Looks like Mike Jones is really fishing for publicity.  And writing a book?  About what?  Mike found out he was hooking up with a lying, hypocritical “man of God”. He exposed him for us to see, (without being nefarious enough to blackmail him first). What more to the story could there possibly be?   Ted Haggard didn’t have deep interpersonal conversations with Mike.  Mike didn’t even know who he was until seeing him on TV. 

I wish Mike Jones the best and thank him for his actions, but it’s time to move on.  I’d want to be known for more in life than Ted Haggard’s hooker / meth runner.

KUSA Story below:

COLORADO SPRINGS - Mike Jones, the man who says he had an affair with former New Life Church Pastor Ted Haggard, visited the church Sunday morning.

9Wants to Know broke Jones’s story last November. Jones described a more than three-year affair with Haggard which he says included drugs.  Haggard admitted to 9NEWS that he had bought methamphetamine from Jones but that he “threw it away.”

(more…)

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I absolutely love this show, and was bummed to read about it’s cancellation last year.  I didn’t go out of my way to watch it, but caught many of the episodes on Sunday nights or in repeats.   I saw this was available on Netflix and immediately bumped it to the top of my que. 

I can’t understand why this show was canceled, yet the buffoonery of other laugh track laden sitcoms is lauded as the greatest comedies on earth.  Most sitcoms suck. Period.  They aren’t funny, and the only laughter comes from elevating mundane quips and insults to an undeserved level of hilarity.

Arrested Development created truly unique characters, rather than the sitcom cookie cutter types.  Jason Bateman, Rip Torn, and the rest of the cast are true comedians, not just people on stage reciting lines for inane gafs.  The plot lines are intricate, and sometimes ridiculous.  The use of pauses and flashbacks supplements the storytelling, and while it’s screwball at times, it’s overall intelligent, well thought out, and damn well written.

Go rent or buy it.  It’s well worth it.  Plus Lost sucks lately.

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Every time I take the trash out I’m amazed at how much garbage a household of just two people creates.

This accumulation is only about 5-6 days worth of normal groceries, bathroom junk, and other standard sundries from various trash cans around the house. 

I make an effort to be a conscientious consumer and refrain from buying wastfully packaged products such as this Treasure Cave cheese, but man this is still a lot of trash. Hey Treasure Cave: remember when Burger King used to put the Whoppers, already wrapped, INSIDE a cardboard box, which you’d take 20 feet to your table and then throw away? Save some money and follow their lead.

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You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.  I understand many religious groups consider it imperative to monitor the bedroom activities of their members, and often non-members, but now a group called XXXChurch is producing and promoting a “Porn and Pancakes” tour, coming soon to a megachurch near you.

The event marketed by XXXChurch is slickly pushed to Gen Y via their high graphics/low content website, videos peppered about YouTube, and lots of “water cooler” style press releases and interviews.  It’s open to men and boys in junior high and up, (shudder), and features “experts”, comedians, and mariachi bands.  Mariachi bands?  I can only assume the extraneous nonsense, pancakes included, is added to dilute the fact they’re discussing PORN with JUNIOR HIGH school students.

My take?  Porn, sex toys, french maid outfits, handcuffs, and honey, and the combinations of activities they expedite are NONE of the church’s business.  As if they ever have been.  Why on earth would anyone submit to relating such personal information to strangers?  Are these people even licensed therapists?  There’s PLENTY of unbiased therapists to chat with should sexual addictions become a problem.  They AREN’T church sponsored, (a plus), but they don’t serve pancakes.

If couples want to watch porn together who cares?  If single men want to watch porn alone who cares?  If partnered men want to watch porn then it’s an issue to be discussed WITHIN their relationship.  If you have fantasies, or your partner has fantasies, then discuss it with each other in an frank manner in order to reach an agreement.  If porn addiction is a problem in your relationship, perhaps the couple should seek out a PRIVATE therapist.

According to the FAQs at Pornandpancakes.com the events are for men only, age 11 and up.  The only thing scarier for an 11 year old than an open conduit to the internet is being in a room surrounded by male preachers chomping at the bit to talk porn with that 11 year old.

Here’s some highlights…

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Some eye candy from my most recent ski day. After spending the night in Breckenridge we skied at Arapahoe Basin, a smaller resort just a few miles from Keystone.

