animals who are just as deserving of our respect and compassion as Vick’s dogs.
There is no life before death for these animals. In today’s factory farms, cows’ babies are torn from their mothers at birth and chained by the neck for 16 weeks in tiny wood crates to produce veal. Breeding sows are impregnated artificially and confined in similarly tight metal cages.
Following this unconscionable abuse, the animals are trucked to the slaughterhouse without food or water and exposed to extreme cold or heat. Many never make it.
Every dollar we spend for meat or dairy products at the checkout counter is our direct subsidy for animal cruelty. Let’s remember our own responsibility whenever we get upset over the latest report on Vick’s cruel treatment of his dogs.
Giuliani’s plan hurts health care
His plan is supposed to be a solution to the nation’s health care woes. However, Giuliani is putting the burden to buy health care on the poorest people.
Critical to his plan is a $15,000 tax deduction for families to buy private health insurance instead of getting insurance through employers.
Do you think these people can afford to buy health insurance in the first place?
Giuliani said that as more people buy plans, insurers will drop their prices, making insurance affordable to those who lack it now.
His first wrong assumption is that the insurance industry is going to drop prices — anybody ever see that happen? His second wrong assumption is that private insurance is affordable to anybody besides himself.
The poor will have to wait until the insurance industry drops its prices to afford the insurance. Since employers will no longer be supplying insurance, this plan would add thousands to the uninsured list, deepening the health care crisis, not improving it.
How will we pay for the war?
Our soldiers and their families are bearing the whole burden of suffering, while the American public complains about the expense of gasoline and houses here at home.
The next president needs to propose a plan to pay for this war, rather than simply defer its cost to future generations, as this president does. Perhaps a war tax is in order. Since the usual Republican line is “no new taxes,” will a Republican candidate offer another solution? Will any Democratic candidate come up with a workable plan?
They need to tell us how they propose to pay for all the debt we have built up and the future expenses that will surely be incurred as conflict spreads in the Middle East.
Reaping what was sowed
Am I the only one that was surprised when I read that Gov. Bill Ritter decided to throw out the painstakingly developed plan drafted by Moffat County to responsibly drill for natural gas there (“Governor takes heat for stand on drilling,” July 26)?
According to the article, Ritter had a “spiritual experience” while touring the area with Sen. Ken Salazar, essentially forfeiting close to $400 million in future revenues to the state. What a mature way to govern!
War’s human cost
This big news does not mention the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have left their country and are more than likely suffering somewhere else.
The big news does not mention those who have been killed by our unprovoked war, nor does it mention the wounded Iraqis, who must number in the hundreds of thousands.
What about our own suffering? Close to 4,000 dead, the wounded in the tens of thousands. What we are having to do without so that this unneeded war can continue?
It does not end there. What will our children and grandchildren do without so that our military establishment can make war?
Peruvians out of luck
Missing at Machu Picchu, however, were Peruvians. Unfortunately, the reality for a majority of the Peruvians is that they cannot afford to visit this incredible site, and my sense is as popularity grows so too will the cost for admission.
Machu Picchu in the future may become a site only the most wealthy of the country can visit and that’s a shame.
Churchill is no rock star
Churchill is not a rock star, although he seems to have that mentality, thinking he can do whatever he wants with no consequences.
Churchill was not fired for his political views, he was fired for being a fraud, for his lack of integrity and for his plagiarism.
Going to court will be a good thing. While he stomps all over the Constitution when it suits him, he tries to hide behind it when he gets caught in lies. Maybe being on a witness stand in front of 12 honest people will remind him not everyone is a cheat.
Churchill the actor
He is not a professor. He is an actor now starring in his own production of the Ward Churchill Chronicles.
He simply chose to stage it in the wrong arena. Had he gone to Hollywood and passed himself off as an Indian, no one would have thought twice.
After all, show business biographies usually have a bit of tinkering, so his would have fit right in.
Bottled water exposed
When I was young, I heard a saying that “some people are so slick they could sell bottled water.” And some are so gullible they’ll buy it.
A DIFFERING VIEW: Poorly planned suburbs are a societal blight
This letter has not been edited.
Bill Johnson and Ward Churchill
Writing inflammatory essays calling victims of terrorist murderers Nazis, and saying their deaths represent “symmetry” for the wrongs of America is likely to attract some attention sooner or later, especially so after a national tragedy like 9/11. No one, least of all Churchill himself, should be surprised that Churchill’s background got a close look. My guess is he wrote that inflammatory essay for the express purpose of attracting attention, since all it amounted to really was a little pro-terrorist, anti-American rant. But writing that essay with incidents of misconduct in his past which Churchill needed to keep covered up is a bit like robbing banks with a clown costume on for a disguise, and then thinking nobody will recognize you working a holiday parade in the same clown suit.
So now, Churchill is suing to get his job back, and who knows? In this day of convoluted legal stratigery, he might win that suit. That would be okay with me, so long as his entrance to each lecture is preceded by playing “Send In The Clowns.” You know, just as a reminder that if he wants to attract attention, he better be sure he can stand the scrutiny.
This letter has not been edited.
