SandBoxBlogs: The Foundry Scribe "Chart of the Week: The Tax Burden on American Households"

Alison Meyer:
"Americans who are scrambling to pay their taxes by Tuesday’s deadline are in store for more depressing news: The tax burden on American families has risen dramatically and will continue to climb into the future without action from Congress. This week’s chart outlines the growth of taxes over the past 45 years.

Large tax increases are just months away. Jan. 1, 2013, is already being dubbed Taxmaggedon. Seven existing tax policies will end and 18 new taxes from Obamacare will begin, leading to a $494 billion tax increase at the start of next year...."  (Read more? Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Town Hall "ALEC’s Rich States, Poor States"

Chris Edwards:
"The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released the fifth edition of its “Rich States, Poor States” report yesterday. For fiscal wonks the report is a fun read, as it is chock full of tax and economic comparisons between the 50 states.

The first part of the report is a “Supply Side 101” lesson on the advantages of low marginal tax rates and the mobility of labor and capital. One point that policymakers often overlook is that a high tax rate on one tax base tends to shrink not just that tax base, but other tax bases as well. Thus, high income tax rates shrink reported incomes, and in turn that shrinks both income and payroll tax bases. Similarly, high corporate income tax rates shrink the corporate tax base and the individual and payroll tax bases as corporate investment, hiring, and wage growth are reduced...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Fox News "Chris Wallace Pays Tribute to His Father Mike Wallace on Fox News Sunday"

"Chris showed a clip of Fox News Sunday from a few years ago, in which he interviewed his father. In the interview, he asked him about the depiction of the mainstream media as being too liberal. Mike Wallace replied that the idea of liberal reporters as “wide-eyed commies” is “damn foolishness.” He said, “First of all they’re patriots, just as much as any conservative. Even a liberal reporter is a patriot, wants the best for this country.”..."  (Read more?  Watch Chris Wallace tribute?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Pueblo Chieftain "Candidates weigh in on regional issues "

This is a great example of what I personally find offensive from Sal Pace. I have yet to read a press coverage on him that does not include 'flamers'. 

That tendency could be chalked up to just political stumping if it was not, whenever he is called on the lack of fact, foundation or simply that his statement is disingenuous, if he didn't immediately reverse himself each time and slip-slide away in the other direction.

Just say YES to Congressman Scott Tipton (R-Colorado). 

Patrick Malone:
Tipton also said his pledge against funding projects specific to his district, shared by many in Congress, is an obstacle to the project.

“We have a rule in the House of Representatives for no earmarks,” he said.

Tipton explained that any project that stands alone is an earmark, but those that can be conducted nationwide are not.

“The definition of an earmark is one specific locale,” he said. “It has to be available across the nation, so that you’ve got to have an instance of more than one.”

The asbestos project in Pueblo undoubtedly would be an earmark, Tipton said.

Pace said he doesn’t care how the demolition gets done, as long as it does.

“I think the feds and the state are both to blame,” he said. “We should quit trying to pass the buck and we should all put aside our bickering and figure out a way to get it done. I don’t care if the state does it or the feds do it.

“If the feds do it and Scott Tipton takes the lead, I’m personally going to give him credit, because it’s not about who gets credit. It’s about making sure that kids in Pueblo aren’t breathing air laden with asbestos.”..." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Pueblo Chieftain " Shades of red: Unified identity eludes GOP "

Excellent piece from Patrick Malone. Up, down and way over on the Pueblo Chieftain.

Patrick Malone:
"DENVER — Most every face at the Colorado Republican State Assembly and Convention that concluded on Saturday tells the story of a party in search of itself.
If not the face, then at least the T-shirt, the sign, or the moments that Republicans picked to cheer, remain silent or boo placed them squarely in one of two camps — Mitt Romney’s or somebody else’s.
Most often, the alternative Republican presidential candidate to Romney throughout the assembly and convention was Texas Congressman Ron Paul. His backers tended to be younger, more vocal and more prevalently represented among the delegates selected to represent the state's congressional districts at the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August..."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Right Scoop "Bolton: American strength isn’t provocative, American weakness is and Obama specializes in it"

Scoop:
"Bolton gave a speech at the NRA the other day and had some excellent one liners that go a long way at summarizing the foreign policy of this administration. My favorite being this one:

The problem with Obama is that he sees American strength as provocative, when in fact it’s the exact opposite. It’s American weakness that’s provocative and we have a president who specializes in it.

