http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/category_rss/effectivegovernment I've been laid off from work twice in the past 40 years, and both times i applied for, and received unemployment insurance. There are certain requirements, i.e., make job contacts, and confirm during each two week period that you are eligible for those two weeks of pay. I've discovered two bureaucratic hurdles that probably routinely deprive unemployed workers of funds which, by law, should rightfully be theirs. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpv http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpv/commentary#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:03:53 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpv Richard Myers http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/d7a21bd1f5de483e15_fkshmvxwd.jpg Richard Myers 1 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpv/ As Coloradans of both parties gather this week in the first step toward selection of nominees for the state's highest offices, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization, launched a new website called PuppetJaneNorton.com and called on Coloradans of all political persuasions to hold former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton accountable. "Jane Norton's longstanding ties to Washington D.C. lobbyists are a major problem in her campaign," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "Conservatives and progressives alike are wary of her connections to lobbyists for health insurance companies, defense contractors, and even foreign dictators. Whose interests would she truly represent in Washington?" The new website, http://puppetjanenorton.com , features an animated "Puppet Jane" and links to information about certain campaign donors, longtime associates, and family members involved in lobbying on behalf of corporations and foreign governments. Included are well-known Washington D.C. insiders such as former chief of staff for disgraced Rep. Tom DeLay Susan B. Hirschmann, Benjamin Ginsberg, lawyer for the Bush 2000 Florida recount and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and Charlie Black, Jane Norton's brother-in-law, and consultant for clients ranging from African dictators to mercenary contractor Blackwater. Recently, conservatives in Norton's own party have questioned Norton's pervasive ties to lobbyists and other Washington D.C. insiders. Many grassroots conservatives complained that Norton was 'forced' on them by party insiders when her candidacy was announced last fall. ( Colorado To The NRSC: Stay Away , PPC 8/28/2009). "While we don't often agree with our conservative friends on the issues, we share growing concern that Jane Norton is the choice of Washington D.C. lobbyists and political insiders, not the people of Colorado," said Clark. "We call on the public to sign our petition at PuppetJaneNorton.com , asking Norton to reject the influence of lobbyist donors and family members, and put Colorado's best interests first." http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpr http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpr/commentary#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:26:48 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpr Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpr/ Less than 48 hours into the effort, support is growing rapidly for ProgressNow Colorado's call to boycott online retail giant Amazon following its decision to terminate relationships with affiliates in the state. The public can sign the pledge to boycott Amazon here: http://progressnowcolorado.org/ShopMainStreet The editorial board of the Aurora Sentinel writes in today's edition ( click here to read ) that "a clearly punitive act by online retailer Amazon not only invites retribution from Colorado consumers, it practically demands it...it's important for consumers to press back against Amazon for trying to bully their way into making more profit at your expense. Send Amazon an e-mail message telling them of your displeasure at their mean-spirited and politically motivated antics instead of an order, and take your wallet to an Aurora store instead." "After only one email alert to our list, thousands of Coloradans have pledged to shop elsewhere until Amazon stops using their business partners as political pawns," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "We've heard from individual citizens, angry ex-Amazon affiliates, elected officials, and local retailers, virtually all expressing their support." Anne in Fort Collins writes in response to ProgressNow's call to boycott, "Amazon doesn't want to follow the law and wants to strong-arm Colorado into backing off...sorry, Amazon--I would rather support local businesses than do business with a company that employs unfair tactics to compete." Tannis in Greeley replied, "I've been thinking I need to do a better job of supporting local businesses. Thanks to your decision to protect your unfair advantage, I will be shopping at stores which actually benefit my community." Jim in Denver writes, "As a Denver retailer for the past 45 years, you bet I'll support this campaign. A level playing field is what I want to see." http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpX http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpX/commentary#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:10:50 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpX Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 2 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpX/ Colorado doesn't