Quote: Councilman Tony Young, who joined the 5-3 majority, countered, “I have a vision for San Diego and that vision is about walkable, livable communities, not big, mega-structures that inhibit people’s lives.”

Great job Tony - sounds like San Diego’s on the right track.

Quote:  “What the Council did tonight was social engineering, not good public policy,” Sainz said.

And what’s wrong with social engineering?  We’ve engineered ourselves into mind numbing suburban sprawl.  Cities large and small gleefully hand over cash and benefits to new Wal-Marts, allowing them to “engineer” competitors out of business and devastate the communities they’re in.  Wretched wages and screwing the employees on overtime pay are just a few ways they’ve proven themselves as the white trash neighbor nobody wants around.  Damn straight we “engineer” our communities back to a reasonable standard of shopping and living.

Article:  San Diego to Ban Wal-Mart Supercenters

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
AP Business Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The City Council here voted late Tuesday to ban certain giant retail stores, dealing a blow to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s potential to expand in the nation’s eighth-largest city.

The measure, approved on a 5-3 vote, prohibits stores of more than 90,000 square feet that use 10 percent of space to sell groceries and other merchandise that is not subject to sales tax. It takes aim at Wal-Mart Supercenter stores, which average 185,000 square feet and sell groceries.

Mayor Jerry Sanders will veto the ban if the Council reaffirms it on a second vote, which will likely happen in January, said mayoral spokesman Fred Sainz. The Council can override his veto with five votes.

“What the Council did tonight was social engineering, not good public policy,” Sainz said.

Supporters of the ban argued that Wal-Mart puts smaller competitors out of business, pays workers poorly, and contributes to traffic congestion and pollution. Opponents said the mega-retailer provides jobs and low prices and that a ban would limit consumer choice.

“Quite simply, I do not think it is the role of the San Diego City Council to dictate where families should buy their groceries,” said Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who opposed the ban.

Councilman Tony Young, who joined the 5-3 majority, countered, “I have a vision for San Diego and that vision is about walkable, livable communities, not big, mega-structures that inhibit people’s lives.”

Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin McCall said the Bentonville, Ark.-based company may consider a legal challenge or voter referendum if the measure becomes law.
“Certainly we’re disappointed but there’s still a number of steps left in this process,” he said. “We need to look at what our options are.”

The ban is modeled on a law in Turlock, a city of 70,000 people 85 miles southeast of San Francisco. Turlock prohibited big-box stores over 100,000 square feet that devote at least 5 percent of their space to groceries.

Wal-Mart recently dropped its challenge to the Turlock ordinance, which prevented it from building a planned 225,000-square-foot Supercenter store. In July, a federal judge in Fresno said Turlock’s zoning law did not infringe on the company’s constitutional rights. The state Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

Wal-Mart has about 2,000 Supercenter stores, including 21 in California, but none in the San Diego area. The retailer has 18 regular Wal-Mart stores in the San Diego area, including four within limits of the city of 1.3 million people.

Wal-Mart has not disclosed plans for a Supercenter store in San Diego area. Sainz, the mayoral spokesman, said the retailer probably wants to expand.

“It’s complete and total guesswork but I’m inclined they would,” Sainz said. “Everything I’ve seen and heard from them makes me think they would.”

San Diego’s move comes two months after the Chicago City Council failed to override Mayor Richard Daley’s veto of a so-called “living-wage” ordinance that would have required giant retailers to pay their workers higher wages.

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When I read this headline from ABC NEWS I thought it would be about pipeline workers in Alaska or repairing mountain power lines by helicopter.  Unfortunately it’s a sad commentary on how some choose to live their lives.  Many would argue the use of the word “choose”, and say companies today demand that their workers remain constantly on call and submit their lives to a corporation akin to a frat boy on pledge week.  But these aren’t low income jobs staffed by poverty line straddlers who NEED every dollar.  These are well paid executives who get a hard on and thrill by racing up the corporate later and won’t stop until they’re on top - if a heart attack doesn’t kill them first.