Bolton also gave advice on how to treat our allies:

"If you watch how the Obama administration has performed with respect to Iran and it’s nuclear weapons and it’s support for terrorism, versus how our president has treated Israel, it’s very clear: if you want to know how to treat a close ally, look at how Barack Obama has treated Israel and then do the exact opposite."..."

(Watch the full speech?  You should, it is a good one.  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Canon City Daily Record "McNeill addresses police department audit"

See related story here.

See video of public comments here.

"SandBox Nanny' is finding it a bit tough to find words to recap suspended Canon City Police Chief Duane McNeill's public comments regarding his opinion of his department and fellow officers.

So, let's just give a link to the audit itself and wait for future press coverage on the issue.

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site49/2012/0415/20120415_065857_PoliceAudit2012.pdf


"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KKCO 11 News "Latest update in death of Grand Junction teen "

KKCO:
"An update in the death of a Grand Junction teenager who was taken off of life support on Thursday.
Friends and family say 19-year-old Daniel Richards' death has been ruled a homicide...."
(Be sure to watch all regional news outlets for updates.  Read more on this report? Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Pueblo Chieftain "Drug case closes "

Robert Boczkiewicz:
"DENVER — The leader of one of the  world's largest drug-trafficking organizations — toppled due to a tip a decade ago to Pueblo Crime Stoppers — was sentenced Friday to prison for 22 years.
Arriola ran his organization from Mexico, smuggling tons of cocaine monthly from there to a ranch at Peyton in El Paso County that served as a distribution center. Its tentacles stretched to 17 states, including New York, Illinois and Georgia.

A dozen of Arriola's many subordinates lived in Pueblo, agent Paul Roach of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told The Pueblo Chieftain on Friday. He was the lead investigator.

Investigators previously said Pueblo was among numerous centers in the United States that Arriola's organization used to distribute cocaine and launder the money from it.

Blackburn said the organization garnered $1 billion in revenue and ruined thousands of lives....

......."The most significant international drug trafficking organization ever to operate in the state of Colorado ended with the sentencing of its leader, Oscar Arriola," said Barbra Roach, agent in charge of the DEA's operations in Colorado."  (Read more?  Click title)

The kingpin, Oscar Arriola, was "a clear and present danger to this country and its citizens," U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn said.

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KJCT News 8 "DA's Office: Drug Dealer to be Re-Sentenced"

Don Coleman:
"But prosecutors say despite the argument and plea for a ten year prison term, Judge David Bottger handed down the six year sentence while agreeing that Tait should be taken out of the community for this offense.


Days later, the DA's Office says it received a call from Judge Bottger's clerk saying he had "changed his mind" and was requesting Tait not be transported to the Department of Corrections. The Judge apparently wanted to schedule another sentencing hearing.


It is not clear what led up to the Judge's request, nor what he apparently changed his mind about. We are told the hearing has been set for later this week....."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "APCHA asked to involve social services in local housing issues"

There are some out here that would say that finally achieving the end of the longest labor in birthing history....has just been accomplished.

If this story, and all the lead-in stories that brought this birth to come to pass (living wage..little guys tromped on everywhere in the area...big money greed...alleged power abuses, etc. etc. etc. etc.) and all the likely to come backlash stories that will follow it; does not make top stories of 2012, then 'ZG' is off his game.  

This step is huge.  Unprecedented in Aspen's history.  For two government powered organizations, to finally step forward and bravely confront Aspen's powerful government over what is a huge deficit in the physical, social and material well-being of the majority of Pitkin County's population is truly an epochal moment.

Now, don't limit yourselves to just homelessness and linking up human services.  Tackle the problem itself.