take well to being bullied. Yesterday, one of the world's biggest online retailers, Amazon, announced that it will no longer pay referral fees to Colorado bloggers and nonprofit charities who advertise Amazon's products on their websites. The reason? Amazon is unhappy about a law passed in our state, asking online retailers to help in the collection of the state's longstanding 2.9% tax--a tax we all already pay to merchants every day, both online and offline. That's right: in a move leaders from around the state have called 'tyrannical' and 'pure duplicity,' Amazon, with no warning, closed the accounts of Colorado website owners--many of whom are individual bloggers and nonprofit organizations--in protest of routine collection of state sales taxes. What they've done won't allow them to evade the new law. All they have done is punish our neighbors in order to score cheap political points. Sign our pledge to shop elsewhere until Amazon stops using Colorado residents as pawns: http://progressnowcolorado.org/ShopMainStreet After profiting from millions of dollars in tax-free sales to Colorado residents for years, Amazon is determined to protect their unfair advantage over local brick-and-mortar retailers. When the state legislature passed a law to enforce collection of taxes for online purchases, lawmakers understood that one of the key effects would be leveling the playing field between massive online merchants like Amazon and local retailers who pay their taxes and employ Coloradans. It's true that online sales have enjoyed preferential tax benefits in many areas, giving them a needed competitive advantage during the industry's early years. But today, the logic of that approach has been turned on its head: online sales are proliferating while Main Street goes out of business. Local businesses like Tattered Cover Books and Ultimate Electronics, who employ thousands of Colorado residents and pay their sales taxes back into the community, have suffered greatly while giant corporations like Amazon profited from their tax-free sales advantage. Today, with Colorado in the midst of the greatest fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, properly collecting taxes owed on these purchases means millions of dollars in badly-needed revenue for schools, roads, and health care. That's the choice: stand up for our local job-creating businesses, and collect the revenue the state is already owed to help pay for vital public services. Or, get bullied by a giant corporation that has already helped put retailers in your neighborhood out of business, and now is willing to do the same to its own partners out of spite. Tell Amazon that we won't be pushed around! http://progressnowcolorado.org/ShopMainStreet Thanks for everything you do every day to stand up for our common interests. We'll share your name and comments with Amazon, elected officials, and the press, and keep you up to date about further developments. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZph http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZph/commentary#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:30:48 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZph Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 12 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZph/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 8, 2010 CONTACT: Bobby Clark, Deputy Director at 303-905-8375 DENVER: Responding to news that the online retailer Amazon.com has terminated relationships with business affiliates in Colorado in protest of a new state law, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization released the following statement: "After profiting from millions of dollars in direct sales to Colorado residents for years, Amazon is determined to protect their unfair advantage over local brick-and-mortar retailers," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "This year, the Colorado legislature passed a law to enforce collection of taxes for online purchases, leveling the playing field between massive online merchants like Amazon and local retailers who pay their taxes and employ Coloradans. "Rather than comply with the law as Amazon already does in many other localities where they collect sales tax on purchases, they chose to 'make an example' of our state, and unfairly punish their own business associates for political gain. Amazon clearly expects Coloradans to react hastily and in anger, but our state's citizens understand who is manipulating the situation for their own financial and political benefit. "Local companies like the Tattered Cover Bookstore and Ultimate Electronics, who employ thousands of Colorado residents and pay their sales taxes back into the community, have suffered greatly while Amazon profited from an unfair advantage. With millions of dollars in badly-needed revenue set to make its way into the budgets for Colorado's schools, roads, and health care, standing behind Main Street over online behemoths like Amazon is an easy choice." ### http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpR http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpR/commentary#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:09:45 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZpR Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 5 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpR/ Senator Michael Bennet's support of using Senate rules to pass strong healthcare reform including a public option have been gaining support. Over thirty Senators including members of leadership such as Senators