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USNS Comfort military hospital ship arrives in Santo Domingo Monday
150915-N-XQ474-289 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Sept. 15, 2015) The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is anchored off the coast of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti in support of Continuing Promise 2015. Continuing Promise is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show U.S. support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Schneider/Released)
Santo Domingo.- On Monday, October 14, the USNS Comfort military hospital ship (T-AH 20) will arrive in Santo Domingo at the invitation of the Ministry of Defense of the Dominican Republic, to offer free medical care from the 16th to the 21st of this month.
The arrival is part of the support of the United States Government to increase regional cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness and mitigation.
The American medical personnel of the ship along with Dominican doctors will be providing medical consultations in two designated places: in the Olympic Center, in the Volleyball Pavilion and in the Parque del Este, in the Handball Pavilion.
Among the consultations and services that will be provided as part of Lasting Promise are: general medical evaluations, preventive medicine, dental exams and dental treatments, optometry, pediatrics, dermatology, physical therapy.
Those interested in receiving free medical care should only approach the Olympic Center or the Parque del Este on the dates indicated, at 8:00 a.m. at 4:00 pm. every day.
According to the United States Embassy, only one service may be accessed per person per day and will be served on a first come first served basis. It also indicated that there is limited space for each medical site.
Dominicans still risk their life to reach Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic Gov. goes rogue again, defies court order
US resumes weekly repatriation of Dominican ex-cons with 67
Dominican woman is world's top-ranked cyclist
Dominican Republic boosts whale watching attraction
Still Eighteen performs Friday at Santo Domingo's Shots Bar
Over 53% of Dominicans are denied a U.S. tourist visa
Frontier adds Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Santiago flights
DominicanToday.com - The Dominican Republic News Source in English
Av. Abraham Lincoln N° 452 Local 220B, Plaza La Francesa, Piantini, Santo Domingo
GOLFDOMINICANO.COM
INDOMINICANA.COM


What fund should I invest my 401k in?
Hello all first time poster , but have been reading for over a year now and lurking. I'm finally getting my bills paid down and have been putting into my companies 401k since January as they match 5 percent. They just started the 401k in January of this year. They have a few vanguard funds and I'm going to list them out, but I'm still new to investing and not entirely sure how these correlate to the vanguard etfs most people say to invest in.
Sorry if the formatting is weird and hard to understand, but that is what it says in my portfolio when I look at it. Thanks in advance I greatly appreciate it.
Re: What fund should I invest my 401k in?
...not entirely sure how these correlate to the vanguard etfs most people say to invest in.
First, don't worry about the difference between ETFs and mutual funds - there isn't enough difference to matter for someone just starting.
If you highlight any of the funds listed in the OP, right click and choose the "Search google for..." option (or similar in whatever browser you use), you should get links to that fund. E.g., doing that for Vanguard 500 Index Adm brings up this link: https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0540&FundIntExt=INT. If you want to see the corresponding ETF, click on the "an ETF" link in "Also available as Investor Shares mutual fund and an ETF" on that page.
As for the title question, you have many good options. 25% in each of the first four is one defensible choice, but there are many others as well.
The above is lacking any emerging markets, but those weren't an option. On the US side the 500 + mid cap + small cap in these allocations is pretty close to copying the US market. Being 30-40% international on the stock side gives you enough diversification to lower volatility some without going to far international which actually raises volatility.
Now that is good for the stock side of things. If you have a long time horizon and a very high risk tolerance being 100% stocks is fine. Otherwise, what are the bond funds?
It's nice that you have some good Vanguard equity options to choose from. Hopefully there are some bond fund options too.
Unfortunately those are the only vangaurd options. There are other options from different companies. The 401k advisor that came to talk with us told everyone to just use the T. Rowe Price target retirement date fund. So far I'm not too happy with that suggestion its also 100 percent stocks and I don't want to wait till 2055 to retire. I'm 28 and hopefully looking to retire at or around age 40. Thanks for all the advice I'll check on the bonds and get back to everyone with a response.
The 401k advisor that came to talk with us told everyone to just use the T. Rowe Price target retirement date fund. So far I'm not too happy with that suggestion its also 100 percent stocks and I don't want to wait till 2055 to retire.
That advice, depending on the fund fee, may be good.
From the first link, the "...recommendation is to ignore the fund's date. Instead, determine the amount of risk the investor is willing to tolerate and work backwards to find a fund that matches the chosen stock/bond allocation."
Always a good thing to do. Even if you've learned nothing else from this thread (and that's probably a pessimistic view), that's a great takeaway.
The long-term mentality is the right one, for sure.
Don't forget, you have $5,500 per year that you can put into an IRA (traditional or Roth) independent of the 401(k). You can easily hold your bond funds there in order to diversify your asset classes.


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Anniversary cigars
Leave a comment Posted on April 9, 2016 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews, Super Premiums, Tropical - Aganorsa
Casa Fernandez Aniversario 2014
I remember my first anniversary. My girlfriend surprised me with the announcement that we had been together for six weeks and it was time to celebrate. Then came the three-month anniversary. And the sixth. We didn't make it to a year. I blame all the damn anniversaries. Well, not really… but it's true. After a while Anniversaries can be a bit of a chore.
But not for cigar makers. It seems like nearly every manufacturer has a few Aniversarios in their portfolio these days, and Casa Fernandez is no exception.
As a brand name, Casa Fernandez is fairly young, but the company has old roots. The business that would become Casa Fernandez began as Tabacalera Tropical in the 1970's. Eduardo Fernandez had already been operating Aganorsa for a few years when he purchased Tropical from Pedro Martin in 2002, but with Arsenio Ramos employed as a blender using Aganorsa tobaccos, the cigar maker emerged from the shadows of the shade cloth. So I think it's safe to say that the anniversary this cigar celebrates is not so much a founding of a finished product as the beginning of an evolution.
The tobaccos used in the Casa Fernandez Aniversario are Aganorsa grown, including a Corojo 99 wrapper grown in Jalapa. After harvesting, the tobaccos were aged five years and the cigars were rolled in the small factory Fernandez opened in Miami in 2011. The 2014 release, a 6 1/4 x 52 parejo, was limited to 2000 boxes of ten. (The 2015 release was made in two sizes: a lancero and a toro size slightly larger than the 2014 parejo.)
Because this blend utilizes aged tobacco they may not have needed the bonus humidor time that I usually afford Casa Fernandez cigars, but they've been cooling their heels at 65% for almost a year anyway.
Construction Notes
The Casa Fernandez Aniversario is a handsomely appointed toro, complete with the super premium accoutrement: a tasteful white band, a silver anniversary band, and a parchment sleeve etched with the company logo. All it's missing is a black tie.
The wrapper is a smooth milk-chocolate colorado claro with subtly dimpled veins. The head is perfectly symmetrical and topped with a clean flat cap. The cigar has a slight box press which has relaxed a bit after resting loose in the humidor. It draws well, burns evenly, and produces a nice volume of smoke. The ash is a solid light gray.
The only construction flaw I encountered is that the wrapper, despite its beauty, is somewhat fragile and has a tendency to split. Careful storage and optimal atmospheric conditions are recommended when lighting up.
Overall construction: Very good.
Cocoa jumps out at the first puff and stays in the driver's seat for the whole ride. Some sweetness enters on the palate, rendering caramel after an inch or so. Some woody notes are present in the first half of the cigar which veer into earthy territory in the second.
The smoke is smooth, a little dry, but never heavy. Some pepper shows up toward the end, but that's about it for spice. This toro is very easy to smoke, but it lacks the development that I expect in a cigar of this magnitude.
The CF Aniversario is definitely a super premium, upper echelon blend. It's like a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter's day. I would recommend this stick without reservation as a special occasion cigar for a novice smoker (assuming the construction holds up.)
Unfortunately, this blend lacks the complexity that veterans might expect in an Aniversario. (Compared with the Padron Anniversary blends, let's say.) And of course there is the price. At $12.50 a shot it has some serious competition. All things considered, I still think it's worth it.
Final Score: 92
Anniversary cigars Casa Fernandez
1 Comment Posted on February 3, 2014 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews
Fonseca 120th Anniversary "Rarissimus" Corona
I've been working my way through a couple of Fonseca samplers that I snagged on C-bid, and though I'm wary of cigars that have been repackaged in this way I've been quite satisfied this time around. Certainly there have been more hits than misses. One of the better finds is this Anniversary blend, dubbed "Rarissimus".
The CXX Anniversary blend was released in 2011 to commemorate the founding of the Fonseca label in 1891. Francisco Fonseca established his Havana factory that year (or thereabouts) and eventually introduced two innovations still observed by some manufacturers today: he wrapped his cigars in fine Japanese tissue paper (which is still the case with the Cuban Fonseca) and he was the first to release cigars in tubes (tin, at the time). He immigrated to America in 1903 and registered the Fonseca brand name in 1907.
The 120th Anniversary line was issued by Quesada's SAG Imports in a limited release of 120,000 cigars. The blend is composed of a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler surrounded by a Dominican binder and finished with a sungrown Dominican wrapper called Habano Vuelta Arriba, a tobacco that is presumably descended from that region in Cuba.
The Rarissimus was created in three sizes:
Corona – 6 3/8 x 46
Robusto – 5 7/8 x 52
Gordo- 4 7/8 x 60
I can only imagine what Francisco Fonseca would have thought of a gordo sized cigar.
The CXX Anniversary Corona is a rough looking customer with its mottled colorado maduro wrapper and pig-tail cap. The roll is solid, though on the surface it feels a little bumpy and lumpy. The head of the cigar is not particularly elegant, despite its pig-tail, but the cigar draws smoothly and burns beautifully. The ash is firm and a pleasantly dirty gray.
This rough looking parejo is not conventionally handsome, but it has character.
The Fonseca 120th Anni opens up with a moderate dash of black pepper, but this is quickly overtaken by the complex aroma of the cigar. It reminds me of something like graham cracker, but with more cinnamon. This is a medium-bodied cigar of equally moderate potency. At times the smoke seems a bit thin, but its flavor never wanes.