Although mostly intermediate and expert runs, A-Basin CAN be a good place to practice on it’s limited easy terrain and bunny hill. It’s smaller size and easy parking means it’s easy to separate and meet up, or picnic slopeside without meandering through mazes of outdoor shops and condos just to get to the lift. This trip I took advantage of A-Basin’s manageable size to give snowboarding try. Having skied for 12 years I never had any interest in boarding, but after a few runs down the bunny hill I got a good feel for it, and a sore wrist and tailbone.

Yes I give A-Basin two thumbs up. More pics below:

(more…)

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Hey look a trip report with practical, useful tips from a Breckenridge regular. Perfect for your trip to Summit County.

One of my favorite weekend getaways, summer or winter, is Breckenridge Colorado. Only about 80 miles from Denver it’s the most historic town in Summit County, ranking high with Leadville in terms of rich old boom and bust mining history.

Given the fact that interstate 70 is horrifically congested between Denver and Summit County on the weekends, I almost always ski the early part of the week on Monday through Wednesdays. Even better is getting a room in Breckenridge, where you can treat yourself to a nice meal and drinks, hit the hot tub at night, sleep in til eight and still be one of the first on the slopes.

I’ve stayed a few times at the River Mountain Lodge, a time share in Breckenridge in the heart of downtown along the Blue River. Even though it’s a time share you can simply call and book a room, just like a hotel. I’ve stayed in the studio, and the 1 bedroom plus loft, and although it’s a bit more expensive than a motel off the interstate, the value of what you receive is by far worth it, especially since all units have kitchens. In the summer the sound of the babbling Blue River can be heard from the east facing rooms, and it’s a nice place to wind down after a day of rafting, biking, or hiking.

(more…)

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Word is stores will be having launch parties this Monday night at 10pm to celebrate, err celebrate?, the release of Microsoft’s new OS “Vista”.  In these cases the “celebration” is usually a card table with a limp balloon taped to it, accompanied by some product t-shirts other related crap. 

I’d desire loitering about a flourescently lit computer store at 10pm on a Monday night as much as I’d want a trip to the dentist.  And my dentist has halogen.  But I’d still rather have all of my wisdom teeth yanked out again than deal with upgrading to Vista.  10pm on Monday night?  Maybe for the Wii, but not Vista.  To “celebrate” here’s one of my favorite “I’m a Mac” ads:

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I missed the first episode of Prison Break season three last Monday.  But thanks to the ubiquitous “last week on” I learned that agent Mahone got shot, and is now more annoyed than ever.  After the show while flipping up to House Hunters I caught the circus called “16 Children and Moving In”, the sequel to “16 Children and Pregnant again”.   Despite the jaw dropping action and suspense of Prison Break I wasn’t nearly as stunned as I was watching the gleeful seemingly lobotomized Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar crew.  “16 Children” features the daily antics of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and as the titles states their 16 kids. (With one more on the way, praise be to God)!  Thanks to The Learning Channel you’ll catch Jim Bob and Michelle toting around their Arkansas town in an airport shuttle bus, cooking aircraft carrier size servings for dinner, and together home schooling the kids in between Bible study and constructing a larger home.

A true “Learning” channel would explore the positives AND negatives of such a drastic departure from the norm.  Through the insanity of this bunch I do see well behaved kids, care for each other, and a loving home even if stretched too thin.  But the “need to breed”  is so perverted it boggles my mind.  Why do TLC and MSNBC celebrate such behavior and not devote ONE paragraph to the consequences?  If stories about a gay couple raising ONE child call for comments by the religious right and opposed groups, then why don’t social services experts and child advocates chime in on this mess? 

Cherub filled photo from www.duggarfamily.com

The Duggar clan is so insular that during the entire show you never see them conversing with anyone else save for the checkout clerk, (while filling up on tater tot casserole nonetheless).  Why couldn’t the Duggar crew become foster parents in addition to raising their kids?  What’s two or three MORE?  To be so isolated from your community seems selfish, prudish, and not at all in the Christian spirit.  Is it right to make 10 and 11 year olds responsible for a younger sibling?  (The “pairing up” method Jim Bob describes).  Is it right for a child to be denied time to contemplate alone, form new friends, awkward moments at school, and dealing with schoolyard squirmishes? 

Who am I to judge?  Well, the Duggar family has chosen to display their life for all to see.  Jim Bob also served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999-02, but lost in 06.  In addition to putting forth their lives on TV, they use their children as political tools, seen in this photo. (I’m against using kids for ANY political cause they themselves are incapable of understanding).