Reid, Durbin, and Schumer have declared their public support--not only for passing fixes to the Senate healthcare bill that would make it more in line with the priorities of the House bill, but to add a public option that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says will reduce the deficit. From Senator Udall's office:  Senator Udall shares President Obama’s over-arching priority of enacting meaningful and comprehensive health reform that will increase quality and access and put our system on a sustainable track by lowering costs for small businesses, taxpayers, and American families. As part of reform, he continues to feel that inclusion of a public option to go head-to-head with private insurers could play a significant role in bringing down costs and offering more affordable options to Coloradans. He thinks it’s important that such a plan – like the one approved in the House bill – negotiate reimbursement rates while competing on a level playing field with the private sector, and if such a plan comes up for a vote under the reconciliation process, he would vote for it. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZpJ http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZpJ/commentary#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:05:58 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZpJ Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpJ/ ".........the crisis is still growing because we are continuing to dump 90 million tons of global-warming pollution every 24 hours into the atmosphere — as if it were an open sewer."   (Think of it this way, the world is launching 40 million two and one half ton SUV's or 45,000 space shuttles into the atmosphere every 24 hours. Can you hear him now? I personally think we are way beyond the "oh, shit" moment. mc)  NY Times February 28, 2010 Op-Ed Contributor We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change By AL GORE It would be an enormous relief if the recent attacks on the science of global warming actually indicated that we do not face an unimaginable calamity requiring large-scale, preventive measures to protect human civilization as we know it. Of course, we would still need to deal with the national security risks of our growing dependence on a global oil market dominated by dwindling reserves in the most unstable region of the world, and the economic risks of sending hundreds of billions of dollars a year overseas in return for that oil. And we would still trail China in the race to develop smart grids, fast trains, solar power, wind, geothermal and other renewable sources of energy — the most important sources of new jobs in the 21st century. Continued: NY Times http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpn http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpn/commentary#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:32:54 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpn Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpn/ Best defense is an offense?  How's that working out for us?  You want offensive?  How about a non-union TSA? Or 22 government agencies "supervised" by the Department of Homeland Security.  Stripping 180,000 federal employees of their union rights while creating the best example of bloated, ineffective and incompetent government ever conceived, Democrat or Republican .  As for incompetence, can you say, Katrina?  The senate voted 90 to 9 to approve the creation of the DHS.    MC "All this activity is already straining the Coast Guard budget. Most of the 19 cutters that were sent to Haiti eventually needed help themselves — thanks in large part to their age, 12 of them suffered severe problems at sea, and three required emergency dry-dock repairs. That’s not surprising, since the average “high endurance” cutter is 41 years old, compared to 14 years for the average Navy ship." NY Times  February 27, 2010 Op-Ed ContributorsPutting the Coast Guard Out to Sea By LAWRENCE J. KORB and SEAN E. DUGGAN Washington DESPITE the pressing need to cut government spending, under President Obama’s spending proposal all the nation’s military services are set to see their budgets increase — all, that is, except the Coast Guard, the nation’s chronically overburdened maritime force, responsible for everything from global search and rescue to port security. Under the president’s proposal, the Coast Guard’s budget will decline by 3 percent, to $10.1 billion, smaller than many medium-sized agencies under the other services. It’s a puzzling decision, considering the increasingly critical role the Coast Guard plays in protecting the national security interests of the United States — and considering that many much less vital military programs have been spared. Beyond combating drug smuggling and international piracy, the 41,000-member Coast Guard is our nation’s first line of defense against nuclear terrorism. If someone wanted to detonate a nuclear bomb in this country, would hebe more likely to launch it on a missile with a return address, or would he try to smuggle it in a container through one of our ports? The latter, obviously — and the Coast Guard’s Port Security Units would play a pivotal role in stopping him. Continued at the NY Times: NY Times http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpS http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpS/commentary#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:03:31 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpS Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 1 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpS/ Remember, fear is a Republican's Forte. "Our Politics May Be All in Our Head" NY Times  and that column as much as said Republicans are "girly men" Not sure what to call their women other than rude, crude and unattractive.  