A caramel sweetness appears an inch or two into the cigar, supplanting the cinnamon and balancing out the mildly peppery sensation on the palate. The aroma continues to impress even without a dramatic transition.
The cigar settles into earthier territory at the conclusion but otherwise stays the course to its final destination.
The Rarissimus is a fitting tribute to the lasting legacy of Francisco Fonseca. True to the Fonseca tradition, it is a fairly mild cigar, but one with sophistication and finesse. Also true to the tradition is the price of this limited edition: around $5 US for the corona. That's a remarkable price given the quality of the cigar, but that has always been the hallmark of Fonseca.
If you appreciate a quality medium-bodied cigar, don't hesitate. I doubt these will be around for much longer.
Anniversary cigars Fonseca Habano Vuelta Arriba Quesada
6 Comments Posted on January 15, 2014 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews
Some Gurkhas
The folks at the Gurkha Cigar Group were kind enough to send me a few single cigars late last year, and I'm just now getting around to offering my partially considered opinion. I don't normally review single sticks because there are so many extrinsic factors that can affect a single smoking experience, but these are not particularly subtle cigars so I'm going to take a chance.
Just in case, take these quick reviews with a small block of sodium chloride.
Gurkha's Ninja (in the robusto and torpedo sizes) was named one of the best bargain cigars of 2011 by Cigar Aficionado.
Which reminds me — look soon for Marvin's new publication, Cheap Cigar Aficionado, featuring an interview with a guy named Jack on his 10-foot aluminum rowboat. Jack sheds no light on Chateau Lafite or Cohiba Behikes in that article, but he has a lot of interesting things to say about Consuegras and nightcrawlers.
Anyway. Ninja features an oily black Brazilian maduro wrapper, a Dominican binder, Nicaraguan filler, and a 5 dollar pricetag.
I was expecting the Ninja to sneak up on me, but it's not so much stealthy as it is slightly eccentric. The smoke is smooth, full bodied, and sweet, and there's lots of it. The base flavors are woody and earthy, but what distinguishes the cigar is its unusual aroma: a maple syrupy sweetness combined with the scent of a just-extinguished candle. Carbonized sugar, sulfur, and melted wax. It's not an unpleasant cigar, but rather odd. (I bet it's also good for keeping the mosquitoes at bay. I'll have to ask Jack if that's the case.)
To celebrate Gurkha's quasquicentennial Anniversary the company released this blend in three formulations: two 6 x 60 XOs (gordos), one in Maduro and the other Connecticut shade, and this 6 x 52 toro with a Corojo wrapper. Don't ask me how the company determined 1887 to be the year that got the ball rolling. As far as I know, the Gurkha Rifles were formed in 1815, so another anniversary opportunity is rapidly approaching.
The Maduro XO with a Brazilian wrapper was rated 94 by CA and was awarded ninth place in the Top 25 for 2013. Which is probably why they sent me the Corojo Toro, for which I thank them very kindly. The wrapper variety is the only info I have on blend composition.
This Anniversary toro is fine looking cigar with a supple colorado claro wrapper and a triple-wound cap. The draw is excellent and the smoke volume plentiful. It starts out creamy sweet and gradually turns earthy, picking up black pepper along the way. The aroma is oaky with a touch of vanilla. The overall taste is complex and worthy of an Anniversary cigar, as is the asking price: around $13 USD.
It's better than bad, it's evil. This is branding and marketing stuff, so don't look for logical consistency here. Gurkha is keeping stride with the whole death-metal/goth theme prevalent in cigar branding, and Evil is the natural consequence. This blend features a Brazilian mata fina wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a Nicaraguan core. I smoked the robusto, or most of one anyway.
The Evil toro is rustic in appearance, and its demeanor is no less refined. The phrase "pure strength" appears on the band, which is ample warning. It opens up with a friendly greeting, like a used car salesman sidling up to the bar: deceptively smooth though immediately pungent.
The base flavors are earthy with a humus-like mushroom quality. The flavors quickly get more serious as leather settles in for the ride and a dose of spicy cayenne tags along. By the mid-point it has become a little too abrasive for me to enjoy, but I can see how lovers of big-time Hondurans might get a bang out of this one. It reminds me a little of the Camacho corojo, and it's priced in the same general vicinity: around $7 USD.
125th Anniversary Anniversary cigars Gurkha Cigar Group Gurkha Evil Gurkha Ninja
3 Comments Posted on June 12, 2013 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews
Oja Anniversary Atrevido
Oja cigars are a relatively new boutique blend created by Luis Garcia and manufactured by Kiki Berger (of Cuban Crafters fame) in Esteli, Nicaragua. There are three standard lines: the Connecticut (with an Ecuadorian wrapper), Mestizo (Habano 2000) and Oscuro (Brazilian Arapiraca.)
But no cigar brand, no matter how young, is complete without an Anniversary blend. I came across Oja's Anniversary line a few months ago and after purchasing a pair at the B&M, I decided to let them sit for a while. Sometimes a cigar wants some time to ruminate, and I thought these bad boys with the refined band needed to contemplate existence for a while.
The time seems to have served them in good stead. The blend is designed for strength, with a double helping of Nicaraguan ligero in the filler, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Brazilian wrapper of the "Samba" variety. I have never heard of Samba, but whatever it is, I like it.
It looks like the Oja Anniversary is still in production, but it is not exactly easy to find. Three sizes were designed for the Anniversary blend:
Atrevido – 5 x 54
Ilustre – 6 x 58
Elegante – 6 x 52
The Oja anniversary Atrevido is a square pressed robusto with a dark and dry wrapper leaf. Brazilian Samba looks a lot like broadleaf maduro, but to me it seems a bit sweeter. The head of the cigar is formed well, but the cap is a little messy. The draw is excellent, and it burns quite evenly, which is notable for a pressed stick.
Overall construction: Excellent
The Oja Anniversary isn't a cigar that evolves too much, but it is balanced and the flavors are complex enough to keep my interest despite the lack of transition flavors. This cigar offers what I associate with great maduro cigars — rich and earthy flavors on the palate with overtones of chocolate and dark-roasted coffee on the nose.
Also present is a woody sweetness that I generally associate with Nicaraguan tobacco. The smoke is slightly tart on the tongue, and a touch of acidity gets the juices flowing. The flavors complement each other nicely and blend well.
I was expecting a little more spice in the finale, but it remains pleasantly balanced to the end. Some char and a dash of pepper appear at the end to wave goodbye.
I like full-bodied cigars, but I like them especially when the smoke is as creamy and smooth as this one is. A full-bodied cigar, in my opinion, does not have to scorch your tongue off with spice or turn your stomach with nicotine. And the Oja Anniversary does neither, while remaining a substantial and flavorful smoke.
It's not a sophisticated cigar, but it's finely balanced and tasty. It's exactly what I look for in a top tier maduro — it's smooth, with layers of chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and a sweet earthy aroma that makes my garage smell just like… my garage.
The bad news? They're not easy to find, and they're on the pricey side. MSRP for a box of 20 at Cuban Crafters is $254.99. It's a great cigar, but in the $12-13 range they face some fierce competition.
Anniversary cigars Brazilian Samba tobacco Cuban Crafters Oja Anniversary
1 Comment Posted on July 7, 2011 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews, La Aurora
La Aurora 107 Lancero
La Aurora hit an out-of-the-park home run with its last anniversary cigar, Cien Años, to celebrate an amazing 100 years in the business. Any business (or human being, for that matter) still going strong after a hundred years is worth celebrating with a Centennial bash. Seven years later, Willard Scott is proud to congratulate La Aurora one more time.
107 is an odd number though. Not only is it odd, it's prime. (And of course I'm late: this blend was released last year.)
La Aurora has been known over the years for milder cigars like its eponymous La Aurora, a nice nutty Dominican-style cigar with a tasty Cameroon wrapper. But in recent years they have turned with the times to heavier, more complex cigars like the 1495 and Preferidos lines. While not the spice bombs that many full-bodied cigar enthusiasts crave, the more recent releases certainly bring more flavor to the table.
That trend is continued with the 107, which employs a sun grown Ecuadorian wrapper, a Dominican binder, and filler from Nicaragua and the DR. Originally released in just three sizes, a fourth — the lancero — was added after a successful drive by fans of the blend, mostly via Twitter.
Toro – 5 1/2 x 54
Belicoso – 6 1/4 x 52
Lancero – 6 7/8 x 40
The Aurora 107 has a dark pecan-colored wrapper with some lighter veins that are prominent by contrast. It's a striking leaf, similar in appearance to the 5 Vegas Limitada 2005, also made by La Aurora. The roll is mostly solid, with a few soft spots that will escape notice unless you're palpating the cigar for a review.
True to its lancero roots, the head is finished with a discreet pig tail and the draw is a bit tight for the first inch or two. It burns evenly and produces a solid light gray ash.
Overall good construction.
The 107 is not a shy cigar, but it's not exactly boisterous either. The flavor on the palate is mild and woody to begin with, but this is overshadowed by the brown sugar and caramel on the nose. The aroma is sweet and gradually picks up woodier scents as the ash grows. There is a touch of pepper on the tongue and the aftertaste is noticeably salty.
The mid-section turns spicier — a little more pepper, and the woody flavors char a bit. It gets richer and picks up some leather at the 50-yard line.
The 107 lancero finishes a bit charred and burnt on the palate, but the aroma continues to impress with its sweetness and complexity. Like many thin-gauged cigars, this one should be smoked patiently for maximum enjoyment.
La Aurora's 107 lancero is a medium-bodied cigar that verges on full body and offers plenty of sophistication in a finely crafted package. It reminds me a little bit of their Barrel-Aged cigar, which is also medium in body with a lot of complexity on the nose. I just finished off a box of Barrel-Aged No. 4, and it seems to me that the 107 is quite a bit more sophisticated and not as sweet.
While I enjoyed this cigar quite a bit, I think I will have to acknowledge my impatience with lanceros and try the 107 in a slightly larger incarnation the next time around. The lanceros run around 6 USD per stick — not bad for an "Anniversary" blend, even in an odd year.
