If you’re like me, (and after two years of my blog you should be able to figure that out,) you don’t care for enormous ultra trendy clubs where the highest of fashions are mandated upon entering. Lots of halogen lighting, glass bars, and stainless are sexy and fun, but sometimes you just want to relax with friends, have a drink, and not worry about dressing to impress. Or if your purse or Diesel jeans are up to par.

I first thought of Sputnik as just another dive bar attached to another dive bar, convincingly called the “Hi-Dive,” but Sputnik goes above and beyond the stereotype of location. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is friendly and mellow, and evenings are accompanied by DJs spinning house and chill music. And design wise they’re no dive. Local art decks the walls above the booths, the long bar is lined with all types of vodka, and the DJ in the back corner is lit up by a large retro 70s lamp.

The same folks that own the Hi-Dive own Sputnik. The Hi-Dive is a music venue foremost, whereas the adjacent Sputnik offers a large food menu including coffee and espressos for mid day and a diverse selection of martinis for the evening. They’re open at 10am and serve throughout the day, and it gets crowded around 10pm as more arrive to enjoy music and socialize. The large semicircular booths are perfect for gathering with friends for a cozy dinner. Two other cool reasons to visit? Their sweet potato fries and free WiFi!

They’re located at 7 South Broadway, at South Broadway and Ellsworth. Menu and events at sputnikdenver.com

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I’ve been downloading some old Baby Mammoth songs from iTunes over the weekend.

I’ll be first to say my information on them is scarce, but there’s a plethora of work by them on iTunes.

Sure their album “Motion Without Pain” is almost seven years old, but their music is great, and they deserve a plug and kick in the ass to create some more grooves.

They’re on iTunes, and myspace.com/babymammoth

From Artist direct:

Amidst heavy competition, Baby Mammoth is the Pork label’s most prolific act, packing in five full LPs of blunted instrumental hip-hop between their debut in late 1996 and the end of the decade. Like other Pork acts Fila Brazillia and Solid Doctor, the duo of Mark Blissenden and Andrew Burdall specialize in earthy breaks and ambient atmospheres, more slanted to the instrumental edge of acid jazz than other producer-based trip-hop acts. The pair first met Pork label-head Dave Brennand and associate Steve Cobby (aka Fila Brazillia) at a club in Hull, where both band and label are based. The relationship blossomed with the release of Baby Mammoth’s debut, 10,000 Years Beneath the Street, in 1996. Blissenden and Burdall then released two albums the following year (as well as an EP and single). Baby Mammoth settled down to a more languid release schedule with one LP release each year in 1998 (Another Day at the Orifice), 1999 (Swimming) 2000 (Motion Without Pain), and 2001 (Seven Up). After a year long break, the band returned with Octo Muck in 2003. A year later, Blissenden teamed with labelmates Steve Cobby and Robert Ellerby from Beige for the Fabric 18 mix CD. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

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I vist the Denver Book Mall once every few weeks, or whenever I’m on South Broadway and have some time to kill.  What makes the Denver Book Mall unique is that it’s not just a used bookstore, but a collection of local booksellers working on consignment in one location.

The friendly staff will always notice you and say hello, and if they’re not at the front desk the creaky wood floor will certainly alert them to your presence.  Books are categorized by retailer, but the staff can recommend a certain “store” to visit in order to find subjects and titles.   I usually never have anything specific in mind, but always walk away with something when browsing.  There’s a collection of old magazine and reference books in the small south room of the store.

They’re located at 32 South Broadway, on the east side just north of Ellsworth.  You can check out a list of current booksellers at their site   dim.com/~bkmall

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I always need an e-mail and coffee fix before starting my day, at home and abroad.  (Feel free to post any internet addiction links below thanks.)  During my stay in Munich I frequented “Coffee Fellows” almost every morning.  This stylish chain has locations throughout Munich and Germany.

Most importantly, the computers are clean, fast running, and secure.  When sitting down at a PC station the last thing you want to see is a bunch of crapware loaded on the desktop and taskbar, with visions of keystroke recorders dancing in your head.  The staff is pleasant and attentive, and “my” location across from the Easy Palace Hotel at the Hauptbahnhof was the most spacious I’ve seen.  

A wide selection of sandwiches and desserts are available on the main floor, which has comfy couches, plenty of newspapers and magazines, and an outdoor seating area on pedestrian only street of Schutzenstrasse.  The upstairs has 40 or so PC stations in a halogen lit large room.  Perfect for wrapping up your travel e-mails or backing up your photos.

