we get Republicans?
Denver's ostensibly Democratic mayor, Michael Hancock, just appointed Janice Sinden as his chief of staff.
Registered Republican. Works for a business group. Formerly worked for ghastly incompetent Republican U.S. Senator Wayne Allard. Donated to one of Colorado's greater nutballs, Doug Lamborn.Doesn't live in Denver.
No one expects Hancock to be a good mayor. The question is, just how bad will he be.
Image by fraleya. Some rights reserved.
The bankers blew up the world. This made a lot of home equity disappear. That meant people had less money. This meant they stopped buying stuff. That threw folks out of work. This means they are paying less in taxes and that the government is spending more on support programs.
In response, the government spent money to bail the bankers out, spent some money to reduce the pace of job losses, and cut everyone's taxes.
The fact that people were out of work, weren't buying stuff, and needed help increased the government's spending and revenue. The tax cuts reduced the revenue some more. This means the deficit is high.
How high is the deficit? Not as high as it was a couple decades ago. (See Reagan and his aftermath.) The fact that people aren't buying things has also reduced the cost of financing the deficit to very low levels. As deficits go, this one is relatively cheap.
So is the government putting people back to work or giving them money to buy stuff? No.
Although the deficit isn't a huge problem right now, both parties feel compelled to immediately address address it.
Why are they all fixated on the deficit? The Republicans say the deficit is a critical emergency because they are nuts and hate all Democratic presidents. In fact, it is so critical, according to Republicans, that they are willing to blow up the world again. Why are the Democrats are hysterical about the deficit? The answer remains a mystery. None of the possible answers reflect well on the Democrats.
How have they set out to solve the deficit crisis that isn't a crisis? Neither party will raise taxes on the only people with money. The Republicans hate all government, and the Democrats don't appear too crazy about it either, except our bloated military which both parties love. So the Democrats and Republicans agree that cutting government spending immediately is absolutely critical.
Since they won't cut the military budget significantly, among the spending cuts are cuts to social security (which is in generally good shape for a couple decades and which regular folks and the poor depend upon) and cuts to medical services to the old and the poor.
These cuts won't put anyone back to work or give anyone more money to spend. They will increase and spread the suffering of regular folks and the poor.
Moreover, they may actually end up doing little to reduce the deficit because they don't fix any of the problems that we currently have. They won't put anyone back to work and they will reduce the money people have to buy stuff.
Do I have that about right?
In the dark of the moon, in the flying snow, in the dead of winter,
war spreading, families dying, the world in danger,
I walk the rocky hillside, sowing clover.
-- Wendell Berry
Location
Edging away from the edge of American space
News and comments about tours, touring, & racing. Good things not seen elsewhere.
Many reviews, a DIY project or two, and some fun posts about biking.
A great, active blog.
The struggles of a fat guy on his way to middle age and the classic battle of the bulge. Against him, the entire agricultural and food production system, American Midwestern attitudes towards food and eating and a lifetime of sloth and drunkenness. His only weapon, his bike.
An exhilarating cycling blog. Formerly the authoritative site for Danish handball news and the bike porn contest (my entry was rejected), Freewheeling is a site I check out ever day.
Wonderful writing from a "bicycle obsessionist."
Sharp-witted cycling advocacy and photos
Kent Peterson is Issaquah’s Favorite Car-Free, Ultra Long-Distance Racing, Techie-Turned Mechanic
It's a magazine, newsletter, blog, and the mind boggles to think what else.
Charming, "fresh" writing about biking in University of Illinois Land.
Rick Smith's bikey comic.
Wrapped up effort to get a "share the road" vanity automobile license plate. In February 2008, failed to raise the maximum fine for running over a cyclist while the driver was failing to yield. (Bicycle Colorado was pushing for $1,000. Radical.)
Positive trajectory in doubt, trending back to ass-kiss mode. Too bad.
Denver shows why it's behind the curve. (I really didn't think this page could get worse . . . Wrong again.)
The most experienced mechanics in town and the most complete collection of tools and parts in the West. No place like it.
Last Friday of the month. Meet at Civic Center Park at the Seal Fountain pool between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.
The Denver Cruisers meet at the The Ginn Mill at 2041 Larimer Street every wednesday at 6:30pm, until September 30th.
Adventures in Local Living
Biking, Walking, and Public Transit in Denver, Colorado
A free, non-profit, collectively run community bicycle shop on the west side of Denver.
The world's first and only cruiser magazine has it's home right here in Denver. Aren't we the lucky ones!
A east side (Park Hill) non-profit bike place that encourages folks to build and fix their own bikes and gives them the tools and help to actually do it. Nice dedicated folks who seem to know what they are doing. (As befits a foundation-funded operation, the website description is opaque and baffling, but I've been there and it's a good place.)
Friendly, competent, and cool.
A large collection of articles and links on cycling and sustainability.
To inform and inspire. And it does.
(Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live Exchange) dynamic site promoting cycling as a viable and sustainable transportation choice.
"Explaining" cycling in cartoons. Works for me.
The NYTimes series on irresponsible, multitasking drivers.
The blog of the New York Streets Renaissance - advocacy in action - and as everyone knows, it happens in NYC first.
grassroots group that uses direct action and education to push for a sustainable NYC.
Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Though it's about cooking and food, I love the writing - snappy and downright . . . rollicking. Read this.
The Paris Review is a literary magazine featuring original writing, art, and in-depth interviews with famous writers. And its website is a collection of literary curiosities, fiction, and essays.
"I want to learn about sustainable agriculture, as much as I possibly can. . . . I plan to hop on my bike and head north, following the growing season in a giant loop around the country, stopping to learn and work . . . I imagine this will take about a year, maybe longer."
"[They] built the bikes, sold the house, got married, quit a job," and are cycling around Asia. They finished their tour in May 2010.
THE place for cycle tourists. If you are planning, dreaming, or riding a tour . . . .
David Byrne cycled around in the world in 1975. Now retired, he's doing it again. Why? "I can think of nothing better to do."
The best, most knowledgeable, compulsive person to talk to about panniers and racks is Wayne. Has any business, internet or brick and mortar, ever know so much and been so helpful about this stuff? His prices are great, too.
Movie stars and their self-propelled vehicles.
Fukuoka, Japan.
Interesting photos and descriptions of Japan. No bikes.
Bicycles and cycling in Japan from someone quite opinionated about Japanese cyclists and commuters.
No cycling here but a collection of glimpses of Asia, mainly Japan -- from baseball beer girls to beaches.
Calculates gearing in several useful ways and provides extra info like required deraileur capacity.
Lennard's Zinn's bike fit calculator. The link goes to the Road version.
Gardening in Denver from the staff Horticulturist with the Colorado State University Extension office in Denver. Good stuff.
