Owner: Future Gringo URL:http://www.futuregringo.com Join Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:38:47 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Travel | Politics | Opinion | Denver |
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Could it be Satan? 2007-04-27 21:37:00 atan, atan atan atan….
Following Richard Robert’s comments regarding Satan
’s influence on the Virginia Tech gunman - now Utah County Chairman Don Larsen is blaming the great beastmaster for advancing the destruction of America vis a vis immigrants swarming our borders.
Salt Lake Tribune Article
Utah County GOP Chairwoman Marian Monnahan says District 65 Chairman Don Larsen’s resolution - asserting that illegal immigration is the devil’s plan to destroy the nation by “stealth invasion” - “in no way” is endorsed by the Republican Party.
Larsen, who did not return a phone call or an e-mail seeking comment Thursday, is urging the closing of national borders to illegal immigrants to “prevent the destruction of the U.S. by stealth invasion.”
Dear citizens of Utah: WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!! Why on earth would ANYONE vote for someone who is obviously delusional and insane?
I know there can’t b
The Roost closes 2007-04-23 21:02:43 Sad news from Vail. The popular low budget dive motel “The Roost
” is gone, swallowed up by development. I love places like this: small, cozy, perhaps a bit dumpy and rough around the edges, but after a day of hiking or skiing it’s nice to be able to drive right up to your door rather than navigating enormous Vegas size lobbies and hallways.
In Vail I recommend the nearby Park Meadows Lodge. Not as cheap as the Roost, but still affordable. It’s on the west side of town, and walking distance to the chairlift next door the the Vail Cascade hotel. I’ve stayed here two times in the past and found it clean, spacious, with friendly owners and fellow travelers.
From the Denver Post:
Vail - The red neon “vacancy” sign is no longer lit at the iconic Roost Lodge, famed as the cheapest accommodations in this high-dollar ski town.
When the last guest made the 11 a.m. checkout Sunday, the Roost became a piece of Vail’s history, a casual
iRack from MadTV 2007-04-23 19:17:29 Smoke, fog, and black sweaters!
WPvideo 1.10
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Ride for Strength 2007-04-22 21:04:37 On May 27th Littleton resident Tim Cody will commence a solo cross country bike tour from Oceanside, California to Ocean City, New Jersey. He’ll be raising money and awareness for ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Averaging 100 miles a day it’s certainly an endeavour, and far outshines my daily 18 miles commute
Tim’s site is www.rideforstrength.org. Check it out and paypal him some money for Cliff bars.
Denver Post Article below:
Bio: A serious bicyclist for only five years, Tim Cody is training to ride the 3,000 miles from coast to coast in 30 days this summer as a fundraiser for victims of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. A Denver native and Regis High graduate, he served four years in the Army during Desert Storm and now works as a computer systems administrator in the Denver Tech Center. Cody, 40, lives in Littleton with his wife, Dawn, an airline ticket agent, and their two daughters, 16 and 9.
The Journey
Uh Oh 2007-05-11 19:23:41 I just saw this headline from ABC news on Drudgereport. Apparently U.S. citizens, mostly military, are being targeted for something or other by some terrorist group based in Germany. I didn’t read the entire thing, oh and apologies to my four regular blog readers for the lack of recent postings. I’ve been working hard and preparing for my Euro adventure in Munich and Prague.
No I’m not canceling my upcoming trip, because then apparently the terrorists will win. However I found this quote from Col. Andrew Pratt stunningly ironic.
“In a democratic state like Germany, you just can’t go out and arbitrarily arrest people because they are under suspicion,” Pratt said.
Hey wait a minute. But Guantana…. See you in Bavaria. And Bring It On!
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Daab Design Books 2007-05-29 13:57:15 Well it’s been days since I’ve written a post. I’m certain that my few readers have long since abandoned me. However Munich and Prague we’re smashing! I had planned to post a daily report with photos - but we were so busy exploring the utopian streets of Munich via foot and bike that there was no time left. Pictures and trip report coming soon.
I saw a display of books by Daab at the “Palace of Books
” on Wenceslas Square in Prague. Daab highlights the best design of various life such as airports, clubs, restaurants, lounges, and streets. They also showcase ethnic themes including Spanish and Arabic design, and have a photo series on the architecture and design of various cities.
Check them out: www.daab-online.de Photos from “Aircraft Design” and “Hotel Design”
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Prague Cats 2007-05-25 00:02:34 While escaping the touristy Old Town district of Prague
we wandered north to Prague 7, home of the National Technical Museum and the Prague Market.