Locations at Coffee-Fellows.de

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When plunked in front of the computer I usually listen to XM Radio or some other various internet radio stations.  One I listen to frequently is Beatbox.fm   Not only is this a great techno/dance station out of Buenos Aires, but the staff, (yes this net radio station is staffed), helped track down a song for me after much fruitless searching.

A song in light rotation featured the fragment of lyrics “Such a crying shame, she’s so pretty, so insane” and “She’s Cool Cool” to a heavy driving beat that I love, ala Starkiller’s “Diskoteka”.  Plugging these crapshoot of lyrics into the regular searches netted nothing, with exception to a few people using it in myspace as their signatures.

I e-mailed Beatbox with the lyrics and time it ran, and Javier promptly responded and gave me all of the song information.  Turns out it’s “KooKoo” by DJ Jay P. 

Of course I immediately downloaded it because you’re dying to hear it: 

Thanks Beatbox and Javier!  Listen to Beatbox and send them some love.  And warmth. It’s very cold in BsAs now.

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This is barely news and isn’t reporting anything new and shocking - but according to Rocky Mountain News writer Douglas Clark Wal-Mart has absolutely no interest in working with the community in building a new supercenter, (ugh), along Santa Fe Drive. Instead they say “here is what you get, take it or leave it”. Good for the Littleton residents for telling a business to require with local design and aesthetic rules to be part of their community.

Why not just say “Get Lost?”. Hey and stop selling these Nazi t-shirts too.  For more info check out Littleton Against Wal-mart.com

Wal-Mart is not providing the perimeter landscape buffers required by the zoning to protect the adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Wal-Mart will not comply with the city’s noise ordinance when the store is up and running, and said so during the zoning hearing.

The proposed Wal-Mart does not comply with landscaping requirements along Santa Fe, or with minimum parking requirements, or with unobstructed open space requirements, or with design guidelines for the entry street.

With Wal-Mart, what you get is a standard-issue SuperCenter - take it or leave it. Wal-Mart is willing to do some minor changes in the building exterior design, but that is it.

Rocky Mountain News Article - below:

By Douglas Clark
June 9, 2007
The proposed Wal-Mart along Santa Fe Drive in Littleton has significant zoning and land-use problems; significant enough for three of the seven Littleton City Council members to vote against the zoning.
The problems start with the combination of a small site that has pre-existing drainage issues bounded on two sides by residential neighborhoods, with a huge proposed Wal-Mart SuperCenter that will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The problems are exacerbated by incomplete and contradictory documentation supplied by Wal-Mart. Some examples are: one-quarter of the pages in the traffic analysis report supplied by Wal-Mart were blank, the zoning document submitted by Wal-Mart lists different uses, number of parking spaces, setback amounts and landscape area on various pages of the zoning document, etc.

(more…)

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I’ve owned the original Roomba for a few years and recently upgraded to the “Discovery” about a year ago.  For those who don’t know the Roomba is a small circular self propelled floor vacuum cleaner created by iRobot, (a company that also makes military and police robots for collecting dangerous objects).  Roomba works on all floor types, and their newest product the “Scuba” even washes and scrubs tile and wood floor.  Roombas have sensors to keep from falling off stair edges, and their small virtual “wall” sensors can be used to contain the Roomba in a specified area. 

Below: the Roomba “wall”

The Roomba is not as powerful as newer standard floor vacuums, but for regular floor cleanings it’s perfect.  With it’s low profile it cleans under beds and most sofas.  You can start it and walk out of your door, or sit and watch the Roomba chase your dog around.

Like any product with multiple gears and moving parts cleaning and maintenance is imperative, especially when the product itself is designed to get filthy.  However even with proper care they can require service.   I’ve had two instances over four years where my Roomba has not functioned properly.  Each time I’ve dealt with iRobot I’ve ended my call impressed at how simple and quick the process was.

Recently my Roomba was not starting it’s cycle correctly.  I called the support line and they had me run a quick test to determine it’s “illness.”  They explained the known glitch and mailed me a small memory card attached to a serial plug which I could insert into the Roomba to update.  How simple is that?  A quick software upgrade via mail - although a direct USB connection and download would be easier in my opinion.

They ask for the serial number on the back, where I bought it, and how long I’ve owned it.  I gave my e-mail and physical address so they could send me the patch card, we exchanged pleasantries and were done.  I’m sure they internally track the serial numbers and who’s calling for service, but they don’t bother the end user with the endless details and paperwork.