Anniversary cigars Dominican Cigars
2 Comments Posted on April 21, 2011 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews
Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary
It's hard to believe the Punch Rare Sumatra has been around for 10 years already. Yes, I know, it's actually the "Punch Rare Corojo" but I've been calling it "Rare Sumatra" for so long that I can't change now. This is what happens when you get old.
As most of us already know, the original Rare Corojo doesn't utilize a Corojo wrapper at all. It has a lovely colorado-hued Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador. So WHY did General Cigar call it Rare Corojo? I haven't the slightest idea, but like many of the cigar industry's enduring mysteries it probably comes down to marketing.
So it's a bit of a reversal that the Tenth Anniversary edition of the Rare Corojo is not Sumatran — it's actually corojo! Truth in advertising at last! But wait. It's an odd sort of corojo: it's grown in Connecticut. So not only is it actually corojo, it's also quite rare. Up to this point I'd never heard of Connecticut Corojo.
The filler and binder appear to be the same as the Rare Sumatra: the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf, and the filler is a Honduran-Nicaraguan-Dominican blend. And like the original, the 10th Anniversary is rolled in General's Honduras HATSA facility. Just this one size — a 5 x 50 robusto — has been made in a limited edition.
Like the original Rare Sumatra, the 10th Anniversary Rare Corojo is box-pressed, and like most cigars from General it exhibits generally excellent construction. The wrapper is quite dark for a non-broadleaf Connecticut, and it shows some weathering and a few fine veins. The single cap is not really attractive, but it's functional. The draw is excellent, and it burns perfectly.
Overall excellent construction.
The Punch 10th Anniversary Rare Corojo flares up with a touch of black pepper and a citric edge. The smoke is quite dry and mouth-wateringly acidic. The aroma is mildly spicy and somewhat intriguing. I'm not sure what to make of it because it has the softness of Connecticut shade, but the spiciness of corojo. An odd combination.
At the half-way point the smoke is decidedly medium in body and strength. The flavor is woody with overtones of earth and nuts. There is enough tannin here to go around for everyone. All you little taste buds, get in line. Who wants more tannin? The aftertaste is earthy and astringent.
The cigar finishes in expected fashion– woody and quite dry — though I found myself primarily concentrating on the sweet and exotically spiced aroma.
While I enjoyed the aroma of the Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary and its excellent roll and burn, these didn't quite balance out the boldly tannic foundation on which the cigar is built. Tannins have a tendency to even out with age though, so this Punch Anniversary blend may just be a diamond in the rough. I didn't really care for the original Rare Corojo when I first smoked it years ago, but then it grew on me. This cigar may do the same thing.
The Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary should be in stores soon, if it isn't already. MSRP is around $6.50 per stick.
Special thanks to General Cigar for sending review samples of this new release.
Anniversary cigars Connecticut Corojo Punch Rare corojo Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary
6 Comments Posted on December 14, 2009 December 16, 2009 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews
La Tradicion Cubana Deluxe 15th Anniversary
La Tradicion Cubana has been in business for fifteen years, and to celebrate this they have released their 15th Anniversary Deluxe edition. Their last anniversary edition, the tenth, was excellent — they were some of the best cigars in my collection before they mysteriously went up in smoke a couple years ago.
LTC remains one of my favorite boutique cigar companies because they produce a quality premium cigar at a really reasonable price. Anyone who has been reading the cigar press and smoking the latest and greatest knows that an exorbitant price does not always mean high quality — sometimes it just means more hype. Fifteen-dollar limited edition cigars are great for the industry, and fun for those who can afford them, but it's nice that LTC is looking out for the rest of us.
I was expecting the 15th Anniversary blend to be similar to the 10th, a blend from several countries with an Ecuadorian wrapper, but it's a different story this time. The 15th Anniversary Deluxe is a Dominican puro. Wrapper, binder, filler — all from the Dominican Republic, where LTC cigars are made in Santiago.
La Tradicion Cubana is known for producing cigars with large ring gauges, including one of the largest commercially available cigars produced anywhere, the 12 x 192 LTC "Big One." The new Deluxe line is no where close to to that, thank God, but all three sizes are still big in the barrel:
Robusto: 5 x 56
Churchill: 6 x 52
Torpedo: 5 3/4 x 54
They might have come up with a better frontmark for the churchill (which is more like a fat toro) but as Juliet once asked, "what's in a name?" At least they didn't call it Montague.
The wrapper on this 15th Anniversary is gorgeous. This looks like a sun grown wrapper — it's dark and a little bit rough, and the color is not perfectly consistent, but it has clearly been fermented and processed very carefully. It's oily enough right out of the cello, but as soon as the cigar is lit and the wrapper warms up, the oils just ooze out. Beautiful. The roll is firm with an easy draw. The large ring gauge and skillful blending result in a slow, cool burn. The robusto and the torpedo smoke for a good hour or more, and the toro (em… the churchill, I mean) went into 90 minute territory.
The only construction issue I had with these was a somewhat erratic burn. They didn't need correction, but the jagged burn line was a touch irksome. More and more it seems that the better the wrapper leaf is, the more eccentric the burn. It must be the prima donna factor.
Overall construction very good.
The sustaining note for this blend is coffee, but it's a note that goes through some interesting modulations. The first third is marked by coffee (of course) and mildly sweet milk chocolate. Beneath this I detected something like roasted nuts. The smoke is medium bodied in texture and very smooth. There is a slightly acidic touch on the tongue and the finish is mild, but dry.
The base flavor of coffee and roasted nuts takes on a sweeter edge in the second stage, as caramel comes to the fore and some spicier notes drop on the palate. The finish lengthens a little, bit by bit, but the smoke is still smooth and the aftertaste clean.
In the last third the flavors become more concentrated and the coffee-caramel combination starts to taste like a coffee liqueur. There's also a flavor that mystified me — I couldn't identify it until I had smoked three or four of these cigars in various shapes, but it finally came to me as I finished off a churchill the other night — I might be crazy, but I think it's coconut.
Toward the band the flavor turns a little charred, as expected, and the nicotine sneaks up. La Tradicion Cubana isn't known for powerhouse smokes, but they are certainly capable of producing them. Smoke these past the band and you might get a pretty good buzz, depending on your tolerance. This was surprising because they start out so mild and debonair.
I'm not sure if i like these better than the 10th Anniversary — it's such a different blend — but without question the Deluxe 15th is worthy of carrying the Anniversary flag for LTC. If I could have my wish there would be an offering with a smaller ring gauge, but the blend has obviously been very well thought out in these larger sizes.
These are slated for release this month, and as I mentioned before, one of the remarkable things about this cigar is its price: boxes of 24 range from 100 USD for the robusto, $110 for the churchill, and $115 for the torpedo. The quality is unbeatable at that price if you like this style of cigar: medium-bodied, smooth, and delicious. Great with coffee. Bring the thermos.
Thanks to LTC for giving me a sneak preview of this fantastic smoke!
La Tradicion Cubana cigars can be difficult to find in neighborhood cigar shops. The 15th Anniversary is now available from these internet retailers:
The Cuban Shop
Fuller's Pullers
Anniversary cigars Dominican puros La Tradicion Cubana LTC

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Denver City Council: Preserve immigrant rights. Williams: More deportations!
Denver City Council Chambers were packed Monday night with an overflow crowd, wearing white to show support of immigrants and refugees, cheering Denver City Council's passing of the Public Safety Enforcement Priorities Act. (PSEPA) The PSEPA ordinance codifies a "Don't Ask, Don't Share" policy for requesting immigration documents, while also preserving exceptions for violent or wanted criminals, and provides for notifying ICE when detainees "of interest" are released. PSEPA is viewed as a compromise which preserves immigrant's Constitutional due process rights, while also protecting public safety.
It is the result of months of negotiations between city officials and immigration rights activists.
Here is ovation greeting #DenverCouncil 10-0 vote to pass #immigration ordinance that is don't ask/don't share but still notify of releases. pic.twitter.com/v90cHqqneC — Jon Murray (@JonMurray) August 29, 2017
While Denver City Council was debating this compromise legislation, HD15 State Representative David Williams wrote to President Trump and AG Sessions, claiming that Denver is not deporting enough people, and detention / deportation needs to be increased. Williams has called for an investigation into "sanctuary city politicians", including Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.
Williams' letter, released Sunday, per reporting by Kasey Kershner of KRDO News13, asks for federal intervention concerning illegal immigration in the Denver area. It specifically calls out Denver City Council's PSEPA ordinance as a "sanctuary city ordinance".
Daily Stormer Dies with a Whimper
UPDATED 8/19/17 – Russia doesn't want to host the Stormer, either. Twitter won't show Stormer tweets, and Cloudflare won't protect it from DDOS attacks.
I'm really enjoying watching the trickling demise of the Daily Stormer. Named after a Nazi propaganda sheet, Der Sturmer, the Storm is over. From its threats of epic doom via "white right" thunder and lightning to today's sprinkling of evaporating drops, the neo-Nazi, alt-right, Proudboy digital dreadnought has died with a whimper. Republicans at the highest levels of government are scrambling to disassociate themselves from Daily Stormer's message of racist hate and violence.
And all it took was a riot in Charlottesville, bruises, blood, and broken bones, and the death of a young warrior.
Gardner Talks Plenty, Answers Little in Telephone Townhall
by: kwtree August 3, 2017 at 2:34 AM MDT
Why won't Cory Gardner do in -person, live town halls? That's easy – if he did, he would have baffled crowds of people yelling, "What?" "Who?" "When?" and turning to each other, muttering, "What – what did he just say? It sounded great, but what does it mean?" He couldn't handle the follow-up questions. At all. There are no "mute" or "delete" buttons for real people asking inconvenient questions in a live town hall.
I listened to Senator Gardner talk at his constituents for an hour during his tele-town hall on August 2, 2017. For the first time in all of the Gardner town halls I've sat through, he actually answered one of my questions. (at 49:15 in the recording). Unfortunately, it was a question with lots of wiggle room – perfect for Gardner. On the other hand, plenty of people asked him very specific questions, and he didn't answer those, either.
