Denver will spend all of its nearly $19 million contingency fund this year for the first time in memory, and city officials are crossing their fingers that this season will not bring another major snowstorm.

Silt's mayor is being recalled. The recall was initiated by Mayor Pro Tem Tod Tibbetts, who claims Moore has violated a number of state statutes, town ordinances and code of ethics. Moore denies the claims.

A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office. Along with the initiative, referendum, and direct primary, it was one of the major electoral reforms advocated by leaders of the Progressive movement.

New trend, proposal pics. Whether inspired by tenderhearted sentiment, the desire to record history in the making or something more narcissistic, some marriage-minded men are remaking one of humanity’s most private moments into one that can be instantly shared with family, friends and even, thanks to the Internet, virtual strangers. They are conspiring with photographers who, with all the stealth of covert operatives, lurk in crowds, behind bushes and in the darkened recesses of restaurants to capture the delighted, unposed reaction of the fiancée-in-the-making.

On this day in 1878, Upton Sinclair, author of "The Jungle" and passionate crusader for social reform, was born. Following his death on Nov. 25, 1968, his obituary appeared in The Times:

"The English Queen Mary, who failed to hold the French port of Calais, said that when she died the word 'Calais' would be found written on her heart. I don't know whether anyone will care to examine my heart, but if they do they will find two words there--'Social Justice.' For that is what I have believed in and fought for..."

Wherever Mr. Sinclair looked he saw corruption triumphant and virtue a dauntless but battered cause..."Long ago my friend Mike Gold wrote me a letter, scolding me severely for what he called my 'Jesus complex'; I answered that the world needs a Jesus more than it needs anything else."

Mike Huckabee answers the question, do you believe in evolution?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-BFEhkIujA

My daughter emailed me the above with "Inspiring" in the subject line. Yes it is.
So I went to www.MikeHuckabee.com and signed up for his newsletter. Who is in charge of Huckabee's Colorado campaign?

Do you sincerely want to be Denver's next Mayor?

I just sent this email to KOA Radio's Mike Rosen in response to his email to me when he got my email yesterday (see yesterday's post here, below) that includes a link to the radio interview with Mayor J-Hic that's in question:


In a message dated 3/29/2007 12:40:24 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, MikeRosen@850koa.com writes:

So it was you who called and harangued Hick about the art museum.

Indeed.

You sounded angry, irrational and petty. The mayor isn't responsible for running the art museum, the bond issue or for leaks in the roof. I'd say the same thing if the mayor were a Republican (which is virtually an impossibility in Denver).

I agree that my call was sub-par. But if the Mayor isn't responsible for the DAM's $59 million city-debt, who is? He approved the final decision to go ahead with the project, it was one of his first official acts.

Just as he bears final responsibility for last fall's election fiasco, he bears final responsibility for the poor construction that was allowed and the problems that is causing now. It is my understanding the contract that he approved was poorly drafted and the contract is trying to wiggle out of making the massive needed repairs. The contractors inspector was afraid of heights and she inspected the welds
on the roof with binoculars!


Given the practical alternatives, Hick is the best we, as Republicans, can hope to get in Denver. Perhaps I should know better than to expect practicality from you. Grow up.

Seems to me there will be a mounting fury about the mayors poor performance as we move towards May 1. A strong write in candidate would have a great chance of winning if it was done in the middle of an Anyone but J-Hic campaign. We'll be brainstorming the idea at my weekly IDEA Cafe meeting this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Panera Bread, 13th & Grant. Would you join us? Would you invite your listers to RSVP at http://ideacafe.meetup.com/1 ?

One of the ideas I'm considering is selling a special report and or a short seminar,
"How to run for Denver Mayor as a write-in candidate." Would you have someone from KOA contact me about advertising it on your show?