Creepiest parental statement:  “We bought enough land so our kids could build a house for their families on the same property.”  Uhh, isn’t that what CULTS do?  And second, WITH WHO?  It doesn’t appear the adolescents have ever met anyone outside of their own family to even consider dating.

But as this blog states:  What if it were somewhere else, such as Boston?  The Common Sense blog argues this type of family would be completely foreign in an urban townhome, and if it’s not rational behavior in Boston, then why should it be accepted in Arkansas?  But in the same sense the former hippie communes dotting the Northern California landscape certainly wouldn’t be comfortable in Arkansas.  Not would Adam and Steve and their two toddlers.

As a liberal I’m not surprised that the most razor sharp, biting article originates from this San Francisco Gate story.  This less than polite musing mirrors my opinion exactly.  And as long as I’m liberalizing I’ll note in the show they use paper plates, although the energy to clean 18 sets of dinnerware probably makes paper plates a more logical environmental choice anyway.

Even scarier than not recycling:  Should each of the 17 children bear just 6 offspring of their own, that’s 100 votes against my one.  Ok I take that back.  One kid’s queer and moves down to Fort Lauderdale. Still, that’s almost 100 fundamentalist born again tater tot wielding future voters.  Remember to vote friends.  And kudos to the Arkansas Times Blog for allowing a civil discourse on the lifestyle choices.

Oh thanks to Jim Bob’s website for the link to www.wholesomewear.com  But come ‘on, why so much ankle?

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What joker is dumb enough to wear an extremely politically provocative T-shirt when boarding an airplane?  It goes without saying that free speech is expected in Australia, and a T-Shirt poses no threat, but I’m just curious as to WHY Allen Jasson thought these threads would be best to wear that day.  Was he purposely trying to create problems?  Or were his shredded INXS shirts not considered par with his personal decorum?

When I’m in the airport environment I’m either EXCITED to be going somewhere, NEED to be going somewhere, or WANT to get home.  Unfortunately I’m the one that turns into the sheep, silently doing whatever is asked of me by all figures of authority, only by reason of necessity.  Perhaps if we implemented a “fake flying” day, flooding the airport personnel with questions and personal refusals based on civil and personal rights issues the airlines would take note, but the day I’m leaving on an exotic trip, or headed home for an urgent family matter certainly won’t be that day for me.

Hence the problem with airport civil rights. Rarely is anyone who doesn’t have oodles of free time in a position to challenge any question or request.  Doing so labels you “uncooperative”, and could land you in a small room for hours on end.  The only people that make news about rights in the airport are idiots, or the rare purposeful troublemaker such as this guy, who last year wrote a note referring to the TSA director citing “Kip Hawley is an idiot” for TSA to find in his luggage.

** UPDATE 3pm.  According to this Australian News article Allen Jasson WAS allowed to complete his trip on a later flight, and successfully completed his trip home.  Kudos to him.  Hopefully the delay and negative press was worth it.  Although in my opinion it’s POSITIVE publicity. It’s sad this even became an issue.

Below: Reuters Article    Link: updated Australian news article

CANBERRA, Jan 22 (Reuters Life!) - An airline passenger barred from a flight for wearing a T-shirt labeling President Bush a terrorist has threatened legal action against Australia’s flag carrier Qantas.

Allen Jasson, 55, an Australian IT expert who lives in Britain, was stopped from boarding a London-bound Qantas flight at Melbourne Airport last Friday for wearing what the airline said was an offensive T-shirt.

Airline staff said the T-shirt of Bush with the tagline “World’s number 1 terrorist” could have upset other passengers and demanded it be changed for another.

But Jasson, who had earlier traveled on a Qantas domestic flight wearing the Bush T-shirt, said his right to freedom of speech had been infringed by Qantas.

“I am not prepared to go without the T-shirt. I might forfeit the fare, but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for the principle of free speech,” Jasson told Australian media on Monday, adding he would seek legal advice.

Qantas issued a statement saying comments made verbally or on a T-shirt which had the potential to offend other travelers or threaten the security of aircraft “will not be tolerated.”

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Here’s some news from United: They’re REDUCING the amount of time you have to redeem your accrued miles.  If you don’t fly with UAL or partners, or shop online with your miles, then you lose ‘em.