Here's what I heard between 7:05 pm and 8:05 pm on Gardner's telephone town hall. All questions and answers are paraphrased, unless I'm using quotation marks.
Photo: ADAPT protest, Cory Gardner's Greeley office, July 27, 2017.
In his introduction, Gardner spewed the usual glibberish. He's going to repair the damage of Obamacare, because so many Coloradans got their policies cancelled or had to pay fines, bla bla. He lied again about how many town halls he's held, counting his one on one meetings with a health care CEO and stopping to get fruit for his kids at a roadside stand as "meeting with Coloradans". Oh, and he had dinner at a ranch, and met with Chamber of Commerce members. Aren't those town halls? Cory swears that counts as a town hall.
Still glibbering, Gardner talked about cybersecurity and his bill to make the "internet of things" more secure, which cook rightly pointed out is not-bad legislation. He also talked about opening up more broadband "spectrum" in rural Colorado, and mentioned tax reform, coming to you in September!!
Then he began taking questions. Some had been submitted online, while most were live telephone callers.
Rep. Ken Buck – Still lying, but nicely
Representative Buck is a good communicator. His conversational skills were on display in his Sterling Town Hall on July 29, 2017. He does not always tell the truth, and his point of view is limited to what one would expect from one of the ten most conservative members of the House of Representatives, and proud member of the ultra-right wing Freedom Caucus. I've listed Buck's lies and lies by omission below.
Buck handles these town halls well – he doesn't get flustered when confronted, and stayed in control with a crowd that was at least 50% Democratic and progressive. The impromptu town hall in Longmont got a little rowdier, but Buck still kept his cool. I'd call the overall tone of the Sterling meeting "polite but firm" , for all parties involved.
Over the course of the one hour town hall meeting, Buck and his constituents discussed the budget process, the health care bills past, present, and future, education, water law, Bitcoin and "crypto-currency", renewable energy, constitutional convention, the VA hospital, and civility in politics. I've highlighted some of the places in which Representative Buck strayed from the truth.
At 22:59, during a renewable energy discussion , Buck said that he's against mandates, not renewable energy, even though Colorado now gets 24% of its electricity from wind and solar, and wind turbine jobs are the fastest growing job category in the country. . He was unable to justify his statement that renewable energy is hurting Coloradans and costing them money.
At 30:00 Buck says he's against unfunded mandates in education, but doesn't commit to fund them.
At 39:00, Buck lies about how much ACA coverage cost in 2014. (ACA = $1800, wife's plan =$108 – but not mentioning that the Federal Government subsidizes all congressmembers health at 90%, so his remaining 10% cost would have been $180/mo). If you recall, Cory Gardner tried to scam voters with this same BS, and was never able to show any proof that his ACA payment was more expensive than his private plan.
At 40:00 Rep. Buck says he wants to drive down costs of premiums & deductibles, but neglects to mention that the House AHCA bill would have driven those way up for consumers.
At 49:45 , he says we should encourage people to be healthier and drive down health care costs that way (but the bill he supported would have eliminated ACA's preventative medicine coverage).
Buck told a LIE again at 51:13 when he said that the GOP congress "never attempted to repeal and replace" Obamacare. The GOP Congress voted over 50 times to "repeal the ACA, and Buck personally voted 3X since he was elected in 2014 to repeal the ACA.
Again, at 53: 00 when Buck is asked what can be done about the lack of civility in DC, he blames the media for publicizing sensational stories, not a Republican administration which refuses to work across the aisle, nor a President who models terrible and uncivil behavior.
At 53:30, Buck is asked about his book Drain the Swamp, and if it is true that he wants to change the Constitution. He replies that he would like to have a Constitutional Convention, but only to get a balanced budget and term limits. Whew. It's not like there are any Koch brothers or nuts out there who want a Con-con just to repeal the last two centuries of progress.
Ken Buck apparently also has access to the Trump White House connection to Breitbart public relations services. Buck's humorous "Cut the Debt" video
features Trey Gowdy, Mia Love, Ted Cruz, and other Congress members, and promotes his point of view that cutting the national debt is an urgent priority. It was a front page Breitbart story on 3/15/2017.
Ken Buck is still one of the most conservative members of Congress. People running against him need to confront him on policy and votes. He's not stupid or undisciplined – he's not going to curse anyone out or get into a sex or money scandal. He'll be a formidable foe not least because he is so "nice" and "personable". Candidates running against him need to be prepared to confront him on votes, policies, and facts, stay polite and respectful, but call his lies out when necessary.
Representative Buck has other town hall meetings scheduled. See his website for updates.
Good news! July 1-7, 2017
This diary is about small victories, local heroes, sweet stories, random kindnesses, unexpected grace, cold justice served up on a hot plate. As always, your interpretation of what is "good news" is probably different than mine, and categories often overlap.
Attorneys General across the country (including Colorado's Coffman) are claiming that they will check Big Pharma's pushing of opiods, "clear the swamp", ensure fair voting, and protect transgender people. AGs be aware – people will check to see that you follow through on your promises.
Voting rights roundup
Image by debaird on flikr
Fourth of July, Fireworks, and the Franchise – what could be more patriotic? Voting seems to be on everyone's minds right now.
Alabama seeks to inform felons of restored voting rights in jail
Kentucky also ordered the voting rights of 284 felons to be restored.
Kris Kobach, Vice-Chair of Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Voter Integrity, requested that all 50 states send him their voter information by July 14 so that the Commission can create a national voter registry to prevent what he claims is rampant voter fraud.
Unfortunately, rather than creating a process to make it easier for voters to register and vote, the Commission's goal appears to be to selectively disenfranchise voters. The good news is that 45 states now have refused to provide part or all of the information requested. President Trump is not pleased, and has let us know this in his usual way.
Alison Lundergan Grimes, KY Secretary of State said that there is "not enough bourbon in Kentucky" to make Trump's request seem sensible.
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann suggested that, "They can go jump in the Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi is a great state to launch from…"
Floridians are also petitioning to restore voting rights to felons.
Colorado's Secretary of State Wayne Williams is trying to have it both ways – comply with Trump's request, while still protecting the privacy of Colorado voters by supplying only publicly available information. Many voters are choosing to keep their data confidential by filing a form and paying $5 at the Secretary of State's Office.
Voters seldom commit fraud in Colorado – but when they do, they are usually Republicans.
Good News! June 23-30, 2017
This diary is about small victories, local heroes, sweet stories, random kindnesses, unexpected grace, cold justice served up on a hot plate. As always, your interpretation of what is "good news" is probably different than mine.
This week, it's all about healthcare and the resistance to the BCRA Wealthcare bill. We've come too far to give up now. Keep our eyes on the prize: A public healthcare system like every other industrialized country has.
Healthcare, the ACA, and the Senate Wealthcare bill
The Senate Democrats fought hard to keep the BCRA, aka Trump's Wealthcare bill, from being voted on without hearings or public input. It was good to see some Senate backbone on display.
Hawaii's Maisie Hirono led filibustering on the Senate floor.
Our own Senator Bennet spoke at length, outlining what's at stake in this health care bill.
But – we don't know what Cory Gardner really thinks about the Senate healthcare bill he supposedly helped to draft. Right now, he looks to be in the "Yes on BCRA" camp, because he pretends that insurance costs will go down with the Senate bill. However, Cowardly Cory will not give his constituents the courtesy of in-person meetings or town halls to discuss his position. Even when said constituents try really, really hard.
To keep the heat on, keep contacting
Senator Bennet: Contact Us
Senator Gardner: Contact Cory*
More good news about healthcare in Colorado: we get to keep all of our insurance brokers next year, said Colorado Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar. No Colorado counties will be without an insurance provider, according to the Summit Daily News.
(Because Lord knows we can use some – Promoted by Colorado Pols)
This was a hard week to write "Good News" for. Still, there was some.
Small victories, local heroes, sweet stories, random kindnesses, unexpected grace, cold justice served up on a hot plate…that's what this diary is about. As always, your interpretation of what is "good news" is probably different than mine.
This week, it's all about the heat, voters, immigrant rights, cannabis, and beer. Farmer's markets. Buying local. No sports news, because the only sports I halfway understand are basketball and baseball. Anything else, I'm the one looking at you to see when to stand up and cheer.
Environmental / energy
It's freaking hot in Colorado, especially on the western slope , down south, and in Denver, but the head of the EPA won't say if climate change is a hoax, although his boss says it is.
Good news: It's not as hot as Phoenix's 119 degrees . Even AZ Sen. McCain thinks this global warming thing is the real deal. Plastic mailboxes are melting in Arizona – it's that hot. (Photo from reddit, via Buzzfeed)
MacGregor Ranch is piloting a program to work closely with the NRCS to cut underbrush and mitigate wildfire risk, since it is so freaking hot in Colorado. Drought and wildfires are the two main hazards Colorado experiences from climate change. Here's the video from the pilot project.
Virgin Mobile and several other big retailers are planning to conserve energy by running their trucking fleets more efficiently.
Coal India, the world's largest coal mining company, will shut down 37 of its mines that are no longer economically viable. The lost energy will be replaced mainly with solar.
Clean energy jobs remain the fastest-growing employment sector in Colorado – with 62,000 added last year. 65% of those jobs are in energy efficiency. This all helps Colorado to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation at 2.3%. Rates for youth under 24 were at 6%, and for Hispanics at 5%, still lower than most other states.
There's still some good fishing around Colorado. Get'em while there's still water enough to fish in.
And you can drive to your fishing spot on roads you won't have to pay an extra tax on, per the Colorado Business Coalition. Amendment 267 passed, funding $3 Billion for road repair and maintenance; however, $10 billion was needed. Where will that come from?
The "Dog Days" are approaching. If you see poor Puddles panting in a hot car, you can break in to save the pet – but not legally, in Colorado, until August.
