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Colorado Geography

Regarding the 11-20-02 Reclaim our History: No, NOT that Columbine!

Even a few seconds of on-line research would show that the Columbine mine and massacre were in Boulder County, NW of Denver, about 30 miles north of Columbine High School in Jefferson County, SW of Denver.

--Anon, via e-mail

G.P. replies: You are correct, sir. Or ma'am. The person editing the column added that comment, which isn't in the original database. I knew the difference; but then, I've spent a lot of time in Denver, and both the column and issue editors last month hadn't. It's an easy error. Thanks for catching it.

Kenya for the Holidays

Thanks to Geov Parrish for an update on the sensationalist stories over the weekend involving Kenya and Israelis. I for one wonder why anyone would think going to a Muslim state with their children for a respite from Palestinian-Israeli strife would be a good idea. The place has had Afghanistan-like conditions longer than Afghanistan. I know the CIA and NSA sent shoulder-to-air missiles by the boatloads to bin Laden's people. I noticed in unofficial web polls that the American people by about 67% think al-Qaeda can strike any time and anywhere in America if they want to. But no one takes note that they haven't in over two years.

Surely if they could they would. The real story of the tragedy of 9/11 is that it was just a lucky coordinated attack that could not be pulled off now. People in New York that I talked to expected another attack to happen after the unsuccessful attempt to bring down WTC in 1994. I read a commissioned report before the attack by Gary Hart and 11 others on an intelligence commission warning of a future attack. But they don't have to come to America to terrorize Americans or Westerners. The news media will do the job for them. And if we attack Iraq, that attack will escalate terrorism, and Bush is just crazy to do it.

Scowcroft, Baker, and that big guy, former Asst. Sect. Eagleman, all have disappeared in the background after dissenting because they're afraid to say in public to the media so close to the attack that Bush is a warmongering nut and he's turning practically an ex-convict in Poindexter (infamous for shadow governments beyond public awareness) loose on anyone who might be un-American. But if al-Qaeda was going to hit America, or especially Saddam Hussein [were to attack], the latter would have done it long ago, and the former would have already done it again.

Keep Us Advised,

Steve McKinnon, via e-mail

Or Maybe Just Leave!

In response to "Warden Sims Screws Social Services" (Maria Tomchick, 12/06/02). I would like to point out one thing. If people cannot afford to live in King County, they have an option; they should move. I myself looked at the situation when my lease was up and decided that I don't want to live in King County because of the high cost of living and moved to a lower cost of living area. I know this is callous, but it is the fair thing to do. Why should taxpayers subsidize people that cannot afford to live in a certain area when there are other alternatives?

Andrew, via e-mail

G.P. replies: You're right: it is callous. Also oblivious. A lot of the people who can't afford to pay the local rents are tied here by jobs -- which, you may nave noticed, are hard to get at the moment if you move -- and lack of good public transportation to them from outside the city. And setting aside the fact that accessing almost any public agency is intentionally made such a time-consuming and humiliating process that anyone who can avoid it does -- many of the people needing basic services like homeless shelters are people who did move: out of abusive relationships, for example, or kicked out of hospitals or institutions because of lack of insurance, or released from prison with no resources. It's not just rent that's hard: so is owning (and insuring) a car, day care, health care, and all the other costs of living. Some people can, in fact, leave to reduce their expenses, and many have done just that. But many more cannot. And then there's the basic question: why should anyone be forced out of a community they call home -- or dumped on its streets by circumstance -- simply because people like you don't give a damn?

A Holiday Serenade

The Twelve Days of Fascism:

On the first day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, a Department of Homeland Security.

On the second day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the third day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the fourth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the fifth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the sixth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the seventh day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the eighth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, eight surveillance cameras, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the ninth day of fascism, John Ashcroft gave to me, nine internment camps, eight surveillance cameras, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the tenth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me, ten less amendments, nine internment camps, eight surveillance cameras, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the eleventh day of fascism, John Ashcroft gave to me, eleven years protesting ten less amendments, nine internment camps, eight surveillance cameras, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a Department of Homeland Security.

On the twelfth day of fascism John Ashcroft gave to me:

Twelve digital implants, eleven years protesting ten less amendments, nine internment camps, eight surveillance cameras, seven TIPsters tipping, six snoops a-sniffing, Fiiive Caaar-ni-vores! Four airport friskings, three wiretappings, two detained Muslims, and a De-part-ment of Home-land Se-cur-iteeee!!!

--Anon., via e-mail