Self-sufficiency standards and living wages. High suicide percentages.  No rehab facilities and the one that is present is grossly overloaded.  An out-of-control drug culture.  Social pressures to keep up appearances simply to be able to hold down a job at Aspen scale. An entire 'next tier up' culture that is filled with professionals, single parent families and people in a social position that they cannot show the world-at-large that they are teetering on the edge of hungry and homeless.

Invite others besides social services to help you see what all the problems really are.  If you're going to have honest discussions then make them brutally honest discussions.  Invite law enforcement and the folks who run the thrift stores and soup kitchens because they know where the problems are.

In simplistic terms, deal with the entire problem.

A very special thank you goes out to the Regional Homeless Coalition and Dorothy Atkins up on the Aspen Daily.  For not only starting the discussion but reporting that event openly to the public.

Dorothy Atkins:
"“I think it’s time to look at the whole thing again,” McCabe said. “It’s kind of like asking ourselves, ‘What do we want to be when we grow up?’” ..." (Read more?  Click title)

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Aspen's Pro Cycling budget increases by $100K"

Congratulations (again) to Aspen on this major event returning to the Valley in 2012.

Here's to no snags popping up from PitCo commissioners  and everything being able to move forward freely.  It sounds like a lot of fun events planned for locals and visitors alike.

Andre SalVail:
"“Aspen is in the unique and envious position of being the only host city on the entire 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge to be a finish and a start stage,” said Nancy Lesley, city of Aspen director of special events, in a memorandum filed Thursday to the council.

The memo states that city staffers have three objectives in mind while planning for this year's version of the event. First, they want “to create a platform that the race organizers feel is well-organized, user-friendly to the racers and event staff, and so turnkey that they have no choice but to return year after year.”

Second and third objectives call for creating an experience for spectators that will compel them to return to Aspen and making the event a good fit for the community.

The city's cost to host the event will be $387,000, up $100,000 from last year's expenditures, the memo states.

“Another difference this year is the (Aspen Chamber Resort Association) contribution,” Lesley wrote. “Last year, we received a check for $50,000 from (the chamber), of which we allocated $30,000 toward operations and $20,000 toward marketing. This year the entire $50,000 stays with (the chamber) and will be utilized to market Aspen around this event.”

Other changes are planned, according to the memo. At the one-day event in August 2011, the finish line was on Main Street near the Pitkin County Courthouse. This year's ending on Aug. 22 will be in the vicinity of Paepcke Park. A “finish-line festival” is being planned at the park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., complete with vendors, media broadcasts, a big-screen TV for race viewing, live entertainment and a beer garden. Last year, a similar event at Wagner Park was relatively unsuccessful because bad weather marred the video quality and hampered the tents that housed the vendors. A VIP tent will be erected across from the park on Main Street.

In addition to the festival, city organizers plan to create a “local's corner” based around Original Curve, the last corner until the final stretch on Main Street to the finish..."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "And just like that the ski season ends"

And it only took at least a decade of local voices refusing to 'be quiet'.

The resulting boycotts and mass exodus to places like Vail,  from locals and tourists with a conscience who have been observing  the social persecution and pillorying of anyone trying for economic equality with living wages, anyone bringing alleged soft corruption (heck, maybe even hard corruption) issues to light, anyone refusing  to be gouged with outrageous pricing and few amenities, anyone who is global weary of the social class structure and pecking order of Aspen and Big Money and anyone who really is genuinely in favor of the DEA and FBI hanging out around the area and focused on Aspen; must have finally dug a trench in the Crown Family and the Aspen Ski Corp bottom line profits.

After all, it was well over 14 years ago that Vail determined it was appropriate and necessary to provide things like mountain biking, kayak parks and year round offerings to the folks. Which is precisely the reason that they have been able to enjoy $35 million annual profits, spend $70 million on new lifts after spending mega-money the year before on improvements to the mountain.  Oh, yes.  And repeatedly landing world class sporting venues  and events.