That means if you and your honey take a trip around the world, accumulate 25,000 miles each, and wait two years until your next trip you’re SOL if you plan on using those miles for fares and upgrades.

I actually peruse the UAL Online Mall often for specials, (like 1,000 miles for sending a $50 bouquet of flowers to someone).  It’s certainly not difficult to keep your account open using this method, but for the person that takes a trip or travels every two or three years they could be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Article from KUSA    Denver Post Article

DENVER United Airlines is changing the rules to its frequent flyer program. Under the new rules, if you don’t have any account activity for 18 months, your miles go away.

United’s old rules allowed for no account activity in Mileage Plus accounts for 36 months.

United says by shortening the time an account can remain inactive, it means their most loyal customers will compete with fewer people for award seats. United says that makes it easier for them to redeem their miles.

United says Mileage Plus accounts that have not earned or redeemed miles since July 1, 2006 will have associated miles expire on December 31, 2007.

There are several ways for a customer to keep an account active, according to United.

They include flying on a Untied flight or on a flight run by one of its partners, signing up for a Mileage Plus Visa credit or debit card, using miles to take a trip, redeeming miles for products or services at certain companies, transferring miles, or donating miles.

For more information, you can visit www.united.com.

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Marilyn Musgrave’s record on civil rights, gay rights, and reproductive rights has been atrocious.  Kathleen Ensz is an idiot to think that there would be no legal consequences of using the MAIL to send SHIT to her less than favorite congresswoman.  And using Mr. Hankey as an example?  Was that her idea?

But that said who cares?  It makes for a great story.  If the farms up in Greeley haven’t been bulldozed for exurbs yet maybe we can arrange a field trip to help Kathleen Ensz gather more shit.  I’ll address some mailing tubes to Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly.  I’m sure Michael Moore and Babs gets several Texas size conservative dumps FedExed to them weekly.  Shit for everyone!  Tip your postman at Christmas.

(Photo of our hero from the linked Denver Post article)

Denver Post Article:

SINCE REP. MARILYN MUSGRAVE GOT A FECES-LADEN PACKAGE, IT’S UNLEASHED A BIG STINK IN THE COURT

By Monte Whaley
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 01/18/2007 08:32:17 AM MST

Unwanted political material from the office of Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, above, angered a Democrat who retaliated in an unorthodox fashion.

What Weld County prosecutors see as the misuse of a rancid pile of dog feces, Kathleen Ensz’s defense attorneys see as an expression of the First Amendment.

Ensz is accused of going into her backyard in May, obtaining a piece of excrement, placing it in an unwanted political mailer and slipping in under the door of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave’s office.

Ensz’s attorneys argue that her conduct was a form of political protest that deserves protection and is as sacrosanct as Thomas Jefferson’s railing against the king of England.

They also cited Mr. Hankey, a television character on the adult cartoon show “South Park,” as evidence of how commonplace feces is for expressing disdain.

Mr. Hankey is a talking piece of human waste that shows up every Christmas Eve to deliver presents to good boys and girls whose diet has been high in fiber.

“What she did was probably crude and boorish,” said Patricia Bangert, one of Ensz’s attorneys. “But when Thomas Jefferson said there should be no kings and queens and we should be a free nation, that was considered obnoxious and horrible at the time.”

Bangert also cites Mr. Hankey as part of her argument that feces is often used as an angry expression shielded by the Constitution.

“Etiquette and propriety aside, it is commonplace in today’s society to equate a distasteful or disliked person, situation or thing to feces,” Bangert said.

Ensz, a Democrat, was angered by repeatedly receiving mailings from Musgrave, a Republican whom she does not like. She decided to vent her frustration by packaging and presenting the feces, according to court filings.

Prosecutors have charged Ensz - a 63-year-old retired French professor at the University of Northern Colorado - with misdemeanor “use of a noxious substance.”

Ensz’s attorneys say they will probably call both Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and Musgrave to the witness stand for an April 18 pretrial hearing.

They claim Buck, also a Republican, pursued criminal charges against Ensz, with the backing of Musgrave, because Ensz strongly supported Democrats in last fall’s election.

Ensz displayed signs at her house for both Angie Paccione - Musgrave’s Democratic opponent - and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter. Police contacted a staff member in Musgrave’s office and asked if Ensz should be prosecuted, according to court papers.