Not much was happening at the beer garden overlooking the river, but located in the shadow of the museum was the restaurant and bar “Prague Cats”. After eating our share of pork, sauerkraut, and cabbage during the first two nights in Prague we were searching for some lighter fare. Prague Cats features excellent poultry and salads, at non-touristy prices.
Their dessert menu even features “Hot Wild Fruit”. Jerri Blank would be pleased! We returned to Prague Cats a few nights later but after waiting a half hour for our dessert were told it was waiting to be made behind a group of five. Still next time in Prague I’d give them another visit. They’re at Letohradska 775 in Prague 7, behind the museum.
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Berndtson Maps 2007-05-14 14:50:08 I love maps. I love reading, studying, and examining maps - and making notes for various bars, clubs, and restaurants I plan to visit. Unless you’re barreling through town on a tour bus a good map is essential for exploring city streets and finding your way around independently. However when you actually arrive at a new city you want to use a map as little as possible. When you exit a subway, or duck into a corner to orient yourself and get your bearings you want to limit your map time and get moving again.
Most maps are printed on thin paper which easily rip after some heavy use and folding. And the print is microscopic. Any rain, or extensive moisture and humidity renders your map an inky mess.
In preparing for my upcoming trip to Munich and Prague I stopped by Mapsco, (unequivocally the BEST map store in the west), and ordered the Berndtson’s “Munich City Street” map. Unfortunately they don’t carry Prague, but I’ve used t
Seeds of Doubt 2007-06-05 10:44:26 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 dissapointed 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 wonderi
Motorcycle Noise 2007-06-04 21:42:55 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 Read more:Motorcycle
, Noise
Denver Art Museum 2007-06-04 14:52:10 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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Biking in Munich 2007-05-18 16:34:22 During my two weeks in Europe I was surprised at what a cycling city Munich
was. My only thoughts of major biking in Europe were of the Netherlands. Munich is truly an advanced biking city: Bike lanes on many major routes, many cyclists amid cars in streets flowing perfectly with traffic, designated bike, walk, and drive signals at many intersections too.
All pedestrians and drivers are accustomed to folks cycling as a normal form of transportation. People whisked by me with German efficiency, with exception to this American accidentally standing or walking in the bike lane on occasion . And when I was in the way a polite ring of a bell sufficed just fine.
Here’s some random commuter bike photos I snapped. And look at these sexy fenders!
Basket and sleek fenders!
At the central train station
(more…)
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Dispatch from Munich 2007-05-16 12:37:05 Day one. We arrived 7am on our overnight flight from Denver. The arrivals area in the gleaming Munich
airport was almost empty, and exiting customs was a breeze. We wandered over to the SBahn station to catch the S8 into town. I couldn’t figure out the ticket machine, so we just bought something for 8 Euro - which I read was the fare amount to the city center. 40 minutes later we arrived at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), and found our small hotel on the pedestrian street of Schutzenstrasse.
After stashing our bags we had coffee on the outdoor mall, and ambled down to Karlzplatz and then Marienplatz, in the city center. Being 9am the delivery trucks outnumbered the tourists in the most popular area of Munich. Fancy clothing and jewelry stores crammed in the spaces between the old churches and buildings. I immediately noticed the number of bikes darting all over. I had no idea Munich was such a big cycling town, and seeing so many dedicated bike lanes Read more:Dispatch
Wal-Mart in Littleton 2007-06-09 13:26:30 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 Sante 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 re
Roomba Customer Service 2007-06-07 12:35:10 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 movi Read more:Customer
, Service
News of Interest 060707 2007-06-07 08:19:29 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 t Read more:Interest
Munich Rail Photos 2007-05-26 18:14:00 Having not completed my full trip reports on Munich
, Prague, and the Czech region, here’s some various photos of trains and subways. These are the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, and main train station in Munich.
S-Bahn regional train
(more…)
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Frontier to Costa Rica 2007-05-25 12:32:13 Frontier Airlines, Denver’s “home” airline will start flying to San Jose, Costa Rica
in November. Occasionally I check fares on this route for a potential upcoming trip, but have found them to be in the $600 range with the most convenient connection being through Dallas on American.
According to Kayaks’ “fare buzz,” (pictured), this price has now dropped to $300 when scheduling in November. Pretty cool, especially given that arriving in San Jose still necessitates a two hour drive to the beaches. Direct flights, or additional options for easy connecting flights will definitely makes Costa Rica more accessible, hopefully to me this winter.