Looks like (if no further national and world economic recessions happen) we can count on this new energy from the powers that be up in the Skico to finally get game on if they start building now, in what, 10 years?

Wasn't it Johnny Boyd who was talking up turning base village into a high end gambling casino venue?  That might be faster.

Johnny Boyd:
"As skiing becomes an iffy proposition in the future, the SkiCo has finally decided that mountain biking really is fun and might be a good way to make some money. Whistler is a huge destination for bikers of all ages and Keystone has a gnarly reputation for summer fun. SkiCo should be able to blow both of those upstarts off the map.

It looks like Snowmass could become the place to be later in the summer. The SkiCo has commissioned at least one awesome trail on the Elk Camp side of the mountain. This trail was built by the company Gravity Logic, and has excellent flow and, for those young enough to leave the ground, the possibility of big air. If you haven’t ridden it yet, you should head to Snowmass as soon as the snow melts. It’s almost as fun as a powder day.

The one disappointing addition to Elk Camp is the Vapor Trail. I’m not too sure what it is supposed to be when it grows up, but I hope the SkiCo brings in someone to redesign it and give it the flow that it needs to become a popular trail.

When the SkiCo decided to move all summer operations to the Elk Camp gondola it abandoned many perfectly good trails on the Sam’s Knob end of the mountain. The downhill course used by Blast the Mass and NORBA competitors was described as “neglected” by the racers I talked with last year. Instead of letting these trails revegetate, the SkiCo needs to make the commitment to summer and think about opening the entire mountain.

The trails on the western side of Snowmass run ridge lines with views forever and drop through aspen forests in amazingly technical descents that riders would flock to Snowmass for. Plus, there is plenty of room for more trails and terrain parks.

Mountain biking amenities need to be modeled like skiing. Instructors teaching the skills needed to ride a bike should be lined up at Base Village just like in the winter. Video of the day’s class could be posted to the Internet so the folks back home who paid for Junior’s trip to Snowmass Village can see the little tyke’s progress.

If the commitment to summer downhill sports is certain, it makes sense to open both sides of the mountain. Running the Village Express six-pack and the Elk Camp Gondola sends bikers into all kinds of terrain. There are no finer views than the top of Sam’s Knob, which opens other money-making possibilities for the SkiCo.

As winter as we know it becomes more and more doubtful with the change of climates the Aspen area is experiencing, the summer activities have to take center stage for the SkiCo. By running two lifts and turning on the marketing to let riders know what we’re doing, we could become a bigger summer biking destination than Whistler. In fact, the possibilities are endless and could make summer as busy as winter for the SkiCo....."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Project aims to spruce up concert pavilion"

Who ya gonna call?

81601 small businesses, marketing and economic development have needed a hero for a very long time.

Breaking the glass ceiling of 81601 and surrounding areas,  in order to really get any ability to act with full community involvement on ideas, concerns, concepts and actual manifestation of viable tourism infrastructure,  has been a long slog and uphill climb for many. 

The stringent hold on public cash flows, the hopelessness (at times) brought on by entrenched politics and complacent media, strong and growing more apparent as valid allegations of cronyism that serves only a few,  have only begun to be overcome by individuals and small groups over the past three years.

A rise in small groups of business folks, tourism related folks and leaders really showed up in earnest over the past six to seven years.  With a growing trend towards sub-groups and organizations seizing opportunities to "do something" about each of their own special interest needs.  Just like the guys shown in this article that are taking on the restoration of the pavillion.

One of the assets of 81601, that 'big power' has refused to look at cultivating, is Two Rivers Park.  And the stretch of the Colorado River from that point and down to Exit 114, the related geothermal asset and that prime visual appeal in that area to I-70 and the entrance into East Glenwood Canyon. 

Two Rivers has the potential to be a huge year-round tourist and local economic draw. 

A few years back, a guy by the name of Jason Carey and his River Restoration organization said to 'heck with it',  and near single-handed (with a background bunch of Tourism Lions poo-poo'ing the concept) built the whitewater park at Exit 114.  Now one of our biggest draws and doubling Carey's cred as a very popular local hangout.  Of course, and long after the fact, now an extremely popular marketing push with the 'Lions' and their tourism marketing.