Musgrave and Buck talked, and charges were filed against Ensz, said Bangert.

Later, Musgrave sent out news releases claiming Paccione was linked to the incident.

“It all begins to look like a conspiracy because immediately after she is charged, Marilyn Musgrave immediately goes to the press,” Bangert said.

Buck couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.

Musgrave spokesman Aaron Johnson said: “Right now, this issue is between Ms. Ensz and law enforcement officials.”

Ensz also couldn’t be reached for comment.

A trial date for Ensz has been set for May 15.

Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.

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For those like myself who strive to make their lives as simple as possible this article is a great primer on how to give yourself a huge raise simply by downgrading, sharing or giving up your car.  Although many people wouldn’t think of going car-free, sharing a car with your significant other, or trading in your high lease or loan payment for a decent used car with instantly puts cash in your pocket.  You be saving money in no time, and have a fatter wallet to enjoy the truly good things in life: travel, ski pass, and better sushi restaurants.

MSNBC Article 

The real reason you’re broke
For a huge number of troubled debtors, it all began with a car. Too much car, financed too long, traded too soon.

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you’re constantly broke and can’t figure out why, the answer may be sitting in your driveway.

Americans are spending more on their vehicles than ever before — more than $8,000 a year on average — and it’s driving some to the breaking point.

Credit counselor Bill Thompson of Jacksonville, Fla., estimates that one out of every four clients his agency sees has overspent — sometimes dramatically — on a car.

“They may be spending 15% to 20% of their (take-home) pay on just the car payment,” said Thompson, who supervises credit counseling for the nonprofit Family Foundations, “and that doesn’t include insurance, gas, maintenance and all the other costs of owning a vehicle.”

And sometimes there’s more than one whopping payment. Sandra McGeary, a counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Western Pennsylvania, says she regularly sees middle-class families struggling with two payments in the $400 to $500 range. The burdens are so big that it doesn’t take a major disaster, like a job loss, to send them over the edge.

(more…)

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Travel story from the SF Gate: An Iranian Americans view of his home country.

Understandably, though, most Americans are reluctant to travel to an “axis of evil,” as Bush calls it. But it’s perfectly legal to do so. Unlike Cuba, where U.S. law makes it virtually impossible for its citizens to set foot, Iran can be visited by any American who can get a visa (which, admittedly, is not always easy to do).

And there are plenty of reasons to go. In 2005, UNESCO ranked Iran seventh in the world in terms of historical, natural and archaeological assets. There’s world-class diving in the coral-rich Persian Gulf; skiing and mountain trekking take place amid peaks over 18,000 feet. But visitors don’t have to worry about jostling crowds: Iran ranks only 70th in the world in tourism revenue, which means not many are coming.

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Anyone that works in an office every day, such as I, becomes very efficient at rapidly using the number keypads on phones and computer keyboards.  Like a court reporter, your mind and hands don’t think in terms of and individual numbers, i.e. 3-0-3 - 4- 3-2, but rather your fingers deftly hit 303 as one mental thought, your mind processes, then dials the rest of the sequence.  Same concept for accounting on a 10 key number pad.

So why would the Hewlett Packard HP Laserjet 3055 Fax/Scanner/Copier keypad be designed in such a cumbersome and awkward manner? 

The rubbery, tiny, squishy buttons are RAISED up so high that your fingers need to push each one in such a heavy and deliberate way that it feels like the PLAY and EJECT buttons on an old tape machine.  Sending a fax shouldn’t require you to hover directly over the keypad and make an concerted effort to push each button.  Your fingers should flow gracefully and quickly over the keypad, as natural as a ballerina floating across the stage.

An example of more intelligent design is shown on my telephone keypad.  The two don’t appear to be that different, however the Meridian office phone, (a staple in offices everywhere), has nice big square buttons made of hard durable plastic, and as noted the buttons operate with one easy “click”, not shoving each one down to the circuit board.  I’ve spilled coffee on this Meridian phone countless times, and people are still able to call me.  I’ll need to try harder.

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I have a relative who recently visited Cartagena as part of a cruise through the Pamana Canal last year. This New York Times article makes it look even more interesting. Most Americans would raise eyebrows upon hearing mention of a trip to Colombia, but as off the radar inexpensive place it looks very appealing, especially the below phrase “rare American visitor.”