MC "But the more senior official, David Margolis, decided that Mr. Yoo and Mr. Bybee only had shown “poor judgment” and should not be disciplined. Mr. Margolis did not dispute that Mr. Yoo and Mr. Bybee mangled legal reasoning and produced work that ultimately was repudiated by the Bush administration itself. He criticized the professional responsibility office’s investigation on procedural grounds and excused Mr. Yoo and Mr. Bybee by noting that everyone was frightened after Sept. 11, 2001, and that they were in a hurry." "Americans were indeed frightened after Sept. 11, and the Bush administration was in a great rush to torture prisoners. Responsible lawyers would have responded with extra vigilance, especially if, like Mr. Yoo and Mr. Bybee, they worked in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. When that office renders an opinion, it has the force of law within the executive branch. Poor judgment is an absurdly dismissive way to describe giving the green light to policies that have badly soiled America’s reputation and made it less safe." NY Times http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpj http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpj/commentary#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:28:54 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpj Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpj/ Any Democrats shaking this tree?.Ron Paul Feb. 24 Floor Speech regarding assassinations, rendition, the rule of law. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGktTws2bK0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpG http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpG/commentary#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:12:41 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpG Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpG/ Amendment 54 is dead . May it rest in peace, forever undisturbed. I think it is worth recalling what Amendment 54 was all about. While i don't often rely upon the mainstream media to explain issues related to work life and democratic process, i think their perception of this bill gives a good overview. There was one newspaper that approved of Amendment 54, the Aspen Times . Their entire editorial comment in support consisted of, Vote yes on Amendment 54.  http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20081008/DAILYCOMMENT/810079961&parentprofile=search Newspapers opposing Amendment 54 included the Rocky Mountain News , Denver Post , The Mountain Mail (Salida), P ueblo Chieftain , Longmont Times-Call , Grand Junction Sentinel , Loveland Reporter-Herald , Boulder Weekly , Cortez Journal , The Durango Telegraph , Yellow Scene Magazine , and the Steamboat Pilot & Today . Some of their comments, and a brief roundup of other labor issues after the fold. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpx http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpx/commentary#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:33:47 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/richardmyers/CZpx Richard Myers http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/d7a21bd1f5de483e15_fkshmvxwd.jpg Richard Myers 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpx/ ............... Before We Can Listen to the Dixie Chicks Again?   Civilian deaths from air strikes are considered cowardly by the Afghans, I do as well.  It is also the most effective recruiting tool in the Muslim world, every religion has a boogie man.  We are playing that part very well.  What are "just a few rag heads" to the yellow ribbon crowd is major to the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world.  MC NY Times February 23, 2010 NATO Airstrike Is Said to Have Killed Afghan Civilians By ROD NORDLAND KABUL, Afghanistan — A NATO airstrike on Sunday against what international troops believed to be a group of insurgents ended up killing 27 civilians in the worst episode involving noncombatant deaths in six months, Afghan officials said on Monday. “The repeated killing of civilians by NATO forces is unjustifiable,” President Hamid Karzai ’s cabinet said in a statement. “We strongly condemn it.” The airstrike took place in an area under Dutch military control, and if Dutch forces were involved in the incident it could have serious political repercussions in the Netherlands, where the government collapsed Saturday over an effort to extend the mandate of 2,000 Dutch troops in Afghanistan . But a Dutch defense ministry spokesman in The Hague said Dutch forces were not involved in calling the airstrike. The spokesman, who spoke in return for customary anonymity, did not say who had called for air support. NATO officials did not immediately identify the nationality of the forces involved in the incident. Continued at the NY Times: NY Times http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpg http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpg/commentary#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:06:10 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpg Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpg/ Who knew?  Can you say the Vietnamization of Afghanistan?  How did that work out?  Without Western influence, Vietnam leads to world in exports of rice, cashews, black pepper, rubber, coffee, etc..  Wikipedia  Vietnam has a 4.3 % unemployment rate, the US has a rate of 10.6%.   