Here’s what makes this type of service model different:  They actual issue of SERVICE during the call is not outweighed by the overwhelming collection and analyzation of personal details.  iRobot doesn’t care how, why, or who owns the Roomba.   They just know a Roomba exists, it’s broke, and it needs to be fixed.

I’m a frequent reader of Consumerist.com where some participants record their customer service calls to various tech companies.  These excruciating calls often extends for 10-15 minutes plus collecting details BEFORE the service part actually begins.  Then after it’s analyzed you’re sent to ANOTHER phone que, which often results in the obligatory disconnect.

It shouldn’t matter WHO owns a product and whether it was purchased new out of the box or at a garage sale.  If the product is within the service period and it needs repair the process should be simple.  iRobot does this, and I’ll happily buy my next Roomba, pool cleaner, or bomb disposal robot from them.

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Brian Rohrbough still using his dead son as a political tool.  He won’t say what he wants written on the Columbine memorial, but if the memorial fund is rejecting it there must be some reason.  If his prose is anything like the nonsense he spouted at the state capitol last year I say of course they review and limit his writings.  The whole point of a memorial is to memorialize.  Not preach your own theological views.

What kind of reprehensible person would use their son’s violent death as a tool for his self serving religious and political gain? This joker is constantly linking and connecting the “culture of death” that killed his son to the history of legal abortion conflicts in our country.

Brian Rohrbough should examine his selfish and disgusting views, and honor his son rather than whoring out his death for his own personal gain.

Rocky Mountain News Article below:

The committee overseeing the construction of the $1.5 million memorial to the victims of the Columbine tragedy is wrangling with one father over the words he chose to memorialize his son.  And that father, Brian Rohrbough, said Wednesday that he is prepared to go to court to fight for the right to choose the words that will mark his memories of his 15- year-old son, Dan.

Paul Rufien, an attorney who serves on the committee overseeing the memorial, said he is confident that the disagreement will be resolved soon, “and that the right thing will be done.” “I guess it would be somewhat obvious since we are having this discussion that what was submitted is at least in a gray area that caused me to have my conversation with Brian,” Rufien said. “And then his response back has caused us to have to pause and say, what is the issue, put it in the context of that commitment that was made to the families and then, again, ultimately try and make the right decision.”

Rohrbough said he believes the families were given wide latitude to write what they wanted, within space limitations, and that they deserve to pick the words that will memorialize those they lost. And Rufien acknowledged that the families were given “a great deal of breadth.” “The intent of the committee was to allow the families tremendous latitude to provide their remembrances,” he said. Each family was given the same specific number of characters, which amounted to about 200 words.

Rohrbough and his former wife, Sue Petrone, and other family members worked together to come up with the language that would remember their son. Petrone wrote the first section, then Rohrbough wrote the second section, which included a Bible verse. “I think you can infer that I have included the things that were happening at the time Columbine happened, as kind of a marker in time,” he said. “It really goes at the deeper questions of how did it happen, why did it happen?”

He said the committee has not objected to his inclusion of a Bible verse as part of his writing. However, he said he has been asked to consider different language that would “soften” his message. Rufien met with Rohrbough and other family members, including Sue Petrone, in March to talk about the concerns. However, Rohrbough did not agree to any changes at that meeting. Then, Rufien e-mailed him proposed new language on May 27 and said the deadline to finalize the language was May 31. Rohrbough balked. “They watered down my language into a completely different meaning,” he said. “What they did is they took my words, which are based on fact, and they watered them down to be meaningless.”

He said the committee will ultimately have to decide “whether this choice of words fits the mission and the intent of the memorial to be an individualized remembrance.” He said a decision could be made as early as next week. “I do believe it will work itself out,” Rufien said. “Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to be Brian and I sitting down and talking about it any more. “I think that dialogue has ended.”

The “disappeared” are mounting.   From the Guardian.  Remind you of Argentina circa 1970s?  There’s a lot of ocean near Guantanamo.

Guardian Article Below

Dozens of people who have vanished after allegedly being detained by the United States during counter-terrorism operations were named in a report published by human rights groups.  Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and four other groups, are demanding that the US government accounts for the whereabouts of 39 people whom they believe have been held at secret CIA prisons since the attacks of September 11 2001.

The detainees include a number of al-Qaida suspects, including a former British resident who has been charged with plotting the 1998 east African embassy bombings in which 225 people died.

The list also includes a number of children, including the two young sons of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. The two boys have not been seen by family members since they were detained in Pakistan almost five years ago during a raid in search of their father.