But I’m curious if it’s the POSITION or the MONEY that drives them?  I’ll never turn down more money.  Money is NOT the root of all evil.  It gives you financial security through life and allows you to accomplish your major goals, such as travel and higher education.  But who on earth would accept an additional $20,000 - $50,000 on top of an already decent salary in exchange for the life?  i.e. 80 fucking hours a week rather than 40 or 50?

My partner and I make an excellent DINK salary and each have 40-50 hour work weeks with ample vacation time.  My job is stable and secure, I’m established in my field, and have never seen the need to trade my COMPLETE LIFE for more pay.  This philosophy coincides with the priorities I set for myself.  It wouldn’t matter if we made $80,000 a year or $200,000 combined income.  We live our lives by being selective about our material pursuits and acquisitions.  It IS possible to live a nice life by living SIMPLY. We don’t live on cold oatmeal and water, but we share a car - which affords us a nicely appreciating home, growing 401ks, and our large purchases are justified or necessary. Hence life is simple and we can concentrate on IMPORTANT things in life: like travel, good food, friends and family.

Reading this below comment makes me wonder why he wouldn’t just put a gun to his head already: 

But I was so exhausted I’d leave the office at 9 at night, go home to sleep for three hours and get back up at 1 a.m. and come back in the office for another full day.”  Shontz is almost never home for dinner with his wife and three children, and even breakfast at home is a rare occurence. (SIC)

ABC NEWS Article Below:

Extreme Jobs Mean Long Hours, Little Sleep — A Lot of Money

Nov. 27, 2006 — David Shontz is an Orlando trial lawyer working hard and hoping to make partner at his firm. Though he lives in the vacation capital of the world, the 35-year-old Shontz rarely vacations, and he’s not alone.

“Extreme jobs” with grueling hours have become a way of life for many of the nation’s top income earners.

A new study in the upcoming issue of the Harvard Business Review estimates that 1.7 million Americans now hold extreme jobs. The study defined “extreme” as any job that requires more than 60 work hours per week and fits various parameters regarding work flow, travel, responsibilities away from the office and outside commitments.

Shontz says the punishing hours are unavoidable, especially when he’s preparing for a trial.

“There was many a night in the last couple of months where I had been in the office since 5 or 6 a.m. and I needed to continue to work,” Shontz said. “But I was so exhausted I’d leave the office at 9 at night, go home to sleep for three hours and get back up at 1 a.m. and come back in the office for another full day.” 

(more…)

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Kudos to councilwoman Jeane Robbe for setting up this committee.  However even though the scrape offs will continue, I DON’T see addressed issues regarding the NEW homes replacing the small bungalows:  i.e. height of home and distance from property lines.  These aspects tend to harm neighbors the most, when a brand new home is built too tall in relation to the other older homes, rather than low and flat.

My previous entry with more photos

Denver Post Article  

“Scrape-off” scuffles tackled
By George Merritt
Denver Post Staff Writer

The Denver City Council on Monday tried to solve the neighborhood clashes over housing demolitions that pit preservationists against property-rights advocates.

The council unanimously passed a bill to let neighbors know if a potentially significant home or building is up for demolition. But the bill also provides property owners the ability to get a certificate clearing a structure for demolition for up to five years.

The bill, developed out of a series of meetings with stakeholders, is an attempt at appeasing both sides of the so called “scrape-off” issue that has split many city neighborhoods.

Peter Park, Denver’s manager of community planning and development, said the new system “defined a more certain process” for everyone involved.

And historic-preservation consultant Lisa Purdy said the plan would help “avoid some of the ‘hostile designations”‘ - where neighbors try to have a home or building designated as historic over the objections of the property owner.

Housing demolitions have become a major issue for several Denver neighborhoods as developers increasingly answer market desires for larger homes in the city. In 2005, scrape-offs increased by 77 percent.

Councilwoman Jeanne Robb convened the panel representing historians, preservationists, real-estate agents and developers, among others, to find solutions.

