GO BUFFS! I'm trying to root for the home team in the PAC-12 Tournament but I'm not super happy they are playing during my show, to be honest.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY I am oddly agnostic about this day. It feels fake and patronizing, but maybe that's just me.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO A GREAT INTERVIEW WITH ME Michael Harrison is the publisher of Talkers Magazine and a man who has supported me throughout my career. I was on his podcast this week and we talk a lot about women in talk radio and whether technology is creating generational divides that seem impossible to overcome. It was a great chat and felt like we were just talking over dinner. Find it here.
WHY NOT LISTEN TO GRANT'S PODCAST TODAY? The show won't be on so check it out here.
ABOUT THE CASE OF THE BLACK RANCHERS WHO SAY THEY HAVE BEEN TARGETED by racist cops and racist neighbors. The El Paso Sheriff's Office has released hours and hours of body cam video and you can see it for yourself here. I've read through six or seven of these reports and watched some of the body camera video, which by the way, is ALWAYS consistent with the body camera video, and have come to the conclusion that Mrs. Mallory is nuts. She is a super paranoid woman who believes everything and everyone is out to get her because she is black. She constantly calls police on anyone who merely drives BY her property and wants them charged with trying to attack her. She needs mental help, not a rally at the Capitol. I am eagerly awaiting the release of more body camera footage to see the rest of these interactions, but I think Courtney Mallory could solve a lot of his own problems is he got his wife help for her incredible paranoia.
YES, GOVERNMENT SHOULD RESTRICT SQUATTING IN PUBLIC SPACES This is a good column by Ari Armstrong about the government's role in protecting public spaces. The short answer is yes, government not only can but should restrict what happens in public spaces but what we currently have now is a government only restricting what taxpayers do in publics spaces and not what homeless people do in public spaces. This must stop.
GOVERNMENTS OPT OUT OF THE PROGRAM VOTERS INFLICTED ON THE REST OF US This is a perfect example of bad law. The new very expensive and cumbersome Family Leave program in Colorado, voted on by idiotic voter who probably thought "the rich" was going to pay for it is so bad that most governments in Colorado have opted out. They are allowed to, unlike private businesses who have no chance to opt out because they already have a leave program. From the Colorado Sun:
According to hired consultant Segal Group, the baseline was 75% of local governments would decline participation. At 1,250 currently opting out, that’s 81.5% of the 1,533 local governments used in Segal’s estimate. The deadline was extended to March 31 from Dec. 31 to give local authorities more time to vote and file the required documents.
“This poses some risk to the solvency of the program,” according to the Segal Group’s report, which The Colorado Sun received through an open records request.
But not much risk, apparently. The report went on to say that even if 100% of local governments opt out, the fund will still be solvent in 10 years, but with a pool of money 9.4% lower. The fund is expected to have a balance of $1.4 billion by the end of next year with contributions aligning with payouts through 2028. Local governments represent 9% of employees in Colorado.
If private business is forced into this plan there should be no out for local governments. I'm inclined to run an initiative that does away with this loophole just to be spiteful. Spiteful and fair though.
THE NEW ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN MAY HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE But I'll believe it when I see it. This story from Colorado Politics says even some Democrats are not sure about this ban because of its overreach, but part of me thinks this story is just designed to let people think they can let their guard down. Do not let your guard down. Call and email your legislators about this bill. Do it.
WE'RE NUMBER 1! WE'RE NUMBER 1! In cocaine use that is. Colorado once again takes the top spot in people admitting that they use cocaine. The number is pretty small, although I never fully trust these surveys because most people won't admit they are doing something illegal. The only reason I do this story is to remind people that if you are buying illegal drugs in today's market, there is a really good chance you are getting something with fentanyl in it, so if you're going to party, buy some test strips so you don't accidentally kill yourself. You can buy them on Amazon. You're welcome.
NOT ALL STUDENTS ARE FLAMING SOCIALISTS And thank goodness we have John Stossel to remind us of this fact.
TIME FOR POLIS TO USE HIS POPULARITY FOR THE PEOPLE And Jon Caldara writes about it here very well. Our very popular Governor wants to be President, but if he just allows this very left wing Legislature to pass a bunch of the pro-criminal, anti-gun, pro-expensive green energy stuff he's going to have a hard time maintaining his fake "libertarian" tag. Caldara challenges him to rein them in here.
HEY SKIERS, TIME TO GET NEXT YEAR'S EPIC PASS If you want the Early Bird rate. There are some changes to the program and you can find out about those here.
DOWNTOWN WORKERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY HOMELESS PEOPLE AND CRIMINALS At least that's the takeaway from this story from CBS4. Read it here but you will not be surprised. It's going to take bold action to get people to come back downtown. I'm not sure any of the Mayoral candidates with a shot are going to be bold enough. I love how the Downtown Partnership says if only people came back downtown it would solve the problem here:
It's a cyclical problem downtown. As foot traffic decreases, crime increases, businesses leave, and foot traffic decreases even more. The Downtown Denver Partnership says the more people get back downtown to patronize businesses, the more that cycle is broken.
Way to shift the blame on this one.
HEY ARVADA FRIENDS, YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD TONIGHT Old Towne Arvada is looking for input for the historical district from Arvadans and frequent visitors to the area. If you have ideas, you should go. Find the details here.
LITTLE CHEERLEADER SHOWS WHAT SHOWING UP REALLY MEANS I love this story. This eight year old girl showed up to compete with her cheerleading team at a competition only to find out she was the ONLY one who showed up. Rather than just forfeit, she went out and competed by herself and took home first place. Never give up, kids.