Charges of false imprisonment, kidnapping against Maketa should stand
Terry Maketa, former El Paso County Sheriff, resigned under pressure in 2014 after local journalists began writing exposes of his sexual harassment misconduct and financial malfeasance. His sheepish, wanna-be sexy shower selfie became a national laughing stock. Maketa's reputation is shot; he will forever be the corrupt, sleazy, "shirtless sheriff" in the public's mind. However, two of the charges in the indictment show a darker side: Maketa was an apologist and enabler of domestic violence by one of his employees.
Maketa was indicted by a grand jury on charges of extortion, official misconduct, witness tampering, kidnapping and false imprisonment in May of 2016 and he served one day in prison. The shower selfie was replaced by a mug shot. (Left, 5/26/16, from the Gilpin County Sheriff's Office). Maketa
Maketa's trial was postponed until June 6, 2017.
This week, George Brauchler, Colorado District Attorney, gubernatorial candidate, and special prosecutor in the Maketa case, has recommended that two of the nine outstanding charges against Maketa be dismissed. Why? Not for lack of evidence; the 11 page indictment leaves no doubt as to the facts of the case. Perhaps Maketa's $10 million lawsuit against any organization that said anything negative about him from 2014-2016 might just be part of the reason Brauchler is pressing to dismiss the charges. Perhaps a deal has been made.
The charges in question are for kidnapping and false imprisonment of a female jail employee, who had complained of being beaten by her police officer boyfriend, a Deputy under Maketa's supervision. The 11 page indictment relates how the woman was pressured to recant her testimony against her abuser, and was held in jail. Per Kirk Mitchell's reporting in the Denver Post:
Her boyfriend, a deputy, had been arrested and later fired for beating her. Maketa allegedly told the woman to recant her statement and "tell investigators that she instigated the incident in order to allow (the deputy) to get his job back," the indictment said. He later ordered her arrest, the indictment says.
The officer who arrested the woman felt that there was insufficient evidence to hold her, but had herself been pressured to make the arrest to protect the accused Deputy. Maketa's co-defendents, fellow officers Paula Presley and Juan San Agustin, were also indicted for kidnapping, false imprisonment, and tampering with a witness.
Good news! Week of June 11- 17, 2017
Small victories, local heroes, sweet stories, random kindnesses, unexpected grace, cold justice served up on a hot plate…that's what this diary is about. As always, your interpretation of what is "good news" is probably different than mine. And that's fine. Something I'm missing? Add it in the comments.
LGBT:
Massive Marches may move us, but the biggest and gayest parade this year in Colorado will be Pridefest, this Sunday June 18. Civic Center Park will host the celebration all weekend. For your daily minimum requirement of fabulousness, go to Pridefest Denver. (Photo from 2016 Pridefest, Wikipedia Commons)
LGBT hero: One of the Capitol Police agents wounded in the recent terrorist attack in DC was Crystal Griner, a married lesbian woman. Griner and her fellow officers, including David Bailey , rushed the shooter, taking him down and preventing a massacre.
Watch out for the "Proud Boys" and other violent racists today
At the State Capitol now (Saturday, July 10, 2017) at 4 pm. Antifa counterprotesters at the bottom of the hill, #marchagainstsharia protesters at the top, marshalls in between. Via twitter, Anna V Smith, High Country News.
From Unicorn Riot, (@UR_ninja) pictures of the Proud Boys and others ready to spread hate and fear today:
From Unicorn Riot, photos of Proud Boys, neo-nazis, and other racists at the Capitol today.
Proud Boys, a white supremacist, violent organization of young males , had a rally in Boulder on June 3, 2017, and plan another "Anti-Sharia March" in Denver at the Capitol from 3:30 – 6 pm on Saturday, July 10. EDIT: The Anti-Sharia Marches are organized by ACT for America, (Facebook link here) . These anti-Sharia Marches are in 19 cities nationwide. A wide coalition of racist, violent, anti-Muslim groups are attending, including ACTforamerica, the ProudBoys, the Oathkeepers, and the Threepercenters (shown below in Atlanta). The Southern Poverty Law Center is live-blogging them. You can follow the hashtag #hatewatch or #CounterActHate.
Proud Boys, Boulder 6/3/17
Attribution: Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer, Boulder Daily Camera
On June 3, in Boulder, a dozen or so of the "Boys" demonstrated at the Boulder courthouse, behind police barricades. They were met by about 250 counter-protesters, including some "AntiFa" (Antifascists) dressed in black, with black kerchiefs covering their faces. At some point during the counter-protest, someone threw firecrackers at the Proud Boys, and one of the counter-demonstrators was arrested.
Good News! Week of June 3-June 10
by: kwtree June 9, 2017 at 9:50 AM MDT
(Get More…Gooder! – promoted by Colorado Pols)
This diary, which I hope to publish every Friday, will be all about small victories in the big battles: People doing the right thing for the right reasons. Stories of bravery, generosity, caring, and integrity. Where possible, I've connected this to Colorado politics and stories.
This is a selfish project for me – I need to see those small victories and uplifting stories just to keep going as an activist. Without them, it's too easy to be overwhelmed by the flood of bad news and attacks on democracy and civil rights, and simply stop trying to keep politicians accountable.
There are many "good news" items I haven't covered; more possible categories for good news are: Race, discrimination, justice, bizarre news, animals, marches, town halls, community organizing, "the resistance". Where another organization such as ProgressNow Colorado reports on "How to fight back this week", I'm not going to duplicate coverage. As always, add your own "good news" stories and commentary.
Trump Deputy Gorka on CO talk show: End nuclear deal unilaterally
by: kwtree May 8, 2017 at 10:04 PM MDT
On Sunday, May 7, 2017, Trump's Deputy Assistant "Dr* Sebastian Gorka chatted with KVOR radio host Tron Simpson. I listened, and it raised several questions:
Why was a top level Presidential appointee slumming on a right wing talk show in Colorado Springs?
Is "*Dr." Gorka still a part of the President's National Security Council, or isn't he?
Was a right wing Sunday talk radio show really the best time and place to announce that he wanted the US to pull out of an Iranian nuclear deal, even if Iran complied with the terms of the deal?
How does this guy even still have a job as deputy assistant to the President? He was supposed to have been kicked out of the White House because of his associations with a Hungarian Nazi group, Vitezi Rend.
For the first twenty minutes of the 5/7 "Weekend Talk with Tron" segment, host Tron Simpson was predictably Tea Party partisan: Obamacare was horrible, the AHCA will liberate us from tax tyranny, we need a Convention of States to amend the Constitution.
At 21:03, Tron introduced Gorka, the on-again, off-again deputy assistant to the President.
Then Gorka began to speak. first praising his boss, Donald Trump, as the "man who changed the geopolitical landscape with just one summit." Tron was talking about Trump's dinner with Chinese President Xi (complete with beautiful chocolate cake), after which Trump announced that we had bombed Syria. There was no mention of candidate Trump's previous denunciations of China as a currency manipulator.
Praising that Syria strike, which may have killed 100 people, Gorka said that we had "Eight years of divisiveness, and now we've replaced it with Donald J Trump's decisiveness."
Call Your Senator – Refuse Rex Tillerson as Sec/State
by: kwtree January 11, 2017 at 11:19 PM MST
Rex Tillerson, Exxon CEO and Trump's Nominee for Secretary of State, Accepting the Order of Friendship from Vladimir PUtin in 2013. Wikipedia Russia
Today, January 11, 2017, was the first day of hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFR) on the confirmation of Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State. Tillerson evaded direct questions about if he would continue to press for removal of sanctions against Russia. He refused to denounce Russia's human rights abuses of Syrian civilians. He equivocated about whether climate change is caused by human activity. He seemed clueless about world affairs, outside of Russia. He played dumb about Russian hacking. And he gave little indication that he would act independently of his boss, Donald Trump.
The hearing will continue Thursday, January 12, and from that point the SFR can decide to move the nomination to the entire Senate for an up or down vote, or stall it in committee, effectively killing the nomination. We want Tillerson's nomination to die in the SFR committee. If the SFR Senators get enough calls from their constituents, it can happen. Public pressure has prevented complete gutting of the Government Ethics Office, and has postponed several hearings that Trump originally wanted on 1/12/17
Five Reasons to Call Your Senator Now to refuse this nominee
Exxon is the world's #1 contributor to climate change. The company has known for 40 years that fossil fuel extraction and burning contribute to climate change, and it has spent 35 of those 40 years actively denying the science and lobbying to prevent worldwide action on climate change. Meanwhile, Exxon factored warming seas into its calculations on Arctic oil extraction.
Rex Tillerson, as Secretary of State, would enter with huge conflicts of interest. Tillerson could reverse or make policy decisions about U.S. sanctions against Russia. Reversing sanctions would allow a $500 billion Arctic oil exploration deal to go forward, making Exxon and Russia's state-owned oil company Rosneft rich, even if it makes the U.S. less safe. Tillerson himself owns $218 million in Exxon stock.
The Arctic climate is fragile. It's not just the risk of spills; methane and black carbon pollution from offshore oil development will increase global warming.
Expanded drilling would increase Arctic ice melt and decrease wildlife habitat. – Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Tillerson has no experience in diplomacy . World diplomacy is not one giant business deal – there are very delicate situations in the world that need tact, knowledge, and patience. "
Tillerson cannot be trusted to put the USA's interests ahead of Russia's or of Exxons – as intelligence expert Malcolm Nance asked on MSNBC's Joy Reid show, "Do we want a secretary of state who is going to be working hand in hand first and foremost for the U.S. and Russian petrochemical industries?"
Call your Senator on the Foreign Relations Committee
Marco Rubio (R-Florida) @ Next election: 2022
Bob Corker (R-Tennessee)(Chairman) Next election: 2018
Jim Risch (R-Idaho) Next election: 2020
Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) Next election: 2022
Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) Next election: 2018
Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) Next election: 2020
David Perdue (R-Georgia) Next election: 2020
Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia) Next election: 2022
Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) Next election: 2022
John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) Next election: 2018
Todd Young (R – Indiana) Next election: 2022
Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) (Ranking Member) Next election: 2018
Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) Next election: 2018
Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) Next election: 2020
Chris Coons (D-Delaware) Next election: 2020
Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) Next election: 2020
Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) Next election: 2018
Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) Next election: 2018
Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) Next election: 2020
Cory Booker (D- New Jersey) Next election: 2020
Jeff Merkley (D- Oregon) Next election: 2020
Coffman's "Oversight" of VA Hospital = Too Little, Too Late, Too Partisan
by: kwtree August 8, 2016 at 10:49 AM MDT
Joe R* has to go to the VA hospital for psychiatric care again – the third time this year. An obese middle-aged man with thick grey hair, Joe wears a Vietnam ballcap, sunglasses because he's mostly blind, Tshirt, shorts, and flip-flops. He 's off his meds again, belligerent, paranoid, barely coherent. When the police come, they evaluate his condition, and gently talk him into the ambulance. But where will the ambulance take him?