The plan they devised is twofold:

Any application for demolition will now go through a three-tiered review process. If the structure is deemed to be a candidate for landmark designation, the application will be posted and neighbors notified.

The plan also creates a certification process to rule out a property as a potential historic structure that is good for five years. The certificate effectively allows property owners clearance for demolition if they so choose.

Dave Burrell, a local historian, told the council he was concerned about the demolition process. He said significant homes would be cleared for demolition because the initial steps do not go far enough.

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Biking along the Platte River Trail through Englewood.  Their “E”s appear to be of poor quality.  Who knows where the rest have gone…

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I’m writing this on “black friday”, the term coined for the day after Thanksgiving when masses of people barrel through the aisles of Wal-Marts and Targets nationwide akin to Pamplona’s running of the bulls. I can’t imagine any sort of satisfaction or thrill that derives from pushing stretch pants clad shoppers aside while tussling over the last Tickle Me Elmo. For me the ideal time to visit the mall or Home Depot is any weeknight one hour before closing. Empty aisles, ample staff, and no one tailgating my heels with a cart.

While the big box stores are raking in millions today, consider the small businesses in your area. Everyone has a nearby independent ethnic restaurant in a strip mall, or a neighborhood hardware store. I go out of my way to support small businesses, and find the rewards are returned and well worth it.

One such business I frequent is Pappa’s Grocery Store, located in the Congress Park neighborhood of Denver on East 12th Avenue and Elizabeth Street. Earlier this year Shawn and Stephanie purchased the establishment from the previous owners, and the change in this small store has been overwhelming. They’ve created a deli, improved the produce selection and quality of vegetables, and added a small post office in the back of the store. For Denver visitors they’re just four blocks from the Botanic Gardens, on the same block as Zorba’s Greek Restaurant.

I make it a point to visit them often. To have small retailers like these within a few blocks of home is a valuable community commodity. These types of businesses complement, not complete with the large Safeway and Kroger stores. Each offers a different service and each has their place. I often visit Pappas on the way home from work for poultry, dairy, and miscellaneous cooking items. I make larger bulk purchases at my larger grocer. Of course being a smaller independent retailer you many pay a bit more, but I’ve found overall their prices are only a modest percentage higher than my nearby King Soopers (Kroger) store. In many instances the price is worth the convenience, and they offer daily specials as well.

As noted with my “shopping” posts below, too many people tend to ONLY be concerned with price. Quality is becoming an afterthought when making a purchase. What’s the point of buying a $20 DVD player if you have to purchase it again and again after it breaks? These small local businesses are the “quality” merchandise in our lives and community, and it behooves us to support them. I don’t believe it’s overly socialistic to say we have a responsibility to volunteer our dollars to a neighborhood store that goes out of their way to be a local staple and gathering spot. We decide the fabric of the places we live in, and we can’t forget that when it’s time to buy.

Shawn and Stephanie have worked their butts off to turn Pappa’s into a better small retailer and neighborhood gathering place. Their smiles, good spirits, and hard work DESERVE our dollars. The term “vote with your dollar” is used often, but we should remember that COST should not be the only “candidate issue” when it comes to that vote.

If we’re told over and over by marketers and leaders that it’s our “patriotic duty” to spend money and help the economy, let’s be SELECTIVE at WHERE we spend this money, and make places like Pappas thrive.

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Well this is rich:  Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation tells us that “shopping is entertainment”, and that’s why some stores are opening ON Thanksgiving this year. 

Forget chatting about life and the kids with your extended family after the big dinner. Or the guys watching the game, or the kids playing Monopoly with Grandma…  When the sun goes down and dessert starts to settle why the hell relax in a warm cozy home and catch up with your rarely seen relatives?  Fuck lets fire up the minivan and hit Target! 

I honestly can’t think of anything more depressing, hell ENTERTAINING?, than plowing through Sears hunting down a drill or DVD player. You can’t blame Ellen Davis for stores choosing to open early. If the demand is there and people are clamoring outside the automatic door why SHOULDN’T retailers sell?  But such an absolutely asinine statement further engrains into our heads the wretched idea that we’re EXPECTED to go shopping without questioning why.  Does racking up debt buying cheap plastic shit really qualify as “entertainment”?