Imagine a world, where the City of Glenwood Springs city council did an immediate 180 degree turn and decided to just stop.  Just stop the tunnel-vision, entrenched in  the past politics and back-stroking.  Seized hold and full control of where every dime of tourism and economic development funds is spent, ceased and eliminated non-producing promotions and ads that do not yield 100% + actual cash in business pockets returns.  Not pie-in-the-sky sales pitches.  Sat down and took a page, from some of the most successful in the Rocky Mount region destination resorts, and actually invested financially in the building of tourism and economic related infrastructure. 

'Build it  and they will come'. 

Imagine a world where right now, they went after GOCO grants and all resources out there that would feed money into an organization such as the 'Two Rivers Pavillion' group, then enjoined the combined financial strength into manifesting our assets, like Two Rivers Park, into a stand alone destination that would thrive as a natural draw when completed.

In the meantime, the folks will rely on these guys, and all the others like them that are actively, each and every day with their own strengths and focuses, pounding cracks into that glass ceiling of 81601.  Hopefully, it won't be too many more years before that ceiling is shattered and tossed out, leaving equal balance for the entire community behind.   Sunlight, fresh air and an unobstructed view of the entire community of Glenwood Springs.

Who ya gonna call? 

Just look at these shining faces in the PI photo.  We have another group of local heroes.  

(whisper...whisper... (yes, this is a "whispering campaign"...)....folks:  pay special attention to the last snippet of Stroud's...whisper...whisper....)

John Stroud:
"GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — A group of local music enthusiasts and designers are working to draw up and raise money for some long-needed improvements to the outdoor music venue at Two Rivers Park, including a roof extension over the stage.

After the final concert of the 2011 Glenwood Springs Summer of Music series with rhythm and blues singer Hazel Miller got rained out last August, Glenwood Springs residents Matt Soltesz and David Darling took it upon themselves to launch the Two Rivers Pavilion Project.

Soltesz and Darling are both members of the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts' Summer of Music Committee. They also both work professionally as lighting designers and audio technicians for various music events around the area.

“Our goal is to have a more reliable, more functional space that people can use for a variety of events,” Soltesz said. “It is a unique facility, located right on I-70, that could host some larger events in the future if it can be modernized.....

.......“We want to make this a community project, and open it up to anyone who would like to help,” Darling said......."  (Read more?  Click title)

"What we each personally believe, comes forward from our perceptions throughout our lifetime. What we think we see, becomes what we believe. What we actually see, comes from what we perceive."

SandBoxBlogs: Pueblo Chieftain "Comments sought on geothermal leases"

Matt Hildner:
"MONTE VISTA — The Bureau of Land Management has extended the comment period on a draft study of leasing policies for geothermal energy in the San Luis Valley.  
The comment period has been extended to April 24.

The draft environmental assessment identifies public lands in the valley with the potential for geothermal development.

It also lists the stipulations that would be tied to any leases issued by the agency...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit County Citizens Voice "Ecotravel: Carbon-neutral Antarctica voyages start this year"

(whisper...whisper (yes, it's a "whispering campaign"...)...dear 'hammerandnails':....do you remember what an epiphany it was for you, after all the years of  both of us digging in our heels and refusing to budge...when you realized that I was "right" that the logical sequence for paint crews and tile crews was nowhere near what the majority of building contractors put into project scheduling?....whisper...whisper...and now...you have your heels dug in as deep whenever any painter or tile guy tries to use the "old way" methods and you will not let them?....whisper...whisper...there really is a message for you in all this penguin, sea lions and Antarctica posting I am doing lately....whisper...whisper...a message just for you....maybe the "answer" to your frustration with me is the same as it was way back then with paint and tile....whisper....just stop for a bit and ask me....listen....try out what I show you with 110% effort to make it work....whisper...whisper.... love, Nanny...whisper...whisper..see related link here...)