Aerial view of VA Replacement Hospital 10/2015 – 50% completed after 11 years and $1 Billion
The "old" VA hospital on 10th and Clermont, where Joe has gone for 25 years and where they know him well, no longer has an emergency room for psychiatric triage, and they only have 20 beds in their psychiatric wing. So the VA farms "psych emergency" patients out to several area hospitals. Where he'll end up, nobody knows.
Wherever the ambulance takes him, the new hospital won't have his medical history. They won't know what meds he's supposed to be taking or how long he's taken them. They won't know what works and doesn't work with this particular disabled veteran. So they will trank him up and warehouse him for a few days or a week, and then send him back home. This is how the VA treats those with "mental health injuries" while awaiting opening of the shiny new VA hospital.
What Joe needs, says his case manager, the social worker, and his doctors, is a residential treatment center that specializes in long term psychiatric needs of veterans. The VA had plans for such a facility, as part of the new and improved Denver VA Medical Center. The Veterans Administration has been designing and building a new "Replacement Hospital" for 12 years. The cost of this facility has gone from $328 million to its current 1.73 billion price tag – and that may not be the final cost, and doesn't include the psychiatric rehabilitation wing that Joe needs, nor will it have room to accommodate the outpatient caseload expected when it is slated to finally be completed 1/23/2018.
Trump Supporter Who Poisoned Groundwater Places Trump Billboards on I76
The plains roll on for hundreds of miles under blank blue skies near Roggen, Colorado. Sage, scrub grass, fracking tanks, and a few cattle dot the vast landscape. Roggen itself is a ghost of its former prosperity – the town consists of a grain elevator, a telephone co-op, two churches, a convenience store, and a post office.
Yet, Roggen boasts two new roadside attractions: gigantic "Trump for President" billboards facing west and east, placed to catch the eyes of all travelers along I76.
I wanted to find out who felt strongly enough about Mr. Trump's candidacy to build, paint, and place these monumental political advertisements in this desolate area. I investigated, and found a family saga rooted in the heyday of Colorado political journalism, in the gas and oil boom years, including rodeo circuit stardom and family tragedy, and the criminal indictment and sentencing of the landowner, Mr. Mike Cervi, for violating the Safe Water Act by injecting petroleum wastes into the High Plains / Ogalalla Aquifer from 2001 – 2002.
Cervi's Journal – the founding Cervi business
Eugene Cervi produced and edited Cervi's Rocky Mountain Business Journal in Denver from 1954 until his death in 1970. Cervi's Journal later became the Denver Business Journal. "Gene" and his daughter, editor Cle Symons Cervi, were both inducted into the Denver Press Club Hall of Fame. Gene Cervi was twice Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, although he was critical of JFK. Later in his career, the "Journal" became more conservative and more pro-business in viewpoint.
Bernie Sanders to Supporters: Run for Office, Keep Progressive Agenda Alive
On June 16, 2016, Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke to his supporters for 25 minutes. Since I have been and am a supporter, I signed up, and took notes on the speech, the important points of which are summarized below. A video link is also included at the bottom of the page.
Bernie Sanders speech to supporters, screenshot 6/16/16
Most of Bernie's speech was a list of what progressive Democrats want and fought for, what we want our country to be and to do. As such, there are few surprises in the list.These are not "demands", as we used to say in the 70s. These are the prerequisites for social and economic justice.
I didn't expect, but was delighted by, Bernie's call for his supporters to run for local political office: school boards, county commissioners, entry-level offices, however we can get our feet in the door. I applaud this and agree strongly. That is what it will take for real change. From the bottom up -that's how change happens. As expected, Sanders called for the party to unify to defeat Donald Trump. He has pledged to support this effort, and will do so.
UPDATE: 6700 people responded to Bernie's call for public service. Per Berniesanders.com, "The 6,685 supporters who expressed interest in running cover 51 percent of state house districts, 69 percent of state senate districts and every congressional district in the country."
He called for his 1900 delegates to come in to the convention to create the most progressive platform in Democratic history, and to act on it. He called for a 50 state strategy – decrying the lack of support for Democratic candidates, allowing right wingers to take red state governments unopposed.
He called for the Democratic National Committee to open its doors, welcome young people and working people. He called for the DNC to embrace a $15 / hour wage. He called for a party which has "the guts" to take on the pharmaceutical and fossil fuel industries. He called for stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – it should not come to a vote during a lame duck session of Congress, he said. These are positions which sharply differentiate his policies from those of Hillary Clinton.
What Bernie did not say was more surprising:
He did not "concede" defeat in the primary election, although that was implied.
He did not endorse Hillary Clinton's candidacy, although he emphasized that they have much more in common than not.
He included very little on foreign policy – only in points 29 and 30 below did he allude to the Department of Defense and wars abroad, and only to emphasize cutting waste in the DoD, and not to spend young people's lives in unnecessary wars. This was primarily a domestic policy speech.
He didn't talk about the drug war or marijuana legalization, although he criticized the prison industry and school-to-prison pipeline in point 27.
He did not call for an end to superdelegates, lobbyist contributions to the DNC. He did not say what his negotiations with rules committee would be. He did not mention today's big news that unpopular chairwomanDebbie Wasserman Schultz is stepping aside as party chair to allow Brandon Davis to take over operations.
He did not mention the numerous allegations of fraud and voter suppression in the Democratic primary.
Here's what the man did say:
1. The revolution continues – like every movement for social change, civil rights, etc.
2. In every state, we won the overwhelming majority of those under 45.
3. We are mainstream, not a fringe movement. Numbers. 12 million votes, 22 states, Stats on contributions, 75 million phone calls, 5 million doors, 740,000 meetings, etc. Showed that we could run a national campaign without big money contributions. Bulk of contributions came from low income and working people.
4. In every state, we took on the entire political establishment. Senators, Reps, Governors, elected officials.
5. 6:35 This campaign has never been about any single candidate .
6. It's about ending income inequality. It's about ending corrupt campaign finance by corporations. Creating an economy for all of us, not just the 1%.
7. Ending status quo: Native American reservation low life expectancy, lower than 3rd world countries. Millions of Americans dying at a younger age than their parents: suicide, drugs, alcohol, highest rate of childhood poverty of any industrialized country on earth. Ending the disgrace, undocumented people exploited on their jobs.
8. Tens of thousands of Americans dying every year from preventable diseases, because lack health insurance, high deductibles, costly drugs.
9. Young single mom in Nevada in tears, asking on $10/hr, How can we make it ? Millions like her.
10. Mom in Flint, Mich. Excessive lead in water, stunted intellectual development of her child. Thousands of CA homes can't drink tap water.
11. Homelessness is increasing. veterans in streets – lack of affordable housing.
12. Corporations avoid paying a nickel in Federal taxes, stash in tax havens.
13. 6:40 Priority this year is defeating Donald Trump. Makes bigotry the cornerstone of his campaign. Trump wants to give hundreds of B of $ in tax breaks to very rich, is a climate change denier.
14. Major political task: Defeat Trump, badly. My role in that process will begin soon. But can't be our only goal. Must continue grassroots movement.
15. Must take our energy in to the Dem convention in Philly with >1900 delegates. I met with Sec. Clinton.
16. No secret HRC and I have strong disagreements, on important issues but agree on others.
17. I will make sure that your voices are heard. Democrats will pass the most progressive platform in its history and that we actually fight for that agenda.
18. I look forward to working with Sec. Clinton to form aparty that has the guts to take on the Pharma, Fossil Fuel industries, others.
19. Dem party must support raising Fed. minimum wage to $15 / hr. women .79 / vs men $1. Women must have right to control own bodies. Protect right to gay marriage.
20. As Orlando has made clear, Ban sale and distribution of assault weapons, gun show loophole, and have instant background checks.
21. Stop the TPP, must not come to the floor in a lame duck session.
22. Expand Social security, not cut it.
23. Greed, recklessness of Wall st must end. Pass a modern Glass Steagal. No more "too big to fail".
24. Aggressively combat climate change, impose a tax on carbon. Must protect our water supply by banning fracking.
25. To compete effectively globally, Make public colleges tuition free reduce student debt.
26. Join rest of industrialized world – Health care a right, not a privilege
27. Stop incarcerating more people than any other country – Rein in prison industry, criminal justice reform.
28. Comprehensive immigration reform for 11 M undocumented people.
29. Cut waste in every department including Department of Defense.
30. Can't keep throwing young people into perpetual unnecessary wars.
31. 6:47 Revolution means more than Fight for our ideals, defeat D Trump. At every level continue to fight for our nation to be just. Current DNC leadership has turned its back on dozens of states, like red states, allowed right wing to run unopposed, we need a 50 state strategy. Must provide resources to ignored and poor states.
32. Leadership, DNC must open its doors, welcome working people and young people. That is the energy we need to transform the Democratic party and our country. Cold hard fact. Since 2009, some 900 legislative seats have been lost to Republicans. We must Start engaging at local and state level in unprecedented way.
33. Young people deeply concerned about country and community. Start running for office! School boards, commissioners, whatever! Be prepared to engage at that level.
34. 6:50 With energy and enthusiasm our campaign has shown, we can win significant numbers of offices at down ticket level. We need new blood. You are that new blood.
35. Government is not the enemy.(what Republicans say). I disagree. Government must protect us and our planet. But we need to attract dedicated people from all walks of life to run for office.