Does anyone know how difficult it is to kill your own countrymen?  OK, trick question.  Where are the Taliban getting their weapons?  Ammunition?  We were for them before we were against them.  Why are the designations for the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and terrorists,  interchangeable?  Regarding the natural gas line (Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline, TAP ) Since the US-led offensive that ousted the Taliban from power,’ reported Forbes in 2005, "the project has been revived and drawn strong US support " as it would allow the Central Asian republics to export energy to Western markets "without relying on Russian routes" or Russian profits .....Then-US Ambassador to Turkmenistan Ann Jacobsen noted that: "We are seriously looking at the project, and it is quite possible that American companies will join it." .........."Due to increasing instability, the project has essentially stalled; construction of the Turkmen part was supposed to start in 2006, but the overall feasibility is questionable since the southern part of the Afghan section runs through territory which continues to be under de facto Taliban control.  Can you say "Big Oil?" Send in the Marines, they were born  to die.  Wikipedia Total contributions from oil and gas since 1990 to our beloved and trusted leaders.  Do you suppose some of the military that have lost arms, eyes, brains, legs, etc..  if made aware of who and what they were fighting for will be less than outraged?  Freedom's on the move, meanwhile in this country, poverty is stuck in the ditch.                                            Democrats         Republicans     Dems. Rep .Total10$246,758,579   $60,416,434     $184,958,071 24%    75% MC Petraeus: Marjah 'tough but just the start' The head of US Central Command has said the current offensive around the southern Afghan town of Marjah is the initial operation of a long campaign. Gen David Petraeus told NBC that the offensive was part of a revised strategy for combating insurgents that would probably last "12 to 18 months". He said Taliban resistance to Operation Moshtarak, which is in its second week, had been "formidable" but "disjointed". Nato commanders have said it may take another month to fully secure Marjah. Afghan police have already been deployed in areas recaptured from the Taliban, as part of a plan to put the area under the control of the local authorities. So far, 12 Nato personnel have been killed in the offensive, which involves 15,000 Nato and Afghan troops and is the biggest operation against insurgents in Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led invasion. Another three personnel were reported dead on Sunday in unrelated incidents in eastern and southern Afghanistan. Their nationalities were not given. 'Initial salvo' Gen Petraeus said the US public should expect further losses, much like there were following the so-called troop surge in Iraq.   “ We have spent the last year getting the inputs right in Afghanistan... Now we are starting to see the first of the output ”  Gen David Petraeus.  (That's some very impressive general speak, hero) Continued: BBC News http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpB http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpB/commentary#comments Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:44:32 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZpB Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZpB/ This is major, I am thinking that Congressman Perlmutter must have been affected by his visit to the Prosthetic Lab. Either way, thank you, Ed. MC VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Opens Brand New Clinic DENVER, COLO. - VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System will host a Grand Opening Ceremony for the brand new Jewell Clinic at 14400 East Jewell Avenue in Aurora, CO on Friday, February 19 at 1pm. Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer and State Representative Nancy Todd, among others, will attend. The program will include a short ceremony, as well as tours of the facility and veteran demonstrations of the equipment and programs. The new Jewell Clinic provides state-of-the-art rehabilitative and prosthetic care. This clinic is home to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, the Prosthetic Treatment Center, and the Call Center. Outpatient services include a new Polytrauma Program, the Assistive Technology Program, Drivers' Training Rehab, Outpatient Recreation Therapy, the Regional Amputee Center, Rehab Psychology, Speech Pathology and Voice Lab, Wheelchair Program, Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab, Shoe Clinic, Brace Clinic, Amputee Clinic, Gait Lab, Telemedicine Wheelchair and Amputee Clinics and our Visual Impairment Services Outpatient Rehabilitation Program (VISOR). Bill L. Holen Office of Congressman Ed Perlmutter Constituent Services Representative 12600 West Colfax Avenue, Suite B-400 Lakewood, Colorado 80215 Telephone: 303-274-7944 FAX: 303-274-6455 bill.holen@mail.house.gov http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJy http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJy/commentary#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:15:48 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJy Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJy/ If anything pisses me off about that charlatan and wannabee Democrat/Green governor Bill Ritter is that he has not seen the virtue of slowing traffic in the metro area, a mere 20% savings at 55 