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On my train trip from Munich to Prague I read the book “Seeds of Doubt” by local Denver author Stephanie Kane.   Jackie Flowers is a successful defense attorney who takes in, (yes to her house), a young woman accused of murdering a little boy.   Antics ensue with her friend and detective Pilar while the plot revolves around suspect Rachael, her brother Christopher, and love interest Dennis.

I wasn’t completely thrilled or disapointed with Seeds of Doubt. I found it an average easy read, perfect to follow amid the distractions of the beautiful German countryside.  Funny though how all but one review on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles paint this book as the best prose since Hemingway.  

The part that kept my attention was that the primary scene is literally set in my backyard.  I live in Congress Park, near the soccer fields where the little boy, (in the book), was found dead.  Kane describes the hills, berms, and soccer fields perfectly - and I’m wondering at what point she was parked in my driveway roaming around taking notes.  The “Toody Froody” ice scream shop is obviously Liks on 13th, and she describes other neighborhood characteristics perfectly.  

Here’s something a bit odd:  I went to Stephanie Kane’s website at www.writerkane.com and found her “reading groups” page.  Turns out that if you’re reading Stephanie’s books for your book club, she wants to BE THERE for the follow up discussion.  

“I enjoy participating in reading group discussions about my books. If you would like me to be a part of your next meeting, please contact me.  Click here to hear from Reading Groups who have invited me to their meetings.”  

I am happy to provide you with Readi Group Guides for any of my books. These guides can be a kick-off point for discussion and questions at your next meeting.
 

WTF?  This isn’t a book signing - she actually wants to come to your living room while you’re discussing her books.  Do I really need a guide for a paperback mystery fiction book? Does anyone else find that a bit weird?  How can you be critical of a book with the author sitting right there eating your cookies?   Anyway I’m sure she has the best of intentions, and Stephanie if my non-existent book club ever gets around to this one you’re invited.  You know where I live.

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Hey a law to prevent the deafening roar of motorcycles from interrupting conversations, dinner, nap, TV time, or anything else? I’m all for it. Bring it on! Of course this goes against my views of creating niche compartmentalized laws when umbrella ordinances such as disturbing the peace already exist - but I’m not feeling very libertarian today. And all the charity rides and teddy bears to the Children’s Hospital doesn’t change the fact that a revving motorcycle is noise pollution, plain and simple. Rocky Mountain News Article:

Hog lovers make noise over motorcycle ordinance

By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News
June 4, 2007
Irate motorcycle lovers are expected to roar into the Denver City Council meeting tonight to throttle a proposed ordinance making it easier for cops to fine bikers for ear-splitting noise violations.
City Councilman Rick Garcia said he sponsored Council Bill 242 in response to mounting complaints for residents about thunderous hogs rolling through his northwest Denver districts at all hours of the night and day.

“Oh, we’re going to be overrun tonight,” warned City Councilman Charlie Brown. He’s already heard complaints from local motorcycle dealers and National Western Complex officials, who fear the bill could hurt the huge 29th annual Colorado Motorcycle Show and Swap next February.

The bill would make it easier for police to ticket motorcyclists if a bike made after 1982 has a muffler lacking a mandatory factory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noise certification stamp. Currently, city environmental officers wielding noise meters must alert police officers when a motorcycle violates the noise ordinance.

(more…)

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I finally visited the new Denver Art Museum.  The recently opened Frederic C. Hamilton building is an enormous five storey sleek and shiny diamond shaped building.  It’s sweeping lines extend over 13th Avenue and it’s an excellent compliment to the 10 year old library next door.

We saw the temporary exhibit titled “RADAR“, on loan from Vicki and Kent Logan.  These 200 pieces are beautiful, bizarre, freakish, and some even haunting.   But well worth it.  It’s modern art at it’s best, and while some works are almost a satirical representation of “modern art”,  the other abstract works make for an interesting and exciting exhibit.

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The touristy by day, tranquil by night medieval village of Ceský Krumlov is the last place I expected to find a bar appearing to be straight out of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” set warehouse. During the busy months this dark cellar is a perfect spot to get away from the crowds, as most of the tour bus ducklings wouldn’t dare attempt follow their leader down the twisting narrow stone steps.

Despite the vampire’s lair design, the crowd isn’t all goth and underworld. Live bands play on weekends, and it’s frequented by locals and backpackers alike. The main room is decked out in skeletons, cobwebs, bats, and all things macabre. There’s an equally gory separate private room for groups as well.

The best drink? By far the Mint or Strawberry Julep which our bartender took great time and care making. The crushed mint pieces in this delicious drink made for a tiny swamp inside our glass. One of the best drinks ever.

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