College for illegals
That is the mentality of most illegal aliens, especially those from Mexico. They believe that their own nation owes them nothing but that a land they entered illegally and whose laws on immigration they routinely break owes them education, medical care, welfare payments, etc.
We owe illegals nothing. Out of charity we should agree to transport them home to the nation where they are citizens.
Our President and Congress could solve this problem by seeing to it that laws against illegal immigration are enforced. If illegals cannot find work, the vast majority will return to their own country.
This letter has not been edited.
Acts of congress
This letter has not been edited.
Stoplight cycles
Until recently, I drove through the red turn arrow at the intersection of South University and Belleview every workday for years, and I can tell you, it is badly designed and/or implemented.
Northbound in the morning, a total of four or five cars were allowed through in a cycle, while a backlog of up to twenty or thirty cars would have to wait.
Sitting in the turn lane, staring at that red arrow, you would watch (and you have a several hundred yard view) as the knot of southbound traffic would clear the intersection, then there would sporadically be HUGE gaps that any number of cars could take advantage of...except for that red arrow.
Is it any wonder that frustrated drivers would squeeze through that brief green arrow?
Installing a ticketing camera without addressing the traffic flow issues will simply admit to everyone, “We’re not concerned with traffic flow, or safety, or pollution from idling engines; just in fleecing drivers for cash.”
If revenue isn’t the goal, FIX the light cycle, and use the camera money for better monitoring of traffic flow everywhere.
This letter has not been edited.
Classified matters
I have an idea. Let us appoint an independent investigator who can look into whether or not some confusing talking points were bandied about, under oath, regarding the NSA spying program and the Terrorist Surveillance Program. Seems like an innocent enough mistake, so let’s clear this matter up. Oh but wait, those fellows do not want someone who hasn’t sipped the cool-aid snooping into these matters. I guess Americans shouldn’t know whether or not the Attorney General of the United States Justice Department is a liar.
This letter has not been edited.
Iraq war
This letter has not been edited.
Global warming
There is no “consensus” among climatologists that our civilization’s use of fossil fuels are destroying the earth. “Consensus” is totally foreign to the scientific method in that a theory is formed explaining the observed facts, then published for ongoing debate. The Green econuts / media / neo scientists would like you to believe the debate is over but that’s not true.
The planet constantly goes through heating and cooling periods, if you doubt that then you doubt the evidence of past global ice ages or warm periods.
Fact, the earth was warmer during the 1930s then it is today. And far less green house gasses from “human” caused energy emissions.
Fact, the earth went through what is called the little ice age during the 1500s through 1700s.
Fact, the earth was warmer around the year 1000 or else the Vikings couldn’t have settled in Greenland. (later having to leave because the area froze due to the little ice age) Fact, presently only the northern hemisphere is heating up while the southern hemisphere is remaining static in temperature with Antarctica actually cooling down!
Areas of the Earth heating up is due to natural factors beyond our control, such as solar and cosmic radiation and variations in our orbit / axial tilt and no matter what we do will affect it to any measurable extent.
Basically the whole green eco nut crowd wants to do is take away our access to cheap abundant energy while establishing themselves as the new ruling order while the rest of us suffer because of it.
This letter has not been edited.
Pope Benedict XVI
War and malnutrition
9 percent: Nearly 1 out of 10 Americans
$177 million: Amount spent on the Iraq war each day.
Get in touch with the common American
What is wrong with the decision to finally clean up some of our colleges? Maybe both Littwin and Johnson are OK with fake and phony people teaching their kids, but some of us want credentials that are honest and have some integrity.
Educators are supposed to be mentors to our youth, not hatemongers. Maybe it’s time to revisit the whole concept of tenure. Is it really in the public’s best interest?
Both Littwin and Johnson should get in touch with the common, ordinary, working American.
The real Churchill
One of his better-known witticisms was reportedly at a dinner one evening when he was prime minister of England.
The woman next to him remarked, “Sir, you are drunk.” To which Churchill replied, “And you, madam, are ugly. But in the morning, I shall be sober.”
To paraphrase Winston, “Yes, Ward, you’ll be paid another year’s salary, and after that you’ll still be Ward Churchill.”
I respect our flag
Letter writer Butch Augustine (“Making it hard to back an amnesty program,” July 5) wrote about some Hispanics who were talking during our national anthem and refused to at least show some respect.
I, too, have witnessed this behavior and am deeply saddened by it. Not all Hispanics disrespect our flag.
If I traveled to other countries, I would at least stand during their national ceremonies.
Protest another way
Maybe I do not agree with the administration that sent us to war in Iraq, but never have I even considered hanging the American flag upside-down (“Woman fights for right to protest war,” July 10). The American flag does not stand for a specific period in time. It stands for many, many years of bloodshed and determination by those who cared enough to fight for our freedom.
I feel very offended that someone would want to treat our flag in this manner — I cannot imagine how all the veterans and their families must feel. There cannot be anything more disrespectful to those who have fought and those who have lost their lives defending our freedom.
People that feel they need to make a political statement about their discontent with the war need to find a more respectful way to do so.
Too big for his britches
A DIFFERING VIEW: Letting solo drivers use toll lanes undermines transit