By the way, did you see the news release the DAM made Tuesday about the massive layoffs? I may have missed it, but I didn't see the release reported in any of the local media. Why not? Seems everyone is trying to get out front and serve Mayor J-Hic now that he seems assured of victory. Are you on his campaign team? Sure seemed like it on the call I made last Friday.

John

Here's the release from last Tuesday made by the DAM:



For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrea Fulton
720-913-0116 Pager: 303-640-0991


Denver Art Museum Undergoing Mid-Year Evaluation
Staffing and Other Operations Likely to Change


The Denver Art Museum announced today it is reassessing its operations, including staffing, following the opening of the Frederic C. Hamilton Building in October 2006. Museum officials conducted a planned six-month evaluation of the institution’s performance needs for the new campus, and have determined that some changes will be necessary in the near future.

The Museum increased operations to an unprecedented level to carry out the opening of the Hamilton Building last fall. After the first six months of operation, the DAM is making adjustments to better suit visitor needs and the future program. Some staff attrition of contract employees brought on for visitor ticketing and front-line services has already taken place.

As part of its move to adjust staff to a more appropriate level, the Museum offered a voluntary resignation option last week. Staff members taking this option will receive an extended compensation package. The results of that offer will not be known until next week, at which time, further staff evaluation will take place as necessary.

“The Museum has undergone a dramatic change in the last year,” said Museum director Lewis Sharp. “We staffed up greatly for the opening and now we are assessing our future needs and making changes to ensure efficient, successful operation in the years to come.”

The Museum is on track to achieve its best attendance in more than 30 years and despite the harsh winter, particularly over the holiday period, overall attendance has remained healthy. An early goal of 750,000 to one million visitors was predicted by the museum in 2004 and it hopes to reach that range by the end of its fiscal year in late September. To date, more than 350,000 people have visited the Museum complex since it opened last fall. However, the Museum estimates that extreme winter weather kept more than 50,000 visitors away, causing lower holiday revenues than expected.

# # #

How could Mayor J-Hic possibly have not known about this?

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My friend Dmitry made a very good observation about all this (see his comment to yesterday's post below).

An Anyone but J-Hic campaign probably doesn't make much since unless a real, substantial, electable candidate emerges quickly that the GOP and others (like Mike Rosen) could really get behind. How about you? If you are interested, please email me at JohnSWren@aol.com.

Both newspapers have been featuring articles about the high cost of political campaigns in Colorado and the negative impact of the 527 committees. So I wrote this letter to the editor and sent it to several newspapers this morning:The long-run solution to high-cost campaigning is a return toshoe-leather, door-to-door organizing in every neighborhood
by each of our major political parties. We saved the Colorado
neighborhood caucus in 2002 with the defeat of Amendment 29,
now we need to start using it.If our state party chairs get serious about the 2008 Colorado Neighborhood Caucus,
Presidential campaigns will finance our efforts, just as they have in Iowa wherethey spent an average of $40 per caucus attendee in 2004 Iowa Caucus.How to get involved? First, call the major party of your choice
(Democrats 303-623-4762, Republicans 303-758-3333) or call
them both, then pick the one that best fits you.

Then go to Scott Heiferman's www.Meetup.com, search on the political party
or presidential candidate of your choice, and attend the Meetup nearest you.
You'll meet people who want to make the parties more responsive to
the grassroots, and who can answer your questions about how to organize
your neighborhood and participate in the 2008 neighborhood caucus.Let's save our neighborhoods by increasing the informed participationin our March, 2008 caucuses in the 3,000 neighborhoods acrossthe state by each of us pressuring our party to promote the 2008 caucus
and spending 2 hours a week helping in our own neighborhoods.

John Wren
960 Grant Street
Denver 80203
cell (720)495-4949

John Wren helped organize Save the Caucus which defeated the 2002 Amendment 29
which would have killed the neighborhood caucus, and he is the founder of the new
Denver Republican Meetup http://republican.meetup.com/511 which will next meet
this coming Thursday, December 14 at noon, Panara Bread, 13th & Grant.