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Thanks Beatbox.fm 2007-06-15 18:08:08 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 Read more:Thanks
Christina Kirchner 2007-07-02 14:46:21 I’ve been following Argentine politics for a few years. I was in Buenos Aires during the 2005 fall provincial elections and found the level of involvement by the citizens fascinating. To see so many people of all ages in the streets everywhere demonstrating their opinions was amazing, and I appreciated being there during an important time.
Now ChristinaKirchner
is planning a run for president, not unlike Hillary. Nestor Kirshner has been given great credit for pulling Argentina out of the 2001 economic crisis, and also forcing to justice people involved with war crimes during the 70s “Dirty War” where thousands disappeared. If she shares those views I’m all for her.
Plus, the amazing genetics of the Argentine people shine through with her. How the hell do you look like that at 54?
Article below
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The wife of President Nestor Kirchner will run as the government candidate in Argentina’s October presidential election after
Andrew and Joshua 2007-07-02 13:16:10 I have no idea how I came across this blog, but I’ve been reading “Andrew
and Joshua
” over the past few weeks and anxiously awaiting the updates for some reason.
Andrew and Joshua is the comma heavy, short phrased, optimistic blog of a 20something gay couple living in Minneapolis, who spend the majority of their free time with Andrew’s parents. Between hearty midwestern meals with the folks they together engage in theater, opera, art, history, and heavily discussing all of the above.
I have no idea why these guys intrigue me. There are no photos, so I only picture them and their family through Andrew’s writing, which entertains me the most: Andrew’s style is overly descriptive of the most minute details, with the verbage of an 1860s steamship operator. Between paragraphs and paragraphs dissecting art and opera he describes the mundane with the fervor of a child opening his Christmas presents.
What surprises and baffles me the most is the complete lev
Kwik E Mart in Denver 2007-07-02 11:33:49 If you’re speeding down Broadway past 3rd, stop by and check out the 7/11 turned Kwik-E-Mart. In order to promote the new Simpsons movie it’s one of 12 stores that have been revamped in Kwik-E-Mark colors and logos, complete with “Squishee” machines. Thank you, come again!
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Girl no likey spiders 2007-07-01 11:13:17 Proving again how completely asisine and worthless local news is, here’s a story from KUSA about a girl’s quest to eradicate spiders
. How on earth does ” Little girl doesn’t like spiders” become news?
And her brain dead mom is proud of this and helping her pass out flyers? Why not use the opportunity to educate the kid about insects and learn from it, rather than baby her unfounded fear. Making Debbie and Brittany Arellano look even more stupid is the link to CSU, which states in the first line “The Brown Recluse is not common or established on the front range.” At least the forum comments agree.
Worthless “news” story from KUSA below:
DENVER - Now that the weather is warmer you may have started noticing more bugs around the house and yard - particularly spiders. You may be surprised to learn that most of those eight-legged arachnids will not do any harm. In fact, there is at least one dangerous spider that should not c
Preparing for Africa 2007-07-05 15:13:42 While I really should get off my ass and complete my trip reports on Munich and the Czech Republic, I’ve been busy back at work, and more excitedly starting the process of a trip to Africa
which will take place in January of 2008.
My cousin has been living in Niamey, Niger, working in the Peace Corps for the past year and a half. When his mom, (my aunt), and my mom announced plans to visit him next year I immediately requested an invitation. The mental picture of my mom and aunt, the most midwestern looking people I know, (aside from me), jaunting through small villages and riding buses through the desert appears completely out of place in my mind. I jokingly told them I pictured them stepping off the plane wearing U of M sweatshirts and presenting a “hot casserole dish” ala our favorite Christmas dinners. And I’m far from experienced myself. The majority of my travels have been to big cities, and aside from a few places in rural Mexico I’ve
Is everything ok? 2007-07-04 17:25:47 How many times have you been engaged in a thoughtful conversation with your friend, lover, mistress, or other tablemate, and you’re constantly interrupted by the waiter/waitress pestering “Is everything ok?” “Is everything STILL ok?” This Denver Post Article by John Henderson sums up that annoyance perfectly.
The best restaurants are where my wait person isn’t terribly overtaxed, and they are able to maintain an eagle eye view of my table and the area, and come over when they realize I actually NEED something. Not just for nonsensical chit-chat.
Denver Post Article below
Waiters: Take a tip from the Europeans
By John Henderson Denver Post Staff Writer
Rome - All you American waiters and waitresses, gather around.