36. Tens of thousands of new Dr.s, medical personnel, where people lack care.
37. We need child care workers, teachers.
38. We need scientists, engineers, entrepeneurs to work for renewables, efficient and cost effective as possible. Construction.
39. Business people who respect employees and environment.
40. Conclude: we have begun the long and arduous process of transforming America. My hope is that when historians look back and find when we began reversing the trend towards oligarchy. They see that the political revolution began in 2016. 6:53. Dark screen.
Version 1 of this diary posted at caucus99percent.com
Video available here and here
Full transcript of Sanders' speech from Burlington Free Press
To recruit candidates, go to berniesanders.com/win
Ken Buck Tweets False Choice: Security vs. Environment
Representative Ken Buck (CD4) tweeted yesterday that his amendment helps soldiers "focus on immediate national security needs, not climate change". However, the Department of Defense's own analysis says that climate change is a major threat to stability worldwide, and should be included in all planning.
Ken Buck's tweet on June 14, 2016:
That's Buck, standing with the military against evil Greenies.
And he's using Bernie Sanders/ Elizabeth Warren language about "crony capitalism" just to confuse folks:
House is voting right now on my amendment to end crony capitalist subsidies to energy technologies.
— Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) May 25, 2016
So what's got Mr. Buck going all "Fight the Power" here? Rep. Buck doesn't like the Department of Defense spending on renewable energy sources to power its facilities.
For example, Fort Drum, New York has a military base running 100% on biomass. The public might applaud this energy self-sufficiency – remember all that rhetoric about not being "addicted to oil"? But Buck's standing strong against it. Ken Buck's amendment would have prevented using renewable energy on this project.
PUC Hearings Slated on Xcel's Solar-Killing Proposals
On Thursday, June 9, in Denver, and on June 16 in Grand Junction, Colorado's Public Utility Commission will hear public comment from 4-6 p.m.about Xcel Energy's new rate proposal.
Solar Panels in Colorado -photo courtesy of the Sierra Club of Colorado.
The Sierra Club of Colorado is inviting public comment about the proposals, and asking supporters to meet early (at 3:15 pm) for a press event on the west steps of the Capitol, then walk with signs to 1560 Broadway to picket and to speak at the hearing. Sierra Club's invitation reads:
Xcel's new proposal called "our energy future" is moving in the wrong direction. It adds fees that negatively impact our families and communities – whether they have solar or not – and places corporate profit over the public interest.
Xcel tried unsuccessfully to drive solar competition out of Colorado from 2013-2015 by proposing an end to Net Metering. After a long consideration process and multiple hearings Colorado sent the signal to continue with net metering.
The Sierra Club is referring to Xcel's second proposal:
Establishing a "grid charge" to recover distribution system costs for residential and commercial customers. The company is proposing to assess graduated charges that increase with a customer's average use over their past 12 billing periods.
This proposal would charge solar customers a "grid charge" to penalize them for having the gall to install solar panels, which feed energy back into the electrical grid. They would like solar customers to pay extra for the privilege of generating their own power.
Xcel's "Solar Connect" program is the same program which was rejected by the PUC in 2014. In 2014, Solar Industry called the proposal "Sleight of billing," in which customers would have been billed for more solar power than was actually produced. Xcel's own spin on the program somehow neglects to mention this aspect.
What happens when a utility gets to charge solar customers extra for installing solar:
The Pueblo Paws4Life no-kill animal shelter found out when they tried to be a Leeds Green building, and installed 234 solar panels on their roof. Black Hills Energy(BHE) had a dual rate structure for solar installations, with some sneaky fine print in the contract. The shelter was a commercial installation, and so had to pay a "demand fee" to BHE.
Carol Warner, President of Paws4life, recounted what happened when the "demand fee" kicked in. The shelter's utility bills rocketed to $12,000 per month, even though they were generating most of it from their own solar panels. The "demand fee" charges commercial consumers a rate consistent with their highest peak use. Paws4Life began to struggle just to keep the doors open.
BHE has been no friend to solar in the Pueblo area, and many companies are going out of business. BHE also has some of the highest utility rates in Colorado, and a bad reputation for price – gouging customers.
Rural Electric Associations across the state often have a confusing dual rate structure for solar, leading rural customers to erroneously believe that "solar costs more". They do this because the PUC allows them to get away with it.
Communities across Colorado are letting the PUC know that they support renewable energy – with mixed results:
Solar advocates in Weld County successfully defeated a proposed ordinance which would have prohibited solar installations on agricultural land. (Fracking was still allowed on ag land, though). This happened after massive community protest of the BCCC's original solar-killing proposal.
The PUC is also considering the city of Boulder's planned intervention in Xcel's wind farm proposal. Boulder is trying to municipalize its electrical utilities; so the planned wind facility would be one they would try to purchase, if successful.
Governor Hickenlooper appointed a GOP lawmaker with ties to ALEC to the PUC. There was massive public protest, and Vaad was never confirmed by the Colorado legislature. Hick reappointed Vaad anyway.
Show your support of renewable energy. Let the Public Utility Commission know that we will not allow Xcel Energy to kill the solar energy industry in Colorado.
For more information, contact the sponsors of the press event and public input at the PUC hearing:
Alliance for Solar Choice, which advocates for rooftop distributed solar across the country
And Sierra Club of Colorado.
Latest Maketa Indictments Highlight Problem of Police Domestic Violence
Terry Maketa, former El Paso County Sheriff, was indicted Wednesday, May 25, 2016, by a Grand Jury on six felony counts, including extortion, tampering with a witness, and second-degree kidnapping. The latter two charges stem from Maketa and codefendants Paula Presley and Juan San Agustin intimidating a witness to keep her from testifying against her abuser, a deputy under Maketa's supervision.
From Benzel and Sun's Gazette reporting:
After a sheriff's deputy was arrested in August 2013 for assaulting his girlfriend, Maketa directed the woman to recant her story and tell investigators she "instigated the incident in order to allow (the deputy) to get his job back," the indictment alleges. When the woman, a civilian jail employee, followed his instructions and provided a false confession about being "the aggressor," she was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, assault and driving under the influence.
"Detective Lisa Kaiser, the interviewing and arresting officer, did not believe she had probable cause to arrest (the woman) for either crime, but arrested (her) because the order came from her superiors," the indictment says.
Maketa was booked and bonded out of jail on Thursday, May 26 . Maketa had resigned in disgrace in 2014, ahead of a recall effort, amidst charges of sexual misconduct, corruption, and incompetence in his office.
Maketa's 5/25/16 mugshot Credit : Gilpin County Sheriff's Office
Maketa was one of the so-called "Constitutional Sheriffs" involved in a lawsuit against Colorado's stricter gun laws, including magazine size limits and background check requirements.
Colorado media outlets have capitalized on the lurid sexual content of the Maketa case – Westword, the Denver Post, and the Colorado Springs Gazette have all run stories emphasizing the conduct of the "Shirtless Sheriff". We're all sick of that steamy shower selfie, so, please, Pols, don't post it in this diary.
Rescheduled Pols meetup Sat 4/23 2 pm at Jezebel's in Denver
by: kwtree April 21, 2016 at 5:57 AM MDT
So we're trying this again. Who's in? If a later time works better, speak up. The weather is supposed to be good. 2 pm is still in time for brunch. They also have a happy hour.
Jezebel's is at 32nd and Tejon in Highland. Great food, great atmosphere. I'll be there. I think (notaskinny)cook will. Anyone else?
Rescheduled: Pols meetup, Sat 4/23 in Denver 2pm at Jezebel's
by: kwtree April 17, 2016 at 4:19 PM MDT
Meet other Polsters at Jezebel's (32nd & Tejon) in north Denver tomorrow. 303-433-3060
Meet Michael Bowman, and try to convince him to run for office. Meet the ever-charming (notaskinny)cook. Tell mamajama55 how to really fix education. Buy Duke a drink to show there's no hard feelings over the Sanders /Clinton fracas. Or just come to enjoy the fabulous food and drink at Jezebel's (run by fellow polster Whiskey Lima Juliet) , meet some congenial souls, and have a great time. See ya!
Homophobic Williams to run for Chaps' old House seat
Constituents of House District 15 in El Paso County have been represented for almost two years by a homophobic, gaffe-prone politician with ethical challenges: Dr. Gordon Klingenschmitt, aka "Dr. Chaps". Now, unless mass sanity strikes, they will probably be represented by another gay-bashing, hot-tempered, inexperienced politician: David O. Williams.
"Chaps" announced that he would not run again for HD15; he is now running against Bob Gardner for SD12,term-limited Senate President Cadman's district. Chaps' long-suffering constituents should have had a reprieve from embarrassing stories about their duly elected representative. Klingenschmitt's greatest hits have included claiming that a brutal assault on a pregnant woman was God's punishment, saying that Rep. Jared Polis wants to behead Christians, and being under IRS investigation for possible financial misconduct.
David O. Williams, candidate for HD15
Unfortunately, House District 15's new Republican nominee, David O. Williams, looks to be potentially every bit as embarrassing as Chaps. Homophobia? Check. Lack of elected experience? Check. Hot temper – Shoot first, then aim? Check. Dubious financial history, only ever employed in his father-in-law's business, kicked out of the only two positions he's ever been elected to ? Check. Add to this access to weapons and $2,000 from Rocky Mountain Gun Owners in 12/2013, and EPCO HD15 voters may have another embarrassingly rocky two years ahead of them.
David Williams is the son-in-law of his employer, Doyle McAlister, who was a registered sex offender in 2013. McAlister's company, MKW Global Sourcing, is primarily in the Chinese export-import business. MKW employs Williams as Program Manager.
Williams ran for HD15 in 2014, but Dr. Chaps got the nod from the El Paso County delegates. Williams' homophobic behavior is well known, and has included booing a "Log Cabin" gay delegate; threatening someone else with an AR15; discriminating against funding of gay clubs as UCCS Student Body President, and fostering a climate of gay-bashing and bullying during his tenure, because of which he was finally impeached.