The site poorbuthappy.com also details life in Colombia. Worth reading first hand information from residents and visitors alike.

New York Times Article with links

WHY GO NOW The people of Cartagena want the world to know that their city is not like the rest of Colombia. Perched atop South America on the southern rim of the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena feels a million miles from anything having to do with guerrillas, paramilitaries, narcotics or kidnappings.

This former hub of the Spanish empire — a major shipping port for New World riches, and a slave market and Inquisition center — is surrounded by massive stone walls, within which sit hundreds of gorgeous colonial homes, churches, plazas and parks. The Old Town, a Unesco World Heritage site, is filled with friendly people and harmless, if persistent, souvenir hawkers — all conducting their lives, business and romances outdoors.

(more…)

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I rarely catch the Daily Show at home, so every month or so I hit YouTube to catch up and watch some segments. Not sure how recent this one is, but hilarious nonetheless.

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As my regular readers know - ok who am I kidding.  As people who have accidentally stumbled upon my blog and stayed for more than a minute know, I’m a big advocate of limiting the clout and persuasion of corporations and private companies in public spaces.  Call me a commie, but I’d rather pay higher taxes and know the property and space I’m utilizing is CITY property, which in turn is MY property, rather than being privately owned.  Yup, a nice clear line between a private business and the public street.  The alternative is sitting on a “First Bank” park bench, or playing tennis at “Mortgage Brokers Court”.  Or waiting at a “CBS Outdoor” bus shelter like the one pictured here.  Unfortunately in Denver the shelters don’t look quite so gleaming right now.  They’re surrounded by berms of filthy snow, making access to them and to buses quite cumbersome and even dangerous for elderly and handicapped folks.

In this example of bad corporate citizenry Denver, like many other cities, has handed over many bus shelters to CBS Outdoor to provide shelters, maintenance, and of course advertising. However CBS is nowhere to be found when it’s necessary to do the heavy work of clearing tons of snow our recent storms have brought us. 

The shelters that RTD owns are clean and clear thanks to their local contractors.  CBS owns hundreds and hundreds of shelters, yet only has 11 to service them.  11 people?  I realize cleaning up a bus shelter isn’t servicing the space shuttle, but perhaps Dan Scherer of CBS Outdoor should channel some ad revenue into hiring more maintenance workers and creating a contingency plans for situations like these.

Hopefully the story by KUSA will prompt action.  And in the meantime a friendly e-mail to Dan wouldn’t hurt either:  dan.scherer@cbsoutdoor.com 

I’m still shoveling.  My neighbors are shoveling.  RTD is shoveling.  I’ll bet even local asshole curmudgeon Steve Horner shoveled his sidewalk (see below).  CBS Outdoor needs to follow suit.  I certainly hope whoever purchases the rights to the Golden Gate Bridge takes their responsibilities more seriously.

KUSA Article:   Bus stops still snowed in, RTD not allowed to clear them

DENVER – Many people who take the bus are upset their stops are still snowed in, but RTD is not to blame. 9NEWS found many bus shelters were inaccessible along East Colfax Avenue on Monday.

Norman Chapman rides the number 20 bus to his job at New Hope Baptist Church. However, he could not wait at the shelter on Monday and had to stand out in the street to get on.  “The bus company should do a little more work on it and clean it up and keep it clean,” said Chapman.  At Colfax Avenue and Pennsylvania, the snow churned up by city plows is higher than the bus bench.

However, RTD is not to blame for the packed bus shelters. TD uses more than 10,000 bus stops in the metro area, but most of them are on private property. Those shelters or benches are owned by private advertising companies.  Because of this, RTD says it cannot legally clean them.  RTD says it only has jurisdiction over its own 585 shelters. You can tell which ones those are because they do not have any advertising.

Those shelters are well shoveled and cleaned out. RTD has a contract with Front Range Services to clear the shelters.  9NEWS talked to the general manager of CBS Outdoor, one of five advertising agencies that owns some of the unplowed stops. He told 9NEWS the storm caught them by surprise.  “We have assigned 100 percent of our personnel to hand shovel our stops,” said Dan Scherer, with CBS Outdoor. “But that’s only 11 people.”

CBS Outdoor has more than 2,600 stops to shovel.

Other bus stops are on property that is under the control of homes or businesses. The property owners are required to shovel those areas, including around bus pickup zones.

(Copyright KUSA-TV. All rights reserved.)

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