CNN Story: 

NEW YORK (AP) — A traditional day of feasting with family could turn into a day of early holiday shopping for some, as retailers offered more options — both online and in stores — than ever this Thanksgiving.

For the first time, BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. and CompUSA Inc. opened their doors on Thanksgiving, while online retailer Amazon.com offered special holiday discounts.

In the past, grocery retailers and 24-hour convenience stores like 7-Eleven Inc. were the only shopping options on Thanksgiving. Holiday gift shoppers turned to the Web or saved their breath for the next day, “Black Friday,” which is considered the official kickoff to the shopping season.

“Some retailers are trying to find a way to take advantage of the fact that once dinner is over, many families are looking for some kind of entertainment,” said Ellen Davis, spokeswoman at National Retail Federation, a trade group.

(more…)

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About two years ago a company called the Front Range Toll Road, headed by developer Ray Wells, attempted to use eminent domain laws to TAKE homes along the eastern plains of Colorado. This was in order to construct a 200 mile private tolled freeway from the north side Fort Collins to Pueblo, which would bypass the congestion of interstate 25 through Denver and Colorado Springs.

Residents of the rural areas blasted the plan as a “land grab” and fought vigorously. Periodically following the story I witnessed one of the best examples of using the internet to harness local action, as residents along the 200 mile sparsely populated stretch came together making web pages, creating bulletin boards, organizing meetings, and frequently commuting to Denver in order to press lawmakers into opposing Colorado Bill HB1030, (which they did), preventing PRIVATE COMPANIES from steamrolling over the homes and property rights of these citizens. Search this story on the internet and you’ll find many homemade websites and blogs documenting individual’s correspondence with the developers and between each other. Seeing so many people from side a large geographical area come together and fight for a common cause is refreshing to see.

I can only assume Ray Wells thought the “hicks out east” were a bunch of nobodies ready to be bought off at whatever price necessary, however they proved Ray wrong, and their outspoken activism was enough to press the legislature into NOT passing bill HB1030. Even Ray Wells acknowledged he did not foresee the massive organization of people that opposed his plan.

The photo above from www.superslab.org, and the site www.nosuperslab.org, detail their cause among many other sites and blogs. Proving the absurdity of eminent domain, some of the more snarky opponents even formed a company called C.R.A.P. or the Castle Rock Alternative Parkway. The followed the legal steps and petitioned the government to build THEIR road - straight through Ray Wells home in Castle Rock.

But, like the dead villain in the movies, after being shot five times, the project has grabbed their feet again. The developers are back, and the road is again a threat renamed as flowery sounding “Prairie Falcon Parkway” Although the project will NOT use eminent domain, the threat to years of rural life succumbing to a nightmare of sprawl and irresponsible development is still very real.

Below is the full story from KUSA (with a video on their site).

DENVER - Coloradans from Fort Collins to Pueblo are asking Governor-elect Bill Ritter to essentially scuttle the so-called “Super Slab” transportation corridor before it goes any further.

They have faxed letters to Ritter’s transition offices requesting that he hire an executive director for the Colorado Department of Transportation who is openly opposed to the Prairie Falcon Parkway.

(more…)

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I took a break from my daily bike commute and took the new light rail commuter train to work. The new lines, (E, F, G, and H), opened over the weekend, and many suburban folks had their first commuter rail experience. I abstained from joining the looky-loos, preferring the more tranquil company of business commuters on a Monday morning.

The new lines serve the southeast suburbs. The current C and D lines have serviced the southwest suburbs of Englewood and Littleton since 2000. The new lines were built along side interstate 25, which connects downtown Denver and the “tech center” area, a large expanse of office parks about 15 miles southeast of downtown. This stretch of highway has been some of the most congested in the west, and when planners decided to build rail in addition to widening the highway the concept was highly praised, and Denver was one of the only cities to have integrated road and transit projects together.

