Just One Thing: Fee-d to death in Colorado
A great new (update) report from the Common Sense Institute highlights how much we really spend in taxes disguised as fees and just how dishonest Democrats have been after giving permission by the State Supreme Court to fleece the public.
Snapshot of Fees in Colorado: 2025 Update
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Next Phase in Gaza?
This is a very dangerous move, both militarily and politically. And yet, given that Hamas hasn't surrendered and the cowards leading France and the UK and Canada want to reward Hamas with a "Palestinian State", there may be no better option. Israel's Gaza occupation plan to proceed, Netanyahu says
The geopolitical and moral failing of Macron, Starmer, and Carney on this question cannot be overstated. They might as well be offering to let the Nazis stick around and be urging the allies to stop short of Berlin. At some point, stupidity crosses into evil. They've crossed.
None of that means that an operation to control Gaza will be easy. It will surely be extremely difficult, ugly, and expensive, and come at great cost in blood and treasure to Israel.
People need to remember every single day that this could all end if Hamas would release/return the hostages and lay down their weapons. Israel has never wanted to hurt Palestinian civilians. The goal has always been peaceful coexistence, and the Palestinians have always turned it down. To that extent, the Palestinians are reaping what they've sown and there's no place for crocodile tears about it, and no place for spineless cowards pandering to Muslim minorities in their countries. All they do is make the hatred and bloodshed go on longer.
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The new White House Rose Garden (sort of)
It's being talked about (by people who dislike Trump) as replacing the Rose Garden but it really isn't. An area of lawn within the area called the Rose Garden has been replaced by a beautiful patio. (Sure, you may like the lawn better but Trump said, and is probably right, that especially on days when the lawn is wet, it's not a great place to have events.) No roses were harmed in the making of the new area.
Again, I'm not saying lawn is better or worse than the new thing, just that there's a legit argument for the new thing and different people will prefer different things. But don't let anyone tell you that they got rid of the Rose Garden.
How White House Rose Garden became concrete courtyard: In photos - Newsweek
They Paved Paradise? A Closer Look at Trump’s New White House Rose Garden | Vogue
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One More Thing: Silly Friday version
I call my wife BK even though her initials are KB. It's because when she was a kid, her friends made a spoonerism out of her name. For example, for me it would be Koss Raminsky, and initials KR instead of RK.
I realize this seems more like initials than a nickname but let's call it a subset of nicknames.
So what's a nickname that you have for your spouse (other than s**thead), and why?
email me at ross(at)iheartmedia(dot)com and tell me!
Today's Guest
Tiger Joyce is President of The American Tort Reform Association. We'll discuss how Democrats, owned by trial lawyers, are turning Colorado into a lawsuit jungle and a less friendly place for businesses.
EDITORIAL: Lawsuit-friendly Colorado gets noticed | Editorials | denvergazette.com
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Other Stuff
A few topics today that I've had earlier in the week and didn't get to. They are interspersed here with new topics as well
A couple of excellent executive orders from President Trump:
This is great, not just going forward but trying to undo prior harmful "debanking" decisions: Guaranteeing Fair Banking For All Americans – The White House
And this is great too, but folks will have to be careful. I wonder how many fiduciaries will take the risk of allowing VC and other higher-risk and illiquid investments into their clients' retirement portfolios for clients who aren't wealthy. Gonna be a tough balance.
Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(K) Investors – The White House
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Fish causes power outage: Fish Falls From the Sky, Causes Fire and Power Outage: Report
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Speaking of power, is there even a 1% chance of this? Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon - POLITICO
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Someone is obsessed with kitchen appliances as size comparisons: Denver man hit by microwave-sized rock on 14er
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I think there's some wisdom here: Axios: Why extroverts age better
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Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting: Colorado rainwater harvesting at risk
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This is stupid and evil (the gov't I mean, not the members of the military): Air Force denies retirement pay for some transgender service members being removed from service - CBS News
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This is just the beginning: AI impersonation scams are exploding: Here's how to spot and stop them - edhat
Sophisticated AI ‘scam sweatshops’ swindle Scots out of £700,000
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I understand that you can't talk this way to a kid. But in my heart, I'm with the fire chief: Long Island fire chief shouts expletives at girl on stretcher – NBC New York
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How many times will Dems make this same stupid mistake? Or maybe they think it's not, given who urban Dems are trying to appeal to?
Denver's 'Eat Less Meat' campaign sparks backlash, praise | News | denvergazette.com
Rural Lawmakers Rebuke Denver’s $3M "Eat Less Meat" Climate Campaign
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston: “This campaign makes it easier for community members to take easy, everyday actions to help meet our shared climate goals. Together, we can do more of what helps, less of what hurts.” But here's the thing, and this isn't sarcasm: I'm pretty sure I don't share a "climate goal" with Mike, not least because I don't have one. The only reason I ever think about the climate is in the context of how much money the left is costing me by using climate as an excuse to raise energy costs and subsidize "green" boondoggles that impoverish my children's future.
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Have you heard about this stupidity? Crypto group claims it's behind the sex toys being thrown at WNBA players
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Good. Let the market figure it out, and meanwhile it will marginally lower housing costs: Denver eliminates minimum parking requirements for housing, businesses
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I do wonder why anyone other than the uber-wealthy (and maybe even they) would buy a real Louis Vuitton or Chanel bag anymore since so many people will now just assume it's fake: Inside the Underground Business of Selling $5,000 Counterfeit ‘Superfake’ Luxury Handbags - WSJ
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No more buying soda (or other "sugary drinks") with your Food Stamps. Fine with me. USDA allows Colorado to exempt soda, sugary drinks from SNAP benefits
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But I'm not from there! Rwanda accepts up to 250 deportees from the US under Trump's third-country plan | AP News
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Serious questions here about whether buyer could actually not be found to be legal owner, right? US auctions Russian luxury yacht Amadea | AP News
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This seems like a close call to me: Federal judge upholds Rhode Island's gun permit system, dismisses lawsuit | AP News
This doesn't seem like a close call (I think the judge is right) but it's interesting that the judge, perhaps following the recent restrictions by the Supreme Court on nationwide injunctions, isn't issuing a statewide injunction: Judge blocks districts from enforcing Arkansas law requiring Ten Commandments display in classrooms | AP News
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Quite a story: 3 people from U.S. base in Antarctica evacuated in high-risk rescue operation: "Nothing short of heroic" - CBS News
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On one hand, I am so glad we're not wasting money on green nonsense that's funded by stealing from future generations. On the other hand, if this stuff is contractually obligated already then I'm not really down with violating a contract unless it's absolutely clear that the executive branch has the authority to cancel the program.
EPA cancels $7 billion Solar for All grant program to boost green energy
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Melania Trump forces retractions of lies about how she met Donald Trump:
Carville pulls Epstein story, apologizes after Melania lawyer contact | Fox News
From a week earlier: Daily Beast apologizes and retracts article alleging a Melania Trump-Jeffrey Epstein link
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And, finally, this looks like fun! We're racing the Lemons 500: Meet our very hoopty $500 race car - Axios Portland
BTW, their headline is wrong...it's not "the Lemons 500". It's the "24 Hours of Lemons", as in this one: 24 Hours of Lemons - Wheel to Wheel Racing for $500 Cars
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Today's Video
This is just fabulous