Why the Government Doesnt Belong in People's Sex Lives, Even Teenagers'
In eight towns in Colorado, the federal government is running an Abstinence Education Program to promote chastity amongst teenagers. These programs take tax dollarsa little over a half a million bucks a year for five years here in Coloradoand use them to buy written promises from teenagers that they will remain virgins until marriage. In […]
Teacher Training Moves to Forefront of Education Debate
With little media fanfare, Colorado has started moving to address one of the most important problems facing its public schools: shortcomings in the teacher education process.
Student Fees Prevent Free Speech
The University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) has just mounted a campaign to convince people that requiring students to finance political causes with which they profoundly disagree preserves, protects, and defends the right of free speech guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Nothing could be further from the truth. The First Amendment says […]
Racist Admissions: A Policy For Failure
On October 21, 1999, Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar sanctioned racism in college admissions. Though quotas are illegal, Mr. Salazar said that numerical goals are OK so long as they are just that and not set in concrete.[1] In his view, racial discrimination is just fine as long as colleges do it flexibly. Despite examples […]
Lab Rats: CU Sells Student Body to Out-of-State Foundation
On June 6, 1996, the Regents of the University of Colorado submitted a proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ) for a grant under the Foundation#39;s A Matter of Degree program. The University received $870,269 over 5 years in exchange for using its students, the citizens of Boulder, and the people of Colorado as […]
The Omega Code
The year 2000 is almost here, and were seized with millennium fever. To see just how preoccupied we are, consider the new apocalyptic film The Omega Code.nbsp; Perhaps the film will be considered entertaining, such things occasionally are.nbsp; But Colorado moviegoers should know that the movies premise, that divine mathematically encoded prophecies are hidden in […]
When Heroes are Outlawed: How Joel Myrick Saved Lives by Breaking the Law
Joel Myrick is a hero.nbsp; In 1997 this Mississippi high school principalnbsp; prevented a psychotic teenager from killing students at Pearl Junior High,nbsp; potentially saving numerous lives and immeasurable grief. But according to Federal law, Principal Joel Myrick is a criminal. You see, in order to stop the deranged teen (who had opened fire at […]
Better Living Through Electricity
Synopsis: Synopsis: House Bill 1312 allows electricians to hire three apprentices. Current law allows only one. Discussion: Discussion: There are several reasons why electricians should be allowed to hire more than one apprentice. First, ever since the Middle Ages, the apprentice system has been used and abused. Although it is a useful system for training […]
An End to Educational Racism
This years Colorado Student Assessment exams produced some terrific news for schoolchildren across the state. According to the September 30 Rocky Mountain News, Education Commissioner William Moloney rejected excuses from schools that too many of their children are poor and have social problems that make learning difficult.[1] Maybe, just maybe, educators are starting to believe […]
Where Theres Money Theres Muck
This turn of phrase is an apt description of the Colorado Legislature during the past year. It is no secret that the state government is awash in money due to the rapid growth of the Colorado economy. Most of the increased revenue is generated by the income tax. Revenue has been increasing much more rapidly […]
Let Those Who Receive The Benefits Pay The Costs
I-25 between Broadway Street and Lincoln Avenue is the most congested highway in Colorado. Nearly all of Denver’s 2,3 million people are impacted by the traffic on this relatively small 16 mile stretch of freeway. Traveling the highway sometimes takes more that an hour during peak periods. Regular commuters are frustrated, and the “Mile High Salute” is often performed on I-25 with a single finger. Visitors to Denver have flashbacks of their travels on other parking-lot-like freeways in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New Jersey. Rural residents are afraid to visit simply because of the heavy traffic. Even motorists who try to avoid the freeways are faced with overcrowded arterial streets flooded by like-minded hoards. Everyone who drives in and through Denver knows that something has to be done with I-25.
RTD's Tradition of Deception
Like here in Denver, the Orange County Transportation Authority in California has expressed an interest in constructing light rail. The conflict of interest is obvious. If OCTA finds in favor of LRT, it gets a bigger budget, more staff, more prestige, and more power.
Suspecting that the OCTA might be overstating the benefits, a Grand Jury was convened to investigate the claims being made by the local transit agency and to study the process by which this decision will be made.