While I prefer to bike to work, the days when I took the bus had required two transfers, or a trip out of the way to catch an express bus to my office park. Now the process is much faster for most. There were some elimination of express routes servicing the far reaches of Aurora and Centennial, but they have been replaced by circulators which funnel commuters to the stations. Overall it’s much faster, and when the freeway is packed or it’s a snowy winter morning you can zip right past the gridlock enjoying coffee and a book. I boarded at the University of Denver station (after taking the 24 bus down University from my Congress Park home), and found the E or F line delivered me to my stop at Belleview in only 10 minutes. Fast and efficient. Another benefit of the new stations even for those NOT using the train are the sparkling new park and ride transit centers. One good reason people don’t care to ride the bus, especially in the suburbs, is because many of the stops consist of crummy unsheltered benches a foot back from a six lane super arterial street. Having spaces like the University of Denver station or Belleview Station makes for a far more pleasant experience.

For years the area around my office has been bland patches of dirt fields and office buildings. Near the Belleview station and along other southeast stations there are plans are to develop pedestrian friendly environments for both residential and retail. Over the past 30 years cities in the west and south, (Phoenix or Houston for example), have had a miserable history of urban planning and design. Although Denver is no stranger to sprawl, these major rail line additions prove residents and voters here are creating solutions for human scale living within the city. in addition, the Fastracks plan over the next 10 years calls for rail lines and transit projects to all areas of the area, including the airport and Boulder.

Being interested in transit and transportation this past summer I had started to photograph and document some of the stations while under construction. But like many of my home remodeling projects, it has yet to be completed. More photos to come…

System Map

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Says this Reutors article.  And I can’t disagree.  In the past two years I’ve traveled overseas three times.  In the modern facilities of large Latin American cities I witnessed assertive and efficient customs and immigration controllers.  Assertive, AND FRIENDLY!  Yes, it IS possible to maintain a heavily trafficked customs line and be assertive, (a GOOD word),  AND smiling and maintaining a pleasant demeanor.   However each time upon returning home in Denver I was greeted by sullen inspectors, and rude agents manning the ques. Our customs and border agents are the first faces visitors from outside the U.S. meet, and to be courteous and respectful to all of our foreign visitors would start to improve our international reputation little by little.

Article:  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rude immigration officials and visa delays keep millions of foreign visitors away from the United States, hurt the country’s already battered image, and cost the U.S. billions of dollars in lost revenue, according to an advocacy group formed to push for a better system.

To drive home the point, the Discover America Partnership released the result of a global survey on Monday which showed that international travelers see the United States as the world’s worst country in terms of getting a visa and, once you have it, making your way past rude immigration officials.

The survey, of 2,011 international travelers in 16 countries, was conducted by RT Strategies, a Virginia-based polling firm, for the Discover America Partnership, a group launched in September with multimillion-dollar backing from a range of companies that include the InterContinental Hotels Group, Anheuser Busch and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

The survey showed that the United States was ranked “the worst” in terms of visas and immigration procedures by twice the percentage of travelers as the next destination regarded as unfriendly — the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent.

(more…)

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Late Novembers in Denver don’t come any better than this. The temperature is normally in the 40s to 60s, and with a clear sunny day unhampered by clouds it’s perfect weather for everything active. Walking, blading, or biking you feel great and don’t sweat like in the summer. The sun sets early, so be sure to get inside by 5pm to start up the soup and crack open the Kerrrrs.

We rode down the Cherry Creek Bike path to the Kennedy Golf Course and back. It’s been a while since I’ve done the route all the way to the Cherry Creek dam. My daily bike commute to work takes me down the side streets of southeast Denver, so being able to bike non-stop without any stops for 10-15 miles is a real treat. As with all of Denver’s multi use trails this one was in excellent condition. A perfect ride along creeks and urban open spaces with plenty of views of the snow capped rockies.