Put down the pitcher of water, Jerry. Your customers won’t die of thirst if you’re gone five minutes. And no need to ask them if they like the food, Marcia. They’ll let you know if it stinks. And Bruce? Quit glaring at
News of Interest 071107 2007-07-11 12:35:49 This story was splashed on KUSA and the Rocky Mountain News today. Apparently an internet entrepreneur had the ingenius idea of aggregating sex offender data into a single website, then charging a monthly subscription to scared soccer moms and chicken little suburbanites in various communities.
This morning the website, www.neighborhoodredalert.com littered Broomfield with flyers stating “A sex offender has moved in”, causing petrified moms to call 911 and thus flood emergency lines with obvious non-emergency calls.
Brilliant. This scam tops credit monitoring services. Sex offender info, (like your credit report), is already available online for free in most communities. Why the hell would you PAY some third rate website to e-mail you the same info? If their spelling is any measure of their accuracy I’d think twice: “Everyone to become aware!!! Fined (sic) out who they are and what their address is!” Oh and the Rocky mentions that one per Read more:Interest
Warp Tour Refugee Camp 2007-07-10 10:32:13 Last weekend while Live Earth concerts were promoting conservation and environmental awareness from all corners of the world, the Van’s Warp Tour blew threw Denver, apparently proving that it IS possible to completely fill up a parking lot ravine with garbage.
Alas I was not at the tour as I was meandering through the Denver Museum of Nature and Science seeing the Titanic Artifacts Exhibit. Although they could have upped the lights a bit -seeing the restored cups, saucers, steamer trunks, manifests, and ship parts that have been haunting the bottom of the ocean for the past 96 years was very interesting, especially considering that in another 100 years the remains of the Titanic will be nothing more than dust.
Kudos to my very talented photographer friend who was working the Warp Tour and managed to escape with his expensive camera gear without being trampled or looted. And in case you’re wondering he DID check, and the nice lady pictured below was breathing.
I Read more:Refugee
Building a Better Bike Lane 2007-07-09 12:22:04 I love this comprehensive Wall Street Journal Article by Nancy Keates. She does a killer job detailing daily transportation by cycling in Denmark and Holland, and how it affects life, jobs, children, and home life.
I bike to work most days, but as the single cyclist in an office of 200 I’m considered the Lance Armstrong of the water cooler for some reason. I play it down by stating that for me it’s just a simpler and easier method of transportation, and I don’t consider it to be that novel. But like others that cycle for practical reasons it’s not always seen as a normal in many cities. Myself and others are considered either fitness buffs, hippies, or environmentalists completely eschewing the modern way of life. Maybe I’m a little of each, but my partner and I do share a car. (Which I mainly use for my Home Depot runs.)
Many who are into biking completely compartmentalize it into solely recreation, and many U.S. bike shops don’t carr Read more:Building
Boeing 787 2007-07-09 09:23:45 My two favorite pictures of the 787 I’ve seen so far. Anyone else catch the fact the debut was on 07-08-07? Neither did I. Like others I believe the 787 will far surpass the Airbus A380 in orders and future use. When you consider the trend of aviation over the past years the desire for efficient mid size aircraft is obvious. People don’t want two flights a day from N.Y. to L.A., in which case the A380 would be the perfect “ocean liner” type aircraft. But they want six or seven flights they can choose from departing every few hours.
The A380 is impressive from a scale POV, and it’s efficient for packing in the “human cargo” on a Sidney - Dubai - London route for example, but for overall passenger comfort and airliner efficiency I don’t see how the 787 can be beat. As an private pilot, aviation buff, and airplane geek I can’t wait to experience it. And the cockpit? Straight out of X-Men :)
Time Magazine Art Read more:Boeing
Corteo 2007-07-15 14:24:56 I attended Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo yesterday. As with every Cirque du Soleil show it was a fascinating blend of gymnastics, costumes, emotion, live music, and humor. I prefered the ethereal and emotional music of Alegria over Corteo, however the gymastics and athletic feats of Corteo were jaw dropping as always.
Corteo is the story of a clown imagining his own funeral. The weight of the theme is balanced out by the beauty of his thoughts, humorous reflections from boyhood to present, and the parade of characters involved.
I also loved the self deprecrating humor in which Corteo subtly displays. Cirque du Soleil knows their shows are seen by some as overly bizarre and abstract. Corteo’s host references the audience with third wall jokes, and during a scene in which a remote controlled spotlight chases a dancer around they make light of the technical aspect by “losing control” of the robot after it develops a mind of it’s own.
The mo
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