mph vs.65, not to mention the real balls it would take to enforce it. He is obviously worried about those whiney, pissy pants, me generation socker moms and dads who vote Republican, love Jesus and especially white people, flipped their houses and donated the proceeds to their stock brokers. Raise your glass of Pinot Noir to the one eyed king in the country of the blind. MC NY Times February 17, 2010 Slow Trip Across Sea Aids Profit and Environment By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL It took more than a month for the container ship Ebba Maersk to steam from Germany to Guangdong, China, where it unloaded cargo on a recent Friday — a week longer than it did two years ago. But for the owner, the Danish shipping giant Maersk, that counts as progress. In a global culture dominated by speed, from overnight package delivery to bullet trains to fast-cash withdrawals, the company has seized on a sales pitch that may startle some hard-driving corporate customers: Slow is better. By halving its top cruising speed over the last two years, Maersk cut fuel consumption on major routes by as much as 30 percent, greatly reducing costs. But the company also achieved an equal cut in the ships’ emissions of greenhouse gases. Continued at the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/business/energy-environment/17speed.html?hp http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJP http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJP/commentary#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:11:07 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJP Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJP/ Thanks to Mary F. for this one, Leonard Pitts has a new fan.  MC Posted on Sun, Feb. 14, 2010 Dear Sarah: Say it is so, run for president By LEONARD PITTS lpitts@MiamiHerald.com Dear Sarah Palin: I hear you're pondering a run for the White House in 2012. Last week, you told Fox news it would be ``absurd'' to rule it out. I'm writing to ask that you rule it in. I very badly want you to run for -- and win -- the Republican nomination for the presidency. I know you're waiting for the punch line. Maybe you figure I think you'd be a weak candidate who would pave the way for President Obama's easy re-election. That's not it. No, I want you to run because I believe a Palin candidacy would force upon this country a desperately needed moment of truth. It would require us to finally decide what kind of America we want to be. Continued: Miami Herald http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ7 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ7/commentary#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:44:52 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ7 Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJ7/ That's the word from the Denver Post's Tim Hoover: Liberal group delivers treat bags slamming McInnis over opposition to tax bills There’s a bite-sized “100 Grand” bar, a “Sugar Daddy,” a can of cola and a bottle of pesticide. It’s all inside a McDonald’s “Happy Meal” bag. The goody bags were delivered to the Capitol today by liberal group, “ProgressNow” Colorado in response to a series of appearances GOP candidate for governor Scott McInnis is making across the state to protest Democratic-backed proposals to eliminate tax exemptions and credits for a variety of industries and products. [...] “Scott McInnis has failed repeatedly to identify his own plan to balance the state budget,” ProgressNow Executive Director Bobby Clark said. “Instead, McInnis has shown why he earned the name ‘McLobbyist’ – the only position he ever seems to have is the one that corporate special interests tell him to have. “Working families, senior citizens and students around the state are making sacrifices to protect the vital public services we all depend on, and suspending a small percentage of the tax breaks for business that cost Colorado billions of dollars every year is not too much to ask for.” Sean Duffy, a spokesman for McInnis, said ProgressNow is wrong to claim it represents working families. “With continued stunts that ignore the facts and make light of hundreds of families every day coming home to find out that a breadwinner has lost his or her job, they’re only deepening their own irrelevance,” Duffy said. “Scott McInnis is the only candidate for governor who is out talking to the workers and small business owners who are going to be hit hard by these tax increases.” So where would McInnis cut? Duffy said the former congressman believes the state should look at efficiencies like merging departments. Which ones? “We don’t know. We’re looking at it,” Duffy said... http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZJ4 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZJ4/commentary#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:47:28 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZJ4 Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJ4/ Times Online I beg to differ, with the exception of the word improvised.  The US, Russia and Red China perfected the roadside/trailside directional anti-personnel mine.  Around 1952 Norman MacLeod at his company the Explosive Research Corporation began working on the concept of a small directional mine for use by infantry.   