Returning home we locked up the bikes at the Cherry Creek Mall to check out the Sony Wii and see what’s on the PacSun half off rack. And of course get a glimpse of how the other half spends their Sundays. I’m never surprised at the hordes of people who choose to “recreational shop”, meaning just shopping for the hell of it, not with any specific product or purpose in mind. If people make money they deserve to spend it. But what continues to shock me about the mall, Wal-Marts, and the retail buying experience in general is the amount of sheer garbage that’s available for sale.

It seems the vast percentage of products are cheaply produced shit, sold for a ridiculously high price. High quality clothing, electronics, and jewelry do exist, but in most retail environments it simply isn’t there. You need to visit a specialty store to find quality crafted items. Yes people love buying this garbage. It’s analogous to eating out seven days a week at McDonald’s, or saving some money and having one nice meal at Ruth’s Chris. (I prefer the latter).

It might be Norman Rockwellish to think of a grandfather hand carving a puzzle or game for his grandson 40 years ago, but I have that mental image when I see the amount of complete crap that’s available for purchase. Are you actually going to USE this “Shape Up” whatever the hell this piece of shit pictured here? Why buy something for someone if you KNOW it will get five months of use, spend four years in the garage, and then be sold at a yard sale.

The best stores, meaning the most expensive and highest priced, tend to have the simplest design and layout. Stores like Deisel, the Apple Store, or Express tend to be refreshingly clean and minimalistic. Retailers such as the Discovery Store, Claires (the piercing place), and Brookstone are so overstocked and visually cluttered it gives you a migraine just looking at the place.

And in every mall is the stuffing of kiosks throughout the main floor, making a stroll through a mall an ordeal akin to exiting a U2 concert after the last encore. For the last several years Adbusters, the lefty anti-capitalism magazine out of Vancouver has promoted “Buy Nothing Day” each year during the day after Thanksgiving. (In the U.S. this is know as the “busiest shopping day of the year”, and folks fell they are obligated to comply. The cause is worthy, and although I’ve only supported it by proxy, (I wouldn’t ruin my Thanksgiving weekend sleeping outside an automatic Target door if paid to), the message of materialism and overconsumption is worth examining. Thus continues my philosophy that simple, uncluttered living is best for the mind and pocketbook. And of resisting the temptation to recreationally purchase “stuff” just for the hell it. It’s too bad our entire economy depends on the sacrifice of each American maintaining a credit card debt above their means.

Crocs for kids? Shoot me now…

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Here’s an excellent article by the Delaware News Journal about biking Denver.  For a tourist sticking to the downtown sights and  preferring to explore the outlying by area by trail rather than freeway this story shows it’s a great option. 

Some obligatory puff magazine “studies” are listed in the first paragraph, but the remainder is a nice visitor’s look into a trip down the Platte River Trail and into the foothills 

If you’re staying near Cherry Creek but DON’T have the services of bike rental at your hotel, visit the Cherry Creek Bike Rack.  A full service bike commuter facility. One thing left out:  A good bike lock is necessary for seeing sights, running errands, and enjoying restaurants.

Article:

DENVER — In annual rankings by national publications, Denver has repeatedly topped the charts as the healthiest city in the country, and an American Cancer Society study recently called Denver the thinnest city, due to its muscle-flexing lifestyle. Of course, the Colorado capital also knows how to cut loose: It’s known as one of the best places in the country for singles, as well as one of the most inebriated towns around. But Denver is, without question, a proactive, anti-slothful city. And it has 650 miles of urban bike trails to prove it.

And therein lies the Denver Challenge: Can a weekend visitor tool around solely by bicycle?

Though downtown has its merits, a variety of new neighborhoods have sprouted up around Denver’s urban center. Each has its own personality and scene — and, true to the city’s outdoorsy nature, all are connected by bike paths. I picked up the Cherry Creek Trail right outside my hotel’s front door, where I rented my hybrid for the weekend. (The hotel even stashed it for me in the luggage room.)