Klingenschmitt on the Run from CGW, IRS Inquiries
(Run Chaps, run! – Promoted by Colorado Pols)
UPDATE 3/13/16 The Gazette ran an article by Megan Schrader, which Klingenschmitt claims "clears me of all wrongdoing". Schrader's article goes deeply into Chaps' Pray in Jesus Name/ Persuade the World Ministries nonprofit finances, finding that Klingenschmitt spends about 75% of his donations on fundraising expenses – to Fund Raising Strategies, Inc, whose CEO is Klingenschmitt's old friend Bruce Eberle. Eberle has worked for decades in the direct mail fundraising business. His various businesses market lists of conservative donors, and raise millions for right wing candidates and causes.
Questions still not answered by the Gazette article:
Why does Chaps have no Board for his nonprofit organization? Most nonprofits have a Board of Directors to guard against abuses and provide oversight – Klingenschmitt is the only CEO and is accountable to no one.
Why are there no grants made to any of the charities he said that he has raised money for? (the orphanage in Harissa, India, among others)
See Klingenschmitt's Persuade the World 2014 tax return, at the Propublica Nonprofit Explorer site.
Why is there still an obvious conflict between the tax-free nonprofit PJIN show, and the clearly political guests, causes, and messages Klingenschmitt promotes on his shows?
Representative Gordon Klingenschmitt fled down a Capitol corridor Wednesday, invoking the aid of a Capitol guard to protect him from the probing questions of Colorado Government Watch's Dede Laugesen. Video follows:
Here is CGW's report:
Confronted on camera at the State Capitol Monday with questions surrounding his controversial, tax-exempt charity, state Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt shut down the attempted interview and had state troopers eject a Colorado Government Watch team from the public building.
Flanked by a uniformed Colorado State Patrol officer, the first-term Colorado Springs legislator refused an interview when approached outside the chamber of the state House of Representatives by CoGW Executive Director Dede Laugesen. Klingenschmitt then stormed off as Laugesen called out questions about whether the lawmaker was using his nationwide nonprofit religious ministry—which has raised more than $1 million since 2010—to drum up business for his parallel for-profit operation.
The state trooper blocked Laugesen and an associate from following Klingenschmitt—into a common area used by the public on the State Capitol's second floor—and he ushered them out of the building.
As Klingenschmitt makes his hasty exit, Laugesen also asks him why his charity has no board or any other officers, and she notes there appear to be no tax documents or other records substantiating his claims to have raised money for an orphanage in India. He does not respond.
Klingenschmitt's Persuade the World Ministries, also known as Pray in Jesus Name—a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation whose only officer is Klingenschmitt—took in more than $850,000 in tax-deductible contributions in 2014 and over $1 million since 2010, its latest tax returns show.
The operation has been under scrutiny for some time.
Among other things, it is the subject of a separate inquiry by the Colorado Secretary of State's Office following a complaint filed with that agency by Colorado Government Watch last fall, alleging violations of Colorado's Charitable Solicitation Act. Colorado Government Watch also recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, calling for an investigation and audit of the operation. Klingenschmitt has declined to disclose donors and other details of his nonprofit operation.
Klingenschmitt, who also hosts a show as a televangelist on a national satellite TV network, has brushed aside our inquiries about his for-profit operations and how they tie in to his nonprofit activities. Most recently, he has not responded to our public letter calling on him to disclose his latest tax returns to the Colorado Secretary of State's office for public inspection, as provided by law.
Readers, please note that this is based on painstaking research and writing I did in April of last year. Colorado Government Watch is welcome to it, but it would be nice if they would credit my work.
Klingenschmitt's taxes and money will be difficult for any except the IRS or a government agency to sort out – Diener Consultants handled Klingenschmitt's PJIN donations since at least 2011- 2014. Diener is the organization most well known for vacuuming up the donations of gullible conservatives, and making them disappear, as they did with some poor sod's $150,000 contributed for creating a non-existent fence along the border. Now Klingenschmitt's fundraising is handled by Fund Raising Strategies, Inc, headed by Bruce Eberle. Eberle also has a dubious reputation for suckering gullible conservatives. He was involved with Americans for Tax Reform, and was integral to Florida's effort to certify the dubious Bush "win" in 2000, through his direct mail lists used by millionsofamericans.com.
I understand that Colorado Government Watch has their own agenda – which, I think, is cleaning up some of the rampant corruption in El Paso County Republican circles, and that they hope to replace corrupt Republicans with clean(er) ones. Although that's not my agenda, I applaud them for their efforts.
For the rest, it's just entertaining watching Chaps run from the cameras.
State of the Union Open Thread
Polsters, this is President Obama's final State of the Union address. You can watch it live here. on PBS, or here on Huffpost. He is expected to urge Democratic candidates to carry on his policies, and he is expected to critique the hate and fear mongering from the right.
State of the Union, with Ryan dyspepsia.
It's not known if he will talk about the ten American sailors being held captive in Iran.
The Congressional Black Caucus chose to make a statement by lining the aisles to greet and cheer for the President. Knowing that the right wing already has their talking points tweeting out about "weakness", "ineffectiveness", etc, they want to stand up for this President, and what he has managed to get done.
Like a good professor, Obama tells his audience what questions he will answer.
How do we give everyone a shot at opportunity in this new economy?
How do we get technology to work for us and not against us, especially given climate change?
How do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?
How can we make our politics reflect what's best in us, and not what's worst?
On the economy, he touts the fact that the American economy is strong, the jobless rate is down. He promotes the free pre-K for all, two free years of community college. He sounds a lot like Bernie Sanders.
Health insurance benefits should be portable, which was the point of the Affordable Care Act. And no, he's not promoting a single payer program, even with the risk-free lame duck status. A shame.
On technology, he announces a new National Health Institute research program to cure cancer. Joe Biden is in charge of "getting it done".
He says that if you still want to debate the science of climate change, "Have at it. But you'll be pretty lonely." He's promoting clean energy tech big time. Good call.
"In fields from Arizona to Texas, wind power is now cheaper than coal."
"We've gotta accelerate the transition away from old, dirtier energy sources."
Wow. It sounds like he's advocating for a carbon fee. Go Obama.
So on to safety. "These days, we're threatened less by evil empires, and more by failed states." Nice.
Um, none of the generals in the audience is applauding. That can't be a good thing.
"We don't need to build up ISIL. We need to stop promoting the lie that somehow they are representative of one of the world's largest religions."
Paul Ryan is practicing his skeptical pose. He tries tilting his head first to one side, then the other. Now he's trying a chin stroke. Perhaps he misses his beard.
"If you doubt the United States determination, or mine, just ask Osama Bin Laden. Ask the leader of Al Qaeda in Yemen. Ask the leader of the Benghazi attack."
He reminds us that US forces saved millions of lives by halting the spread of Ebola in Africa.
Now he's promoting TPP. A reminder that he is a corporate centrist, and not a union supporter, in spite of the support unions have given him.
Reminder that he opened relations with Cuba – yes, another accomplishment.
He claims that we are on the verge of ending HIV/AIDS, and wants to do the same with malaria. Can this possibly be true?
On to the meat of how our politics need to bring out the best, and not the worst, in us.
Trey Gowdy looks like the ghost of David Bowie with acid reflux. He is not feeling this "poltics bring out the best" deal.
A plea to stop targeting Muslims and immigrants.
Up to now, he's been Reasonable Obama, pleading for sense and rationality from the irrational. Now on to the rhetoric of the Obama we know and voted for. Winding it all up with "We the people". All of us. A better politics doesn't mean we agree on everything.
His basic themes of unity and common interest, bipartisanship, the basic decency of the American people.
"Our public life withers when only the most extreme voices get all the attention." I have no doubt that a President with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have managed to bridge the divide. And I'm gonna keep trying to get better, as long as I hold this office."
"We have to reduce the influence of money in politics".
"We need to make it easier to vote, not harder. We need to modernize elections. This is America. We want to make it easier for people to participate."
Changes in our political process – not just who gets elected, but how they get elected, depends on you. (paraphrased)
I'm convinced that Paul Ryan has an itch on the back of his neck, and is trying to scratch it by rolling his head back and forth.
Our future depends on your willingness to uphold your duties as a citizen. To vote, speak out, especially for the weak. Especially for the vulnerable. We need every American to stay active in our public life, not just at election time, so that our public life reflects the decency that I see every day.
Now he's evoking the diverse American lives – the student, the teacher, the protester, the police officer, the boss, the worker, etc.
Now he sounds like Walt Whitman, evoking the America we love. Clear-eyed, big-hearted, optimistic that unconditional love will bring us through.
And he's winding it up.
Well, at the risk of rotten cabbages flung from the left and right, I liked this speech. I'm proud of our President, with all of his shortcomings and might-have beens. I think that he has been a leader who has kept us from going over Bush's brink, has managed to buy us a little more time to save life on the planet.
Fort Morgan's Cargill Plant Fires 150 Muslim Employees in Dispute over Religious Freedom
On December 23, 2015, Cargill Meat Solutions Plant in Fort Morgan fired 150 mostly Somali Muslim employees after forbidding Islamic prayers at work, saying, "If you want to pray, go home". The employees are not eligible to be rehired for six months.
Cargill employees fired for praying at work. Attribution: Denver Channel, 12/30/15
The meat processors, some of whom had worked at the plant for 10 years, had been allowed, under long-standing policy, to take five minutes to pray during their own unpaid lunch and break times, in a "reflection room" provided by the plant. This policy, in place since 2009, allowed its employees the freedom to pray at work, and allowed the company to produce meat products profitably and on time. Six hundred of the 2100 workers at Cargill's Fort Morgan plant are Somali Muslims.
Then, suddenly, according to CAIR's Hussein, Cargill cracked down and stopped allowing Muslim prayer at work. Members of other faiths, presumably, are still allowed to use the company "reflection room" to pray during break time.


Bench jeweler needed to do repair work and inventory set up (as needed) for fine jewelry store in Kennebunkport. Must have your own shop and tools. We are a seasonal business with the bulk of our busy time being between May 1st and October 15th. Pick up and delivery preferred but not required. Minimum of one year experience with all metals and precious/semi precious gems. Excellent references a must. Must be fully insured.