The Chinese version (Semi-improvised) is the nastiest of all, it requires the operator to load whatever is most lethal, rocks, glass, pieces of metal or nails, feces, etc.. Here's a picture of the US version, we even had an Automatic Ambushes using a trip wire, a radio battery and seven claymores, very much a violation of the Geneva Conventions or the Mine Ban Treaty, which we have not signed:   With back and 1.5 lbs. of C-4 removed exposing 700 ball bearings When 7.5 pounds of C-4 goes off and propels 4900 ball bearing across a trail or road, every thing is dead within 50 meters. MC http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJm http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJm/commentary#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:16:10 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJm Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJm/ Notice they don't mention the wounded, there are certainly situations worse than death . (Read, "Johnny Got His Gun") We know there were three million civilian deaths in SE Asia, assuming the same ratios for American military casualties, 5 to 1 (Wounded vs. KIA 304,000 vs. 58,000) and 75,000 amputees, one amputee for every four wounded.  Using that data for SE Asian civilians, results in 15 million wounded, 3.75 million amputees.  If 12 Afghans were killed today, there is a very good chance that 60 were wounded.  Tommy Franks (An artillery officer) "We don't do body counts" Actually general that is an obscene understatement.  Of course if all 6 rockets were fired and hit the same target, there is a good chance that some of the casualties vaporized.  Lockheed has a $68 million cost plus contract to build the HIMARS.  Here is the low down on the rockets:"The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) consists of two variants of rockets fired from the M270A1 or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers. The GMLRS Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) variant carries 404 bomblets , while the GMLRS Unitary rocket will have a single, 200-pound class, high-explosive , Unitary warhead. Both variants use an inertial measurement unit guidance system that is aided by the Global Positioning System."  200 pounds of High Explosives (HE) is a shit load.  A 1500 pound Exocet sank a British destroyer in the Falklands, a bit more stout than mud walls.  MC NY Times February 15, 2010 Afghan Civilians Killed in Offensive on Taliban By C. J. CHIVERS and ROD NORDLAND MARJA, Afghanistan — An errant American rocket strike on Sunday hit a compound crowded with Afghan civilians in the last Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province, killing at least 10, including 5 children, military officials said. Avoiding such civilian deaths, which came on the second day of a major allied offensive around Marja, has been a cornerstone of the war strategy by the top American commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal . He apologized to President Hamid Karzai , saying, “We deeply regret this tragic loss of life.” The strike came after American Marines and Afghan soldiers had been taking intense small-arms fire from a mud-walled compound in the area, American officers said. The answering artillery barrage instead hit a building a few hundred yards way, striking with a roar and sending a huge cloud of dust and smoke into the air. As the wind pushed the plume away, a group of children rushed outside.  Continued at the NY Times: NY Times http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJz http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJz/commentary#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:06:00 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJz Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJz/ Not only are conservatives somewhat immoral about most things, they are Weak, Incompetent, Malingering, Pussies ( WIMP's )  Think Dick Cheney. MC "Conservatives may be more responsive to health reform, he suggested, if it is framed as a national security argument. For example, American companies complain about the difficulty of competing with foreign companies that don’t have to pay for employee medical coverage. In that sense, our existing health care system leaves us vulnerable." "That foreign threat might make conservatives sweat so much that maybe, just maybe, they’d consider revisiting the issue."  hahahahahaha NY TimesFebruary 14, 2010Op-Ed ColumnistOur Politics May Be All in Our Head By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF We all know that liberals and conservatives are far apart on health care. But in the way their brains work? Even in automatic reflexes, like blinking? Or the way their glands secrete moisture? That’s the suggestion of some recent research . It hints that the roots of political judgments may lie partly in fundamental personality types and even in the hard-wiring of our brains. Researchers have found, for example, that some humans are particularly alert to threats, particularly primed to feel vulnerable and perceive danger. Those people are more likely to be conservatives. One experiment used electrodes to measure the startle blink reflex, the way we flinch and blink when startled by a possible danger. A flash of noise was unexpectedly broadcast into the research subjects’ earphones, and the response was measured. Continued at the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/opinion/14kristof.html   http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ8 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ8/commentary#comments Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:11:53 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelcollins/CZJ8 Mike Collins http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/bcdcfd97be4d93f8d2_izvrmv8p8.jpg Mike Collins 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZJ8/