(more…)

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Golden Gate Bridge

Reuters Article  

SF Gate Story  and Discussion

I’m already disgusted with the repulsive ploys of marketing companies such as Alt Terrain, which use “guerrilla” and stealth advertising tactics to deface our cities and mar our social culture.   Remember the Sony “Graffiti advertising” controversy?   Radio and television are dwindling mediums, and young people are savvy and selective about what they consume.  It’s no doubt companies are becoming desperate to lure the dollars of young buyers.

A bad ad is an advertisement you can’t turn off, or can’t turn away from.  Now the Golden Gate bridge is looking to whore out one of the most spectacular sights in America for private sponsorship and partnerships.  Although the Golden Gate bridge plan promises an unobtrusive and “sensitive” partnership, it opens the door of death towards advertising in our country’s most cherished public spaces.  It may be sensitive and low key NOW, but how much longer until Arby’s has their logo splashed over Lincoln’s forehead at Mount Rushmore?

The privatization of American is mushrooming at a rapid pace.  The concept sounds extreme, however we already submit to home owners associations, toll roads, and private CITY STREETS. 

In these often undefined parcels of land our constitutional rights are pared down in favor of what a company sees fits.  Can they enforce a suit and tie dress code?  Of course. Want to hand out flyers for a political cause?  Get lost.  Want to take a walk through a nearby neighborhood?  Tough shit, it’s private property. 

Contact the Golden Gate Bridge authority above and tell them you DON’T want the most famous bridge in the country, and our gateway to the Pacific sold to the highest bidder.   And read up on Adbusters.   Their views Adbusters are ridiculously anti-corporate, but with ideas like the Golden Gate sponsorship their extreme viewpoints seem more and more logical.

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They’ve been doing excellent work lately with their outing of hypocritical Christian fundamentalists, but I wish it would stop there.  Or at least with blackmailing them. Murder, even murdering the owner of a company that calls and harasses folks late on their credit cards and mortgages, is simply wrong. Bad gay porn star. Bad.

This would however make an excellent City Confidential episode. Boy I sure miss Paul Winfield.

Rocky Mountain News Story:

Timothy J. Boham, a former gay porn star, was arrested this morning in connection with the slaying of a wealthy Denver businessman over the weekend.
Boham, 25, was spotted in Lukeville, Ariz. by Customs and Border Patrol officers while he was loitering outside the inspection facility on U.S. soil. When officers questioned him, he said he was being sought on a murder warrant. Arrangements for his return are being discussed. The victim, John P. Kelso, 43, was found in his Congress Park home Monday morning by a housekeeper. Detectives think Kelso was killed sometime over the weekend.

(more…)

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Biking to work daily I travel through several south Denver neighborhoods.  For the past four years an infrequent but growing surprise in the morning has been rounding a corner to see a bulldozer clawing apart years and years of life and memories.

Even though it happens often, it’s still a shock when you expect to see your friendly joggers and dog walkers, and are greeted with a bulldozer and fire truck.  The Tear Down” or “Scrape Off”, is the term used which the small World II brick houses are being demolished in order to construct large modern homes on the same lot.  (At least people WANT to live in the city).  These new homes often appear garish and out of place compared to the other homes on the block, and completely change the landscape of a street and community.  Adjacent residents often complain of blocked light due to the height of the new homes, as well as an overbearing feel since the new structures closely abut the property line, leaving very little median, or “green” space.

Here’s a detailed article from Boulder County Home and Garden.

Often a tiny house sitting on a large lot ISN’T in the best condition, and offers small and cramped living, (when families demand cavernous spaces).  In that case I certainly feel there’s nothing wrong with constructing an appropriately sized house in relation to the scale of the others.  However what I see every morning are large ranch homes in perfect condition simply leveled into pile of rubble.   What calls for thought is the concept that our quest for huge interior living spaces has a higher value and priority on the actual community in which they stand.

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I arrived home today to find these antiquated monstrosities laying on my doorstep. Thankfully the weight of these texts kept them from blowing all over the place like the newspapers I don’t ask for. For some reason I was left two, and with the vacant house two doors down that made a total of three I had to heave into the recycle bin.

It’s been years since I actually went through the process of pulling a phone book off the shelf, thumbing through it, and running my finger down the inky pages to locate a number. I’m guessing most people simply use google or favorite search to type in the company name and zip code. Simply search, “plumbers” and “denver” to find their information in seconds.

How long before these fall the way of the cassette tape answering machines? Do they even have yellow pages salespeople? (If yes how do they support their families?) I give them another five years, and we’ll see each other at the dumpster when I’m combing for vintage CD changers and VCRs.

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Nerdy and hip Andrew Ross Sorkin from the New York Times gives the skinny on the Zune. 

CNN video

He doesn’t act convinced the benefits of an FM radio and file sharing outweigh the cumbersome and heavy Zune.  Oh and it WON’T play any IPOD or formerly downloaded Microsoft songs.

Andrew seems to convince the pretty CNN people the so called “Ipod Killer” isn’t all that great.  The female co-anchor jumps in and shows off over her tiny “clip and go” Ipod Shuffle, securely fastened on her lapel.

Another astonishingly off putting concept: according to this Mac Daily News article rather than simply charging 99 cents per song, or $1.07 with tax, Microsoft sells “points” like an old video arcade sells tokens.  

And they did the math: Each song costs 79 points, and the smallest amount of points you can buy are in $5 increments.  Doing the same math as you would to arrive at an even hot dog and bun equation, you would need to buy 31,600 points, which is 400 songs at 79 cents each.  That means investing $395 to AVOID feeding Microsoft your constantly leftover worthless points.  20 cents from millions of potential downloaders certainly adds up.  What other reason is there to establish POINTS, (instead of straight credit card billing),  then to collect millions of 20 cent increments YOUR customers?

As stated previously - Simply is better.

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I came across this “sidewalk marketing” story from Cockeyed.com, submitted by a Minnesota resident. Check out the sleazy actions of Guerilla Marketing group Alt Terrain, memorable for littering New York with Windows butterflies a few years back.

Their “boo yah in your face” site is an excellent primer on how to recognize bullshit consumer intrusion. Through viral marketing, blog “seeding”, LEGAL graffiti and LITTERING, and “Pop up Stores” (basically walking out your front door and finding a bunch of “brand ambassadors” read salespeople, hawking whatever), they are turning city streets into a sea of flea markets and pop up ads, and people accept it and rarely question the process.

This drive of overbearing and intrusive advertising is as much the fault of local governments who allow visual eyesores like this to mushroom around their cities, as it is the marketing companies themselves. Unlike radio or television, it’s impossible to turn this off, and the visual and audio clutter should not be tolerated.

This crap (pictured from Alt Terrain’s site) IS litter, just like “Work from Home” and “Condos this way” signs that are all over cities. Take them down, throw them away, and tell your local city leadership you DON’T support a free pass for companies to make your city look like a flea market. (Like coroplast signs, eventually all this shit blows away and becomes garbage).

According to BadAds.org here’s what constitutes a bad ad and qualifies as intrusive:

1. You can’t turn it off. You can close a magazine and turn off the television, but billboards tower overhead night and day.

2. It enters your home without permission. Pardon me, Mr. Telemarketer, may I see your invitation?

3. You’re a captive audience. This can be in schools, in movie theaters, at a urinal, or waiting for your receipt at the ATM.

4. It doesn’t support anything, or it costs you money. Radio ads support free programming, but you pay, directly or indirectly, for faxed ads and junk e-mail.

Internet savvy folks who read blogs and product reviews already know how to spot “seed” planters and viral marketers, and are quick to say fuck off. So why NOT do the same in your neighborhoods? Internet operators and board moderators are quick to remove spam postings, so be the “moderator” of your neighborhood and throw this trash away. Clean up YOUR neigbhorhood of spam, just as you would delete your in-box of it. More information on removing spam and ugly litter check out www.causs.org (Citizens against Ugly Street Spam). Hell the term “Viral Marketing” even SOUNDS sleazy. Don’t let it infect your brain.

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